Quill of the Hill
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March 2002 Issue Page 4 |
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Quill of the Hill
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Roots n’ Shoots n’ Critters
By Kathy Hinkle
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The Roots and Shoots folks have really been busy. The twenty-five donated Chinese Evergreens have been pruned, replanted if needed and pots wrapped. All have found homes with residents here. Another project on the horizon will be the painting of thirty-five pots and planting them with flowers so the St. Simeon’s Auxiliary can present them in appreciation to volunteers at their Spring Luncheon. The Geraniums were a big hit last year so our resident gardeners have been asked to once again share their artistic and horticulture skills.
Our little Cottontail rabbit is certainly getting braver. That is the baby rabbit that grew up in the Gazebo Courtyard and now has made friends with the white rabbit. You can sometime see them together in the evening. He actually jumped up on the windowsill by the Ice Cream Parlor to look inside just like the hen and rabbit do. I guess we are as interesting to watch as we find them. We’re still trying to find the ultimate rabbit repellent to keep them from eating our flowers – especially EmmaLee McNinch’s beautiful plants. We’ve tried spreading blood meal, scattering sharp sweet gum balls, and spraying pepper spray and they just laughed. Maybe if we used a pepper even hotter than a Jalapeno – is there such a thing?
And starting African Violets from leaf cutting last year was so successful that it was repeated last month with donated (is that like a person donating blood?) leaves from Fran Lewis’s African Violets. What interesting names for her varieties – Sky, Orbit, and Meteor. We all hope to have as much success as Adelle Graves did with hers last year. Of course, she was checking its progress daily on the light stand and it was afraid to do anything else. And we were delighted to welcome Vernon Lawson’s participation. He chose to use a leaf from a Rex Begonia for his plant. Where are some of you other men – we welcome your participation!
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And our horticulturist Dana Forrest has been getting names labeled on more and more of our plants. There are still a few even she isn’t sure what they are but we’ll keep working on it. The largest plants in the building are in the Memory Center Hearth Room since the ceiling is so high there. But even so, a couple of them are about to grow too tall for that location. We have a Norfolk Island Pine, Ponytail Palm, Balfour Aralia, Ficus (Weeping Fig) and a mystery plant. It is the only one not labeled so if you can help us out let us know.
And have you noticed that Christmas spirit is still alive at St. Simeon’s? The white lights outlining the Gazebo were so wonderful that Louise Keplinger’s family has made it possible for them to continue to stay up – complete with a snow man on top.
Speaking of Holidays, did you happen to get a potted plant? Here’s some good advice for its care:*
Water the flowers Every day. Bright fragrant blossoms Will come your way.
Bring them to the table Put them in your room Watch the tiny blossoms Burst into bloom.
This bit of doggerel came from the side of the cardboard container shaped like a six-sided watering can complete with a six-sided spout and a cardboard handle. Would you like to see it? It’s in the Gift Garden Room – not for sale. Ellen Henneke shared this with us and added. *Or better yet – follow the directions that came with the plant!
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