Trough Workshop Fun!
Our meeting in the BBG Education Classroom on June 8th was a hothouse of creativity. What started life as closed-cell extruded polystyrene foam (styrofoam) shipping containers was upscaled to light-weight planters (troughs). Best of all, members got to enjoy the process as well as their friends.
Thanks go to Maura D. We are not only wowed at her speed making two troughs, but also donating one to our chapter. We will plant it for next year’s Outreach program. That way the public can see how easy it is to rock garden, even in a condo! Yes it’s time to start thinking about next year’s public sale to attract new members.
Do you remember what was in bloom in early May? Those are the plants that will draw in the curious gardener. Pots of Tetraneurus herbaceae were in bloom and it did sell! We made a list of possibilities that might be in flower: Lewisia cotyledon, Gentiana acaulis, Tetraneurus herbaceae, Draba mollissima, Valeriana supina, or various Trillium (T. pusillum for one). Of course foliage plants like Ramonda and Haberlea, Sempervivums, and Asarum arifolium might also attract prospective rock gardeners.
Now is the time to start seed in preparation for next May. Please email me if you have seed or plants to divide. Or if you are willing to simply grow them on for the show and sale. Do you have something not listed above that might entice a “newbie” over to our table? Email me.
And of course, now is also a good time to pot plants for our next meeting on August 24th. Be sure to mark your calendar. We will feature Mark Ackimoff, of Illahe Rare Plants, Portland Oregon, speaking on “Alpines and Rock Garden Plants” as well as “Alpines of New Zealand“. (Hint: he will be bringing some bulbs to sell.) And, it will be our chapter’s BIG Plant Sale.
In the interest of sharing Mark Ackimoff’s knowledge we have invited the New England Chapter NARGS to attend our meeting. Expect to see an additional menu of plants on the tables. Remember donors get first choice. Yes, we will have a very full day of all things horticultural.
The remainders of the plants we purchased for the May Outreach will be on the tables, as well. And I have finally divided the huge haberlea ball (into more than a dozen) that was given to us from the garden of our deceased friend Ron Beckwith. Oh, there are a few other trays of plants from my own seed pots too. Yes (as in the photo below) there will be a mix, from large (Berkheya purpurea) to tiny (Dianthus haematocalyx subsp. pindicola) to intermediate (Lomatium grayi). See you there!
Berkshire Chapter NARGS 