Page 22 - Jo Ann Gardner & Heirloom Gardens

ISSUE : Issue 63

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1993/6/1

this all over Cape Breton--when the bride moved from the family farm to her husband's place, she took along with her her favour? ite plant. She took along a piece of the (plant)--a root of the Rose, or a Peony, or something like that. Rose and Peony are the two archetypal plants for this. And this is the way a lot of plants got spread across America. People moving from the east to the west. This is the way the Yellow Rose--it's called Harrison's Yel? low- -this is the way it was introduced to the west. Just pioneers taking it from the east to the west. And see, the extraordi? nary thing to me is that these people--and I know from my own experience--were so concerned with the daily realities--the material reality of everyday life. about the catch of the day. Is there anything that packs more good eating, more great flavor and more of the things we look to for proper nutrition than Nova Scotia fresh or processed seafood'? You know how hard it is --I cer? tainly do. And yet, they did this! They car? ried along Yellow Roses. They car- June is Atlantic Seafood Days 539-4673 ried along Peonies. Because they were part of their family; it was like the family furniture. And also the plant was beauti? ful, and also it grew. But then you get involved in, you know, cultivars, and dates. (By dates you mean...?) Dates of introduction. (And a cultivar?) Cultivar would be a type that somebody created, or that was created by itself, and that has been propagated for a long time, and somebody gave it a name that's recognized, botannically recog? nized. A very good (Cape Breton) example is the Soapwort. Bouncing bet. It grows by the side of the road and it blooms in Au? gust. I've found it still well-tended in a number of gardens. My own plants came to me from Jamie Ross who lives in the large house right by the Little Narrows Ferry. She's the former postmistress. And the type (of Bouncing bet) we have here in Cape Breton is double-flowered. Now, the wildflower is single. But we have the double flower. And that's regarded as a cultivar. We had that growing all over Cape Breton--they considered it weed. But antique plant collectors, they go ga-ga over it, you know. They want to get their hands on it. In fact, I have saved seed, for people who run heirloom seed compa? nies, and I've sent it to them because, you know, it should be propagated. Some of the plants I inherited on the farm were archetypal heirloom plants. (I knew) because the woman who (had) lived there is still living. And she was able to provide me with snapshots. And she told me in pre? cisely what spots they were grow? ing on the farm, and where the Gord's Sports Centre 44 Reeves St., Sydney We now carry Golf Equipment by such names as Slazenger Maxfli Dunlop FOR THE BEST PRICED GOLF EQUIPMENT • Where the Good Sports Shopl 'CO'OP) CO-OP Building Supplies 870 King's Road, Sydney 539-6410 FAX 562-7481 WE ARE MORE THAN JUST LUMBER!!! 'VRE TREATED I VINYL REPLACEMENT WINDOWS I INSULATION I ROOFING MATERIALS I LIGHT FIXTURES I PLUMBING SUPPLIES I HARDWARE I COUNTER TOPS ?? HOME & GARAGE ?? VANITIES ?? SHOWERS ?? ROOF TRUSSES ?? DOORS ?? EAVESTROUGH ?? LUMBER PACKAGES I ELECTRICAL SUPPUES I HEATING SUPPLIES I PLYWOODS ON YOUR SIDE OVER 39 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Cape Breton's Magazine