by Linda Newber
I’m a Plantaholic. I have a lot of plants, but I’m always on the lookout for something new. For years I collected from the big box stores…you know the ones. They have beautiful plants and lots of them and for years I was content filling my shopping cart from their offerings. But as I said, I’m a Plantaholic. Eventually I built a greenhouse and even joined the local Hobby Greenhouse Club. With a greenhouse, I was able to keep my plants over winter and not replace the same ones every spring. I think that was when my addiction became really serious. I needed more…and more…and more.
The Greenhouse Club is filled with people just like me. One habit we all share is propagating. When a plant needs pruning, or dividing, or repotting, we’re always blessed with an overage of new plant possibilities. Solution…grab a pot of dirt and plop in the excess. Unfortunately, no matter how big our greenhouses, we all run out of space eventually. So, more than fifty years ago, the Hobby Greenhouse Club started having yearly sales to share our excesses. These sales only come twice a year and it’s the best kept secret in town. It’s also “the place” to discover lots of new, different or unusual plants.
As I said, I’m always looking for another plant. On the last day of one of our sales, I made one last attempt to find something I didn’t have, but sellers were packing up, ready to leave. Frantic, I saw a six inch pot with a nondescript plant, that looked like it needed a home and I volunteered mine.
That plant sat in my greenhouse for more than a year and did nothing. Finally, I decided to repot it. I moved it to a much larger pot, gave it a little attention, and by the end of the season it had filled the pot. I didn’t know what this plant was, but I had adopted it and I was responsible for it. Winter came and I forgot about the plant. Then one day I opened the greenhouse to turn on the heat and do a little watering. No one can imagine the utter shock I felt at what greeted me. Sitting on the back of the shelf, my nondescript purchase had decided to put on a show. It had produced the most beautiful, exotic flowers I had ever seen. Research proved it to be a bromeliad called Queens Tears. It blooms when little else does and it’s tough as nails. I have propagated and given away more of these plants than I can count. The treasure buried in that little six inch pot is now one of my all time favorites.
Our sale this year is Friday through Sunday of Azalea Festival Weekend. Take the Garden Tour, then come see us. We’ll be at 2318 Metts Ave. We start the sale on Friday at 9 am. We have lots of buried treasures in that backyard on Metts. Come find yours.
Happy Gardening!
Linda Newber