From Orchids to Daylilies

From Orchids to Daylilies

Having left the sub-tropical climate of southern Florida, with its large colourful bromeliads  and crotons, as well as the huge variety of delicate orchids, we’re back in Chester to face a different reality.  Despite the welcome warmth of a sunny day (13° C ),  a quick tour of a Chester garden reveals that Spring is a fickle friend and won’t be rushed. The tender green shoots of poppies and the red knobs of rhubard that were evident in late February have since disappeared, withdrawn perhaps to await a more reliable period of warmer days and nights.  

While memories of orchids linger in a tourist’s mind …

… the difficulties of  growing exotic plants in a temperate zone (5b) means that, for practical purposes, we tend toward hardier specimens. But we do like colour and extended blooming seasons.

Thus, local gardeners, impatient to begin another season, will be interested in the Chester Garden Club’s meeting on March 19th, which will feature guest speaker Allan Banks, of Harbour Breezes  Daylilies. The enormous variety of cultivars now on the market, and the success achieved in growing both daylilies and Japanese irises in our area, means that this meeting has sparked keen interest.  Some members have already taken advantage of the opportunity to view the Harbour Breezes catalogue (over 750 varieties of daylilies and over 60 varieties of Japanese iris) and have placed advance orders for particular cultivars to add to their gardens.  Photos of most of the cultivars are on Allan’s Facebook page, and members will be able to order plants at the meeting. See you there!

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