My Bit of Heaven - by Kristl Walek

[Kristl Walek]

As I am having computer problems and am too busy to send personal messages at the moment, a quick note that moist-packed seed of Trilliums and other woodland ephemerals have now been shipped to forum members who have requested it.

All seed was wild collected in my bit of heaven.

If there is anyone else who would like seed of Trillium grandiflorum, erectum, undulatum; Uvularia grandiflora, Dicentra cucullaria, Clintonia borealis, please contact me.

It's been a fabulous seed year for the woodland species--undoubtably because of the constant rain----all species (except for Hepatica) produced the best quality seed I have seen in years, and in incredible abundance.

Surplus ephemerals will again be donated to the SRGC seed exchange, and will include many extra species that I was not able to donate last season.

I believe that the SRGC is the first seed exchange of it's stature that has officially committed itself to  sending out ephemerals moist packed (beginning with my donations last season, I believe). As this has been one of my professional goals, I am thrilled and proud to finally see progress being made in this area. After all- we SHOULD BE THE LEADERS in these matters.

Sadly, most seed companies still lag behind what has been common knowledge for many decades and still send out dry stored seed of ephemerals.

I had for years offered ephemeral seed to NARGS---but the system could (would) not accomodate them.

CONGRATULATIONS SRGC!!!!!!!!!

[Maggi Young]

Kristl, given your generosity, it is surely a pleasure for us in SRGC to embrace this excellent procedure

Commiserations on your computer troubles.... we know the feeling

[Kristl Walek]

I am at the early stage of my busiest seed time, which will now accelerate until I will almost have caught my tail by the end of the first week in October, when things begin to even out, with mostly woody species left to collect after that time.

My office is in total disarray, with not enough surfaces to hold all the seed bags and the dozens of ziplocks of berries and fruits at various stages of decomposition, waiting their turn to be cleaned. It smells like strange and wonderful wine each morning when I enter the office. Once I have been there for a while, I no longer notice it.

As I am doing most of the work alone this year, the seed cleaning is a particularly challenging task. The days are 18 hours long, and the weeks are 7 days. I need to schedule days for collecting in the wild as well as on the property, days for cleaning, testing and packaging seed, and a few days for orders. In another 2 months, 7 days per week will be taken up with orders and re-packaging seed and this will continue until spring, when I start the outside routine all over again. It is only when the seed package turnover from 2007 to 2008 harvest is complete can my new season begin.

I've not been able to take you out in the wild with me recently, but here is just a small look at what I have been recently collecting.

[Kristl Walek]

This week I also collected Viburnum lantanoides (alnifolium). You may recall my posting last fall of the incredible foliage of this species---but those who missed it, I will re-post a few of these pictures from last season to give you a taste.

Must change that picture of myself soon---it's getting too chilly for bare arms.

[Brian Ellis]

Oh gosh Kristl - Autumn is arriving

[Kristl Walek]

I know, Brian...and perhaps it's because I am an October baby that I so love autumn and never really mind when it comes....even if followed by 6 months of winter.

Autumns in this part of the world are fairly acknowledged to be among the best (the best???) in the world --with the amazing Indian summers and the leaf colouration---- we are so fortunate to have all those magical trees here.

[art600]

--with the amazing Indian summers and the leaf colouration---- we are so fortunate to have all those magical trees here.

Kristle

I and most of Britain would willingly settle for just the Indian Summer - no sign so far.

I do enjoy the Autumn colours and have a Spindleberry that goes an amazing red, and also a Cotinus that changes from purple to red.  But they do not look the same in the rain.

[David Nicholson]

................As I am doing most of the work alone this year, the seed cleaning is a particularly challenging task. The days are 18 hours long, and the weeks are 7 days. I need to schedule days for collecting in the wild as well as on the property, days for cleaning, testing and packaging seed, and a few days for orders. In another 2 months, 7 days per week will be taken up with orders and re-packaging seed and this will continue until spring, when I start the outside routine all over again. It is only when the seed package turnover from 2007 to 2008 harvest is complete can my new season begin.

If only I lived that bit nearer Kristl I would pop round and give you some help

[Brian Ellis]

amazing Indian summers and the leaf colouration

Oh for an Indian Summer!  Our Fothergilla is probably the best autumn colour we manage in the garden, but I love to see the colours in the countryside.

[David Nicholson]

I'd settle for just a week without rain

[Kristl Walek]

On an absolutely glorious early autumn day in Ottawa---two forumnists met---I am always easy enough to spot---and I imagine you all recognize the Scottish gentleman next to me?

Yes, it's Mr. Christie Alpines himself--and SRGC president---
Ian spoke to our local NARGS chapter and I dropped everything that needed doing here and went to the meeting.

No one fell asleep during this lecture---and afterwards Ian treated us to a number of wonderful plants and seed before heading off to Montreal to do it all over again.  I was one of the happy recipients of Trillium chloropetalum var kuribyashii seed and a root of Sanguinaria canadensis (a form with very narrow petals)...whose name I missed.

[Maggi Young]

How lovely to see President Ian happily meeting you and more Canadian growers, Kristl!
We were just wondering today how Ian and Ann were getting on on their travels ......they are sorely missed here, so please don't think you can keep them!
 Probably did you good to have a day off, I reckon!

[Kristl Walek]

On my way home after the meeting I passed a future housing development site which had turned into a lively meadow over the years. I could not help but stop and wander around in it for a while. There were a least 4 species of Solidago here, including the ones already at the seed stage, and many more Asters. The bumble bees were here in high numbers, but most of them sleepy or nectar-drunk or both.

[Kristl Walek]

This thread began, in large part, because I felt an emotional need to document the native plants of this little stretch of earth I have called home for the past 20 years.

I wanted to create a visual memory of what I am leaving behind, now that it has become necessary to leave this place. It's been both painful and exhilirating---mirroring almost exactly the internal conflict-excitement-sadness-hopefulness of what leaving here means to me and also where my life might take me after this.

Today I sit in my seed office down the hill, while the last open house of the year takes place up the hill. The listing agreement will expire this month, so if I don't get a bite today, I am here for another winter (or longer). This, of course, presents me with problems and issues I have become very good at repressing this summer while the property has been listed for sale. I need to leave. I now (mostly) want to leave.

Thus far, those who have been interested in the property have expressed love for the house, but lack of willingness to deal with the gardens, where my life has been centered for 20 years. I have literally dug my own grave, it seems, by building such extensive gardens.

No young, energetic couples have presented themselves who might turn this place back into a nursery operation/public gardens. These are, unfortunately, the buyers who appreciate the gardens, but do not have the funds to buy it. It's an old story I have heard hundreds of times.

I have been partially successful in what I have presented to you here, and I am not finished for this season. At least 40% of the native plants were never photographed or talked about in this thread---and could fill another 20 or more pages next season. And while this is a fun and exciting prospect, I admit that my heart is beginning to rest elsewhere. I thank you for supporting so warmly this very public therapy, of sorts. This is a very fine group of kind individuals who I have come to respect dearly. Thank you for being here.

[ranunculus]

Hi Kristl,
Surely one of the objectives of therapy is to instill in an individual an ability and an eagerness to move on, to re-focus, to recharge those fading, stuttering batteries ... if enriching the lives, the viewing experience and the combined knowledge of this wonderful group of individuals has helped in any way to facilitate this in your particular case then we are delighted you came to us for support.