Friends of the Wild Flower Garden
Newsletter/Friends News
Current Issue of The Fringed Gentian™
Summer 2019
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The next issue will be published in Late Fall 2019.
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Garden Plant of the Week
Selected from the many species in, or historical to, the Garden.
Rock Elm
Ulmus thomasii Sarg.
Link on name goes to more information and photos of this plant.
The Birch Trees - then and now
A look at Our valuable Birches and their past and present history in the Wildflower Garden.
A Seasonal Poem
Old elm that murmured in our chimney top
The sweetest anthem autumn ever made
And into mellow whispering calms would drop
When showers fell on thy many coloured shade
And when dark tempests mimic thunder made -
While darkness came as it would strangle light
With the black tempest of a winter night
That rocked thee like a cradle in thy root -
How did I love to hear the winds upbraid
Thy strength without - while all within was mute.
It seasoned comfort to our hearts' desire,
We felt that kind protection like a friend
And edged our chairs up closer to the fire,
Enjoying comfort that was never penned.
Taken from The Fallen Elm by
John Clare, (1793- 1864)
Reflections
“A very intelligent and observant person has assured me that, in the former part of his life, keeping but one horse, he happened also on a time to have but one solitary hen. These two incongruous animals spent much of their time together in a lonely orchard, where they saw no creature but each other. By degrees an apparent regard began to take place between these two sequestered individuals. The fowl would approach the quadruped with notes of complacency, rubbing herself gently against his legs; while the horse would look down with satisfaction, and move with the greatest caution and circumspection, lest he should trample on his diminutive companion. Thus, by mutual good offices, each seemed to console the vacant hours of the other.”
Gilbert White, Aug. 15, 1775, from Letters to Daines Barrington
Garden theme items for sale
Downloadable PDF format books.
1907-1933. Companion book to The Wild Gardener
Martha Crone and the Wild Flower Garden
1933-1958. Companion book to the Crone History
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