Springtime

It has been a while since I added to the blog but things have been hectic.It's the spring sale and shipping season which keeps us pretty busy.In addition to that,other good things are going on.There is another forum set on the web known as "cubits".I have started three cubits there as follows;






Visit us there for some good fellowship by like minded gardeners.We are also adding databases as time permits.These should be very helpful to those researching or hybridizing these plants.If you grow any of these plants please consider helping grow the databases.Best of all,it's free.
Now,in addition to those projects,I was asked to take over the VP position at BGI...

I have served two terms there as President.They call for me when they need a bouncer.The fires have now been put out but I will serve out my term.
Now to more pleasant things...we have some new hybrid Amaryllis blooming.So far none of these
have been exceptional but they are fun to grow.The adeniums are also waking from their winter dormancy.New leaves are coming and a few blooms are starting.
The picture is an Orange Soveriegn-Exotica cross blooming for the first time

December Shipping

Winter shipping and three new ones



The end of the 2009 shipping season is quickly approaching. We will suspend the shipping of plants from mid December 2009 until January 2nd of 2010,due to the real possibility of having plants delayed in the Christmas mail.For plants to be delivered by Christmas,we need to have your paid order by December 14th for shipment on the 15th.
We will resume normal shipping on January 2nd.We will also be running the last of this years auctions and Dave's Marketplace sales this coming week.
NOTE...We have three new ones not yet added to the online catalog.
They are Lisa and Honeymoon, both double pinks and Damian a white, pure Aurea.
We have very few of these so if you want one contact me direct and I will send an invoice.Price is 14.95 plus postage.

Fall Work

I can breath a sigh of relief.The new cover is on the greenhouse and the fall brugmansia cuttings are started.Most people think that our busiest season is in
early spring.The reality is that October and the first part of November are the busiest by far.There are thousands of plants to start for spring sales and this year also happened to be the year to put new plastic on the greenhouse.This covering is made to last four years and we pushed the envelope and used it for five.It was already starting to shred when I took the old stuff off.This year my teenage grandchildren,who are my usual helpers,were out of town so I decided to see if I could still do this by myself.I could, and did, but about half way through I decided, never again.Next time I will wait for help.
Then there are the cuttings.This fall I started 700 brug cuttings.That is forty two different varieties.
These are for sales starting in February.There will be about this many more started in January for sales later in the year.After breathing that sigh of relief I went for a long, quiet and relaxing, walk in the woods.That always sooths the soul.

FLEMING ISLAND RACHEL

We are proud to be able to introduce Fleming Island Rachel to our line of Brugs.This beautiful,dark pink triple was hybridized by Ludger Schneider and grown by John Scott and we were able to obtain a cutting in the spring of 2008.We are propagating this one now and will have it available in February, 2010.The triple flowers are fully 12 inches long and 8 inches wide including the long tendrils.FIR has grown well for us in the heat, and humidity, of Florida and shows good resistance to disease.Another big plus is that she hasn’t been bothered by insects except for an occasional caterpillar.
Rachel is an offspring of Klein Lady and Everlasting Ruby and was released in 2005.The BGI Family Tree lists this one as a double but,as you can see from the picture,she is a full triple with perfect skirts.
See more pictures at http://countrygdn.com/firachel.html

Galaxy

This is another new one that we plan to release late next year.We have had this one on trial for about eighteen months so far and want to test for another 6-9 months before releasing it.The parents are 'Harlot' and 'Dorthea',both very beautiful in their own right.Galaxy seems to have inherited the long tendrils of Dorthea and good,dark color from both parents.She sets large numbers of blooms with each flush and has wonderful fragrance.Flowers are large;12-14 inches long,including the peduncle and 8 inches across the face.I will be crossing this one to several others this fall.For more pictures go here...http://countrygdn.com/galaxy.html

Saturday,October 10th was our fall plant swap on beautiful Lake Jackson ,at Florala on the Alabama/Florida line.Pam Thompson hosts this event twice a year and ,as usual,she did a terrific job.Attendance was down from previous years but ,even so, we had people from Georgia,Alabama and Florida.In past years they have come from as far away as Canada.Trading was brisk and literally truckloads of plants changed hands.In my case,I went determined not to bring back any plants.Famous last words of course.My truck was so loaded,on the return trip,the tailgate was dragging the ground.I received some really nice additions to the Brug collection and some Voodoo lilies
among other things.I think Pineapple and Gloriosa lilies were in the mix and even a variegated yucca plant followed me home.I didn‘t even know there were variegated yuccas.Trading and visiting were followed by a good meal at the local Chinese restaurant,a door prize drawing(everyone wins)and more visiting.I’m already looking forward to next spring.
A couple of last minute notes here;
New people who are considering coming to future swaps need to know that it isn’t all trading.Most of us bring many extras and they are given away just for the asking.Last but not least I would like to thank Carol(ctbig) on Daves
Garden for the use of her photo.My camera was where it usually is when I need it,at home.

And finally,a link to Pam and Toms website;turn up the volumn and enjoy.

>Oak Baskets and Other Great Stuff

We will be introducing a few new Brugmansia next spring.Three of these will be our new hybrids and a few will be “new to us”.One of our favorites is our new pink double ‘Royal Ruby’.It is a Pink Smitty to New Orleans Lady cross and has produced pink doubles with just the right amount of skirt seperation.The second skirt emerges just outside the first giving it a true “double” appearance.We are all familiar with doubles with skirts separated by several inches as well as those in which the second skirt never drops. These may ahave been acceptable when we were first breeding double pinks, but now
We need to be breeding for true “double“ appearance.Think double roses.
‘Royal Ruby’ has achieved that and ,in addition,it has a nice fragrance.
The flower size is medium to large with average blooms being 12-14 inches,including the peduncle and 5-6 inches across the face of the corolla.
So far I have not succeded in setting pods on RR but I hope to have a few now that the weather is cooler.
See more pictures at http://countrygdn.com/royalruby.html