Tax Day
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| Fritillaria whittallii Mr. Charles Hervey Grey in the three volume Hardy Bulbs 1938 has this to say: A native of Asia minor, collected by Whittall on the western Taurus Mountains..It flowers in March-April, and is in cultivation at Kew. It is obviousely very nearly allied to F. meleagris, and it seems to me doubtful whether Baker was justified in giving it specific rank on the strength of its orbicular nectaries.  I really like this plant, maybe because it's different. But Mr. Grey sure bashes it: A Native of Western Persia and Armenia....It flowers in April, and is a dissapointing plant. The great tuft of leaves and long stem appear to promise so much, but the flowers are lamentably small and insignificant. I have never known them to set seed, and, although the plant is easily grown in a well-drained gritty soil, I question whether it is worth growing in gardens... I for one love it, it's different, but the flowers are beautiful and it's tough enough to grow outside with little care....I don't ask much more of a plant.  Mr. Grey: found on grassy slopes from Sonoma to Santa Clara county California, It flowers in April and is very scarce in cultivation. It is a charming plant resembling F. agrestis. in everything but scent-on a smaller scale. It should be grown on a hot gritty slope.  I got this when Jane and I split an order from Hoog. I don't really know much about it except that it does well in an open raised bed without much care. Tax day has come, I personally get mine done in late January or as soon as I have all the documents in. If you are one of the ones waiting in line at the post office right now, well then you will have to read this tomorrow. |