A Gift Of Plants

Several decades ago when we began our serious gardening efforts, some female gardeners of age took us under their wings and supported our efforts with gifts of their plants.  Many of those ladies are now gone but their plants live on in our gardens.  We remember those caring people with sweet memories whenever we work among their plants.  The gift of plants is a tradition worth preserving and today we continue the practice.

These two arbutus plants were dug with the owners' permission today.  Located at the top of a north facing ridge, these plants were still covered with snow two days ago.  As we move toward summer and the sun climbs higher in the sky, these plants will exist in full sunlight.  Their response to this harsh environment is to keep their leaves small and reproduce freely.  They sense that they may soon die because of their poor for them location and desperately work to create the next generation.

Jane is one of the gardeners that has made  many gifts of plants to us.  Now well into her ninth decade we wanted to make it possible for her to once again enjoy the scent of open arbutus flowers.  We selected these two plants with the plan that they be planted out as soon as the flowers are finished.  Each of these small plants  are at least two years old.  A new plant from seed grows only three leaves during its first year.  The second year sees stem growth and additional leaves.  The flowers buds form at the end of the new stem growth.  Because these plants are small, they will very likely survive transplantation after their short time in the pots.  Jane will be able to raise the pots near her nose rather than going to the ground to catch a sniff of these unbelievable sweet flowers.

We have made countless attempts to grow bluets.  These plants grow like weeds in wet lawns.  They slowly fail for us because of our mostly dry ground.  This time around, we are placing this gift of plants at the base of the hill leading up to our home.  This is the wettest area that we have available to us.  Individual plants are either male or female.  We planted three in the hope that both genders are present.  Natural plant propagation is the goal.  Not only do we want them to live, we want them to prosper.

These four plants were left together because of their closeness to each other.  Dividing them might have increased the stress of the move.  Our rural mailbox is close by so a sprinkling can of water can make the trip down the hill to get the mail on rainless days.

Elaine was kind enough to allow us to take all of these plants from her home site.  Wintergreen grows abundantly there and she offered us a sample.  We have made numerous unsuccessful attempts to bring wintergreen under cultivation.  The growth habit of this plant makes moving it difficult.  An underground stem connects each of these clusters of three leaves.  A small amount of roots form at the point where the leaf stem leaves the underground stem.  Generally, this root mass is insufficient to sustain the part of the plant that has been separated from the crown.  We placed this wintergreen close by an arbutus planting.  Since we continue to bring water to the transplanted arbutus when rainfall is scant, we will remember to water the wintergreen.  The muddy plop is the remains of the soil that was moved today.  Nearby white pine needles were pulled in to cover the soil.  Now these plants look like they are growing in a wild natural location.

Shade Garden Plus One

Fringed polygala is the pink flower that has had its spot in the shade garden invaded by other wildflowers.  Tattered evergreen leaves turned purplish by winter's rigors belong to the polygala.  Light bright green leaves mark the location of the invading Canada Mayflower.  Trout lily's brown spots have lightened to grayish white on the darker pointed green leaves.  Clover like three leaves belong to freely self seeding columbine.  Careful weeding is scheduled when the polygala presents its new leaves.  It is the chosen plant and this space belongs only to it.

The number of trillium bulbs we have purchased is shamefully large.  Three new ones just arrived and they will be added nearby.  We want a large display of this native treasure and persist in our efforts to have it here.  They need several years to make themselves at home in our garden and patience on our part is necessary.

This clove currant grows near the shade garden.  When it is in flower, the scent of cloves is carried on the wind for a great distance.  Going about our work, we frequently walk into a sweet smelling drift of  spicy air.  This plant makes this time of year here pleasant beyond description.

Quaker ladies grow as an invasive lawn weed if conditions are to its liking.  Abundant moisture seems to a requirement.  Our several attempts to grow this plant in our dry soil always result in the plant's slow decline.  This specimen self seeded in a crack at the top of the stone wall.  Located on the outer edge of the garden it benefits from frequent supplemental watering.

This bleeding heart is an alien plant here.  Native to another part of the world it is out of place in our wildflower garden.  A longer time in flower and its compact size make this plant a winner.

Maidenhair fern is among Becky's favorites.  Fallen trees in our woods have prevented us from visiting this plant in its natural surroundings here.  This is another native plant that is slow to establish itself following transplanting.  Fearing that it did not survive, we purchased it in two consecutive years.  Both plantings eventually took hold and we now have easy access to this beautiful, delicate, lacy fern.

Jack in the pulpit is a must have because of its unusual structure.  Late frosts have ended the flowering cycle in the past while the plant persists.  Frost is forecast for tonight and covering buckets are now nearby. The red seed clusters are well worth seeing so we will try to keep the frost away from these plants.  Wild or cultivated, alien or Native, plants these days need a little help from their friends to get through Mother Nature's mood swings!