Gardening pleasures!

[Palustris]

Yesterday, just as I was getting fed up with weeding, we had a visit from an old friend. So, down with the tools, off with the gloves and a stroll round the garden. It is very nice to look at the place through the eyes of someone else, especially a REAL plant and garden expert.
What was even nicer, from my point of view at least, was that he came to ask if we had any tall perennial decorative grasses. I was able (with difficulty) to dig him up a dozen different ones.
Does it give anyone else as much pleasure to be able to share one's garden bounty with others?

[ideasguy]

A tour of my garden with a non-plantsperson can take just about as long as it takes to walk the distance. With the exception of some stunning plants, its difficult to keep the conversation on a gardening track.

I understand exactly what you mean by how nice it is to do the same tour with a plant lover. Tiny plants suddenly take on new significance - plants in obscure places are spotted and discussed - and of course, theres always the "I'd love a wee slip of that!" to make you feel special in that you have an unusual, different or desirable plant.

Yes, Eric, I certainly get the same pleasure out of such good company.

As for those dozen or so varieties of grasses, well, I'd be more than happy to see some photos, with names. I hope you didnt wreck them in dividing pieces off for your friend!

[Palustris]

Ah, now there is the problem. Most of the grasses no longer have a name attached to them. There are various Miscanthus, a few Stipa, one or two Calamagrostis and probably others too, but none named!
We created what we call the Daisy Lawn. It was supposed to be made of of tall grasses (like tall, tall) and plants with daisy flowers (again tall, tall). One or three other things have crept in as seeds and it is far too hard to dig them out so there they stay.
Taking pics of the individual members of the community is quite hard, M. saccariifolia (?or whatever it is) is 12 feet tall now! Try getting that in a picture. And most of them are not in flower yet, so they are just stalks, green ,variegated and even striped.
A lot of the grasses were grown from a packet of mixed seeds of tall perennial grasses too.
Sorry and all that.

[greenfinger]

Giving away plants reminds me of an article I read only a few days ago in the "The Garden" of June 20007, p.384, about summer splits. Dividing perennial plants is frequently thought as a work for spring or autumn, but summer division (June and July) seems also possible and probably even better as they settle better.
Phil Clayton had to move house and wanted to take his plants with him, but it was already June: "It was June by the time I was ready to start (...) too late by conventional means. (...) Weather conditions were terrible for dividing plants and,  in the hurry of the move, plants did not receive the care they deserved. Even so, about 90 percent survived. Some were cut into small sections, others kept in large chunks, but as a practical demonstration it proved, given care after divisions are made, that many pernnials respond well to summer splitting, performing, in my opinon at least as well as those made at traditional times." He made the divisions in pots and placed them in a shaded corner away from summer heat and kept them watered.
The season to practise charity is longer than most gardeners thought.

[Roseman Stan]

I thoroughly enjoy walking around our garden areas with friends, family or even just folks passing by. I also have been know to cut some roses and give them to folks just passing by that have stopped to admire the roses and enjoy their wonderful scents.    I recently hosted a local garden clubs Garden Tour at our home. They enjoyed it very much as did I. It is definately something I would do again.

Stan the Roseman

[3fren]

I certainly love the gesture by Roseman Stan.....cutting a rose for an admirer of his garden...
it is such a pleasure to give to someone who appreciate your effort !

[ideasguy]

Its very encouraging when people stop and admire - makes it all worth while. I live in a small town, but because we have a first class dual-carriageway and motorway system to nearby cities - Belfast (20 miles away) and Lisburn (10 miles) -  hundreds of new homes have been built and new houses are being built on every scrap of land around the town.
The town has changed from a homely little place where everyone said "Hello" when they met. People walk past without a glance, and seem surprised when I say "Hello". Very often they dont even reply 

Keep up the good work Stan 

RE The original posting by Palustris

Does it give anyone else as much pleasure to be able to share one's garden bounty with others?

Ive got a TON of Victoria plums this year! Ive been giving bag fulls to neighbours.
I also have Czar plums ripening now, with the same heavy crop.
The damson tree is laden this year (I LOVE damsons).

The only one thats not producing is my Greengage tree. I need to do some research on that one. Perhaps it needs a pollinator, other than the neighbouring Plum and Damson trees.

[3fren]

you can try pollination by using a brush ?  provided you can recognise the sex of the flowers

[ideasguy]

In spring time, when the Greengage flowers, I'm afraid it has to be something nature can take care of, Jessie.

It probably needs a more suitable "suitor" nearby to stimulate pollination.
Perhaps a handsome Greengage of another variety may be better than its present unexciting partners