Narcissus...a thing of beauty?

from Echo and Narcissus, John Williams Waterhouse

The tale of Narcissus and Echo varies from the Hellenic to the Roman to the Pausanias' version, but they all share in common the fact that Narcissus was consumed with his own beauty. It has been told, that Narcissus spurned all his suitors, including Echo, and eventually fell in love with his reflection in a pool. Realizing he could not act upon this love, he perished and where his body laid the Narcissus flower grew. It is said to this day that the Narcissus continues to gaze upon his reflection in the water...

It is no wonder why the Narcissus, or Daffodil as it is commonly called, is still such a beloved and popular flower today. Their bright golden flowers are one of the first signs of spring. If you have noticed as you make your way around the city, there are pockets of bright, cheery daffodils from Harlem all the way down to Battery City.

All daffodil species are native to the Mediterranean region, including Spain, Portugal, and North Africa. While there are around 60 species that easily hybridize, they have produced hundreds of cultivated varieties available today. For more information on Daffodils and their classifications, I suggest Daffodils for American Gardens, Brent and Becky Heath, Elliott and Clark Publishing, 1995; which is available at the HSNY Library.

I have chosen a handful of narcissi mainly for their intoxicating fragrance, but also because of their smaller size, which makes them perfect for containers as well as borders in smaller urban gardens. The smaller size of these daffodils makes them much less noticable than their top heavy cousins, as they begin to fade and die. They will quickly be hidden by the growth of surrounding vegatation as summer nears.

Narcissus canaliculatus

Little tazetta-type, sweetly fragrant flowers per stem; white petals and golden cups which prefer to be bake in the warm summer sun; forces like a Paper White; performs in the garden best in zones 6-10; 4"-6"; early-midseason.

Narcissus albus plenus odoratus

An old favorite Heirloom that has been moved to this division from division 13; lovely, all white, fragrant, gardenia-like double which performs best in cooler climates; 12"-14"; zones 3-7; very late spring

Narcissus 'Baby Moon'

Jonquilla; a golden yellow, multiflowered clone of species N. jonquilla, with grasslike foliage and nickel to quarter sized, sweetly scented flowers; variable in height; late spring; 4"-8".

Narcissus 'Grand Soleil d'Or'

Beautifully formed, golden yellow petals with an orange cup; takes longer to force than others and often produces fewer flowers, but its wonderful, delicate, sweet fragrance makes up for it! 12"-14".

Narcissus 'Kendron' American bred by Willis Wheeler and one that we sent to Holland many years ago to be increased; several vivid orange cups 'bleed' their color into the rich bronzy yellow, perfectly formed petals of this lusciously fragrant flower; 12"-15"; mid spring; 12/14cm bulbs.

Happy Spring everyone!

For more information on Daffodil varieties and where to order them please visit...
http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/

Exotic Plant?

Dear George,
I came across your site whilst searching for some information about this plant (I hope you can open the attachment). I can't find a similar picture on the internet, and the lady who sold it to me (in a rather upmarket shop in town) yesterday didn't know the exact name (but muttered it could be from a family beginning with Ga...?). I gave it as a present to our local priest today, who really appreciated it and said it's going in their Easter garden, but I would like to let him know what it is..

I was told it doesn't like direct sunlight, only partial shade, but no tips as to watering / feeding. Because the leaves are cactus-like I would assume it doesn't want too much water. A lady I bumped into at the supermarket, after asking me where I got it from, suggested it might like to draw its own (lukewarm) water from a saucer.

I don't know anything about plants, and I've never come across this particular specimen during my travels. Could it be from Thailand? And, most importantly, is it safe to have around?

Any help would be really appreciated.

Thank you for your time and best wishes

Alessia, London (UK)

Alessia,

Greetings from across the pond.....

What you have is a Bromeliad, the botanical name is Aechmea ‘Blue tango’. This is a man-made cultivar, which means it doesn’t exist in nature.
Here is some culture on these plants…..

