2012 National Convention Recap | The Osman Garden

About ten years ago, I visited a garden on a National Convention tour that brought me to tears.  Many of you might have been there at Faded Flamingo Gardens - owned and created by Ralph and Becky Adams.

I mention this here because there are those places in time, that grab your soul and change the way you want to garden.

My visit to the Osman Garden during the 2012 National Convention was such a time. It transported me to a place of giving - a deep giving of the gardener's soul.  1400 cultivars spread out over five acres awaited me as I got off the bus.  It was misting heavy, so I got a chance to use the large, white umbrella I sought for just this occasion. No one complained about the rain...not even I, who chose a white cotton dress for the day's tours.  The custom white sails on the Osman pier made for a nice snapshot.  I'm saying - "Come on y'all, let's go see some more daylilies!"

The rain did not spoil the blooms at all. This collection of daylilies reminded me of my own; no one form dominates, colors are saturated and lots of textures are present.  I also saw many things I had never even heard of!
The purples were regal...

H. 'Foxy Filly' and H. 'Heartbeat of Heaven'

H. 'Henry Boykin' and H. 'Quicksilver Girl'

The yellows and blends were radiant...

H. 'Give Me Eight' and H. 'Bonnie Holley'

H. 'Peasant Blouse' and H. 'Dream Machine'

The fabulously gaudy things were not to be outdone...

H. 'Candie Dwyer' and H. 'Moses in the Bullrushes'

H. 'Love and Dazzle' and H. 'Magnify the Lord'

Aside from the pier at the beginning of this post, the best part of this garden, and quite possibly the best feature seen in any of these tour gardens, are the large beds at the back of the property filled completely and exclusively with WOMEN hybridizers.  All around this pavillion are daylilies hybridized by women!

Yep, this one is for the ladies!

As I walked the paths, I saw living history.  These are mostly modern women, and the most moving part is that I have met or know most of them very well.  

Im not sure I could have felt more proud, seeing the triumphs of women I know overcome so much personally and professionally.  Women who are still fighting battles - and winning on all fronts.

Each woman had a hand-made sign near their introductions, and I saw many women featured in these beds standing by their signs getting photos taken.  It was like a red carpet and this was the Grauman's Chinese Theatre of daylilies!  

Here is Carol 'Seajay' Mock's H. 'Supreme Tangerine'...

Nan Ripley and Karol Emmerich were featured, and were on my bus!  I saw daylilies from Margo Reed and Kathy Lamb and Pat Salk and Heidi Douglas and Gerda Brooker and Nancy Eller and Cindy Dye and Jane Trimmer and Grace Stamile and Bobbie Brooks and so, so many other women I admire and cherish as friends.  

It is a thoughtful tribute, a time capsule and a total treat.  The signs for the women's feature were hand made by her and her husband all winter long.  What a wonderful effort, and a lasting legacy for daylilies!

Nan Ripley's H. 'Love of Ruth' and Karol Emmerich's H. 'Wall of Fire'

Call it 'Girl Power', but this bed had a ton of energy in it.  I enjoyed seeing a body of work from one hybridizer on display.  I liked seeing several of Kimberly McCutcheon's introductions growing in clump strength in one place.  It is a testament to the whole of the work.  

You rarely get the chance to answer the question:  Are all of the plants from a particular hybridizer worthy of adding to a collection?  

Seeing the daylilies on display like this helped me to fall in love with hybridizers work I may have not otherwise considered.  

For example, I had the opportunity the night before this garden visit to win Carol (Seajay) Mock's H. 'Supreme Tangerine' in the auction at a very reasonable price.  I did not purchase it; the picture used wasnt that great and I had never seen it in a garden before.  Buuuuut, seeing it in clump strength the next day in this garden made me regret not taking the chance.  It was a real stunner for something that someone may describe as just-another-orange.  Here is a close-up:

The paths were packed with photographers and gawkers and some visitors in tears - seeing collections of women who have passed on, and some who were just deeply moved by the sentiment contained in the creation of this display. 

