Thursday, July 23, 2009

Holy Smokes!


Check out the double rainbow that appeared through the clouds at the garden's first "Music in the Garden" concert. A spectacular event made truly unforgettable. Thanks Mother Nature.

P.S. After this photo was taken, the crowd quickly dispersed to find the four pots of gold at the ends of the rainbows.

P.P.S. No word on the booty.

Garden Thievery


To my horror, I discovered that someone lifted some Sempervivum out of one of the garden's hypertufa planters. Two different kinds are missing; I am particularly sad about the disappearance of a 'Cobweb' -y looking cultivar called 'Forest Frost'. Shame on you, thief.

We don't really have a big problem with disappearing plants. The last plant I can remember disappearing was a Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost', back when it had just come out on the market. Hopefully, we won't have any more sticky fingers in the garden for a long while!

Stroke That Plant, Part Deux ... Finally!

If you are still wondering about those stroke-able leaves and did not check out the "comment" section where Dan Benarcik, horticulturist/plantsman extraordinaire at Chanticleer garden in Wayne, PA, solved the mystery, those leaves belong to (drum roll please.............) Veratrum viride!

Totally strokeable leaves, but will most likely make you vomit (or worse!) Check out this abstract from the FDA 's Poisonous Plant Database:

AUTHOR(S): Crummett, D.; Bronstein, D.; Weaver, Z. III
TITLE: Accidental Veratrum viride poisoning in three "ramp" foragers.
YEAR: 1985 CITATION: N C Med J, 46(9), 469-471 [English]
FDA #: F05735
ABSTRACT: Conclusion and Summary: As with all foraged foods, ramps must be carefully identified, preferably by an experienced person, prior to ingestion. Identification will be aided by the strong odor of leeks. Mistaken ingestion of Veratrum viride can have serious conmplications including first and second degree atrioventricular block, significant hypotension, respiratory depression and even death. With "ramps" gaining increasing popularity, western North Carolina physicians should be suspicious of accidental Veratrum viride poisoning in patients appearing toxic after the ingestion of "ramps". GRIN #: 41142 Exit Disclaimer
COMMON NAME:
STANDARD COMMON NAME: American hellebore
FAMILY: Melanthiaceae
LATIN NAME: Veratrum viride
STANDARD PLANT NAME: Veratrum viride Aiton

Don't think I'll nibble on this!

Some more links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veratrum_viride
http://www.delawarewildflowers.org/bucktoe.php (scroll down to see another image)
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=VEVI
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/Plantox/Detail.CFM?ID=6385