March 2014 Newsletter

FAIRFIELD GLADE
GARDEN CLUB
NEWSLETTER
March 2014 M
Maarrcchh M
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AYYLLIILLIIEESS Source: National Gardening Assoc., at gardening.org Few plants are as rugged, widely adapted, or versatile as daylilies. And with more than
13,000 cultivars available, there's a size and flower color for every garden. Plant
breeders continue to expand the color palette available in daylilies, which now includes
yellow, orange, red, white, and purple flowers.
Varieties with multi-colored blooms, often with a contrasting "eye," or
center, are increasingly popular. Most daylilies have a distinct, 3-4 week
bloom period in early to late summer, although some varieties continue to
bloom sporadically all season long. Individual flowers last just one day,
but new ones open daily for the duration of the bloom time. Foliage
height ranges from 1 to 4 feet, depending on variety. Flower stalks
on the tallest varieties can reach 6 feet. Flowers are edible.
Daylily Expert & Speaker: Linda Hassler Linda and her husband, Sam, grew up in gardening families…right here in Cumberland
County. Both families always had vegetable gardens and an assortment of flowers,
but gardening was perceived as 'chores to be done'…not enjoyment. After they
married and started planting a few veggies and spring bulbs, Linda and Sam
discovered the pleasure of seeing plants grow.
After trying to grow a variety of flowers, including hybrid tea roses, Linda and Sam
discovered hybrid daylilies in the early 90's. When they realized the great variety
available, they began what became a 'collector's garden'…and found a hobby, with
many facets they both enjoyed.
Spending time outside with their family, attracting visitors to the garden, and photographing the flowers provided varied entertainment. About 2004, they began to
dabble with hybridizing their own new daylily cultivars…and this has become their
passion. Linda and Sam make seeds from selected parents each season and plant the
new seedlings into the garden the next spring…so each year they have a whole new
crop of blooms to evaluate.
Linda and Sam are currently growing approximately 900+ different daylilies, in addition to their seedling gardens. They became a Display Garden for AHS (the national
daylily society) in 2010 and have been active as exhibition judges for several years
and also actively participate in Daylily Societies in both Chattanooga and Nashville.
They have enjoyed not only the flowers, but the lovely people whom they've meet in
all these pursuits. They welcome visitors to their garden during bloom season.
3rd Wednesdays
FFG Community Church
521 Snead Drive
Next Meeting: March 19, 2014
2014 DATES TO REMEMBER Mar. 7 - Arbor Day FREE Trees 9:30 a.m. - Crossville Tree Board
will distribute 12 species at the
parking lot of York & Bilbrey (456
No. Main St.) in celebration of
Crossville receiving the Tree USA
designation for the 11th year.
Mar. 8 - From Seed to Harvest. . . Basic Vegetable Gardening 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
FREE
Fred Mullen and Sid Morgan will
share the basics of vegetable
gardening on the Plateau and
answer all gardening questions.
Mar. 13 - From Garden to Table: Health Benefits of Eating Fruits & Vegetables
9 a.m. to Noon
Cost: $5
Ext. Agents Kelli Bottoms and
Jan Williams will share the
health benefits of various fruits
and veggies to help plan the 2014
vegetable garden.
Mar. 22 - Proper Pruning Tips and Techniques 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. FREE
Ext. Agent Gregg Upchurch will
explain and demonstrate proper
pruning techniques for our trees
and shrubs.
Start Seedlings & Repurpose Your Plastic Containers God Almighty first planted a garden. And indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures. Francis Bacon Get your hands dirty this winter by starting seeds outdoors using
a practice called winter sowing. Plastic containers, like milk jugs,
2-liter bottles or clear-lidded clamshell-type containers serve as a
mini-greenhouse for the seeds. Check out the complete process at:
http://www.hgtvgardens.com/winter-gardening/winter-sowing
or
http://springcreekhomesteading.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/
milk-jug-sowing.pdf.
New Fairfield Glade Garden Website to be Demonstrated at March Meeting
Paula Johnson,