To Explore A Stream In Georgia

by Porter Griffith

 If you explore there

You will smell the tadpoles.

Smell the water, anyway.

Where the tadpoles are-

Or were, before there were frogs.

If there are frogs,

You have come too late,

And should try again next year, when the air has just become mimosa and dogwood.

If you leap in,

You will scare the dragonfly and the turtle away,

But you will have much more fun.

If you hear a loud voice,

You are in the wrong stream.

Or your friends have too little respect for your enterprise.

You must bend uncomfortably

to find the treasures in the water and the mud.

And you must slip and fall at least once

or you have not done it right.

But if you do all of these things; if you smell the tadpoles and watch the dragonfly; or if you smell the tadpoles and leap into the water (either is correct), and your friends do not speak in a loud voice, and you bend uncomfortably to find the treasures, then you will know briefly the answer to the question.

Your time and your place are there,

in a stream.

In Georgia.

By the late 1980's, our old grist mill- a truly remarkable hand-hewn structure, and one of the last standing monuments of Georgia's rich pastoral history, was falling apart. More than a century after it was built, the grand, soaring edifice was sliding into the river that had been its source of power and of life. Fearing it would topple and be lost forever, my family- my parents and my uncles, set out to save Wilkerson Mill before it was too late. They would embark on an adventure that brought another family, from hundreds of miles, and seemingly hundreds of years away, to the Georgia hill country to give new life to an old building that had changed the face of the landscape. The story is one of jovial cultural exchange, old-fashioned hard work and the strength of family, and community. Take a look at the weekly reader by following the link below; it's a great tale.

-Porter Griffith

 http://www.chatthills.org/WR11/CHWeeklyReader-020411.pdf

All the land in the Georgia portion of Chattahoochee Hills was originally part of the Creek Indian Nation. In  the mid-1820’s Chief McIntosh agreed to cede all Lower Creek land to the state of Georgia in the Treaties of Indian Springs, for which he was subsequently murdered by angry members of the tribe.  President John Quincy Adams negotiated the Treaty of Washington with the Creek Indians which would have paid the tribe for the land, but Georgia governor Troup did not honor this treaty and began the forcible removal of the Upper and Lower Creek from Georgia. President Adams decided not to fight to enforce the new treaty and the Creek were removed. 

Much of the land in Georgia was originally distributed to citizens of Georgia through a series of land lotteries beginning with the lottery of 1805. The Creek Indian territory was distributed by the lottery of 1827. There is fascinating information about these land lotteries on the website of the Georgia Secretary of State. See http://www.sos.ga.gov/archives/what_do_we­_have/land_lottery/default.htm.  

Winners often never resided on the land they won. In fact it was common for such winners to trade and sell parcels. 

We've not been able to determine when the present mill was built. The first reference we found is in a Order granted by the Ordinary Court (probate) of Coweta County in the July Term, 1870 conveying a "1/2 interest in a mill & 7 acres of land, more or less" as part of the estate of William S. Mosely.  Mosely had died in Coweta County without a will, and a sale was held by his administrator to settle his debts and distribute his estate to his legatees. Purchaser at the sale was "William R. Wilkinson"(sic). At the death of Wilkerson (1891) his estate passed to his wife and 4 children who in 1899 sold the mill parcel to W. F. Bearden. Subsequent owners and mill operators were V. W. Denton and Jack Thompson who last operated the mill into the mid-1960's. 

The present metal, overshot water wheel was manufactured by Fitz Water Wheel Co. of Hanover, PA, and was brought to Palmetto on the train from a mill that closed in Hartwell, GA in the 1930’s. 

For those who want to know more about old mills, check out the Society for the Preservation of Old Mills online. http://www.spoom.org/

Apparently it has been a scorcher everywhere across the eastern U.S. this summer.  It certainly has been hot in Georgia, and I just received an email from an old friend who lives on a farm in eastern PA saying it has been record breaking there. One thing you'll notice during such heat spells: your garden doesn't grow a lot. Many plants "sit still" or as coach once said to a rather forlorn team: "fall back 15 yards, dig in and save the equipment." As cooler weather returns this fall expect to see renewed growth on many deciduous plants before they begin the process of storing carbohydrates and going dormant for winter. Generally it is not a good idea to feed such plants in the fall, or to do so only lightly and well before the first expected frost. We have been adding dolomitic lime to our container grown nursery plants (topdressing with pulverized lime) to reverse any chlorosis and to bolster good growth.

