03.29.2007
Here are pictures of the greehouses at the Ginger Garden:
Greenhouse 1
Greenhouse 2
Greenhouse 3
Greenhouse 4
Greenhouse 5
Greenhouse 6
Greenhouse 7
03.03.2007
I can’t believe I haven’t written in here in over a year, nearly two. I have been busy collecting more plants and traveling to Hawaii and back to look at plants. Perhaps the biggest news is that in conjunction with Zone9tropicals.com, The Gingergarden is moving onto a three acre lot. Three acres will allow me to cultivate many more gingers and tropical plants and through zone9tropicals, share them with other people.
New Land Layout
I haven’t lost interest in the garden or in writing here rather the time I have is incredibly limited. I do have ideas on how to maintain interest in this site and when I have a free moment, I’ll implement them.
On another note the new facility will need a lot of work. I need:
- a fence
- two greenhouses (about 30X100 ft) with equipment and accessories
- the addition of a culvert
- a metal building with foundation (40X100 ft)
- many other things I can't think right now
I am toying with the idea of placing a notice here and on Zone9tropicals for bids on what I need.
07.18.2005
It was banner day at the Gingergarden Saturday July 16th.
I was very privileged to attend the Ginger Workshop at the Mercer Arboretum. The
speakers included Linda Gay, John Banta and Tom Wood. Also in attendance was Dave
Skinner.
Linda, as always provided great insight and jewels of wisdom on successfully cultivating
gingers in Houston as well as choosing companion plants for them.
Tom discussed what he describes as three basic groups of Curcumas
and their fertility and usefulness for hybridization. Also, he brought some fantastic
plants available nowhere else and offered them for sale. He had examples of some
beautiful hybrids which we hope will soon be available to the public.
John Banta addressed the dwindling tropical rainforest and the subsequent lack
of botanical material resulting from the destruction of untouched ecosystems. He
implored the attendees to begin hybridizing the plants in their collections in
order to increase both the genetic variability and variety of specimens in private
hands. His impassioned speech drew applause and admiration from the audience.
Following the workshop, I had the great pleasure and joy
to host John Dave and Tom at my humble garden tucked the Heights.Unfortunately
Linda was feeling under the weather and couldnlt make it. Before we got to my house
we made a beer run and picked up some Heineken, Guinness, Red Stripe and Corona.
We went to the garden and discussed the variability of appearance in species of
costus. Who knew erythrophylus could have such wildly different variations? We
were puzzled by a Costus I had labeled as Tapenbeckianus but was ruled NOT by the
experts. What it is, we don't know yet. We wondered about the function of the cupped
ligules in Costus vinosus. We mused that their function was to trap insects for
protein for… well
I can’t tell you everything…
Anyway, as the beer flowed we talked about other plant people in
other parts of the world such as in Thailand, England, Scotland, Australia, Costa
Rica, and Baton Rouge. For the most part I was out of my league so I just listened
to the giants of the tropical ginger world talk about their science and their peers.
I hope we can do it again but more likely than not this was a once in lifetime
occurrence. By the way, our group was missing a certain Bayou Dude and everything
would have been complete.
Gentlemen, thank you so much for stopping by. Your company was so incredibly welcome.
06.07.2004
What's new this year in the Ginger Garden? Well, I decided to put
in a greenhouse. My love of gingers has led me to acquire plants that just won't
survive our winters in Houston, Texas. Even so, the greenhouse serves many purposes
for me.
I have been getting many more plants and I am still on a Zingiber
and Costus kick. I like Curcumas but I am hoping restrict my collection of those
to truly rare specimens. I recently got a Curcuma ‘Ivory Ice' and ‘Sri Pok' and
hoping to get a few Curcuma ‘Candy Corn' in my collection soon. As soon as what
I have sprouts I will put up photos and cultural information will be available
as soon as I acquire them.
As I mentioned earlier, I am concentrating on Zingibers and Costaceae.
This year I acquired a Costus potierae and many others including afer, erythrophyllus,
erythrocrinus, letestui and many others.
Another improvement for 2004 will be the addition of a digital
camera to my tools in cataloging my collection. All of the pictures online right
now are taken with a Nikon N70. After the film is developed I scan it myself and
put it online. A digital SLR will cut down on the expense and on the time to production
of the images. I don’t have it today but I am looking at the Nikon D70.
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