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The Neverending Story
The plants in your garden depend on you. Therefore, your knowledge–or “science”–of them is crucial to their survival. The more knowledgeable the gardener, the better the garden–this is an inviolable rule. Gardening requires the domestication of plants, similar to that of animals, but with a major difference. With our care, plants make their own food. This requires that they “plant” themselves in one place and work it as best they can. As in all life, chance plays a role.
Also, like a farm animal or house pet, a plant’s ability to exist in the garden–versus the wild–depends on the same principles of genetics and adaptation. There is wide variability in the interaction of the genes and the environment of any organism. Some wild species resemble domesticated types, others do not. A wolf is similar to a dog, but wild corn is unrecognizable compared to your average corn plant. Essentially, humans created corn. In both plants and animals, these innovations result from purposeful scientific effort.
Since 2006, we at Burpee have taken Heronswood Nursery several steps forward in plant breeding and adaptation, after expanding nursery operations to multiple locations in the eastern foothills and western mountains of Pennsylvania, the dry shoreline of southern Delaware and recently in England, as well as at our original headquarters in western Washington, now devoted to a rigorous program of Pacific Northwest plant research.
From the plant’s perspective, our newest approach is a bit like “Survivor: Heronswood”. However, we prefer to call it “Root Camp”–a reference to the critical but often overlooked plant part, so essential to a perennial’s survival. We watch plants go through their lives in four winter hardiness zones (5-8) versus the previous one (8), when all activity was in Kingston, Washington. We also collaborate with Simon Crawford, our new plant collector and propagator in the UK.
What is most thrilling about gardening is working with new or unfamiliar plants. We at Heronswood Nursery are blessed now with not only a wide range of hardiness zones, but also a fascinating “lens” of chronology through which to view them. For example, “Heronswood West” in Kingston is about 20 years old. One does not see many changes in adaptation that have not already been seen. The many rare trees have adapted perfectly in most cases. But some, and particularly the newer plants introduced to the Kingston display gardens over the last 7-8 years, as well as especially long-lived shrubs and trees, may show great changes in quality and durability in future seasons. There is always new information to be gleaned: the essence of science, “The Neverending Story”.
Indeed, life is adaptation. You cannot expect species from sub-tropical China to survive in Texas without going through thousands of generations of gradual adaptation, sudden mutation, or hybridization by someone with Texas survival as a goal. This observation and selection of large populations of the weak and the strong–as well as the rare mutation–is what breeders do. Conversely, collectors “breed” by selecting from wild populations–a bit less focused, more random, but, often, just as rewarding. A few great plantsmen, such as my mentor, the late Claude Hope, combined both of these rare skills.
At our Pennsylvania headquarters, we cross-breed about seven genera, and scrutinize many more of the 3,000 taxa at the new Heronswood test gardens at Fordhook Farm. Our botanists also travel to the other locations to measure adaptability. Of special interest to our customers lately are Dahlia, Primula, Chrysanthemum, Geranium, Epimedium and Helleborus, both species and hybrids. Based upon the excellent work of Dan Hinkley, Eric Hammond, Jason Scott and Ken Shay, Grace Romero is breeding many new varieties, crossing lines selected for plant and bloom size, foliage color and other garden traits suited for planting throughout the US–and even Texas.
Hey George,
Remember me, Helen Yoest, we met at GWA in Raleigh? I just stepped down as the Raleigh representative (after passing the baton) for GCOD? Ring a bell? Just stopping by to read some posts and say he. H.
Dear Helen
Indeed, how could I forget such a sweet and helpful lady?
Thank you for saying “Hey!” and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
thanks for all you do and for the new plants coming our way.
Hello there, country preacher. Long time, no hear. Happy Thanksgiving.
Thank you for your kind post.
Good Evening George Ball. Thanks for the continued communication which I believe reflects your cheerfulness and wisdom. Accolades!!! Julian
Thank you kindly, Julian
Is “crossing lines” the same as crossing the line? (I hope you understand my metaphor.)
