My Bit of Heaven - by Kristl Walek

[Kristl Walek]

although this note does not concern a native species---and i may have mentioned this at some point in the podophyllum thread.

common misconception that *all* podophyllums are short lived (and should be either sown or moist packed soon after harvest).

i have not had seed of enough species to do adequate work with them over time.
but p. hexandrum has been in my life for many years.

first picture is what happens when the seed is moist packed after harvest and kept at warm for a number of months.
this is fine, of course, if you wanted to grow it immediately.
however, for posterity, for future sowing, for seed exchanges and for sending to friends, keep the seed dry after cleaning.

i keep my left over seed in the freezer after my current seed season is over.
my 2007 stock is still in testing and i will add the results once i have them.
but here is the 2008 dry stored and frozen batch, with its monstrous roots.

[Kristl Walek]

and here is a native species, which i was re-testing this year for my book, so that i was confident in my assertion (mentioned here previously) that maianthemum stellatum does not need cold treatment---but kept at warm for a number of months, will germinate. current test was begun in mid september, 2010.

what i also needed to test is whether germination was hypogeal---and a cold treatment would be needed in any event to initiate the first leaf after radicle emergence. this does not seem to be the case.

i was working with one year old seed, kept dry stored at room temperature.

[cohan]

and here is a native species, which i was re-testing this year for my book, so that i was confident in my assertion (mentioned here previously) that maianthemum stellatum does not need cold treatment---but kept at warm for a number of months, will germinate. current test was begun in mid september, 2010.

what i also needed to test is whether germination was hypogeal---and a cold treatment would be needed in any event to initiate the first leaf after radicle emergence. this does not seem to be the case.

i was working with one year old seed, kept dry stored at room temperature.

this was interesting to note, since i had some M stellatum seed harvested in fall which sat in the berries till fairly recently when i cleaned them.. i was thinking after they had dried some days post cleaning that they looked rather shrivelled and i was wondering if they'd be ok...

[Kristl Walek]

Uvularia sessilifolia, held moist packed and only at warm since harvest 2009 has begun germinating in the master vermiculite bags. Low percentage at this point, but germination has just begun.

Here is one seedling that is quite advanced--with a huge, healthy root system, and top shoot emerging.

[Ulla Hansson]

I love to see photos of germinating seeds, it makes me happy.
 Life that has started is something amazing.

[Hoy]

Kristl, what do you do with the germinating seeds you test? I hope you take care of them; I would never have the heart to discard germinating seeds!

[Kristl Walek]

Perhaps you are, like me, an adventurer at heart and a keeper of lists of "places to see" usually with botanizing at the core, or certainly one of the crucial considerations.

While I have actually managed to work my way through 99% of my North American list, the Big Horns of Wyoming/Montana and Newfoundland remained.

To my delight, I leave this week for the northern peninsula of Newfoundland and Labrador accompanied by my rock gardening friend, Denyse, from Quebec (long time executive member of the Quebec Rock Garden Society) and a botanist/ecologist twosome flying in from Ontario (former Newfoundlanders). Susan produced the Checklist Of The Vascular Plants of Newfoundland and Labrador & contributed many photographs to the same Digital Flora).

http://www.digitalnaturalhistory.com/flora.htm

She is also working on a book of the flora of Newfoundland & Labrador.

This highlight to my year comes at a perfect juncture: with a difficult stretch of health issues behind me, relating back to getting struck by lightning last June and an equally difficult emotional time relating to just about everything else. I finally feel ready to move forward with life again.

[David Nicholson]

This highlight to my year comes at a perfect juncture: with a difficult stretch of health issues behind me, relating back to getting struck by lightning last June and an equally difficult emotional time relating to just about everything else. I finally feel ready again to move forward with life again.

As someone once said Kristl "life's a bitch" but we only get one shot. Keep on moving (and enjoying!) girl.

[Maggi Young]

Kristl, this sounds like the perfect trip for a "new start" after your recent difficulties.
Have a wonderful time! 

[ranunculus]

Have a magnificent and life enhancing trip Kristl.

[Kristl Walek]

It may (or may not) surprise you that the temperature at the northern tip of the province, where we will mostly be,  is +7C today (with frost tonight); compared, for example with Whitehorse, in the Yukon at +25C.

It has been a hectic week preparing to spend 14 days hiking in a rather inhospitable environment weather wise. Likely cold/cool/foggy/rainy/cloudy. I am now equipped with waterproof everything, tip to toe and plenty of layers.

Only Air Canada flies to Deer Lake, halfway up the western coast of the province. From there, we head north by car to the nearby Gros Morne National Park (designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987) for our first round of botanizing.



Thereafter, after another 6-7 hours drive further north, we will arrive at our "outpost" for the remaining 2 weeks, in Raleigh, Newfoundland, on the northern tip, adjacent to Labrador. This area is a well-known iceberg-watching locale; whale capital of the world and has the world's highest concentration of moose.



Here we have rented fully equipped cottages from which we will head out for our daily hikes, including time in Labrador, to find alpine species.

I have a long wishlist of botanical hopefuls for this trip; but will be happy to see any of the following: Salix jejeuna, Harrimanella hypnoides, Diapensia lapponica, Loiseleuria procumbens, Phyllodoce caerulea, Rhododendron lapponicum, Cassiope tetragona, Primula egaliksensis & stricta, Dryas drummondii and any of the Saxifraga (oppositifolia, azoides, caespitosa, paniculata laestedtii, tricuspidata).

I look forward to sharing my detailed adventure with you later in July, after I return.

[Brian Ellis]

It sounds an amazing trip Kristl, have a wonderful time and I hope you find many of those on your wishlist.  Look forward to hearing all about it when you return.  Take care, would love to see whales up there, but not so keen on the meese.

[fleurbleue]

I'm glad to think of all pictures and words you will share with us... Have a very pleasant trip Kristl 

[cohan]

Sounds like a great trip, and very nice to be able to make it with folks who know the flora well!

[Kristl Walek]

SRGC friends,
I have now returned from a very memorable sojourn through north-western Newfoundland and Labrador. It will take a while to organize myself and the 4,000 pictures. Chronological seems the easiest way to present my journey & perhaps it might also be helpful to others contemplating a trip to this part of the world.

Botanizing took place in open areas only---in the mountains, bogs, fens, oceanside. For once, I did not miss my beloved woodlands.

For the 2 week trip, there was one day of beautiful sunshine, 2-3 days of rain (only two truly miserable day3 with wind-chill highs just above freezing +3C and +5C); the remainder comfortably cool & cloudy.

The four of us arrived at Deer Lake airport (one small terminal building) in late afternoon. Parked there was a "water bomber" (used to fight forest fires) which I had not seen for years, since I was last in northern Ontario. Driving north to our B&B in Gros Morne, I had my first view of the Long Range Mountains (highest elevation 2,671 ft.) They are the northernmost section of the Appalachian chain on the eastern seaboard.

Views from both the B&B and at the restaurant for dinner were wonderful.