my daylily patch

Dad...

2008-08-20T04:42:00.000-07:00

On July 28, 2008 my dad had a Stage IV Glioblastoma malignant brain tumor removed from his left temporal lobe. Since that day, he has made a remarkable recovery although he is sometimes discouraged by the things he still cannot do. He has some lingering problems with speech mostly in finding certain words and numbers which are exacerbated when he is overtired. His doctor said he has regained 90-95% of his previous speech and comprehension abilities and that number should increase with further time and speech therapy.

The tumor they removed is one that will require further treatment with radiation and chemo. He will see the oncologists on Wednesday, August 20th and they will decide the best course of action for his treatment. On average the treatment consists of daily radiation and chemo for 4-6 weeks, Monday through Friday. While he won’t have too many side affects or lose much hair from this chemo, he will have a great deal of fatigue that will last about one month after the last chemo/radiation treatment. Following this, he will have monthly MRI or CAT scans to monitor for any recurrence of the cancerous tumor. As his neurosurgeon said, “this tumor is treatable, not curable.”

While this diagnosis has come as a shock to our family, we have great hope and faith knowing that our Lord will not leave us alone in this fight. Dad is on a number of prayer lists all over the country and we feel the prayers and love that all have offered. Mom and Dad have decided that they will no longer be active in growing daylilies. Dad has already ceased working with the daylilies and Mom will be selling as many of the plants as possible. While they truly enjoy gardening and being in the yard, the number of daylilies they own requires too much upkeep and they have chosen to spend whatever time they have together relaxing with family and friends and enjoying life.

Continue to pray for dad. This will be an ongoing battle and we are believing that Dad will have a remarkable, miraculous recovery.

Thank you!

From Mimi...

2008-06-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

I have been a gardener most of my life. I grew up on a farm in South Carolina in an era where we grew most of what we consumed. We canned any vegetable or fruit that was too plentiful to eat all at once. We also raised most of the meats we enjoyed - what is now called "free range". I grew up with the words of my ancestors that "if you are good to the earth, it will provide you all you need to survive". A concept that is fast fading with all of the frozen foods and easy access to markets.

Along life's journey came other interests, work, marriage to a wonderful man, great children and equally wonderful grandchildren. Through all of the ups and downs associated with life in general, I never lost my love from growing things. It has been therapy for me as I always find peace in the garden. I have even been known to garden by the light from a street lamp when daylight hours were cut short by other responsibilities.

I love beautiful foliage plants and the tropicals we grew in North Palm Beach, FL. I grow quite a few in Jacksonville although, as we age, protecting them in winter gets harder.

Bob and I first started with daylilies after we moved to Jacksonville some 27 years ago. We receivied about eight daylilies as a gift from a friend which we enjoyed for several years with no bother. One day, while looking in a gardening magazine, I saw an advertisement for Daylily World. I called and spoke to David K and he sent me a catalog. The rest is history.

I started out as simply a collector and purchased those that appealed to me. That continued for a few years until our grandson Chris was old enough to express his own opinions about what he liked and didn't like. He was about nine at that time. He has been following me in the garden since he was three. Those of you who know me know that I am a very doting grandmother. He started making crosses, entering shows, and generally making his own decisions about "his" garden. He traveled to meetings and to conventions with Bob and I and won a great many awards over the years. He has his mother's eye for form and color and, over the years, we have had some good natured (though heated at times) discussions about plant life in "his" garden.

Before you are ready they are grownup!! I know all of you parents and grandparents can relate to that. Its off to college with no time left for many of the hobbies you leave behind. For a time, after he entered college, the garden was rather lonely but, as with all things, time can give you a new perspective. I know in my heart of hearts, that his love for all things natural will always be there and, when his college days are over and his career established, he will again find himself drawn to the garden.

Meanwhile, Bob and I are trying to get our minds around the concept of less is more. We have a lifelong passion for gardening together and still enjoy most of it immensly. For the first time in our married lives, we have turned over some of the lawn maintenance to outsiders but have not gotten that far with the daylilies. It is harder than one thinks to downsize but we hope to accomplish that this year. My daughter taking on the responsibility for Christopher's garden will hasten the process.

To all of the wonderful people we have met because of daylilies, I say thank you for the friendship. May you find peace and comfort among your blooms.

Margaret

May 21, 2008

2008-05-28T14:45:00.000-07:00

Although I am not new to gardening, I am fairly new to daylilies. My parents and son have been growing and hybridizing for many years, but I have always been busy with other things. This year, I quit my job and am currently watching my youngest pack once again to move out – albeit much closer this time. Chris, my son, still lives at home – meaning he sleeps here occasionally and I know sometimes he eats because the leftovers are no longer leftover – but I also know that he too will soon move out…either to an apartment here in town or off to law or grad school…or both.

Now, I could have launched head on into my photography business and lined up jobs doing weddings and events – but that entails taking pictures of people! People have a tendency to expect more from my photography skills than even photoshop can provide, if you get my drift. Besides my kids, my favorite subject to photograph is nature – specifically flowers. Now this can be just as aggravating as people, but only because you have to deal with heat, humidity, bugs, rain, wind…and this list goes on. I also find it easy because there is this great big field of daylilies right next door and another one down the street at mom and dad’s. My official title in the daylily field is chief weeder…a name I gave myself. Besides weeding and taking pictures, I am also supposed to evaluate the daylilies blooming and tag them as to which ones I like and dislike and then pull up those that don’t make the cut. Walking around outside this morning it became very obvious that I am not the right person to be out in the daylilies deciding which ones stay and which ones go…and that is not good for my parents. Mom hit 74 with gusto this month and dad will try unsuccessfully to slide quietly into 70 in August…and they are still out there spraying, digging, shipping, hybridizing…you name it…in both gardens! (Of course, my saying that will elicit some stern comments from someone…I’m sure.) The reason I am not the best for this job is…I haven’t pulled any up! I’ve tagged a few with the dreaded yellow flag, but I keep waiting to see if they can redeem themselves before it’s too late.

So, on I go taking pictures…while pulling up weeds and pinching off spent blooms and wondering if I will actually pull up a flower and throw it away because it didn’t open just right or it has spots or streaks or…good thing I don’t get evaluated in the same way. I’d be a gonner for sure.