 |
| Cornus x 'Scarlet Fire' |
My wife and both daughters were
occupied last Sunday with activities that didn't include me, and so I
was happily unnecessary. I said goodbye and announced that I was
"going to work." My wife groaned in sympathy that at my age
I had to work on Sunday. But it was a beautiful spring day at the
nursery – my place of "work" – and it was perfectly
enjoyable to have no employees, truck drivers, customers etc. to deal
with. I headed out of the office with my pencil and clipboard to make
work lists for the following Monday, but I noticed the deep red
flower bracts of Cornus 'Scarlet Fire'. So, just 20 steps away from
the office I decided to return and exchange my clipboard for my
camera.
Two hours later I came back from
wandering through the greenhouses with my brain filled with colorful
stimuli. Eventually I did make my work lists, and when reunited with
my family I accepted their praise that Father is hard-working and a
great Provider. I didn't feel guilty that I was goofing off as well
as working, as I do it often, and you can decide for yourself if my
time was well spent. I can't imagine any company more fun than
Buchholz Nursery on a sunny spring day. Here is what I saw –
that day's autobiography.
 |
| Rhododendron stenopetalum 'Koromo shikibu' |
 |
| Aquilegia flabellata 'Pumila' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Ryoku ryu' |
 |
| Styrax japonicus 'Evening Lights' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Groundcover' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Amber Ghost' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Tsuma gaki' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Little Sango' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Wildfire' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Sweet Lorraine' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'White Peaches' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Beni maiko' |
 |
| Acer sieboldianum 'Seki no kegon' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Spring Delight' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Usu midori' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Aizumi nishiki' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Beni maiko' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Green Gem' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Mardi Gras' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Mardi Gras' |
 |
| Acer circinatum 'Kisetsu dore' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Golden Falls' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Kenbu' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Marlo' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Akaji nishiki' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Lileeanne's Jewel' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Kawahara Rose' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Lileeanne's Jewel' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Geisha' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Seedling from Mikawa yatsubusa' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Taylor' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Seedling from Mikawa yatsubusa' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Lileeanne's Jewel' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Seedling from Mikawa yatsubusa' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Rainbow' |
 |
| Acer crataegifolium 'Mueri no ofu' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Murakumo' |
 |
| Leptospermum scoparium 'Kiwi' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Yuki yama' |
 |
| Pinellia tripartita 'Free Tibet' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Pinkie' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Yuki yama' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Rising Stars' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Rising Stars' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Rising Stars' |
 |
| Bletilla striata 'Ogon' |
 |
| Choisya ternata 'Sundance' |
 |
| Corydalis 'Blue Panda' |
 |
| Berberis temolaica |
 |
| Rhododendron orbiculare 'Edinburgh' |
 |
| Kniphofia pauciflora |
 |
| Rhododendron 'Ever Red' |
 |
| Podophyllum 'Galaxy' |
 |
| Ginkgo biloba 'Snow Cloud' |
 |
| Schima argentea |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Rainbow' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Ilarian' |
 |
| Morus 'Ho-o' |
 |
| Acer tegmentosum 'Joe Witt' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Phoenix' |
 |
| Acer circinatum 'Baby Buttons' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Strawberry Spring' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Oridono nishiki' |
 |
| Acer shirasawanum 'Bronze Age' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Japanese Princess' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Kotobuki' |
 |
| Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Hatch' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Kotobuki' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Ghost Dancer' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Frosted Purple' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Lemon Chiffon' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Shidava Gold' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Amagi shigure' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Ori zuru' |
 |
| Acer circinatum 'Kisetsu dore' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Ori zuru' |
 |
| Acer japonicum 'Emmett's Pumpkin' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Peridot Flame' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Pink Filigree' |
 |
| Acer palmatum 'Seedling from Mikawa yatsubusa' |
When I returned home in the evening,
our previous plan was that we would go out for dinner to celebrate
Mother's Day, but H. and the girls were too tired to make the effort.
H. said, "I just want to eat junk food in bed," and she was
entirely serious about it. I drove to Burgerville and bought
cheeseburgers, French fries and three strawberry milkshakes, and
indeed they polished it all off in bed. Afterward my wife thanked me
for the Best Mother's Day ever!
