Garden and life stuff from Maine

Sunday, July 17, 2016

Bernd Heinrich

Bernd Heinrich presented a talk for for Maine Audubon entitled "The Nexus of Art and Science." He spoke in Orrington on March 3, 2016. . Dr. Heinrich has spent decades studying birds and other wildlife, and sharing his findings and reflections in bestselling books. He is also an accomplished wildlife photographer, painter and sketch artist. By weaving together stories of his artwork and his field research, Dr. Heinrich’s talk will connect the scientific pursuits of biology and ecology with various forms of artistic expression

Sherry and I are huge groupies and were happy to tell him about the Hancock County Master Gardener Book Group. We read one of his books each year.

Naturalist Beginnings

I retired in October 2015 and spent the autumn days watching the leaves fall.

And looking at fungi in the woodpile.

And I saw some white stuff on an alder twig at the Great Pond Mountain Conservation trust greens gathering in the Wildlands. WTF is it? After some investigation, I find out. - wooly alder aphids (Paraprociphilus tessellatus). Really?? Aphids?

It is November 29, 2016 and I also see Cladonia cristatella, which is commonly known as the British soldiers lichen,

And there is a stunning foliose lichen on a tree.

And February came and I was looking at catkins.

But I don't really understand what they do. They are purple and might be hanging on alders.

I have been accepted into the Maine Master Naturalist Program. So now real learning will begin.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Gardens in the Watershed Tour 2014

Visited 7 glorious gardens in Appleton, Rockport, Union and Warren.
Album can be viewed here:

https://plus.google.com/photos/116129021808559228227/albums/6040836712186221889

Mill Pond House in Union had a spectacular riverside setting.

Vaughn's Neck is surrounded on three sides by the Georges River. They had an old chicken house foundation to use for gardens.

Breezy Acres Farm in Union.

Gardens at Brambly Cottage on Appleton Ridge.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Southern Garden History Society Meeting Friday Tour

I read Taste, Memory by David Buchanan and learned about Carolina Gold rice and Glenn Roberts' efforts to rebuild heritage grain agriculture. Then I came across a meeting on "Preserving Our Coastal Garden Heritage Camellia Culture and Rice Plantations" being held in Savannah, Georgia. I joined the Southern Garden History Society and signed up to attend their annual meeting and was in Savannah on February 28, 2014.

It rained on my first day in Georgia, but Forsyth Park is beautiful in any weather.

Hugh Golson, former curator of the Georgia Historical Society, lectured and lead our tours. He explained how James Oglethorp founded the Georgia colony in 1732 and planned the squares and lots of Savannah. The British colony of Georgia was established as a barrier against Spanish expansion from Florida. Lawyers, slavery and Catholics were banned from the colony. However, in 1750 slavery and rice were introduced, creating wealth and prosperity. Local horticulturalist began collecting exotic species which included Camillia japonica. The live oaks were planted 120 years ago and form a massive tree canopy dripping with Spanish moss and hosting Resurrection ferns.

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and the extensive oak canopy along East Liberty St.

At the annual meeting of the Southern Garden History Society Treasurer Gail Griffin, Dumbarton Oaks, received the Flora Ann Bynum Medal from President Staci Catron, Director Cherokee Garden Library.

We toured the Savannah Historic District and visited several homes and gardens. Among them the Stoddard-Lawton-Downing House whose garden has a contemporary design.

The Comer-Hill House garden has been restored including the wrought iron fencing and garden walls.

The original parterre pattern in the front garden at the Green-Meldrim House is adjacent to Madison Square.This is the house that General Sherman used as headquarters when the Federal army occupied Savannah.in December 1864.

The Batersby-Hartridge has a walled garden that is the oldest surviving Savannah garden retaining its original parterre plan and some of the plantings.

Friday night dinner was a lovely buffet held in the garden at Scarborough House and Ships of the Sea Museum. Unfortunately, it was very cold so I missed the lecture by John McEllen on his comtemporary design for the gardens at the Museum.