Here's a quotation from the most recent collection of Wendell Berry's essays:

"As our economy has been showing us for the past year or so, we have become a nation of fantasists. With a kind of abject credulity, we have come to believe in the power of money alone to bring forth goods, to believe that money itself is a good, to believe that consumption is as vital an economic activity as production. We think that shopping is a patriotic act and a public service. We tolerate fabulous capitalists who think a bet on a debt is an asset." (my emphasis)

"Simple Solutions, Package Deals and a 50-Year Farm Bill"
in What Matters?
Wendell Berry

That last sentence resonates when we look at Wall Street and the casino climate it has grown.

This is a reprint of the hilarious glossary of terms in our Fall 1999-Spring 2000 catalog. If you like wordplay, read on!

APIARIST: Someone who plays the bee (See Tetradium danielli).

BISEXUALITY: Said after having children.

BUD SCALE: A measurement of "man"-hood by watery beer consumption.

BURGANDY: Horticultural spelling of "burgundy."

CATKIN: Lions, tigers, and...

CHEZE-BALL: Someone who steals somebody else's plant and patents it under a ludicrous, unpronounceable "name". (See Buddleia globosa).

CONDITIONAL UNGUARANTEE: A guarantee that applies to nothing, esp. under certain conditions.

CORM: Delicious with butter.(See EMARGINATE.)

DECIDUOUS: Vacillation with a tendency toward making a decision this century.

EMARGINATE: A poor substitute for butter.

ENTIRE: All there. (See OBTUSE.)

EXFOLIATING: Of or pertaining to a bark tease-show.

FLORIFEROUS: A hard word to say without teeth.

FRUCTAL: Pertaining to prurient fruit-bearing; e.g., "full fructal nudity" as in Pinus.

GNOZAM: Flotsam or jetsam; we don't gno which.

GYMNOSPERM: Well, actually, Gym's a woman.

HABIT: That annoying thing you keep doing over and over. QUIT!

HIRSUTE: A coarse animal shirt worn as a penance (pronounced "hairsuit"; see Rhododendron viscosum).

INFLORESCENCE: The place where all your skin color is removed and coffee is your only hope. (See Dilbert.)

LAVENDAR: Horticultural spelling of "lavender".

LENTICELS: Brown legumes used in thimble-sized portions of soup or rice.

MAUVE: A color that is usually absent from male brains, although often used horticulturally as interchangeable with lilac and lavender. (See LAVENDAR.)

NATIVE: a) Ecology: an organism born in one's immediate surroundings b) Politics: an organism born in the U.S., including Hawaii

NEEDLETS: Small needs but of great consequence, you heartless oaf. (See Cedrus libani var. brevifolia).

NOMENCLATURE: The systematic approach to screwing up all previous plant knowledge you had going into last weekend.

NOSEGAY: Don't ask, don't tell. (See Sarcococca orientalis).

NOSE-WATERING: A term used to describe a plant that is fragrant and delectable, or if allergic, to describe those who likely need a dose of Nasalcrom. (See Daphne x burwoodii 'Carol Mackie'.)

NUGGETARIAN: The smallest unit of measurement of attractive shrubs. Also the zodiacal sign of those born on Leap Day. (See Pieris j. 'Sarabande'.)

OBTUSE: Not all there; not getting it. (See ENTIRE.)

PAPPUS: Latin for "daddy".

PARTHENOCARPIC: Of or pertaining to a Greek fish.

POLYGAMO-DIOECIOUS: Not specific to Utah, this approach to fruit-bearing involves the following tactic: the female plant will cross-pollinate with any male plant within bee or wind distance. If that doesn't work then who needs men, anyway? By Jove, she'll just pollinate herself. (See Morus australis 'Unryu'.)

PUBESCENT: Smothered in soft hairs and wanting the car, Mom.

SECATEURS: Hand-held pruning tool (pronounced "snips").

SHRUBBERY: See Monty Python and the Holy Grail

SPECIFIC EPITHET: Grandma's term for people who rub her raw; e.g., "Well, that specific epithet raised his porkchop prices again!"

