Easter 2011 "Re" quest

I chose this Easter to make a minor adjustment in my first name to commemorate a major adjustment in my Christian Walk, a “re”dedication of sorts. I am shifting my name’s already untypical spelling from MaryAnn (with no space) to Mare. Spelling it differently doesn’t really matter to everyone else-only me. Every time I write my name I can remember how God “re” ‘s me. (Redeems, redefine, reform…see where I am going?)

Writing my name, like I have for so long sounds so funny and strange now. That alone tells such a story! It is in many ways how I have lived most of my life- with no space, squeezing the most from myself, leaving no wiggle room, no allowance for mistakes and most notably a glaring lack of adequate quiet time to spend with God in prayer!

In the times when I could hardly catch my breath, Joanne would quote to me a bible verse she thought I should memorize. She said it to me so often, I finally did. Sometimes she would say it like it was a secret, in a whisper. Some times, when I must have sounded close to frantic, she sounded alittle stern. But most the time she said it with the “sound of a smile” in her voice. How she had such patience with me!

“Be still and know I am God”, I still think it, I have it in my heart and it is even on a plaque on my shelf at home. But it was my brother-in-law who stopped me in my tracks more than a year ago.

After Joanne’s passing, he decided to have a memorial garden for her at Sail Boat Cove. I agreed to be the caretaker of her garden. When the garden was first installed, he made arrangements for a bench with her name. I wasn’t the first to see the engraved plaque placed on the backrest of her bench, I probably wasn’t even the first to cry. But I might have been the first to freeze in place, so I could hear her whisper as I read my verse.

Please feel free to call me “Re” or “Mare” and share with me the pleasant “re” minder of my sister, Joanne, her sometimes silly ways of making a point and the amazing Heavenly Father who gave her to me as my baby sister!

Again; anew: rebuild, restore, reborn, redeem.
2. Backward; back: react.
3. Used as an intensive: refine.
re-a prefix meaning anew
Usage re- with verb indicates restoration
prefix meaning "back to the original place, again," also with a sense of "undoing," c.1200, from O.Fr. and directly from L. re- "again, back, against
a prefix, occurring originally in loanwords from Latin, used with the meaning “again” or “again and again” to indicate repetition, or with the meaning “back” or “backward” to indicate withdrawal or backward motion: regenerate; refurbish; retype; retrace; revert.
Indicating a return to a previous condition or an opportunity repeat with an intent to improve

http://www.embassyofheaven.com/catalog/comeout/comeoutc2.htm

5550 KTRS Inside Out Show Saturday April 23rd Plant of the Week-Dogwood!

Just like Spring, my role on the show is a roller coaster. For now it seems like we are on the straight away with nothing more than some quiet grumbling happening in the background either before or shortly after the plant of the week segment.

I actually think has more to do with the effects of the weather and Jim McMillians’s surprisingly weather sensitive nature , not mine! (ok maybe mine too!)

As far as unpredictable, John Shea is running a close second to Jim! Not a peep was heard from him during my segment, even after I commented on his quietness. What –no John- how can that be?

I decided, for no better excuse was made by either, that he was lining up the next interview that followed close on my heels. That is the most likely explaination, considering his tendancy to “in general” “participate” during the plant segment. (this means there are times, he thinks he needs to add something he is afraid we will forget, and frankly he is usually right! He’s become fairly garden savvy!)

Most people don’t know about all the work that it actually takes to put on any show, much less one with so many “variables” and uniquely gifted hosts. I have seen the effort of both John Shea and Jim McMillian-it is work, even when it doesn’t sound like it- kudos to them!

Don’t get discouraged- here is the plant part you are looking for and the links:

Dogwood Tree (Cornus florida)

Cornus, the plant family Cornaceae

My favorite information beyond horticulture is about the Christian legend of the Dogwood blossom.

I am reminded every time I look at the world around me of my Creator God, and the amazing rebirth that happens every Spring!

To celebrate this life changing event, I have changed the spelling of my name, (unofficially, I admit) to Mare, another way to spell Mary or what my sister affectionately called me “Re”, a salute to her and the prefix “re” that is part of the many words that apply to what has happened in Christ in my life!.

Eternally His…

Mare (Re)

Come see me at the next Bloom and Groom event at Oma’s Barn .