So many neat treats here - the pond, the pier, the snacks (fresh quiche), the wagon ride (how wonderful for the walking challenged), the abundance of smiling faces, the seating areas, the perfectly mowed expanse of lawn...  

The Osmans also had a wonderful bed for Guest Plants, seen below, with a great totem featuring the names of all the gardens who had sent plants!  I'm not sure you can get more thoughtful than this...

Looking back at the Women's Hybridizer Bed, I can see the magic hovering above it.  The horses playing in the morning mist added to the majestic mood of the area.  I just cant get over how carefully laid out these beds are, and how proud the women who were featured must have been.  

I wish I would have had another hour here.  Or maybe even another day.  This is the one garden I felt cheated for time.  Happiness lives here and I wanted more.

Here is a wide shot of the Women's Hybridizer bed, looking out from near the house - the horses were out of the barn in the back left corner.  

Dear Osmans- from all of us, thank you.  

Your years of hard work and attention to making every part of our visit meaningful could not have been better spent.  You played our heartstrings and our creative minds, and I am sure you inspired more than one of the 600 us to go home and do something meaningful in our own gardens.

SEE ALL THE RECAPS OF THESE TOURS HERE!

2012 National Daylily Convention Reap | Amity Abloom - The Lucius'

The final stop on day one of the AHS National Garden tours is Amity Abloom, LLC - the garden of Charles and Cynthia Lucius.

Yes, I said Charles and Cynthia Lucius.  The same folks who co-chaired this year's event also opened their garden for the discerning daylily public's greatest tour. Thoughtful combination plantings like this one on the left appear fresh throughout the entire garden and testify to the thought that you actually CAN do it all, and do it well.

These plantings mirror their planning of the national convention as a whole - the Lucius' orchestrated a well spaced, coordinated team of diverse perennials to handle a task under less-than-perfect conditions.  This photo may be my favorite of the near 650 keepers I shot that weekend.  


Click on it to see it larger!

At the crest of the winding driveway entrance, I was greeted by the most grand piece of daylily art I have ever seen.  A pair of amazing metal daylilies, complete with foliage, scapes and buds.  It is well over 7' tall (I am sure someone has a scale picture to post to show just how tall it was.)  This sculpture beckoned us, leading us toward the back of the property and the daylilies...

There are seven acres of Amity Abloom, and all of it is meticulously tended.  Not even the 50-year drought crushing the Midwest could dry up the inspiration here.  It is hard to believe that they have only been gardening here since 2005!

What I noticed immediately was the attention to detail. The plant markers were easy to see and read, the paths were razor-edged, the rocks and wood accents used perfectly. The sculpture below took my breath away.  What great intention and color!   Right on the edge of whimsical, staying just this side of refined. (kinda like my very fond impression of the Lucius'!)

Below is Bryan Culver's H. 'Spirit Zone.'  I have heard the praises of this one for a while, and seen lots of pictures of it, but never saw it performing in a garden.  Well. It was worth the wait.  This Canadian-born daylily was in grand form this day.

The long expanse of turf, pouting in the drought, reminded me that we are at the mercy of another plan, one that is quite often due opposite of where we thought we would be.  

I love the picture below.  Follow the green snake of foliage in from the left and let your eye see how far back the daylilies go...

The backbone of this garden -the 60-foot long pergola seen above on the right, was built by Charles and punctuates the center of a garden with grace and place.  These are two shots from around the pergola.  


I love the design flow of the shot on the left...

The drought was the antagonist of the otherwise lush convention.  We know that through challenges, we find strength and inspiration.  I think one of the best ways to inspire others is to be vulnerable.

  

Be willing to show your shortcomings as well as your great successes, so that others can relate.  This garden showed me a great vulnerability to the elements, giving way to the strength and will of its owners.  I felt at home and welcomed.  I was overwhelmed with gratitude that these garden owners gave so much so we could enjoy their green universe.  Look at the wide shots below of the landscape - notice the foliage on the daylilies, the full blooms of shastas - these plants were hand-watered for weeks prior to the convention.  Seven acres, folks - hand-watered with buckets for days on end in blistering heat.  For us.

