Written for week July 15-21, 2001
(Click
to enlarge photo)I recently toured a daylily garden with the Judges’ Guild, which meets at Kingwood Center several times a year. We went to “Chalet in the Valley,” the daylily garden of Duane and Debbie Hurlbert in rural Apple Valley, near Mt. Vernon.
Debbie is a flower judge and her husband is studying to become a judge also. Both are avid gardeners with a specialization in daylilies and host many tours throughout the year. For information, call 740-393,3817, email hurlbert@axom.com or write to 35 Crestwood Court, Howard, Ohio 43028-9693.
Their home in the gently rolling hills of Knox County is attractively landscaped featuring daylilies, hostas, and daffodils. Surrounded by woodland on three sides, the property is an oasis of flowers in a desert of trees.
The Hulberts have collected daylilies over several years and have hybridized many others. Those many daylilies give the home brilliant color and interest. A special feature of their garden is the complete collection of Matthew Kaskel daylilies, a gift from the hybridizer. The Hurlberts will work with the Kaskel daylilies, hybridizing to produce new daylilies with added hardiness for the north.
The gardening year begins for the Hurlberts with over 350 varieties of daffodils collected from the USA and abroad. Next, in the shadier areas of the garden, over 300 varieties of hostas emerge to set the stage for the summer display of daylilies.
Starting with a $7.00 collection of daylilies, the Hurlberts have advanced to drooling over new $250 introductions. As all daylily lovers eventually do, the Hurlberts now sell daylilies to support their habit.
In their search for new colors, shapes, and hardiness in daylilies, the Hurlberts examine many daylilies, using terms like throat, eye, watermark, etc. The ‘throat’ is the center of the flower where petals narrow and funnel to meet at the base of the pistil, and is usually green, yellow, or orange.
The ‘eye’ of the flower is a center marking darker than the ‘self’ color. ‘Watermark’ refers to the an area surrounding the throat which is colored lighter than the self. Other markings are called band, blend, edges, halos, and midribs. Daylilies with exotic new markings are popular among daylily fanciers.
Daylilies with petals that contain more than one color are called ‘Polychromes;’ ‘Bitones’ are those with petals darker or lighter than the sepals. ‘Bicolors’ are flowers with two entirely different colors of petals and sepals. Hybridizers are also looking for new flower forms; recurved, double, spider, star, ruffled, toothed edges, and wire edges.
The daylily season is divided into seven blooming times: (EE) extra early, (E) early, (EM) early mid, (M) mid, (ML) mid late, (L) late, and (VL) very late. These divisions are easy to understand, but the daylilies overlap considerably in bloom time. Hybridizers’ efforts are to increase the blooming season for a new daylily, or to develop daylilies that either bloom earlier, rebloom, or wait to bloom until late in the season, thus lengthening the season.
As long as daylily lovers keep looking for new daylilies to add to their gardens, collectors, growers, and hybridizers like the Hurlberts will be working to supply the trade with new daylilies.
By Peggy Case, 400 US 250, New London, Ohio 44851. Phone 419-929-6117.
Are you up to your ears in lady bugs?
Are you wondering how soon to start your garden?
Do you wish you knew how to prune your roses?
When our local Ohio State University’s Huron County Extension office staff is overwhelmed with such questions, they call in the Master Gardeners. That’s how Ted Gastier, Huron County’s Extension Agent, recently promoted to Assistant Professor for Ohio State University, acknowledged the help provided by Huron County’s Master Gardeners, “You people sell OSU Extension through the Master Gardeners.”
Gastier, guest speaker at a recent meeting of the group, explained how the Master Gardeners became such an important part of OSU Extension work. It all started in Seattle Washington, 1972, when the King County extension agent threw up his hands and called in help to answer the phones. After assembling a group of avid gardeners, he provided extensive training in research-based information taught by Dr. David Gibby, and then set the group up as volunteers to work with his office staff. His new crew of garden experts/volunteers helped him respond to phone-in questions with answers. His innovation idea worked and the concept of Master Gardeners spread across the United States, Canada and then to other countries.
Today the Master Gardener Program continues to provide
intensive training in horticulture to interested gardeners who then volunteer
their time assisting their local Ohio State University Extension county office.
Master Gardeners provide educational services to their communities by answering
gardening questions, plus conducting plant sales, presenting public programs,
providing gardening activities for children, senior citizens, or disabled
persons; beautifying the community; and developing community or demonstration
gardens.
The Master Gardener program in Ohio has existed since the late 1970s and has
grown steadily and now there are more than 3000 active Master Gardeners in 74
Ohio counties. The local chapter of Huron County Master Gardeners has existed
since 1998 when a newcomer to the community, Michigan Master Gardener Charlene
Margetiak, asked if she might help the local OSU Extension form such a group.
The OSU Extension Master Gardener program continues to grow by leaps and bounds,
enhancing OSU Extension's ability to provide unbiased, research-based
information and educational activities to citizens throughout Ohio. When the
Master Gardener program began in the 1970's, its primary focus was diagnosing
plant problems and offering solutions, according to Gastier. While fielding
questions is still important, Master Gardeners today do much more. And with the
budget cuts that keep coming, Gastier added, “And you people, you Master
Gardeners, are going to do even more with less. I’m hopeful about the future;
Master Gardeners will keep their programs going here in Ohio.”
Master Gardener activities extend the Ohio State University Extension mission
more effectively to all. Ohio State University presents programs on three
levels; teaching, research and application. Just as the 4-H program does, the
Master Gardener Program guides the application of skills learned from education
and research.
For further information about the Master Gardeners of Ohio contact http://mastergardener.osu.edu/WhatsMasterGarden.htm
