Lifelong Passion For Flowers

Sometimes I even amaze myself. Sunday after I bought the funnies I was just cruising around town looking to see if there might be something to photograph. I've really become addicted to this picture taking since I joined that photo site, Flickr. I guess a lot of other people also develop the "flickritis"bug. I had gone back to the Episcopalian Church to look at their center court again. That's were I found and took a picture of a loquat with pretty yellow plum-like fruits. Since I found out that they were edible I wanted to go back to get a sample. Also that week had been working with a gardener planting petunias and begonias at the West Cambridge Trail/Playground. I mentioned it to her and then she said ," Did you see the flowers I planted in the memory of my sister?" Well, heck no, I hadn't remembered seeing that and she even said the plants were labeled. Still didn't see anything on my return trip, but did sample a fruit. It was pleasant tasting but rather bland or mild with a slight plum flavor. So I continued on down into the Mill village by the hospital and went around a block to return home when, low and behold, I saw a plant that I wasn't sure what it was, but knew I didn't have a picture. So I parked the car and walked across the street. It was a circular bed, maybe 4 feet diameter, filled with the plants pictured above. It was bone dry as we have been in a pretty substanial drought this spring, but did have a good heavy rain Friday afternoon and evening. Right away I said almost out loud to myself, "this is pickerell weed." Then I started thinking I don't even know what that is. Didn't remember ever seeing it before, didn't ever grow it myself, or have any idea where I heard that name. But sure enough when I got home and went looking through what gardening books I still have, found a picture of it and was a dead ringer for what I had just photographed. I suppose I pulled it up from the deep recesses of my subconcious mind. Perhaps read it in one of those gardening magazines I must have started reading as soon as I learned or perhaps I did pick up a few things in my college years and everything wasn't just a blur as I sometimes think. The botanical name is Pontederia cordata, Pickerell Weed. It is an aquatic perennial that grows in shallow fresh water and would be hardy from one end of the east coast to the other, north to south. The house where the plants were is empty right now, but there is a sign indicating that Emerald Baptist church is acquiring. Must be a long established clump so suppose it will take awhile before it dies out if it continues to be neglected and not furnished adequate water. I'm almost thinking of going back and seeing about getting a sample to save it from extinction. If you decide to add this plant to your water garden, be aware that it can be aggressive and choke out other plants. It might be best to keep it confined to a container and then sink pot and all under the water.


Perry's Statue of David - You can see the whole set of plants and ornaments around his yard here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sisudave/sets/72157594155015745/
Funny, though, he hadn't seeked my permission to display my image in his yard, like so many others who did the same. Being a David myself, I have a special affinity for all David statues.

Perry is one of the first people I met when I came to Greenwood. He worked at the deli at Winn Dixie Grocery store. I had a heck of a time getting people to slice my ham and cheese thin - they didn't know that here. Just knew thick slabs and, as I tried to explain, he would say, 'Oh, yes, shavings." He finally got it right.We joked together a lot and his pastime was riding a bike- one of those guys that take it seriously with the helmets and uniforms and ride long distances and climb high mountains. He rode past my home nearly everyday and frequently stopped and we talked. Everybody here probably knows Perry as that was the primary grocery store for years and he headed up the deli and bakery. Then I moved to this place where nobody passes through and Winn Dixie has shut its doors so hadn't seen Perry in quite awhile. Wondered about Perry as he must have worked there over 30 years and what his plight was. Last week we delivered letters to people whose back yards back up to the trail. Well, actually I just went along for the ride and to provide support for my fellow working volunteer. When he had called I always hate to say no, but did manage to say that wasn't my thing as I really don't like to confront people and avoid going to other people's doors especially if there is any inkling of a dog around. The letters, prepared by him and reviewed with the police chief, asked them to be alert to people writing graffito on the walls at the trail and to notify authorities if they see anything suspicious. The walls of the overpasses that border the trail are being painted for a second time to cover it up at considerable cost, but labor is free, using that of a parolee serving his community service time.We delivered about 20 letters. As soon as we came to his house, I knew it must be Perry's even though I had never been there. I guess just from knowing him. Fortunately he was home. Had just come in from cutting 3 lawns and also was working now for Piggly Wiggly Grocery Chain so was glad to learn that and to see his place and take these pictures. As soon as I saw the small front yard just crammed full of plants and decorations, I knew somehow I was going to have to check out the back yard, too. He was very gracious and I took the pictures that make up the set. His garden features mostly foliage type plants, but I like them all for their color, texture, shapes and all interests. Flowering is always a bonus, but in some situations the foliage is the important part and ,I must say, the plants provide the framework for all his many garden ornaments, many whimsical.

I created this calendar using something called Flickr toys. It is a site that allows you to do all kinds of things with your pictures, like make calendars. I was going to do one every month, using the flower of the month. I couldn't get a decent picture of Lily-of-the-valley for May . This was a picture of a rose in the Men's Garden Club, a garden now maintained by the City.

My First Garden

We moved to 97 Croton Avenue, Ossining, N.Y. when I was 3 years old. It couldn't be too long after that when I made my first flower garden at the end of the garages behind our 6 family brick residence. I even remember planting annuals like zinnias, cosmos and nasturtiums - things with easy to handle seeds and easy to germinate. Must have read already something about organic gardening as dug all the soil out of this bed, went across the street to an empty lot and got grass and lined the bed with layers of that and soil to improve it. Arranged the rock border and even painted them. I must have had this bed for quite a few years - maybe not all the while we lived there as probably 13 when we moved away and by that time my interests got diverted briefly in my life to other things although I'm sure I continued to read the gardening books and magazines without any interruption. My older brother, Herb, by 6 years, and I had an arrangement where we alternated buying magazines. He didn't know anything but sports or want to know anything but sports. I would by a flower magazine and be there laying on the couch with it all turned around so he couldn't see the heading when he came in. Of course , being the big brother, he would walk over and just snatch it out of my hold, and then in disgust fling it back in my face when he realized what it was. We agitated each other unmercifully for all those years right up to the end. You could never let up. Nobody could understand how we could stand each other, especially his wives, but we couldn't have been closer. He's been gone almost 7 years now and I sure do miss him.

When I went off to college I had dreams still of becoming a great rose hybridizer. By the end of my freshman year, that idea had left my mind and I was just in a survival mode to stay in school. But the idea I guess never entirely left my mind, as now in retirement, I have done some crossing and growing out seeds from my resultant crosses. I'll leave you with one of the photos of my Daylily crossings as thought that is a good one for an amateur, like me, to try. I crossed Joan Senior, a nearly white Daylily with several mediocre reddish Daylilies. Think I planted about 90 seedlings and now I have a bed of mature plants. All fowers are red and some I really like as the red is so intense. I'm calling the series, Red, Red Wine, as the name seems to aptly fit the appearance.

Take Care and Have a Happy, Dave