David's Blog

Return to the Yellow Brick Road - Part 4

Posted on 14 Jun, 2008 6 comments

The Plants (4)

Well, at times I feel a bit scared of how quickly time passes – especially as one grows older! It seems like no time at all since those dark days of Christmas and New Year, when I took up GOY member Hoya105’s suggestion of Begonia “Munchkin” or “The Wiz”, and decided to search for them. This led me to stbegonias.com, of Southport, Merseyside, England, proprietors Shirley and Terry Tasker. With the added bonus of having found the holders of the National Collection of foliage begonias, I searched their lists and found that the website was undergoing an update, so that the lists were possibly not current. Undeterred, I sent an e-mail to the address given, and soon got a reply from Terry Tasker. Yes, they could propagate what I wanted – as “specials”, which means that they will endeavour to supply varieties not on their general sales list. He also volunteered a variety not on the lists – “Dorothy”. As the leaf cuttings go into propagator boxes to order, he told me not to expect anything for months. For these, however, I was prepared to wait! I thought that June was a lifetime away back then, but knew it would be here before I knew it – and here we are!

Our “Wizard of Oz” Begonia Collection

I got a voicemail message from Shirley Tasker to warn me to look out for iminent delivery (a great customer service, in my opinion). They were the best plants I have ever received by mail, with excellent after-care and potting-on instructions. Am glad I followed these. Begonia “Munchkin” – the originator of all this – was misssing! Being without e-mail acces at the time, I ‘phoned Terry Tasker, who said that they had tried to propagate “Munchkin” 6 times – without success (this can happen, even to the experts, as I can appreciate). My disappointment was, however, shortlived, when he told me that my Begonia “Dorothy” was extra-special. He had got a cutting last year from an American friend and, seeing my “Wizard of Oz” link, had volunteered to try to propagte one for me. Now, as far as he knows, only he and I have the only two Begonia “Dorothy” plants in the UK! What a responsibility!!
Thankfully, the plants came with full after-care instructions, which I have followed religiously, and they are now double the size I got them. They hold a special place in my gardening heart! You can see individual pics on my photo gallery.

Comments

Blodyn

15 Jun, 2008

It's exciting to have rare and unusual plants, maybe something nobody else has got. I like your collection of begonias.

Xela

15 Jun, 2008

What a brilliant outcome !
I have enjoyed following your Yellow Brick Road blogs and look forward to the next one, hopefully with good news of the Munchkins (fingers crossed .....is there a way of texting that expression?)
Your blogs took me back to when my daughter played a Munchkin in one of the local Scout & Guide Gang Shows (oh dear, showing signs of my age I'm afraid :-( ) ... I have shared your blogs with her and she has enjoyed them too.

Spritzhenry

15 Jun, 2008

YESSS! well done on your success, David! I am pleased for you.

David

15 Jun, 2008

Many thanx, folks! It is wonderful to have a piece of internet research from winter actually materialize here "in the flesh". Also, we'll have these long after our Oz garden has disappeared, as a fond memento. Xela, will do a future blog on "The Munchkins" for you, but, as this includes hostas, dwarf sunflowers, mini cucumbers and mini pumpkins, this may be a couple of months yet. All are growing nicely, though. Sorry, there must be a text version of "fingers crossed", but am not street-wise enough to know what it might be! Does anyone know? It could be useful here on GOY!