Mrs. Lee's Daffodils

Spurred on by the article in the Tyler paper, we enjoyed a trip to the daffodils near Gladewater yesterday. Along the creek, on hillsides, and among the trees the daffodils danced in the breeze as we wandered and photographed some of the million plus specimens. The four miles of scenic drive (with stopping and picnic spots available) wind through hundreds of acres and displays twenty-six acres of daffodils.

The park (admission free) closes at 4:00P.M. daily and is open through March. See http://www.daffodilgarden.com/ for more details. And, by the way, there was a neat fence around a picturesque area with restored cabin, pond, and information stop.

To top off the excursion, we enjoyed cheesecake and coffee in a picturesque setting in nearby Gladewater.

Linda Taylor

Daily Progress posting

Published: February 23, 2009 08:50 am

County Master Gardeners hear Forest Service’s plans for arboretum

Cherokee County Master Gardeners held their regular monthly meeting on Feb. 9. Following the call to order and regular business, Mr. Jason Ellis, District Manager for the Texas Forest Service gave a brief presentation on the forest service arboretum in Jacksonville.

Mr. Ellis discussed future plans for the arboretum’s use and enhancements. Mr. Ellis also invited the Master Gardeners to participate with the Forest Service in an Arbor Day program to be presented at the arboretum.

The association discussed plans for the annual spring plant sale to be held on April 18 and the Garden Tour planned for May 30. Committees were formed to finalize plans and to prepare for the sale and tour.

Featured plant for the month of February is hollyhocks as presented by David Daniel.

Daniel also gave a presentation on “Winter Sowing” to the Master Gardeners, discussing sowing techniques for various vegetable and ornamental plants.

The next Master Gardeners meeting will be held on March 9. Cherokee County Master Gardeners Association meets the second Monday of each month at 10 a.m. at the Norman Activity Center. For information regarding the Master Gardeners e-mail billingsk704@yahoo.com.

Cherokee County Fences I Admire

I have often admired this fence on the Dialville highway.

Joe

McCarty's Hollyhock

I got this photo of a honeybee preparing to visit the hollyhocks in the garden of Ray and Roxie McCarty.

Joe Daniel

February Feature Plant-Hollyhock

Family-Malvaceae
Genus-Malva
Species-Alcea (al Kee uh)

For those that attended the Cherokee County Master Gardener’s 2008 Garden Tour, they may have admired the many colors of Hollyhock in the Stone and Haberle gardens. These flowers were the Alcea rosea. The hollyhock can be perennial, biennial or annual depending on growing zone. For our zone 8 area, they will return each year. Seeds sown in the fall will usually bloom the following late spring or early summer. Seeds may be sown directly in the soil. These are also excellent for Winter sowing containers. When planting seeds in containers, it is best to soak the seeds in warm water for about 24 hours. The winter sowing method will help protect from animals or other pest. This method also allows the transplants to be planted in the desired locations of our gardens. Established plants often reseed themselves. Small seedlings are easy to transplant. Pinching the growing tips may produce shorter branching plants with more blooms. These will grow to a height of 4 to 6 feet and should be spaced from 18 inches to 2 feet. The hollyhock comes in many pastel colors and from pale white to black. Blooms may be single or double depending on the variety. Hollyhocks require average watering needs but need good drainage. Rich soil is not required but as in most plants may produce nicer specimens. Mature plants may be two feet across and are herbaceous. Bees, butterflies and birds are attracted to these plants. In windy areas, it might be best to stake these tall growing plants. Rust can be a problem for these plants due to the high humidity of our area. Removing the infected leaves at the first sign of infection can help with this problem. There are chemicals that can be used for treatment. Hollyhocks are great for the cottage garden look. Thomas Jefferson grew these beauties in his gardens.



Also often grown in our area are plants known as French Hollyhock. This is the Malva sylvestis. These produce much smaller blooms with the most common color being a striped purple variety. These produce much smaller seeds that reseed freely. The small seedlings can easily be transplanted or removed.