Dodging Debby

While Tropical Storm Debby was soaking JLBG with 4.3″ of rain, I was off to Connecticut and Rhode Island for a presentation and some nursery/garden visits. It didn’t look like I was going to make it, after one flight cancellation and four rebookings, but thanks to several unexpected moments of good luck, our plane touched down at the Providence, Rhode Island airport just before midnight.

My first stop was a Sakonnet Gardens, the home of John Gwynne and Mikel Folcarelli. For years, John and Mikel commuted back and forth from their day jobs in New York City to the John’s parents Rhode Island home, and their developing garden on weekends, where they spent their time building the garden structure as well as installing plants. When they both finally retired, John from his Bronx Zoo job as vice president/creative director, and Mikel as Vice President Creative Services Europe for Polo Ralph Lauren, and later Starwood Resorts and Faconnable, Sakonnet Gardens became their full-time project.

To say that the garden is well designed and constructed would be the ultimate understatement. I’ve touted the idea of constructing outdoor garden rooms for decades, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better example than Sakonnet. John and Mikel have constructed all of the stone and wood walls themselves, which I’m sure gives hernia doctors in the area great delight.

John’s specialty is dry stacked walls, and having built several at JLBG, this takes rock walls to a whole new level.

In addition to being fabulously designed, the garden is a treasure trove of rare plants. Below is a lovely specimen of the very rare Torreya jackii. Below that is a clone of Mahonia japonica from the late Harold Epstein’s garden, that survived -17F with no damage. This could be a gateway for breeders to make mahonia hybrids with better winter hardiness. It was surprising to see the gulf coast native, needle palm, thriving in Rhode Island.

After leaving John and Mikel’s garden, I made the short drive to one of my favorite mail order nurseries, Issima. Plantsman Ed Bowen and his partner Taylor Johnston, do more with a small space than you’d think possible. Ed is both a superb plantsman and a master plant breeder. His work to create heat tolerant Podophyllum hybrids is unparalleled. Taylor, who used to work at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, now juggles her time between Issima, and her on-line fashion design business specializing in women’s garden wear, Gamine.

After a great visit, I was off to Danielson, Connecticut to visit a nursery I’d ordered from from nearly 60 years, Logee’s. Before I started to work with winter hardy plants, houseplants and tropicals were where I got my start in business, and there is no one that has done it better and longer than Logee’s. Several years ago, we were pleased to host third generation owner, Byron Martin at JLBG. Although Byron was going to be out of town during my visit, I didn’t want to miss a chance to stop by this iconic nursery.

Logee’s conducts both retail and mail order business selling house plants and tropicals.

Despite the advanced age of many of the older greenhouses, plants and facilities were both in superb condition. Walking through their greenhouses is like visiting a fine conservatory, while being able to purchase the plants you see. Citrus, and begonias are just a few of their specialties.

Byron’s begonia breeding program was mind-boggling. Below are a few of his recent hybrid, some of which will be named, while most other sold off as discards.

I was surprised not to find a Starbucks on site, since I’ve never visited anywhere that had as many coffee plants, loaded with beans, almost ready to grind.

My next stop couldn’t have been more different, when I stopped at Prides Corner Farms. This huge, 600+ acre wholesale nursery is unlike any facility that I can recall visiting. Prides offers everything from perennials to trees in massive numbers. Having toured around the farm, I can say that it’s one of the most immaculate, well-run nurseries that I’ve ever had the privilege of visiting. Prides is also one of the owners of the American Beauties brand of native plants.

Nursery owner, Mark Sellew, whose dad started the nursery in 1979, after a corporate world stint, was on hand to welcome visitors during their customer appreciation day.

My final stop was another of my favorite mail order nurseries for hard to find gems, Quackin’ Grass Nursery. Sadly, nursery owner, Wayne Paquette, is hanging up his plant shears in mid-November, so this was a last chance to scope out some can’t live without treasures. Although Wayne has only been selling mail order for 8-9 years, he has had a lasting impact on the availability of rare plants. Wayne will soon be listing his 60 acre property, so we all hope a plant lover may be found to take over the site.

My challenge was to identify a dwarf woody shrub, that Wayne said, had recently stumped a visiting Mike Dirr. I too, was unable to put a name on Shibaraea laevigata, a former Spirea, with only two populations, one in Russia, and another in the former Yugoslavia. We hope you’ve enjoy the virtual visit, and much as we enjoyed visiting in person.