My Bit of Heaven - by Kristl Walek

[Kristl Walek]

My recent absence does not mean I sold my property---in fact, I have extended the listing agreement until December, and have reduced my price. So we shall see what we shall see...

It's been a busier week than usual because temperatures have plummeted and while we have hovered near frost a few times, later this week frost *IS* coming (Friday), and thus the madness of rushing around dealing with the seed of tender plants, and bringing all the houseplants indoors has consumed all the daylight hours.

Also, I have needed to organize the fireplace wood as the house is mighty chilly at night when I am packaging seed.

The plus to the cold is that the leaf colouration will soon begin and along with it, the autumn glory.

Here is something I have forgotten to post earlier:

Podophyllum peltatum var. deamii is a very rare variant of the species with pink (not white) flowers and producing deep maroon fruits (instead of the usual yellowish-green of the species). In all other respects, the plants look the same.

[Kristl Walek]

It was a perfect day for an outing!!!! Only +5C when I left early this morning, with a cold wind, but turning into a beautiful, cool, sunny autumn day- with our first frost warning this evening.

The primary goal was Symplocarpus foetidus (Eastern Skunk Cabbage)---and you know that meant back into the wet. While I was still a bit nervous about my recent "almost submersion" in the bog---I knew that hole had been caused by human intervention---I am much more comfortable with what nature creates, because I understand it better.

Last spring I took you on a tour of the skunk cabbage patch close to home, when the plants were first emerging --the site today is some distance away, but well worth the drive, because it is my "mother lode" site. The plant population runs in length for 1.5km along a small country road and deep into the woods for at least that far as well. The colony is so thick one cannot take a step without walking on a plant.

As you look down the road, the left side is cat tails (translated into "wet site"). The right side of the road, where we are going, is a natural hedge of Ilex verticillata (translated into "wet site").

And once past the Ilex, one is met with the smell of wet decay and water, water everywhere.

[Kristl Walek]

There was still the (very) occasional plant (or part plant) to be seen; with huge leaves some over 60cm across. However, the foliage had mostly rotted, and what was left was the gray winter resting bud.

[Kristl Walek]

Of course I was here to collect seed---but it turned out (as it so often does in my business) that the right variables just did not work this year---and the pods to be found were few and far between and may, in the the end, not yield enough to justify listing the seed.

The large, dry, hard and bumpy pod is attached to the plant by a substantial, fleshy appendage and is simply snapped off. Inside are huge, marble-sized seeds.

And next spring, the amazing spathe will again emerge, sometimes through ice and snow.

[Kristl Walek]

I made myself feel better about the lack of skunk cabbage pods by collecting a pile of Ilex verticillata seed. Then headed off to my second site for berries of Mitchella repens--- one of my favourite native groundcovers, which has adapted easily to the alkaline conditions in my garden. It is beautiful in all seasons.

The berries have a face; certainly two eyes and a nose, if you look closely. I like to think it is offering a "come hither" look to the creatures that might spread it's seed---but I am sure it has more to do with the fact that the double flowers are fused together, and this has resulted in this "pinching" on the berry.

The small Goldenthread, Coptis trifolia ssp. groenlandica is another favorite---with gorgeous, glossy foliage. How wonderful to find these two in this spot, happily romping around together---another example of nature's perfect landscaping!!!!

[Kristl Walek]

The remainder of my time today was spent in my ABSOLUTELY favorite way---plant scouting.
I never have enough time for this activity, which gives me the greatest pleasure!!!!!

It is used as a general term here to describe time spent:
(1) trying to locate species in the wild that are rare or uncommon. Or to find a huge population of a particular species.
(2) reconsidering my indigenous plants with an eye to their horticultural value.
(3) looking for sports in wild populations.
(4) locating northernmost sites for woody species, in particular.

I spend considerable energy each summer with the first activity---and of course fail 90% of the time. But even one success each year thrills me!!! This year I count among my successes the large Chimaphila umbellata colony I found and the patch of Lilium canadense which was thought to be non-existant in Ontario.

Today I was able to add to this list by FINALLY locating Saururus cernuus. The aquatic Lizard's tail is at it's very northern range here, which is what makes it particularly important to find. I have been searching for it for years and just about fainted when I was met with what I will show you next!!!!!!!!!

