Two Gardeners Two Gifts of Seeds

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Gardeners I have met are the most generous people. This week I met two plant-loving women in the course of working on stories.
The first one is Maggie Patrick who is a volunteer at Lendonwood Gardens in Grove OK. Maggie and her husband live on the property so she was walking through the same area we were admiring the view. She gave us tips on the gardens that made us feel as though we had had a private tour.
Then, on our way out, Maggie gave us seeds for a Japanese Maple that she is fond of. What a generous gesture.

I searched the Internet for planting help and the summary is this:
Soak the Japanese Maple seeds in warm water at least 24-hours. Then, put them into a baggie with 50-50 sand and peat moss with a sprinkle of cinnamon as a fungicide. Put the baggie in the front of the refrigerator for at least 3-months. Plant in individual pots, 1-inch deep with sand on top to prevent mold forming. Expect them to take 3 to 6 months to emerge.


On the way home from Lendonwood, we stopped at Hungry Holler to meet Jan Meng and to see her gardens and art.

Her address had been given to me at least a year ago and I have carried her business card in my change purse that long, looking at it every time I sort through the other stuff in there. I knew she lived between Grove and Muskogee on a road we do not normally travel.

Meet Jan Meng, gardener and artist of excellence. This photo was taken inside her studio which is piled with gourds and art stuff.

This photo is her Cottage Gallery where she displays and sells painted gourds, gourds made into night lights, the hand carved wooden utensils her husband, the Zen Spoonmaster, crafts, and the works of other artists in her circle.


For a lake house commission, Jan is creating stepping stones. These are a few of the completed ones set in place.

Jan's gourds are amazing art that starts with growing the gourds at her home in Eucha. On our way out, she gave me gourd seeds and seeds of the money plant to start in my garden. Generous to a plant loving stranger.

Gardeners leave my house with plant starts or seeds, whatever they fancy. It a constant joy to be part of this huge club.

Comments

The Diva said…
Martha, this was a wonderful post. I LOVE Lendonwood Gardens. I used to go there every year when we traveled to a convention @ Shangri-La. It is the most amazing place considering it's in Oklahoma and has such a Japanese feel.~~Dee
July 11, 2008 at 8:20 AM
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