The horse in the background of the shot above was a surprise!  It is metal, beautifully aged, and I am sure there is quite a story behind its presence, but I was so busy enjoying other features, I didn't get a chance to ask about it.  

Here is a closer view of that bed above.  Again, notice the background.  Now picture yourself carrying water over there to keep it that green.  Amazing.  Amazing.  Amazing.  Every clump was a superstar.  

I saw this feather grass (in the photo on the left below) in many gardens, and I plan to hunt down a few pots this fall to add to the foundational front-yard landscaping.  I think a mass planting of these would be very cool.  

That is H. 'Erin Lea' on the right.  A nice shot of a 1992 daylily with interesting potential.

I sat for a while at the farthest point of the garden, here in this gazebo- enjoying the view over the sales gardens and toward house and the main garden.  We rested in the shade, sometimes in silence and sometimes in laughter, and took it all in.

It was a heavily-anticipated, long, hot, overwhelming day.  My eyes were about at maximum capacity for daylily intake.  My belly was still full from the most amazing lunch at Der Dutchman.  (get there, now.)

I started to wonder toward the house, investigate the snacks, and prepare to head back to the hotel.  We walked slowly, taking note of some sales garden things to add to my collection.

And then I found the pool.

And sat down.

And then people started to join me.

Don Lovell and Nan Ripley from Iowa joined me for some fun.

Well, before I knew it, Charles and Cynthia were hosting a toe-dipping party.

Uh-oh. 

It will be one of my most cherished convention moments ever.  

Some didn't approve of our behavior.  Some even mentioned to me that it might not have been good garden etiquette to sit and enjoy a short splash.  

Bless their hearts.  I hope its not too late for those folks to loosen up and ENJOY THE MOMENT.  Right now! 

People were laughing and joking and splashing and talking and meeting new friends.  They were relaxing and enjoying the hospitality of a garden, surrounded by daylilies, feeling closer to those who share a passion for gardening.  When else am I going to be sitting on a pool deck with Vicki from South Dakota, who I know electronically but see once a year?  When else am I going to get some private chatting time with Don Lovell from Iowa, hybridizer of H. 'Hawkeye Fringe'?  When else is Judie Branson from Arkansas going to roll up her shorts and take a seat on the edge of the pool next to me?  Probably every time, but then again - maybe never.  We are losing too many of our daylily friends to heaven to pass up times like this.  And that makes it totally appropriate to ENJOY THE MOMENT.  

I imagine that once they got over the initial shock of their garden guests enjoying their pool instead of their pathways, Charles and Cynthia would have taken a seat and joined the lively conversation.  The Lucius' daughter Arielle thought our impromptu pool party was hilarious.  So did I.  And so did the 30 other folks who felt comfortable enough in their moment to let it go.  

So, was it appropriate garden etiquette to sit a spell?  In my book, absolutely.  

When people come to my garden, I want them to soak it all up.  "Make yourself at home!" we say.  And we mean it.  I think Charles and Cynthia do, too.

I enjoyed every part of my visit to Amity Abloom.  

I enjoyed the daylily-shaped chocolate mints, the hummingbird cookies, the crafts and art everywhere, and I especially enjoyed the bronze angel, imported to their garden from The Big Easy.  She is magical.

I enjoyed their swings, benches, birdhouses, rocking chairs and spotless pathways dotted with countless points of interest. I enjoyed seeing Dan Bachman swamped by paparazzi while posing next to a clump of his H. 'BJ McMillan.'

I also just happened to have enjoyed my friends on their pool deck, too.

We are alive in those moments when are hearts are aware of the gifts around us.  We were certainly alive in your gardens, Charles and Cynthia!  Thank you for making us feel at home.  

SEE ALL THE RECAPS OF THESE TOURS HERE!

2012 National Daylily Convention Recap | Heavenly Gardens

Heavenly Gardens is an overwhelming slice of paradise.  You know those moments when you are so awestruck that you just need to sit down and breathe?  Well, I had one of those at the gardens of Jamie and Dianna Gossard in Galloway, Ohio.

