{"id":2827,"date":"2016-02-13T16:13:00","date_gmt":"2016-02-13T21:13:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2020-08-13T17:35:13","modified_gmt":"2020-08-13T21:35:13","slug":"gooseberries-mignonette-and-martian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardern.co.za\/2016\/02\/gooseberries-mignonette-and-martian\/","title":{"rendered":"Gooseberries, Mignonette and Martian Regolith Simulant – My 2016 Projects"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Gooseberries, once so popular in North America, were restricted during most of the twentieth century because of concerns that the genus was a vector for a certain virus which affected white pines. Today, most of these concerns no longer exist, and plants can be ordered and planting in many states. Not just green, the gooseberry continues to enjoy a large fandom in the UK, where many varieties still exit, some with fruit nearly as large as hens eggs.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n <\/span><\/span> My grandparents and parents used to raise many gooseberries here, as well as their close relatives, currants, but over time, they’ve moved on ( well, to be more truthful, the greenhouse now stands where they once grew). Making a bit of a comeback with enthusiasts today, now that The flavor is more or less, sour, but when prepared in dished, pickled, preserves, jams and jellies, they are sublime. England, they certainly have their fans, which is why that is where competitive gooseberry forms rank along side the art of competitive Leek raising. Excellence is measured by size and color, first and foremost. Flavor? Well, with Gooseberries, one must remove any idea of ‘berry’ from ones mind. My first encounter with Gooseberries came as a young child. in the same garden where I live now, of course. Plants grew out by the old chicken coop, but never enough to eat – just more thorny than anything else.<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n \n There were self-seeded plants here and there appearing over the decades, but I have always removed them. It’s time to reintroduce this old fashioned fruit plant now that any fears about white pine rust have been reduced. My British friends ask me when am I going to start raised some gooseberries, so all signs are pointing to a gooseberry plot in my future. Besides, the foodie in me is really pining for the new varieties, which can have fruit as large as a hens egg, and new ‘ancient’ varieties from Switzerland and Germany with fruits that are blush, violet, pink, golden yellow as well as green.<\/p>\n It’s time again for me to share what some of my ‘special projects’ will be for this coming year. These are more in-depth, if not ‘deep-dives’ (where I really dig in and either collect many forms, or grow a large number of specimens to the finest state of perfection as I can). I sometimes can’t always get to all of these projects, which is probably a good thing given my time constraints, but I like to keep lots of options open in the beginning of the year.<\/p>\n In the past you may remember some of my more successful in-depth studies like English Sweet Peas, annual poppies, or Belgian Endive. Most recently, last year, my exhibition chrysanthemum project, which consumed much of my year. I will be continuing that project into this year, as well, but in addition to that, I am adding these to the list (not all will be completed, but on this snowy night, they are on my short list:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The 19th Century Method of raising Clematis in Pots<\/b><\/p>\n I go back and forth on this one, but for whatever reason, this appeals to me. I’ve never considered myself a clematis guy, and I am not sure that I want to raise many of these, but perhaps one or two specimen plants in a large tub, might be interesting. I found this chapter in a book from 1856, which inspired me to try growing a magnificent tub of clematis.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The New Craze for Shishito Peppers<\/b><\/p>\n How these little treats snuck in under my radar, I have no idea. I can’t even remember where I first read about the Shishito pepper. It was just before Christmas, so I might have been in one of my new Japanese cook books I bought myself, or it was on-line, but all I know is that when I mentioned that I read about this craze to my good friend Rochelle Greayer over dinner one night, she said ” Oh my God! My parents are SO into those right now too!”, then I knew something was happening. Maybe the are hot for Shishito’s on the west coast ( or in Colorado, in Rochelle’s case), and they are just taking their time making it to the east, but….all I know is that I think I need to grow some of these apparently tasty, small, green peppers that took Japan by storm! They are available from Baker Creek Seeds.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n ‘Phloxes in Pots’<\/b><\/p>\n Some of you might have read my post on Facebook where I freaked out about not being able to find good seed for annual phlox, but now I have some better varieties ( there was once were many sections, a hundred and fifty years ago). Mainly, I am talking about Phlox drummondii. But why you might be thinking? Again, now, a month later, I am not sure why I was so crazy for the species and it’s many selections, but I do know that a good, perfect crop of P. drummondii is something I’ve been lusting for ever since I read about Ruth Stout growing a carpet of them in her first book, back in 1971 – that summer when my mom bought me my first gardening book.<\/p>\n It’s just not an annual we see grown well, if not at all. If my seed comes in on time ( from the UK) and if it germinates well, I hope to share a successful bed, perhaps under the espalier apple trees. If not, I may attempt these in pots – probably bulb pans.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Once again, this nineteenth century Victorian plant makes an appearance on my projects list (honestly, it’s been a bit of a pill, to try and grow). This time, I am determined to master it, only because I want to experience it’s sent. Look – along with the Tuberose, Mignonnette is like taking a whiff of history, as if one could smell was Abraham Lincoln’s funeral smelled like (eww, right? Maybe not the best example, but you get the idea – maybe, this is what Abe sent Mary for Valentines Day perhaps?). Historical scents fascinate me though, and since every decent 19th century florist had cut stems and pots of Mignonette, how could you not want to experience it’s scent? I’ve ordered a collection of scented violets this year, to round out that collection, so this will simply enhance the entire scheme of 19th century fragrant plants in the greenhouse and cut flower garden.<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n \nExhibition Dahlias<\/p>\n Now that I’ve kickstarted this new chapter of the American Dahlia Society – the New England Dahlia Society, it should come as no surprise that this was all really just a scheme to order lots and lots of dahlia tubers. Consider that done, so expect loads of pictures this coming year of not only our new dahlia beds, but of our first dahlia show at Tower Hill in mid September.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Exhibition Gladiolus<\/p>\n And, along with dahlias, come glads – perhaps my next passion, since I can’t seem to keep my hands off of every old fashioned bulb which deserved a revisit or a makeover, and believe me, no bulb (or corm), deserves this more than the lowly glad. If you don’t believe me, skip the Dutch commercial varieties available at the nurseries, glossy mail order color catalogs or from the big box stores, and visit a collectors web site – preferably a gladiolus breeder ( I suggest Pleasant Valley Dahlias and Glads<\/a>, in CT). New glads, and by ‘new’, I mean the ones bred grown for exhibition in gladiolus shows which look nothing like any commercial glad you have seen or imagined. Forget funeral arrangements, cheap dollar-store bunches or even glamellas -instead, think of brownish bronze, super-ruffled 5 foot tall wonders — colors like cinnamon, chocolate, dark blackberry colored eyed forms, or some with pie crusted ruffles show fancy, that each floret could be a corsage. Do it. Order a few, and let me know. I promise you, they are SO worth it!<\/p>\n Old Victorian Carnations<\/b> \nNow, on my “maybe I’ll try them” list<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n A serious collection of begonia species<\/u><\/b> \nVintage Florist Techniques from the Nineteenth Century<\/b> |