General Subjects > Flowers and Foliage Now
February 2022 in the Northern Hemisphere
Robert:
Akke,
Thank you so much for sharing the scenes from your container garden and the scenes from around your town. I liked the blooming reticulata type Iris. We grow Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’ in our garden. I divided the bulbs this winter and the plants have yet to bloom. There are large flower buds, so it will not be long until they are in bloom. I would like to grow other Iris reticulata varieties, but they are very difficult to find in our area. The same is true for Crocus species. BTW – Do you grow any Crocus species from seed? Anyway, thank you for sharing so much. The mass display of Galanthus in public settings looks very nice!
The first day of February was clear and cold with blustery north winds. Winds gusted to 40 mph (17.88 mps), with sustained wind speeds of 25 mph (11.18 mps). The temperature today was -1.95 F (-1.08 C) below the 30-year average for 1 February. It was extremely dry. There was very little moisture in the atmosphere. I spent the afternoon watering plants in the garden. January is the peak of the winter precipitation season in our part of Northern California. It has not rained for 25 days, and the 7-day forecast indicates that there will be no precipitation. After this wind storm, above average temperatures are forecasted. We are currently stuck in a stable Rossby Wave pattern (Planetary Wave) with a strong blocking pattern in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Although recently there have been some major changes in the Equatorial Western Pacific and Indian Oceans, these changes have not translated into a resumption of the what was once normal winter storm pattern for our region. The snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is slowly melting and conditions are extremely dry for this time of year. A continuation of these dry conditions will be tough on our garden as well as natural ecosystems in our region.
The early spring blooming season has started in our Sacramento, California garden. The small flowers of Aristolochia californica are very interesting. We grow this species to attract the larvae of the native Pipevine Butterflies (Battus philenor). So far, they have not found our garden; however we know that they are in the area. They will find our garden soon enough.
I grow a number of our native Sedge species (Carex) in our Sacramento, California garden. Carex multicaulis, Stick Sedge, is very attractive. Both the evergreen foliage and inflorescences are stiff. The clusters of whitish “flowers” are appealing. It appreciates filtered sunlight in our garden and seems to grow well in almost any type of soil as long as it is kept slightly moist. In addition, this species stays fairly small, so it fits well in our small garden. There is still plenty of room to accommodate many other plants. We have planted these for the diversity of shape and color in the garden, as well as encouraging native flora and fauna. Many species of grass skippers (genus Hesperia etc), spread-wing skippers, and checkered skippers (all family Hesperiidae) feed on, breed, and leave their larvae to be fed and protected by Carex.
Jasmin adds: Your pictures are indeed lovely! We are inspired enough to see if the stinzenplanten we remember are still around. There has been so much development, we do not recognize many areas anymore, and can feel lost as much as loss (grief).
All photos and most text is actually Robert’s. He is the official Forumist. Usually I am “just” an editor: I will add punctuation, and change wording because I know how terribly mixed up some American phrasing can translate. As grateful as we all may be for Google translate, it is not a human translator, someone fluent in whatever languages. There are times the message word order is truly confusing. For those of us who are blessed (or ultra-confused) with multiple languages in our heads, being able to arrange words so others can understand and enjoy is a real pleasure. Sometimes, though, I have added some lines, but under Robert’s name. Above, that would be the additional information about planting the Carex species for color, shape, and nurturing Nature. Robert has asked me if I wanted to be a member on the Forum, but I am fine with either a silent role or this experiment in occasional joint contribution. I really do have plenty to do!
It took me the experience of life--including life in at least four or five different countries--and perhaps a large dose of maturity to have compassion for those who feel uncomfortable with history, and for the debates all countries go through when confronting when and how to tell their history, and to understand we are complex, and our decisions are not easy. We like to simplify complex realities. We feel comfortable with concrete, solid answers; with black-and-white, not shades of grey, with clear good and bad, not ambiguity. Labels also make talking about any topic easier.
Life, however, is not so neat and orderly. It is no different with our discussions of plants than with our discussions of any other topic. Think of all the debate over plant names and classification! There is always some variation on the theme of “lumping” or making a larger group of something, and “splitting” or making a smaller group of something. We do the same things with each other all the time: For example, I notice Robert has a small American flag on the Forum, because this is his country. And, well, it is my country too; yet, despite my citizenship papers, and length of life here, there is some part of me that still is not sure I feel truly American. There are a lot of people living in this place called America who would completely understand what I mean when I feel like some hybrid something: American to other peoples, but not really American to others in this country. When does one feel this thing called American? There are three hundred years between when Robert’s people arrived, and mine! In 1642 it was Civil War in England, and getting on the “Hector Clement” (the first boat going) to the American colonies was a pretty good idea. In my family, it was 1942, and America was, again, a pretty good idea. Yet, living here, we find America has its own problems that look a lot like what our families thought they left.
Akke:
Robert
Thanks for sharing the pictures of your garden. Aristolochia looks so exotic to me, the containers in the background showing promise, while your Carex is so natural. As you can imagine, I like the effort you take to please the fauna as well. There’s no final ‘gardening’ plan here, still exploring, but bees need some help here and that will remain a good theme for a container garden.
