In starting out on any new journey, one must know where he is, where is he going, how he will travel and what to bring along.
This is the same with writing a WebbLog. Where am I in the thought process, what do I want this to be, how will I create fodder for discussion, and what tools in photos and experiences will be needed to tell the story.
So I think that we, Susan and I, in our nursery role are with some really unique plant species around us and we regularly engage in some cool projects and especially some cool people to create enough discussion. And I can document those plants, places and people. So the only question is what it will be.
I am realizing slowly that the row I hoe is of some interest to others in that our mash-up of native plants and the nursery industry is a story.
So for my first story:
Twice now I have had the honor of being awarded the Nursery Professional of the Year by my state trade association and both times the bio starts out something like “He began his nursery career by helping his mother transplant Mayhaw trees from the woods to their yard so she could make jelly”.
So it seems fitting to start this WebbLog with a mention of Mayhaw trees.
Here is a slide I have been showing for years:
This, and this picture of the flowers say it all.
And all of those people think only of herbaceous flowering plants when supporting bees in our landscapes need only watch a Mayhaw in flower on a warm day.
My parents, as I mentioned, had a few trees in our yard for home jelly. Well my dad started seeds and grew a patch of trees that grew too close together.
I was really proud to have been able to bring a digging crew and equipment and move his best trees to a new location on the farm and create a new orchard.
So a native species that has showy early Spring flowers that lead to bright red fruits that all wildlife value and when collected and processed by humans make an excellent jelly and an armed and twisted structured small tree that loves wet ground but will do fine planted upland is what we have here.
I suggest you plant in groupings of three and mulch to protect from mechanical damage, take care of them through the establishment period and enjoy.
Get you some!
Thanks,
RW
And as I will always close:
Diversity Rules.