Their native soil is Middle and South America. They thrive in the lowlands of the tropical forests and even in some higher regions (up to 4000 m) of Sierra Madre and the Andes.

They thrive in different climate zones: tropical and monsoon climate of the rainforests, subtropical savannah climate with dry period either during summer or winter, subtropical steppe climate and subtropical highland savannah climate.

It is important to know the climate zone of origin of certain bromeliad, as you will be able to offer your plant convenient conditions.

Bromeliads are epiphytes. They do not drain the host tree, they are simply attached to the rough bark of the trunk or branches. They grow high in the tree crowns to bath in the shaded light. Some thrive even on the ground. They gather rainwater with all necessary nutrients in their specially shaped leaf rosettes. Some sorts that thrive in wet regions regulate the quantity of water with special sucking scales on the rosette leaves that open or close according to the needs. Sorts from the dry regions do not have distinctive rosettes, instead their surface is covered in scales that prevent vaporization.

Bromeliads flower only once in a lifetime. After the flowering the parent plant slowly dies, but new sprouts that appear around it continue the life.. We can transplant these sprouts in their own flowerpots filled with special soil mixture for bromeliaed. Bromeliads should flower in 2-3 years provided with appropriate temperature, humidity and enough light. We recommend buying the plant that is close to its flowering period.*

I hope this helps you and enjoy your lovely bromeliad.

*tri.exotica

Phyllostegia hispida - Endangered Species

Phyllostegia hispida, a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, growing

in the Nature Conservancy's Kamakou Preserve in Molokai.

The Obama Administration has listed its first endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. Phyllostegia hispida, a plant native to the island of Molokai in the Hawaiian archipelago, was thought to be all but extinct. From 1910 to 1996, only 10 individuals were recorded, but in recent years they have died. Only 238 plants of this species exist today.

Since 2007, 24 wild plants have been discovered, and over 100 individuals propagated from cuttings have been outplanted in the Kamakou Preserve. It is found only in wet forests at elevations of 2,300–4,200 feet (700–1,300 m) on the island of Molokai in Hawaii. This green vine's loosely spreading branches often form a large mass.

"Now that this rare plant species is protected by both federal and state laws, it is our hope that it will come to the forefront of public attention along with Hawaii's other numerous endangered plants," said Patrick Leonard, field supervisor for the Fish and Wildlife Service's Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office. *

*For the complete article on this history making event, visit the Environment News Service.

Tovah Martin - The New Terrarium

Tovah Martin, one of America's favorite gardeners, recently came to speak at The HSNY Library. She was promoting her newest book, The New Terrarium, and gave a wonderful
visual presentation on the world of gardens under glass. If you live in the city but want to be close to nature, are confined to an office all week or need the soothing touch of the natural world...a terrarium is the perfect solution.

Plants have been growing under glass since the early 1800's. The British garden writer J.C. Loudon, in his 1822 classic Encyclopedia of Gardening, urged the garden world to make use of these 'hand-glasses' as an 'essential tool of gardening'. The same holds true today, when encased in glass plants thrive with almost no help from the outside world. It's amazing how a terrarium can transform even the smallest corner of your space, by giving it a burst of vibrant green life.

Tovah also gave a hands-on demonstration of how easy it is to transform even the simplest of things, like a glass pitcher, into a lively and whimsical indoor garden. Her book is written with clear and simple step-by-step instructions and inspiring photographs to guide you along the way.

A Wardian case with a deep base simplifies planting directly in the case.

This ode to spring under glass includes white wood hyacinth (right) and lily-of-valley with glory-of-the-snow (left).

***

Come join us at The Horticultural Society of New York on June 13, 2009, for a workshop with Tovah Martin on how to build your own wonderful garden under glass. Check our website, hsny.org, as the date draws near for more information on Tovah's workshop.

*The New Terrarium, Tovah Martin

Photographs by Kindra Clineff