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The Corpse Flower strikes again! Update!
June 5, 2010 update: IT’S BLOOMING!!!!!!!! From the Huntington website:
Botanical staff noticed that the petal-like outer spathe was beginning to pull away from the tall spadix at around 2 p.m. Friday afternoon. But flies had already begun to appear, clearly sensing something in the air. The bloom takes approximately 7 hours to open fully. The odor is at its strongest during the first 12 hours or so, when the plant is receptive to pollination.
Public hours at The Huntington are from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Extended evening hours will be offered for Huntington Members Friday and Saturday night, from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
It’s baaack…the gigantic Amorphophallus Titantum, aka the Corpse Flower, aka Stinky, is getting ready to bloom again at The Huntington. The following summarizes a detailed and beautifully photographed post on The Huntington web site (www.Huntington.org/) about this rarity. The Corpse Flower is named for an exceptionally foul odor emitted by Amorphophallus Titantum when it blooms. The Huntington had the first bloom in California in 1999. Botanists there were subsequently able to harvest 10 seeds from which several seedlings were produced. The current plant is being tracked daily, with the current height at about 40″ and an estimated bloom date of June 5 thru the 10th.
So, to go or not to go? This year I’ll battle the crowds and go — who knows when I’ll get another chance? Besides, I have to report to my readers: How stinky is it???
In case you are not familiar with The Huntington Library and Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, this “embarrassment of riches” is located in San Marino just outside of Los Angeles. A private, nonprofit institution, The Huntington was founded in 1919 by Henry E. Huntington, an exceptional businessman who built a financial empire that included railroad companies, utilities, and real estate holdings in Southern California. This must-see SoCal attraction has so many superlatives in its art galleries, library and gardens it just has to be experienced.
Welcome to Ventura County!!!!!!!!
Grass tree (Xanthorrhoea australis)
I am pleased to announce the inclusion of Ventura County and environs in the Socalnurseryplants.com family! The area between the West Valley and Santa Barbara County is home to some splendid nurseries, none more so than Australian Native Plants. Located in the foothills of Ojai, the nursery was established in the early 1990’s by Australian horticulturist Jo O’Connell with the help of her husband Byron Cox.
Jo has an extremely interesting background, having worked in Zoo Horticulture in Australia and the US. She is dedicated to introducing new and diverse plant material for drought prone areas. “From the beginning, our vision was to provide plants that are hardy, drought tolerant, cut flower producing and bird attracting.” Whew, that’s a tall order, but having visited her nursery recently I can report “Mission accomplished”. It would be hard to walk out of this nursery without buying something (I didn’t). Most of us are familiar with proteas and kangaroo paws, but that is just the tip of the iceberg at Australian Native Plants. (How can you not love a plant that goes by the moniker Arthropdium strictum?) Jo has some great demonstration gardens, as well as tons of plant material that she grows from seeds and cuttings. She also resources new plant material every year when she visits Australia.
Alas, you won’t find most of these plants at other nurseries. Jo has a list of all available plants on her web site: www.australianplants.com. She also sells some wonderful books there. This is definitely a destination nursery; if you want to expand your horizons to Australia — go to Ojai.
It is recommended tha you call ahead for an appointment and directions.
LA Flowermarket: just in time for Thanksgiving">Flower power @ the LA Flowermarket: just in time for Thanksgiving
I’m sure many of you have heard about the LA Flower Market. You may not have gone because you heard it was wholesale only. Fear not, little ones, go and buy to your heart’s content. I went on a tour there Saturday, November 15, under the auspices of Descanso Gardens (www.Descansogardens.org). Their popular class is conducted by Ray Tucker (www.creativeray.webs.com). Ray is a floral artist and teacher and all around great guy. Very well known and well versed in the market, he took us on a comprehensive tour for about 3 hours. Ray explained that our LA Market is the largest wholesale market in the US, goes back to early 1900, and the second largest in the world after Holland. We saw so many gorgeous flowers there it’s impossible to list them all, but a partial list would include orchids, hydrangeas, tons of roses, mums, lilies, alstroemeria, daisies, tropicals, and dahlias. Vendors were also selling succulents and cacti, greens, house plants, whimsical and glam containers, wreaths and dried plants. A lot of holiday decorations were also available.The frangrance of the buildings has to be experienced to be believed.
The secret to the buying at the Market is to go during public hours: Mon-weds-fri ($2.00 admission) 8am — 12 noon. Tues-thurs ($2.00 admission) 6am — 12 noon Saturday ($1.00 admission) 6am — 12 noon. The market is between 7th and 8th Streets and Maple and San Julian Streets. There are 2 large buildings across from each other on Wall Street. You can park on the street but it’s very easy to get a parking ticket so Ray recommends using a garage (he likes the one at 742 Maple Avenue — $4.50 on Saturday). Take cash — most vendors do not accept credit cards.
After our tour and buying spree, my friends Dorothy, Lisa, Robin and I hightailed it over to the Nickel Diner (Nickeldiner.com), famous for their maple bacon doughnuts. We had terrific lunches composed of scrambles, burgers, blt’s, onion rings and of course doughnuts — we barely scratched the surface of deliciousness. A perfect way to end a flowery morning.
By the way, if you are really into flowers, there is a wonderful magazine to check out: Flower Magazine. Go to www.flowermag.com.
Deals and more on SoCal nursery websites
Potted in Michigan
Armstrong Garden Center recently notified me online that they are having a really good private sale through October 28. In order to get discounts ranging from 30% to 70% off on nearly everything in the store, you have to print a coupon online to take with you (www.Armstronggarden.com). This got me thinking about how helpful nursery websites and newletters can be. For instance, another local nursery website/newletter with coupons is on www.Greenthumbinternational.com. Also included are recipes, weather and seasonal garden and party ideas. H & H Nursery in Lakewood (http://hhnursery.com/news) has some of the same articles, but also includes a featured quote each issue: “If you are not killing plants, you are not really stretching yourself as a gardener” ~ J. C. Raulston.
One of the very best websites I’ve come across is “Proven Winners” (www.provenwinners.com). Not a local nursery, they supply nursery plant material across the entire country. They have an online newletter and magazine. My very favorite resource of theirs is “container recipes”, which gives ideas for container plantings at different times of the year. I was so blown away by the gorgeous containers I saw planted on my trip back east, primarily in Birmingham, Michigan and Mystic, Connecticut. You don’t see the containers and flower gardening in SoCal that they have in that part of the country — maybe because of the shorter season. As a result, the public spaces look so much better!
