E W H E R E IN THE 



Rhode Island Celebrates 

 the 75th 



The Rhode Island Nurserymen's As- 

 sociation (RINA) will celebrate its 

 75th anniversary with a banquet 

 and festivities at the Doubletree 

 Hotel in Newport on Saturday, No- 

 vember 12. The day's activities in- 

 clude tours of Newport, wine tast- 

 ing at the Vineland Wine Cellar, 

 discount shopping in Fall River, 

 and a visit to the Foxwood Casino 

 In the evening there will be lots of 

 dining and dancing. 



Another activity of this anniver- 

 sary year has been the publication 

 of a wholesale buyer's guide This 



was compiled by Dr. Brian May- 

 nard, Department of Plant Science, 

 University of Rhode Island, King- 

 ston, from catalogs sent to him by 

 companies that responded to his 

 request for information (Eighteen 

 did so.) The catalog is an alpha- 

 betical list of species Beneath 

 each species and cultivar name is a 

 list of available sizes (limited to 

 four classes) and suppliers (num- 

 bered one though 18). Suppliers 

 are identified by number on the 

 inside back cover. The source list, 

 available on computer disk, is up- 

 dated once a year. 



Financial support for the devel- 

 opment of the database was pro- 



HOW ABOUT HERBS 



Herbs to Walk On 



An herb garden rich In texture and subtle color can be magnifi- 

 cently pulled together by planting herbs among Its pathways' 

 paving stones and bricks. Here are some that are sturdy and fra- 

 grant, perfect for scenting and cushioning the steps of a happy 

 gardener taking an evening stroll. 



The large group of creeping thymes are mostly forms of Thymus 

 serpyllum, with a few distinct species. Caraway thyme IT. fierba- 

 barona) makes a vigorous carpet with tiny white flowers. Its also a 

 useful thyme for cooking, delicious with beef or pork. 



Red thyme (T. serpyf/um cocdneus) has red-magenta flowers In mid- 

 summer and very small fragrant leaves. It's very hardy and sturdy, an 

 excellent variety to walk on. 



A more fragile variety (T. albui\ with white flowers Is lighter green 

 with tiny rounded leaves. I have read that It resents competition, so 

 It might like to rule the walkway by Itself. It would do well between 

 wide flat paving stones — If creeping thymes can get a firm grip In 

 the soil, they'll spread out over the stones and look their best. 



Woolly thyme (T. serpyllum lanuglnosus) has rounded grey leaves 

 that make attractive fuzzy patches In gravelly soil. This one must be 

 well-drained, as It resents any lingering moisture. The flowers are 

 lavender and appear In July. 



Another sturdy woolly thyme Is T. lanicaules. which has more 

 widely-spaced leaves on long trailing stems. The habit of this plant 

 Is very spreading and allows spring bulbs to come through Its cover. 

 Of course, weeds could come through as well and this should be a 

 consideration. 



All creeping thymes benefit from rocks, pavers, or bricks over 

 which to spread. These help drainage and provide the warmth the 

 plants need to order to thrive. Overwintering Is aided by a light 

 mulch of compost, then a layer of coarse bark, put on the fall and 

 raked off In the spring. 



Tanya \ackson is a well-known area herbalist. She can be reached al (603) 431-6774 



vided by RINA and the Rhode Is- 

 land Urban and Community For- 

 estry Council. Funding for publica- 

 tion was provided by the partici- 

 pating nurseries. 



The guide is seen as a useful 

 tool for landscape contractors, gar- 

 den centers and landscape archi- 

 tects — and a real benefit to the 

 wholesale aspect of Rhode Island's 

 nursery industry. 



For more — Ken Lagerquist at 

 (508) 761-9260 



A Walk throueh Real Life 



(from Plugged In, the Connecticut 

 Greenhouse Growers' Association 

 Newsletter, Issue 2, 1994). 



The major CGGA event of the sum- 

 mer was an educational evening 

 called Real-Life Compliance with 

 Worker Protection.' Officials from 

 the state department of environ- 

 mental protection walked small 

 groups through Grower Direct in 

 Somers and pointed out how that 

 firm has complied with various 

 regulations. This is the first time 

 an event of this nature has been 

 offered 



The lune 23rd event included a 

 picnic and chance to ask questions 

 and closed with a talk on new vari- 

 eties. 



Grant Awarded 



(from Npu's lo Usf, the Connecticut 

 Nurserymen's Bulletin, |une, 1994) 



Dr Mark Bridgen, UConn, has been 

 awarded a $10,000 grant to develop 

 and market four new Astroemeria 

 hybrids Dr Bridgen has worked 

 since 1985 to improve the breed 

 and speed up its propagation 

 through the use of tissue culture 

 techniques. He'll be working with 

 two CNA firms to make these 

 plants commercially viable. Flower- 

 field Nursery, Monroe, will produce 

 2-inch liners from the micro-propa- 

 gation tubes White Flower Farm, 

 Litchfield, will pot the liners for re- 

 tail and feature them in its Spring, 

 1905, catalog. 