TAXONOMY: The fifth book of the Old Testament.

TUBER: One o' them tops that Thelma-Bob where's out to the bar.

UNDULATE: Not on time for what was not the deadline.

VERBURNUM: AVibena. (See NOMENCLATURE.)

The American Hydrangea Society's 16th annual garden tour is less than a month away! Featuring 6 of Atlanta's most beautiful and bountiful  hydrangea-filled gardens, the tour is a gardening mega-event and an exclusive chance to meet and greet some of the most creative minds in garden design. We are excited to see some well-deserving friends on the route this year, and some intriguing new faces as well.

Founded in 1994 "for people who love hydrangeas and want to study and learn about the genus Hydrangea, its species and cultivars, as well as its culture, habits, hardiness, and performance"; the AHS has become a foundation in Hydrangea circles (and yes, there are hydrangea circles). While there are members worldwide, the largest concentration by far is here in the Southeast, centered around Atlanta, where the Society's founder, Penny McHenry, lived and fell in love with hydrangeas. She's even got a couple named after her. I can only hope to one day gain such esteem! Until then though, the best any of us can do is continue to promote and appreciate the vigor and diversity of our beloved genus. The AHS's yearly tour is a fantastic way to do just that, and a brilliant way to spend a Saturday to boot.

If you don't have any plans -or even if you do- clear your calendars, grab your cameras, and set out Saturday, June 12 for a peek into the wonder Mother Nature provides, and the splendor she can achieve with some helping hands (and green thumbs). Don't wait a year to see gardens like these- this season's weather has been the best in a decade for hydrangeas. It's worth the trip! 

You can get tickets at the nursery on any regular retail day, and get a floriferous taste of the wonders the tour holds in store;

Or, for the first time ever, you can purchase tickets online year here on Hydrangea.com:

http://www.hydrangea.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=2025&=SID#MOREINFO

Every ticket comes with a one-year membership to the American Hydrangea Society, and all the year-round benefits that entails.
For even more info on the AHS, you can visit their website at:

http://www.americanhydrangeasociety.org/Home.aspx

We got word yesterday that our friends at Plant Introductions, Inc. in Watkinsville have licensed a pink, mophead-form Hydrangea arborescens to Bailey Nurseries, owners of the Endless Summer Hydrangea franchise. Hot on the tails of Proven Winners' much-hyped release of "Invincibelle Spirit" last year, the breeders at Plant Introductions have named their pink Annabelle "Bella Anna ", and it purportedly features dark green foliage to go alog with its "rich magenta-pink mophead inflorescences".

Scheduled to be released next year, 'Bella Anna' will put two of the world's largest patent-plant marketers head-to-head in the hydrangea market. Great news for hydrangea fanatics everywhere! Competition means lower prices, and monopolies are just no fun, anyway. We are planning a trip to Plant Introductions to see what else they've got in store, and to get the scoop on getting some of these pink wonders as soon as possible. We will of course offer them to the public as soon as we've got our hands on them. 

Photos of 'Bella Anna' and more information about Plant Introductions can be found here:

http://www.plantintroductions.com/hydrangeabellaanna.html

This week kicks off Wilkerson Mill's Garden Spotlight!

The Spotlight will be an occasional series highlighting a particular plant, or plant family, bringing you a wealth of information and pictures, tips on care and pruning, some of our personal experiences and recommendations and much more. We hope the Spotlight will introduce you to wonderful new trees, teach you things you never knew about your favorite shrubs, and help you choose that perfect perennial!

Spotlight On: Fringe Tree

Our first Spotlight takes a look at a family of small trees that is absolutely unmistakable this time of year- fringe trees. Also known by their latin name Chionanthus, fringe trees are an exceptionally hardy genus with both native and non-native varieties. Capable of handling near any landscape condition; from all but the densest shade (with fewer blooms) to full sun, and respectably cold hardy tolerant, fringe trees are hard to kill, and easy to fall in love with. They will also tolerate almost any soil type, from sand to clay, acidic to sweet, often-wet to well-drained, making them an extremely rugged genus. For our birdwatching friends, the females of the species produce purple-blue fruit yearly that is highly prized by birds and other fauna.

