This morning the tail end of Rita blew though and the KBS was so heavy with blooms it split right at the Y. Here is a picture from yesterday.
What a difference a day makes.
Today it looked like this but I am grateful that is all that happened. Compared to what others have gone through I feel blessed.
This got me to thinking about a brugmansia bank for people whose gardens were destroyed or damaged by Katrina or Rita. I would be willing to root and set aside plants to send to people next Spring that lost their gardens.
Right now I am working so much that I cannot trade or send out packages but by Spring will have more free time.
The first picture was so pretty! Rita was a thug, a vandal, and a flower shredder. At least they'll live to bloom again. Can you leave them in the ground or do you have to drag them inside?
Mary
I'm glad that I took yesterday off to play in the garden so at least there are lots of pictures to console me. My brugs get dug up and put in the house or the greenhouse. I have left brugs in the ground here but they take too long to Y and bloom the next season.
What a shame, Loretta. It was so pretty.
Oh My! What a direct hit. Must have made you sick to look. I know it is minimal compared to people who lost their homes, but it still is terrible. So sorry, Loretta!
Great idea about sharing plants in the spring. I know Donna will need a helping hand. She had so many beautiful plants.
KBS was beautiful and it will be beautiful again. I am glad that got to enjoy its beauty before it got damaged. Does this one have a strong fragrance?
What a great idea about the brug bank! Matter of fact, there's an eccentric fellow that lives about 40 miles from me that I can contact. He raises brugs for wholesale distribution and he must have 1000's.........yes, thousands!. I've been there and purchased a couple. He has cultivated some new ones even. It's a rather strange little place and the mosquitoes eat you up, but it's worth it. Remember the movie Deliverance? Well, that's what it's like to go to his house. LOL. Anyway.......he loves the brug talk and I'll bet you he would participate since he's in this area and sure understands devastation from hurricanes.
He may have even had a book published.
Barbara
Your KBS was awsome, what a shame to have it damaged so bad, but glad to
see that nothing worse happened.
Thanks for the empathy ya'll. It was so pretty and fvery fragrant. I highly recommend it for the Deep South. Probably the way I staked and tied it after Katrina blew it over caused it to split. They are just so heavy when they have lots of blooms that even a little wind blows them over. I saved the two halves that broke off at the Y and got quite a few cuttings. And the trunk has three suckers, that after reading how Kell roots them, I am encouraging them to grow and Y.
Should we have someone keep a central list of what people have to share with the Gulf Coast folks? In my case I would be happy to send out boxes and pay the postage. Did anyone ever hear from Gaylam? Gaylam, Donna, Mary, and others from the areas affected (please excuse my addled brain for not remembering more names, it has been a long, long day lol) do not hesitate to contact me and I can send you a list, tag, and hold items until you are ready. My plan is to save my extra banana pups, gingers, cannas, and ears for the cause. My biggest problem is getting brug cuttings through the winter. I start off with a lot of them then lose at least 3/4 to rot.
Barbara, you must be talking about Valley Grow. I've never really talked to him but have bought a plant or two from him. The more the merrier. It's funny we were talking about Deliverence today at work. lol
Many Blessings,
Loretta
Loretta,
Yes, it's Valley Grow, owned by Earl Williams. He is an odd duck and his place is re-e-a-lly hard to find since he's more a wholesaler. My visit to his house was cetainly one I will remember. LOL. But it was interesting to hear him talking about all his brugs. I was being eaten alive by the mosquitoes (barely seemed to bother him) and he kept wanting to show me some things in his books! I finally had to get out of there. I immediately drove as fast as I could to the nearest place I could purchase something for the itch. That was ten miles from there and it was the longest 10 miles I've ever been, itching like crazy all the way! What an experience! It's certainly a story I've told to a few people. Looking back, it now makes me laugh!
Barbara
I just found this thread, this is a very busy time in our area because of the storms and I'm not spending as much time online as i do much of the time. Loretta, if that one likes the south, she would be the girl for me, she is very pretty, and I love fragrance!!
I just cut off a piece of Tatiana for Donna. I want to get it going for her so hopefully she will get flowers from it next summer when her life is so much better than now. I am so hoping she gets that house she wants so much.
Lorettta, every time I see this thread's title that song starts going on and on thru my mind. LOL. It is making me nuts. Ok, more nuts. LOL
What a difference a day made
Twenty-four little hours
Brought the sun and the flowers
Where there used to be rain
My yesterday was blue, dear
Today I'm part of you, dear
My lonely nights are through, dear
Since you said you were mine
What a difference a day makes
There's a rainbow before me
Skies above can't be stormy
Since that moment of bliss, that thrilling kiss
It's heaven when you find romance on your menu
What a difference a day made
And the difference is you
It's so sad when that hard work get's destroyed. But you are right Shadow Girl, you are fortunate to not have to go through the devastation and horrid of other places in the south.
pssst... I've lost plants, even a Brug from high winds in May here. But we have never experienced the winds that Katrina or Rita, or even other hurricanes can offer. I don't like the winter, but I do like the calm - at least as long as we can keep it here.
My server has been down for the last 5 days. I can now say for sure that I am addicted to the internet. It was driving me nuts to be unconnected. lol
Kell, that song is one of the oldies but goodies. Thanks for the words to it.
B-You must be a lot nicer than me. I hate skeeters!
Sherry-You are covered.