This year, guests will have a rare opportunity to purchase a new species of daylily. Though officially registered in 1966, the Jane Bell Daylily has never been offered for sale to the general public until now.
The Jane Bell Daylily's namesake, Jane Bell, is a long time Clarkesville resident and frequent customer at previous the college's plant sales. Last year she approached Horticulture Instructor Craig Thurmond about the possibility of the students growing and then selling these flowers for the first time. "
"We were excited to have the students work with these flowers," says Thurmond, beaming with pride as he overlooks the many lush plants in the greenhouses. "How often do you get the chance to offer a flower to the public for the first time?"
Bell's mother, Louise "Peggy" Davidson, was a master gardener who propagated the flowers while living in Florida. Bell tells how her mother went from plant to plant gathering pollen and placing it on flowers to create the new species of daylily. Davidson then covered the plants to prevent bees and other natural pollinators from undoing her work. The Jane Bell Daylily is quite tall at 45 inches, and has massive blooms which can be up to 8 inches in diameter.
The school's annual spring sale is schedule April 21-24. The greenhouses on the Clarkesville campus will be open from 9:00-3:00 each day. Prices will generally range from as little as $1 per plant to $20. Cash and checks only.
For more information, call 706-754-7794 or e-mail to [email protected].
(L-R): Student Shannon Garrett, Instructor Craig Thurmond, Jane Bell, and Lab Assistant John Mather.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2014/4/273790