April News from the Garden |
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Letter from the Executive Director |
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Greetings!
Much has evolved at the garden in the month since the last newsletter. The long list of Uri-impacted plants with "wait and see" status is dwindling, the large majority of them thankfully migrating to the "coming back" column. Our garden holdings of Clethra pringleii "White Water" which John collected in Mexico appeared as though they hadn't survived Uri, but a few weeks ago, sure enough, buds tentatively began to appear. I discovered this one day while walking by the one near the house. Apparently there were sufficient numbers of just barely emerging buds in my periphery to cause me to turn to take a look, and when I did, I experienced immediate delight; so much so that I found myself congratulating the tree out loud. I've talked to several friends about this experience of joy at the recognition of new, unexpected, growth and we all agreed that it's almost impossible not to extrapolate that isolated incident of plant resilience and persistence and apply it to our own lives, giving us at least some amount of solace that we, too, can survive extreme duress.
Maybe one should be careful when making those equivalencies, just as scientists caution us against interpreting processes in the natural environment through the lens of human motivation. They warn, for example, that assigning the passing of resources between plants in the Wood Wide Web, as the vast underground network of roots and and mycorrhizal networks is sometimes referred to, to either socialist or capitalist intent is misguided. Still, it's hard not to look at a sprout of green emerging from a seemingly lifeless, dry, gray, tree stump and think, "well, if she (to anthropomorphize) can do it, so can I."
But, as the green shoot would attest, if a green shoot could attest, you've got to give it some time. Unfortunately, giving it time (or extending time) is not something our culture is very good at. We live with, and suffer from, the expectation of immediacy and brevity that digital platforms encourage. How does this version of human-manufactured time sync with time as measured by lunar phases, or seasons? I suspect one of the benefits of the "return to nature" that marked one positive human response to the Coronavirus epidemic is that while we were outside experiencing the flowers and rivers and trees, we were also experiencing time outside of the hyper one we've constructed. And that feels really good. And we noticed that it feels really good. Can we ever restore that experience of time as our default? Or at least put ourselves in better position to experience it more often? I don't know, but stopping to rejoice in a nub of green growing out of a dead stump isn't a bad place to start.
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Chionanthus retusus - Chinese Fringe Tree |
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For those of you who visited us on the April 10th Open Day, you were fortunate enough to see this beauty in full bloom. Native to China, Korea and Japan, Chionanthus retusus' blossoms are fragrant and abundant and the source of its genus name which comes from the Greek words chion meaning snow and anthos meaning a flower. Though ours at the garden are grown as trees with a single trunk, they are more commonly grown as shrubs. Their distinctive deeply grooved bark is another attractive feature of this showstopper of a tree. It is easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade.
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Remaining April Open Days
We will have two more Open Days in April, Saturday, April 17th, and Saturday, April 24th. Tours will leave at 10 am and 11 am. The nursery will be closed on April 17th but open for business on the 24th. We hope you'll join us on one or both days. In May, we'll be open on Saturday the 8th, 15th, and 22nd.
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Nursery Reopening
We will be reopening the nursery on Saturday, April 24th at 9 am. If you're looking for unusual or hard to find plants that would add a distinct note to any garden, this is a good place to start. Our inventory will be a little less robust than normal, so make sure to arrive early. And you can meet our new Nursery Manager!
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Five Questions for Phoebe Lake - All Star Docent and Volunteer |
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Phoebe Lake, and her husband own New Leaf Nursery which they operate on their farm near Brenham. Practicing organic methods, their main emphasis is on growing top quality herbs, perennials, and Texas natives.
In spring and fall, they provide a wide range of vegetable transplants, including over 50 tomato varieties, specialty peppers, and other summer delights. They attended over 65 area Farmers’ Markets last year! Their small farm is a diversified one with Dexter cattle and free range turkeys (some years). Cats, dogs, horses, chickens and guineas complete the menagerie.
Phoebe has a degree in Environmental Science and an Associate degree in Horticulture. She is a former Texas Certified Nursery Professional and Master Gardener and is currently a member of the Herb Society of America and Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.
We're most grateful that Phoebe's willing to share her time and expertise on behalf of the garden.
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1. Why did you decide to become a docent at The John Fairey Garden? A friend mentioned that the JFG was looking for volunteers and was about to offer docent raining. I had visited the garden many, many years ago and had not been back. With the ongoing Covid situation it seemed an appropriate time to revisit this hidden treasure.
2. What was the thing you learned in docent training that you found the most interesting? Perhaps the most interesting part of the training was learning about John Fairey himself. A southern gentleman and horticultural pioneer who left us all a remarkable legacy. Identifying the plants in the JFG is challenging!
3. Is there a plant or tree or part of the garden that you're particularly fond of? One particular favorite is the Quercus glauca or Blue Oak. There’s a magnificent one near the stream that simply draws your eyes upwards to its beautiful canopy.
4. What aspect of being a docent do you enjoy most? The tips at the end of the tour. Seriously, I enjoy observing what things piques visitors' interest, be it a plant or piece of art. Oftentimes they will notice something I’ve completely missed! Also, in my short time as a volunteer it’s fascinating to see how the garden changes from week to week.
5. Did becoming a docent change the way you think about the garden? If so, how?
I thought I knew a bit about plants before coming to the JFG, but it has so many plants I’m unfamiliar with, it can be a bit daunting! Becoming a docent has widened my knowledge of the garden itself, but also made me aware of the efforts being made to preserve and expand the mission of the garden. I also enjoy assisting other docents as each one puts their own particular stamp on a tour and I usually find myself taking notes to add to my own knowledge.
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Volunteers Needed
We're always looking for volunteers and have a variety of tasks suited for a range of volunteer interests and skills. If you're interested in finding out more or in signing up, email info@jfgarden.org or call the office at 979.826.3232
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