This week-end Diana and I have had a most wonderful adventure. We traveled to be with the Georgetown Area Daylily Society, whi
ch meets at Charles and Heidi Douglass' Browns Ferry Gardens, in Georgetown, South Carolina. It was a 6 hour drive from our home in Marietta, Georgia, to Georgetown, and I must say that it was well worth the time investment. In fact, I enjoyed the trip so much that it made me remember when I first went to visit Pat and Grace Stamile's Floyd Cove Nursery in Florida back in 1993. Charles and Heidi's garden is a garden that every daylily gardener "must see." They grow establi
shed plants, they grow outstanding seedlings, they have acerage, they have a meeting room with an office, and kitchen and plenty of room. If you are growing daylilies, and you haven't visited this garden, then you MUST make plans to made a trip to Georgetown. I'm showing a picture of myself and Diana with Charles at the sign at the front of the garden. I'm also showing a picture with Diana and myself with Gene, Barbara, Charles and Heidi.It was just delightful to walk the entire garden with Charles and Heidi, and see their plants. They have thousands of plants for sale in the front of the Clubho
use, and then they have a special place where they place plants that have been sold, and will be mailed in April. The plants that they have for sale include two of my orange introductions: VARSITY ORANGE and CHILLED ORANGE SORBET. Charles likes orange colors, an
d he particularly likes these two daylilies. I was also pleased to see that Charles is growing KENNESAW MOUNTAIN HAYRIDE and LYDIA'S REGAL ROBE. It was good to see my introductions growing in the garden. I could see that Charles and Heidi are doing well with their daylily business, and I was pleased to see how many plants they will have in the mail in April. This is a real, genuine plus for daylilies, and for the AHS!As the Club meeting was beginning, many of the members brought in sandwiches, and cakes and fruits and salads, and lots of other things
like cookies and brownies and more. Indeed, I met Ms. Marie Parsons who resides at Pawley Island, South Carolina. Ms. Marie is a delightful lady who prepared a "Strawberry Sunday" dessert. It was just so good! Ms. Marie has been a long time member of the Club, and is a person that everyone in the club looks to for leadership. I liked meeting Ms. Marie! 
After the meeting I was also able to take a picture of the Club and I'm posting this as well. As you can see from the picture, there was a large attendance at the meeting, and we had an enjoyable plant auction, and then we went to supper together at the Land Mark Restaurant that is on the bay. Diana had fresh shrimp, and I had Mahi Mahi. As Grandpa on Hee Haw would often say, "Yum, yum, good."Thanks to Charles and Heidi, and to the Georgetown Area Daylily Club, for inviting us to come to their meeting.
Bill
Bill, why do they grow plants in containers and not in the ground? Jim Elliott
ReplyDeleteJim,this is Heidi. We grow them in containers for several reasons. #1 we have a walk in business and it is much easier to have a customer walk out with a pot of daylilies then have to dig it for everyone.
ReplyDelete#2We find the daylilies that are shipped recoup much faster when coming out of pots because their roots are less disturbed.
#3 Potting them in the fall for sale in the spring leaves us with much more time for other things and when customers are here we have time to take care of all of them instead of digging all day.
Hope that answers your question.
Jim,
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to add it's great to be able to take a pot to the shade to set pods on it. We do grow daylilies in the ground. We have 16 displays beds. Half of them get dug each year for sale.
Bill,
Thanks so much for coming. The club really enjoyed your presentation and we really enjoyed being able to spend time with you and Diana. I hope she is feeling better this morning.
See you soon!
Hi Jim,
ReplyDeleteCharles grows plants in containers for several reasons. First, they are easy to move. Many of their customers are from "up north," and the plants are easier to transport in containers. Second, Charles and Heidi have plenty of water, and water is not a problem in keeping the daylilies fresh. Third, the plants are mature and have been separated, two plants to a pot. Easier to manage with two fans per plant. I'm sure that Charles has other reasons, but these are the reasons that I would suppose that Charles might list.
Thanks for the question.
Bill
Hi Charles and Heidi,
ReplyDeleteI responded to Jim before I read your notes. I usually respond to one note at a time. I like the reasons that you list for growing daylilies in pots better than my reasons. Diana is feeling better, but she is still having trouble with her cough. When I got home I had a "doctor visit," and I made it there just in time. I must say again how much fun we had in coming to visit. I would say to anyone reading this note: Visit Browns Ferry Gardens. You will be delighted with what you see.
Bill