Antiquity in our Midst
Plant blindness is a term J. H. Wandersee and E. E. Schussler coined in 1999, defining how people do not recognize the importance of plants due to their lack of mobility and motion. I suspect this issue would be even more problematic if the plant did not offer attractive and colorful flowers to beckon pollinators. This is an underlying problem with the appreciation of ferns. They provide wonderful textures and design solutions for the garden and certainly offer a sense of permanence. For ferns, permanence is not measured in mere years or decades of living in a garden, but an incomprehensible 300 million years as some genera of ferns are among the most ancient plants on earth. Interestingly, one of the oldest fern families contains a NJ native many people have yet to ‘recognize’ – Osmundastrum cinnamomeum, commonly known as Cinnamon Fern.
Bruce Crawford
With COVID finally becoming less impactful in our lives, the act of getting out into your Garden still remains a great option for getting exercise and fresh air. Many of us have come to appreciate the beauty of plants and the calming act of working in the soil. Sales of vegetable and annual seeds continue to remain strong as we eagerly await these warmer days of April for seeding! As the sun and warmth of April unfold, take a deep breath and prioritize what must be completed vs. what could be postponed for a day or two. Also, spring is a time to begin anew, so give thought on how you could change things up a bit, whether it be containers or perhaps a new garden! HAPPY SPRING!
Subtle Bells Peal the Beauty of Spring
March can be such a finicky month! Several years ago, there was a long warm spell followed by two nights of extremely cold temperatures. The result was a multitude of Hydrangeas killed to the ground! Some years we see snow storm after snow storm, while some years it is merely rain. So far it has been a mild winter with a few cold snaps that may prove damaging to some early bloomers. Fingers crossed! Keep referring to your notes or diary from last year as to when you sowed seed and performed other chores as you need not reinvent the wheel. Also, keep making notes for this year so that you can see if any of the changes you made yield better results!
By Any Name, Ipheion Brings Spring Color
