[gardeners] Lurkers Come Out/Autumn Rain
Cheryl & Erich Schaefer (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Wed, 8 Oct 1997 22:36:02 -0400
It will come as no surprise to those who know me that today's yarn was
autumn reds, gold and wine. I wanted to be outside but this is our season,
so I dye autumn colors based on what I see outside my window instead of
gardening. We sell our yarns wholesale nationally and are really fortunate
to be able to work out of our home, enabling us to frequently garden during
the day and work at night. It's often hard to determine whether the garden
has been influencing my work or vice versa, but it is a very colorful and
satisfying life.
We have ten acres in a very rural part of west central New York State,
between the two longest Finger Lakes, 17 miles from Ithaca and Cornell
University. Much of what I have growing in the 175 ft ellipse and smaller
sun and shade beds came from cuttings and seeds expropriated from Cornell's
many gardens, and from members of the Gardens List - some of whom are here,
too. Believe me, the garden would be nowhere near as extensive as it is if
I had to purchase everything. I never leave home without my seed envelopes
and pocket knife.
Last year we joined the American Iris Society and have managed to get
really involved, attending many meetings, sales and shows, since we are
located between several widespread(72-150 miles away) local groups. Our
iris collection now numbers over 200 named varieties and more than 600
clumps, including 47 reblooming irises, which we hope to offer for sale one
day. A few of our 21 raised vegetable beds have been given over to irises
already - tall bearded, siberians, dwarfs and the rebloomers - and we hope
to add more unusual ones every year. We even have 5 Louisianas thanks to
list members. Our Amish neighbors have offerred us a 3/10 of a mile strip
along the road across from our house where we can really go nuts planting
irises.
We, too, are having an incredible Autumn. A little rain followed by
temperatures in the high 70's, low 80's, gorgeous blues skies and
magnificent foliage. Can't beat it. (Sorry we can't share the autumn leaves
with you deprived southern folk, George, but since you can boast red
peppers growing on trees, you hardly need the leaves to change.) :-)
BTW, has anyone grown buddleia from seed successfully? If so, I'd
appreciate details. TIA.
Cheryl Schaefer, Schaefer Yarns
Beautiful hand painted fibers
schaefer@epix.net
Zone 5 in the fabulous Finger Lakes of NY