  
Everything there is big.  The daylilies, the personalities, the shade house, the barn, the seedlings, the art, the pond, the trellises, the statues, the sculptures, the porch- everything.  BIG.  This is the first photo I took getting off the bus, and it is of the seedling that was ultimately auctioned off (with naming rights) for over $2000.  Im not sure how to find words for the generosity of both Jamie and the winning bidder.  This daylily is going places and it was a great opportunity to get it before it hits the general public.  After seeing this gorgeous thing, I knew I was in store for an amazing visit.

Here are some landscape shots of the gardens.  At one point, I heard actual yelps of amazement coming from under the shade house.  The seedlings were literally out of this world - most unlike any size or form seen before.  If you think H. 'Megatron' is big, wait until you see what is coming in the future.

This is what I saw...this shade house was apparently put up in 3 days, and it was so smartly done.  Many folks were sketching it and making plans to do one themselves.  As someone else has said, "it doesnt have to be complicated!"

The shot below is one of my favorites from the visit; it shows the barn, the pond, the gardens, some statues and structures.  There was so much to see.  The clumps were unreal, the blooms were plentiful and the photo ops were everywhere.

This garden is 5 acres, so there was lots to see in just under an hour.  The heat was oppressive, but our spirits were high due to the great surroundings and plentiful sights.  I found myself walking in circles, back and forth, shooting like crazy with my camera.  This is the view out toward the back of the property, where you can see Region 2 Treasurer Ed Kraus and hybridizer Kimberly McCutcheon in the distance enjoying some seedlings.

Visiting here during the hottest part of the day was tough, but the heat did not stop any of us from seeing as much as we could.  Everywhere I turned was a photo opportunity.  The clumps growing here were mammoth and each one had multiple blooms to enjoy.  Below are just a FEW of the hundreds of stunning clumps seen at Heavenly Gardens:

H. 'White Eyes Pink Dragon' and H. 'Heavenly Starbrite'

H. 'Heavenly Bombshell' and a bloom from a clump marked "Suni"

H. 'Sea Monster' and H. 'Thundercat'

H. 'Heavenly Mellow Yellow' and H. 'Heavenly Pink Twister'

I finally was able to meet Michael Miller here, as well as Dianna Gossard and some of their children (and grand children.)  There were cows and pigs and all sorts of farmlife things happening here, and people were soaking it all up.  Order forms were flying, checks were being written and mouths were gaping.

Jamie had a memorial sign near Jane Saliaris' seedlings/introductions and I stopped in my tracks.  Oh, Jane.  How I miss your frank musings and your deep knowledge of life in general and how I wish we could have shared that last bottle of blueberry wine together.  I cried then, much like I am now, remembering her courage at the end, and her need to keep all those around her comfortable as she prepared for heaven.  Someday, Jane, your H. 'Bronzed Apollo' will grow in my gardens, I promise.

Below is Jamie Gossard (far right), holding court with happy visitors near one of the two large lions that guard his seedling beds.

Heavenly Gardens was a big winner at the AHS Awards Banquet, taking home several awards - most notably H. 'White Eyes Pink Dragon' winning the Ned Roberts Spider/Unusual Form Award and the same cultivar also tying with a Dan Bachman cultivar (H. 'BJ McMillan') for the best clump seen in a convention garden.  Each tour guest was given ballots to vote on those awards!  Way to go, Heavenly Gardens!

This garden has long been a leader in cutting edge, high demand daylilies and it was my pleasure to finally get to visit in person.  I enjoyed seeing daylilies how they should be grown, in clumps, in the sun and fed to perfection.  Seeing many that are on the Garden Judges Ballot this year growing like this makes it much easier to select Honorable Mention, Award of Merit and even Stout Medal winning daylilies from the 2012 ballot.  It was also wonderful to see other,  lesser-known hybridizer's cultivars featured here, such as Jane Saliaris and Gerry Bushong.  I particularly liked Bushong's H. 'Beary Good', seen below.

Thanks to the Gossard family and all their friends who helped make our visit amazing!

SEE ALL THE RECAPS OF THESE TOURS HERE!