Dear TC
Hope your are well. Your witty metaphor is, with all due respect, a bit off, but I think I understand the area you are probing. Here is the information:
When I use “crossing lines” I refer mainly to selections of plants, either collected from the wild or found in markets, that we cross— or interbreed— that are different from each other. One population might be unusually short and basal branching with an ordinary color, while another might be taller, looser-branching, but with larger flowers of a brighter tone. These are found in nature, because plants “cross” all the time. A breeder selects the two “lines”—or groups—and hand crosses them, or uses bees in little cages, or many other methods. We speed up or, if you will, enhance nature’s rate of variation. We’re actually helping nature along, rather than “playing God”, as some believe. Also, it should be noted that humans have been doing this for years. An “heirloom” is, in fact, almost always a result of a cross.
Here’s a test. Walk in the woods or meadows next year and look for a group of plants—large or small—that are ostensibly “the same”. Observe them closely. If you see significant variation in height, size, or “habit” (as form is called), or number of flowers, those are natural hybrids. They have naturally crossed. It’s happening all the time. Nature does not “cross the line” and neither do we. You are probably referring to GMOs and our position has always been clear: we neither conduct transgenic research, nor sell plants produced by “GMO” type methods.
Thank you for the interesting question.
Wouldn’t that be something. In Texas tonight I have Masses of Pyracantha Berries, lerodendron Blue Butterfly and a few mums hugging the ground, a lot of Potted larger Hibiscus. A lot of non blooming Bouganvilla and ornamental Milkweed. the lavender has all but been wiped out, but for a few rounded and healthy little balls all off the beaten path. Perfect soil conditions, but for the phytophora blowing around. I am trying to get our place ready for the big Jim Hightower event next week. Wish you were here to see it. I am afraid it isn’t what it could be.
Dear mpd
Hello, again! Thank you for the information and thoughtful post. I do wish I was able to see your garden. I’m sure, with your great spirit behind it, it will be OK.
[...] This post was Twitted by milegardening [...]
Thank you, mile gardening.
The Kingston, Washington zone 8 has little in common with the Austin/Houston zone 8.
Dear Sally
Thank you for your post. Regarding the Gulf Coast, and Houston in particular, here is my response:
I am not a meteorologist, but I have the view that one can generalize—carefully—from a set of closely regarded particulars. The summers in Houston are extremely different from those in Western Washington. Kingston’s generally dry and last year reached only the mid 90s for any extended period of time. However, the southern tip of Delaware is both very much warmer and wetter in the summer. It is only an hour from DC, which is a close rival to Houston for high heat and humidity, during the spring, summer and fall. So, I believe, we have extreme summers “pegged”, if you will, for Heronswood cultivar screening. Western and Eastern PA are mild and only moderately wet, in comparison to these other climates. However, winter hardiness was the aim of the second part of the post.
In the case of winter hardiness, Houston and the Seattle area are far more similar than they are different, and some might even call them alike. I worked briefly in Houston, staying for a couple of weeks one winter, and was amazed at how overcast, damp and cold it was. This, of course, epitomizes the Pacific Northwest, except for a longer period of time. Am I right, Sally?
Therefore, for zone hardiness, both Houston and Seattle are somewhat alike, and with Southern Delaware included in our plant screening process mix, Seattle and Southern Delaware can be used to approximate a cultivar evaluation for Houston.
I do wish I had a Texas site for “reality” testing, but I don’t. So, there it is. Maybe you should e-mail the folks at Sunset magazine, Southern Living or Texas Monthly for more precise cultivar selections.
By the way, are you a gardener in Houston, southeast Texas or central Texas? Or, maybe, you’re an angel hovering over the entire Lone Star State?
Thanks again. Happy Thanksgiving!
Reading this was a great way to start my morning in a hopeful way! Life on this planet continues.
if your readers are looking for more information on USDA plant hardiness zones, there is a detailed, interactive USDA plant hardiness zone map at http://www.plantmaps.com/usda_hardiness_zone_map.php
Gardening is the best option if one wants to make his home more peaceful and relaxing.