October 2020
If Spring can spring, then Fall has fallen. The daylength ratchets down rapidly, almost audibly, another click every sunset. Chilly nights have us eyeing up our firewood bins: when will we break down and kindle that first stoveful?
Then warmth returns, and we say, Nah, not yet. But pretty soon, that fire won’t be just for ambience.
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Hurricane Sally kicked butt in the Panhandle, dumping feet of rain, felling thousands of trees, knocking out power and internet, flooding roads, towns, homes and businesses, and taking out a vital brand-new bridge before slowly motoring off to the North. And that’s just Pensacola. Good riddance, Sally.
A sincere Thank You! to all who checked on us. Sorry we couldn’t answer in real time, but, well, see above. We were incommunicado for a while.
But bad as it was, (a) it could’ve been much worse; (b) all ECGers are unharmed and accounted for, and (c) our remarkable crews have done a remarkable job of getting us up and running. Shipping didn’t skip a beat.
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Pennsylvania: A change of Kingdoms |
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We bid a fond farewell to animal lover extraordinaire Christine Miller who leaves us and the kingdom Plantae for Animalia, i.e., a new gig as part of a veterinarian team. Bon voyage, Christine. Our plants’ loss is the critters’ gain.
Our trial gardens, like the landscape around them, are donning their autumnal attire. Inside, green still rules – but so does silver! Late October brings fresh crops of Lavandula ‘Phenomenal’ and Senecio Angel Wings – the latter of which pairs beautifully with poinsettias, if you’re looking for something unusual to keep yours company.
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Our Rock Star award honors ECG employees who demonstrate a sustained high level of performance and inspire others. This month we pause to applaud David Whitfield.
In eight years at ECG, David has been a leader in production, field work, and in the vital role of picking manager. In the last year he’s taken on a wider range of duties as Assistant Manager at our largest location, the Milton farm.
David has loyal fans among his peers and colleagues. Here’s some of what some of them had to say about him:
“He’s always in a good mood and encourages everyone around him to be as well.”
“Always a great attitude. Looks out for everyone.”
“David works alongside everyone (and) shows his appreciation for each individual, their hard work and dedication.”
“It's rare to find leaders who are willing to get their hands dirty. David leads by example... out in the fields every day with everyone else... having him out there makes us feel like we're all in it together.”
“David Whitfield embodies what the ECG "culture" should be. He has an honest work ethic and is beyond helpful to every person or situation. ECG is lucky to have him.”
Congratulations, David! ECG thanks you for your consistent service. You rock!
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When Italian naturalist Giovanni Scopoli named this lovely species Carex glauca way back in 1772, he didn’t know he’d been scooped: German botanist Johan von Schreber dubbed it C. flacca a year earlier. C. glauca and C. flacca are considered synonyms.
By any name, this is a very cool grass. How cool? As cool as Miles Davis eating Ben & Jerry’s on a glacier. You should get some of those cool licks. They come in smooth-potting, fast-finishing, beefy 38s from ECG -- the easy choice!
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Answers and winners from last month’s word search
Puzzlemeistress Anna Graham’ return to the Coastal Current scene was a triumph! Anna thanks all who welcomed her back. A properly solved Griddler should look something like this:
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Anna drew three winners seemingly at random from all correct entries, and has already bestowed some fabulous ECG swag on:
● Jacob Hueste, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
● Hope Sterling, Sylvan Nursery, Westport, MA
● Karen Wedel, Wedel’s Nursery, Florist and Garden Center, Kalamazoo, MI
Congratulations, winners! And a big Thank You and better luck next time to everyone else who went for it. Tune in again in November for a new Griddler!
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TRAY BON!
Planning & Planting Ahead
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Spring is a full-court press. Why not take some of the pressure off that fraught time by planting early-flowering species now? Aquilegia, a.k.a. columbine, is a classic example, a true harbinger of spring.
‘Swan Pink-Yellow’ (a.k.a. ‘Oregon’): As elegant as its namesake, with long pink spurs and outer petals surrounding yellow inner petals and golden stamens. Height 24”.
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Winky Rose-Rose: This cheerful A. vulgaris variety produces a flourish of upturned semi-double two-tone pink blooms on a compact chassis. Height 18-24”.
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America’s first subsidized ag crop! When one of England’s many wars cut off the supply of prized blue indigo dye from the tropics in the 1700s, the Crown paid colonists to grow this native as a substitute.
Baptisia doesn’t bloom as early as Aquilegia, but it really benefits from a head start. Be the first on your block in 2021 with a block of retail-ready gallons of blue false indigo. Beautiful flower spikes are followed by attractive seed pods. Height 3-4’.
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In Memoriam: Steve Schmidt |
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Old friend Steve Schmidt died in late September in Oregon after a long illness.
Friendly, energetic and cheerful, Steve was one of the people I looked forward to seeing each year at the FarWest Show in Portland, OR.
A former Director of the Perennial Plant Association, Steve was an ornamental grass grower of skill and renown. We grow several of his introductions here at ECG, including Calamagrostis ‘Avalanche’ and Festuca ‘Boulder Blue’. An early champion of grasses on the West coast, he was known for plant-hunting excursions to Japan. More recently, he was a sustainability consultant. He will be missed by friends, colleagues and the industry he loved.
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October is prime time for perennial and grass planting. Unlike summer’s scorching afternoons or spring’s wild mood swings, fall offers a poignant pause of heartening beauty. The ground is soft and welcoming, you don’t have to water new beds every hour, and the temperature makes it a pleasure to be outdoors.
Of course, I’m describing Pennsylvania, where at least the weather has been pretty normal in this abnormal year. Our thoughts are with friends, colleagues and customers struggling with climate extremes that stretch the very definition of “extreme.” Like our Florida location, where the song of the chainsaw will echo for months. Hang in there.
See you again next month. Stay safe. Keep in touch.
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John Friel
Marketing Manager
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