5550 KTRS Inside Out Show Saturday April 16th Plant of the Week, Iris

“It’s not about me!” Just a reminder to myself not to lose my balance and not to go off on a tangent over little things that happened or didn’t happen on Saturday’s show.

Just so everyone knows, the razzing that happens on the Inside Out Show is always done in good fun!

It is true sometimes people and their relationships, seem to have an overflow valve that allows “runoff” which indirectly influences other things, or in this case- others. (Oh oh, I am starting to carry the show theme too far! Doesn’t a water heater have an overflow valve?)

I am sure some times “run off “ has impact issues, for me and the people in my life, I want it always to have a positive effect. I pray for God to keep me near people who’s run off is so pure and forceful that it cleanses my heart like the spring rain I am waiting for to wash away the smudges of dirt and mulch particles I ground into the pavement from yesterday’s sporatic gardening / housework activities, done in a rush and filled with distractions. ApparentlyI am no different than anyone else trying to do it all in a day!

Part of the distraction yesterday was from rehashing the sillies from the show. Why I find humor in being “dismissed” and “reinstated”, all in the course of one three hour “Inside Out Show” is beyond my understanding. Thank goodness I only have to explain plants and not the dynamics of this show!

I had decided Saturday to do a George Stansa/ Seinfeld reaction after being fired again the week before, so I called in as usual this week and carried on because they let me!

The featured plant of the week was the whole family of Iris. Keeping it general was the best I could do because there are so many types with various bloom periods. But as promised I am linking a few favorite sites and again commenting on what a Master Designer God is to have created irises with such amazing and beautiful diversity!

Here are a few of my favorite links- send me a few of yours!

Greater St. Louis Iris Society The Magic of Irises by Barbara Perry Lawton Iris brevicaulis Shaw Nature Reserve Spring Plant Sale ( native iris on trail- check with Scott on location!)

In His Hands….MaryAnn

PS. Come and see the unique and beautifully planted containers at Oma’s Barn .

Mid Week Extra All Is Well At Sail Boat Cove's BENCH Garden

For those who know about my sister's memorial garden, and for those who are just finding out while reading this, my brother-in-law has a beautiful space dedicated to her at St. Louis County's Creve Couer Park's Sail Boat Cove.

I will keep an update of changes on here and feel free to refer back to previous bloggs for plants lists and last season details!

5550 KTRS Inside Out Show Saturday April 9th Plant of the Week

Well my spring sassiness has returned with the onset of warmer weather, or so I was told on air this week. Please accept an apology my dear listeners for my spunky mood-I am just so glad spring has sprung and I can see everywhere around me the celebration of life!

It looks like getting fired from my volunteer job is becoming a weekly occurrence (much like removing dandelions this time of year)

I don’t profess to be a horticulture expert (those are their words) or a grammar critic but I must have been out of bounds asking about the pronunciation of the word “pergola” I was simply inquiring if there were two pronunciations of if it was a man-thing/ woman-thing since Debbie, just moments earlier said the word the way I am familiar with it-well, should know better than questioning authority- especially on air and taking into consideration the difference in what is funny to them and what is funny to me. Clearly, I still don’t know what makes them laugh and they never seem to know why I am laughing- and just so you know I am still laughing!!!

As I promised I am linking to the definition and pronunciation of the word pergola AND doing my job as the 550 KTRS Inside Out Show’s Special Agent in charge of bringing great plants to the attention of our listeners” (I think I am doing this for His Glory- but maybe it is actually some form of punishment for me and/or the listeners).

So in honor of our agreement ( by the way nothing is writing but can I have a witness?) here is information about one of my favorite Missouri native and ornamental flowering trees, Eastern Redbud or to the botanical name minded Cercis Canadensis. There are some interesting cultivars on the market, C.c. ‘Forest Pansy’ with the spring flush of purple in his leaf, the rather new to me but maybe not to you, C.c. ‘Hearts of Gold’, of which is fascinating option and now newest to arrive, an eastern with true eastern heritage Cercis chinensis ‘Don Egolf’.

