Posts by Jenks Farmer
Over-The-Top-Garden-Displays
I’ve said two things to people recently that sort of shocked them. First, “I just don’ t like garden shows.” I’ve been to them — from Chelsea in England to San Francisco. I’ve even spoken at the Northwest Flower Show years ago. They just don’t turn me on; I’d rather be outside though I…
Read MoreWinter Garden & The VERY First Plant Books
In five inches of snow, with hand warming chemical packs in my pocket, I saw 90 different varieties of witch hazel sparkle. The Missouri Botanical Garden staff horticulturist Sara Murphy cares for this huge planting. They were in full flower, in the snow, in February in St. Louis. Sara knows how to make them look…
Read MoreMilling Pine Trees for Lumber to Build A Garden Shed
The tree guys call these hazard trees. That’s the professional jargon for a tree that might fall on someone or something. I called these particular pines spectacular; 120′ tall ancient beings that helped define the character of this garden, in fact, the charm of this entire part of town. The owners of the garden did…
Read MoreGarden & Dog Road Trip
Thousands of pictures wait to be edited: high end malls with extravagant palm plantings, blue water swim days at the dog beach, vine laden tropical gardens, and brilliant displays of plants at the Tropical Plants and Landscape Show. Friends and gag pics. Dog profiles and gardens. A 1,700 mile road trip to south Florida with…
Read MoreKill the Confederate Myths: 5 Better Vines for Southern Shade
When we started building Riverbanks Botanical Garden, 20+ years ago, we had to deal with a Pennsylvanian’s idea of southern architecture. The building, walls and walkways of some grandiose vision of antebellum structures that only ever existed in bad movies. It reminded me that, as a teen, I loved Aunti Mame as much as any…
Read MoreStalking Supple Jack on the Salkehatchie
Some guys go duck hunting on Christmas. Some people go to movies. Momma and I went in search of an elusive vine: Supple Jack. To be honest, the vine isn’t rare, but its home is in blackwater swamps. Special places, also home to cotton mouths and deep holes hidden in black water, but in winter,…
Read MoreGrangran’s Gumdrop Tree
My grandfather cooked. He set the table with “Old Britain Castles” china; he painted and gardened. Maybe because the lessons were so constant, from birth on, I don’t recall him teaching me gardening things. But I know the palmetto tree by the back steps was one he dug up on Hunting Island; I know he…
Read MoreTom Writes About Hay Day
Beech Island, South Carolina. The City of two untruths. There’s no beach, and there’s no island. There is a third untruth, but I’m ahead of myself. Jenks and I went to see our friend and neighbor Mark, on Friday morning. His Thanksgiving was as perfect as ours. Mark grows and bales a beautiful, healthy hay,…
Read MoreConjunction Junction; A Lady who Loves Her Function….
A young family who’s trying to mix modern needs into the garden of a historic Mediterranean Revival home. An 86-year-old gentleman, from the wrong side of the tracks, who enlisted in the US Navy at 16 having lied about his age. The person who organized fundraising events and presentations for the New Orleans Botanical Garden.…
Read MorePersimmon Trees in Gardens
Speaking with an elderly friend today, I asked about how to get around some issues of growing persimmon trees. He launched into a long story about an abandoned grove he recalled in south Georgia with a long aside about his old friend who’d discovered the grove in full fruit. At one point he said, “It…
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