A small town ridiculously close to home. A simple main street. A bridge over a river on Main Street. And on both sides looking down from the bridge, Saururus in large colonies as far as the eye could see!!!!!!! As it grows in shallow water, it is only found in particular settings along shorelines where the water is not deep.

After discovering a way to get down to the river, I was able to see the plants close up. They had obviously flowered well, but the seed was green and may not ripen before winter. The flowering picture is "borrowed" to show you the bloom--hopefully if I am still here, I can return next year to see it myself in flower.

[Kristl Walek]

On my drive home, I made various "aster stops"----a genus I am looking at particularly this year, trying to find more worthwhile species to list, or to find interesting clones of ones I already carry.

Aster puniceus will be one of the new species to be listed this year---it's a pretty aster; growing in mostly wet spots in the wild, but will do well in ordinary, moisture-retentive garden conditions.

I have to show you A. ericoides again, which I adore...this is a top notch plant!!!!

The pink A. novae angliae is so very difficult to find in the wild---but I did see this one today.

Aster ciliolatus is a plant of hot, dry places.

[annew]

Fantastic, Kristl - I do look forward to your postings.

[johnw]

Mystery solved, it was indeed a Thuja. By luck a few days ago we happened by an almost identical plant at Planting Fields Arboretum to the one I posted earlier for identification.

Also a fantastic Edgeworthia for such a northerly location. A dwarf Lagerstroemia called Pokomoke and of course we envied the large forms with spectacular bark the most. Good to see Franklinia at its peak.

A lot to catch up on in the Forum.

johnw

[Kristl Walek]

Tomorrow I head off on another explore---a good 3 days I hope---this one into adjacent New York state---to look primarily at woody species at the Cornell Plantations in Ithaca. This trip *will be* a real break, finally, as I have booked a cheap motel, with no need to talk to anyone (except myself... ) and to simply eat, sleep and look at plants all day. My kind of vacation!!!! It is barely a four hour drive--less than half of what it took me to go to southern Ontario.

Cornell has a NAPCC Acer collection and has particularly large collections of Oaks, Chesnut, Walnuts and Malus sp. The NAPCC (North American Plant Collections Consortium) is a network of botanical gardens and arboreta working to coordinate a continent-wide approach to plant germplasm preservation, and to promote high standards of plant collections management.

It's apparently also a pretty part of New York state, with gorges, waterfalls, fascinating rock formations and other wonderful natural spaces.

I hope to have much to tell you about when I return.

[ChrisB]

Just back from my visit, Kristl, and it was wonderful to see so many different asters all over the place when I visited my friend in Horse Shoe Valley.  Also fun to see, sitting on her kitchen countertop, seed packets from you.  I had told her about your seeds, but didn't know she had ordered from you.  Great stuff.  She is just about to sow her arisaemas, hoping they will germinate next spring.  she is starting to have a very nice wild garden, but I didn't get chance to photograph it, I was only there briefly.  I've posted some pics of asters on the travel pages, but I've no idea what they are, they were between Horse Shoe Valley and Orillia, along concession roads.  What a treat they were!

[Carlo]

Saururus cernuus or Lizard Tail is spectacular when it blooms. I saw and photographed it earlier this year along the south branch of the Raritan river in New Jersey. The colonies get quite large and it's a wonder that so many people can kayak or canoe by without even giving it a second glance...

[Kristl Walek]

Saururus cernuus or Lizard Tail is spectacular when it blooms. I saw and photographed it earlier this year along the south branch of the Raritan river in New Jersey. The colonies get quite large and it's a wonder that so many people can kayak or canoe by without even giving it a second glance...

What is the expression, Carlo, about needing to have the eyes to see...?

I find this is a particularly apt expression when it comes to seeing and appreciating what is closest at hand---in the case of plants---our own wildflowers. I do not find it strange at all that folks can walk over or canoe around great native plants without ever seeing them or even wondering about them!!! Once on a nursery bench, or noted in an article or book, the plant becomes legitimized and brought more to the foreground. But even then, the same folks may still not see it in the wild.

[Kristl Walek]

I've posted a very short pictorial of my visit to the Cornell Plantations in the "Travel/Places To See" thread---as I am trying to confine the thread here to indigenous plants of my particular area or to Ontario.

[Carlo]

Kristl, et al,

There's a well accepted term for the problem "plant blindness." A google search on it will give you the particulars--it's quite interesting...