Earlier when we talked about Viola odorata I started wondering if the individual plants were good at adapting to very different circumstances, another possibilty being that just a couple of seeds would survive and sort of start a new branch. In case of Iris ‘Harmony’, it’s about clones, isn’t it? Which would mean it is very adaptable, even summer is usually pretty wet here. In any case (avoiding splitting and lumping ;) )the Iris reticulata garden clones increase well here, the ones I got out of the pots last year had doubled, the repotted ones aren’t flowering yet though, ‘Pauline’ at the tree garden (pic1) is. A pity I can’t send you bulbs.
About sowing Crocus species, I just started it last season. A few are of the ‘collectable’ kind (just got seeds), couldn’t resist to sow the more common species I got as bulbs and collected a few seeds of naturalized Crocus Tommasianus in the park. First seedlings are showing. I hope to sow more this year, maybe I’ll get some from the seed exchange and hopefully some of my own ‘collectables’ I got this year.
Jasmin
So many wise words. I’m not goinig to react to most of them, it would leave no room for the rest of the month so the next entry would be March 2022. Okay, this one, nothing wrong with trying to think in shades of grey. Unfortunately even development has this kind of shades, necessary but why here?
I gathered as much that Robert is the author and you add some remarks. It’s not always obvious, but mostly there are some hints.
On the subject of language, I’m not using Google translate or similiar, so mistakes are all mine. If in doubt, I check something like Merriam-Webster for subtle differences or spelling, and in ‘extreme’ cases a beginners guide to biology. :). In a passive, listening/reading way I’m one of the blessed, it has happened that people had to point out to me that the conversation was bilingual. :) Probably only works for (ost) frisian.
Regarding plant names, there could be something to say for different point of views. I just try to introduce Colchicum instead of Autumn-flowering-without-leaves around here.
A thought I’ve had when people talk about emigration. Some are actually running to a different place, they could be disappointed. Some are just running away from here, they probably will be disappointed.
Second pic. Just took another way home to check this place. A good carpet already and more warm days to come. All the yellow dots are Eranthis, not dried grass or rubbish.
Maggi Young:
Translations - just a small comment - if Forumists need a translation to their own language and do not usre the Forum's "built-in" translation system, this is a good option :
https://www.deepl.com/translator :)
Robert:
Akke,
Jasmin adds: I really love the image of the Iris reticulata, with the rough, dark tree bark in the background. Colors and textures draw one into the vibrancy and vitality of life.
You are fortunate; your writing and spelling are marvelous. I still struggle: In a couple of grades I received so many red/bad marks for spelling and punctuation. It was only later in life I figured out that I was writing British English, not American. How could the teachers or I know that was the problem? I still have spelling and punctuation confusion at times. There are words too that can confuse me. Some words are not cognates! It can be embarrassing or hilarious. This computer automatically changes my writing to American English. Sometimes I have mixed feelings about that.
I am immensely grateful for our dialog. It has elicited so many memories, and I am grateful: My mother was incredibly international, a fluid, flowing, and flexible and truly humanitarian person beyond religion, culture, race, and nationality. She gifted me an international family of so many colors, textures, sounds, perspectives, and so forth. She lived so fully: we are more than what labels we use, more than our shortcomings, more than our mistakes, hurts, or deeds that we have done—and any wrongs could be made right through true repentance and self correction. We could and can all be forgiven. She saw the Light of God in everyone. She was beloved by everyone, everywhere we went. She taught me how to live, and I have had an incredibly rich life. I see my mistakes were learning who I was, and where I belonged, moving in this fluid world of hers, into a world so deeply attached to labels of identity, and often demanding allegiance—either you are with them or you are the enemy—a very narrow construct. I needed to learn for myself the lessons she taught me through her very life: true lovingkindness, of forgiveness for everyone—no matter the deed, because we are all beloved, gifted with life by God.
I did not think I would marry an American. Many times, whether I lived in the USA or not, I found Americans strange. Tourists left much to be desired. I admit I acted and spoke so no one would suspect I had anything to do with the country or those rude people. I hated having someone shout as if I were deaf, “DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?” I admit that I was not always kind: I acted stupid, or maybe I was snide, “Well, I sure hope so.” Some members of my family who came earlier just to work and hoped to return were brokenhearted to never go home again because of the war. Others, who returned, returned to a changed world, ruined buildings, and the people they knew were dead, refugees, or the living traumatized one way or another. I could speak the languages, but no one can translate experiences. I still remember being told as a young person that I did not understand. I realize now how true.
After two days of very strong winds, it is calmer. I think I picked up most of the garbage, including some child’s cloth toy doll! We pray for the miracle of rain again. Despite atmospheric changes, the high pressure ridge continues to build. We are expecting even warmer dry weather. Our birds will enjoy having access to the aviary, but I will have to water! Prunings still lie in heaps, or scattered, some crossing the paths, and have to be moved.
Catwheazle:
Rhododendron ferrugineum struggles through the snow ... and gives hope for spring
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