Native Fringetree:  

In the Americas, the common fringe tree (or fringetree), Chionanthus virginicus, is also known by the names Old Man's Beard and Grancy Greybeard; and is a showy, small tree to about 15 feet (25 feet in the wild) completely enveloped with clouds of white strap-petal blooms on second-year growth in mid-to late spring. Though it will naturally sprout multiple trunks and take a rounded form, the native fringe tree takes well to pruning and can be easily trained to maintain a single trunk, giving it a more tree-like appearance. It is cold hardy to -30 degrees F, making it a great choice for those as far north as zone 4. The native variety of fringe tree is delicately (and pleasantly) fragrant, making it a wonderful spring alternative to the more pungent pear trees often used in similar settings.

 Chinese Fringetree:

The Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus) is the rarer cousin of the Old Man's Beard- noted for its evenly spread, abundant blooms, and smaller, lustrous, foliage. This fantastic small tree is as tough, but a bit less cold hardy than its native counterpart, and blooms slightly later (by no more than a week) in mid-to-late spring. Like virginicus, retusus also produces a light fragrance, and will grow to about 25 feet in the wild, and about 15 feet in a landscape setting. Chinese cultivars, like "China Snow," on offer here at Hydrangea.com, also tend toward a more natural tree form, though they too may require some pruning to maintain a single, central trunk.

Whether you prefer the dense, stunning flowers of our native Grancy Greybeard, or the elegant petal clusters of its Chinese cousin, you are sure to make an impact in your garden, yard, or greenspace with one of these hard-to-kill Spotlight trees.

Find Chionanthus virginicus (Grancy Greybeard) here:

 http://www.hydrangea.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=183&=SID#MOREINFO

And our favorite selection of Chionanthus retusus (China Snow) here: 

http://www.hydrangea.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=533&=SID#MOREINFO

Angkor

by Porter Griffith

This strange red earth like wine

It was asleep springtime

What will my mother have?

How will my father feast?

Three years ago when I wrote this short poem, Georgia was in the midst of a seemingly unending drought. I found it today, and would like to lay it to rest here, at the outset of the spring season which promises to finally break that curse.

by Gene Griffith

     ...And it's only March!  I love spring nearly as much as I love autumn, and March usually gives us a good taste of forthcoming spring. It can also give us topsy-turvy weather; stretches of warm days followed by frost or freeze.  This is a treacherous time for Hydrangea macrophylla. It's the reason for the recent popularity of re-blooming hydrangeas, and the reason for half of my grey hairs (my kids account for the other half).  Should they get nipped in the bud by a late freeze, hydrangeas will often still bloom the same year, albeit somewhat later than normal.

     Note that most native plants (whatever that means -- see an earlier blog) are not generally fooled by the vagaries of winter. I assume this is because they have dealt with such weather for eons in their locale. I don't suggest you grow only "natives", because that will leave a large palette of wonderful plants out of your garden. Rather, I hope that you will watch and learn from the weather's variations year by year, and take note of the changes in your garden's health and happiness. Though nurseries (ours included) will often recommend plants based on USDA hardiness zones, don't be afraid to step outside these guidelines- you know your garden better than any of us do.  With a little luck, and some elbow grease, you might make a brilliant discovery or two by coloring outside the lines.  

      That said, if you don't like surprises, you might try plastic.  It comes in a wide range of colors and sizes to fit any garden.

You can have evergreen, ever-blooming, low-maintenance, sun or shade tolerant visuals year-round. The scratch-n-sniff varieties can even provide fragrance, but I confess I prefer the challenges Mother Nature provides. This year's unrelenting and prolonged winter may in fact hide a blessing- the consistent cold could keep new growth in hiding until warmer temperatures arrive for good.  The jury is still out on 2010, but we think it will be glorious, cruel months or no.

by Gene Griffith

We don't often get snow at the nursery and when we do it's often cause for celebration, a bit of Mardi Gras, because it lasts just a day or two. An inch of snow around Atlanta is enough to strip the grocery stores of milk, bread, beer and firewood. A week ago we got nearly 3 inches. Certainly nothing like the winter for much of the country. In PA where my best friend lives, they'd recently had over a foot of snow and last week another foot was on the way with no chance to dig out. So I'm sure they don't see snow as Mardi Gras.