This chunky monkey of bush/tree is named after the shrub breeder of the U.S. National Arboretum, Dr. Donald Egolf. He caught me off guard with his handsome buff colored complexion. The even tone of his bark is striking, and each specimen, though young in age, seems ready to overcompensate with an excess of flowers buds. They do look to be the typical shade of purple, not red, as I so often hear as a complaint with the name or the color of Redbud. This is a hard one to argue since I lack sensitivity to the ” plight” of the landscape designer who wishes to wish away such a “pungent purple”. I say to them let it be as it is, God’s signature on His art work, which is surely titled “Spring in Missouri”

Well so much for now, except for my closing question-should I sign off now as “smarty pants” or “your not really my boss”? Since I don’t think either apply completely and I wish to only show respect and honor to my professional superiors and my Master, I will finish now with my typical e-mail sign off (Is this really my last week “on the job”? I guess it could be since two long hours after I was on air, they were still discussing how they had fired me-ha ha)

–oh well till next week-

In His Hands….MaryAnn

(I hope Forrest Keeling got a great response to their featured tree give away for KTRS listeners and Rolling Ridge Nursery had good attendance for Scott Woodberry’s talk on natives! Thank you to all that came to Oma’s Barn for our spring Bloom and Groom series. We had a first, two new cultivars of annuals to discuss that were so sweet, I could only describe them as good as “chocolate and chocolate”. We had a wonderful time and I was reminded how very blessed I am!

5550 KTRS Inside Out Show Saturday April 2nd Plant of the Week

lt seems I am having some serious trouble narrowing down my plant recommendations for KTRS's Inside Out Show.

The best I could do this Saturday was introduce listeners to the family of Dicentra (some of the best ambassadors for the group are commonly known as Bleeding Hearts.

I am wondering if this indecisiveness is an aging issue or an expression of the wonderful deep knowledge I have collected and have carried around in my mind for such a length of time that it has to come out sometime!

Choose whichever answer you prefer, since I can not decide myself. I can only admit this is my current dilemma of recommending only one plant a week.

I suppose part of the problem is Dicentra family, which like my own sisters, each member has a uniqueness that stands her apart and yet we share a heritage.

Whether introducing my sister, or Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart I think I can say, “If you like …, you, you might like …!

I had thought I would start with the most familiar Dicentra spetablis and note with these links that there is also a gold foliage bleeding heart and a lovely solid white flowering form D. s. ‘Alba’ .

For those who want a more constant contributor to the shade garden there are several fern leaf bleeding heart types worthy of garden space who have more persistant foliage.

I personally have a fondness for our native relative, Dicentra cucullaria. I can only say the sweetness of stumbling into this bundle of fluffy ferny foliage with “fancy pants” flowers in a spring woodland setting makes me smile!

I wish that more shade gardens would consider retaining a "sense of place" by emulating Missouri’s natural places with this and other well behaved flowering native. (I am not saying all natives deserve doorstep placement, but several Missouri natives are moderate to slow growing and not in any way overly aggressive)

I am strongly in favor of encouraging listeners to experiment with showcasing a sampler shade garden that features our well mannered woodland species. This is an opportunity to show evidence of a personal relationship with the land. I encourage human stewardship with compatible natives as a unique and beautiful way to appreciate “home”.

Don’t forget to consider using my favorite signature combination of succession partnering of bleeding heart with fall blooming anemones.

Follow links for cultural information! And be sure to visit Gateway Gardener’s website and to pick up this month’s issue of The Gateway Gardener. Again there is a "how to" turf article by Glenn Kraemer. I can only say this is a magazine chocked full of valuable information, every month!

Closing Note: You have probably noticed I have always encouraged exploring plant families. As in the human realm, some plant family members have been great ambassadors for their relatives.

My sister Joanne was our family’s best ambassador since she was the tallest, prettiest and had the best hair- I miss her. I recently realize that while she was here on earth and very involved in the green industry with me, at times I claiming some type of credit for her. That was a mistake that I cannot fix, however what I should have claimed and will here and now is our shared Christian faith.

It connected us then and it connects us now. It also connects me to every child of God, so in a round about way I am really even more blessed than I had realized. My vision was short sited because she was so amazing and filled such a large part of my heart.

I am happy to acknowledge, though without taking any credit, that every tall beautiful Christian hearted woman with good hair is a sister of mine ( as are the short squatty ones with the so-so hair) I am blessed to be connected for eternity with every good attribute that God has ever created. As a part of a kingdom and a family that is not about “botany speak” , God reminds me daily , like the plants sprouting around me, I am growing and some day will be in THE most perfect place- HOME!