The Twoth of December is here

he oddest prime number is the number two.  It is the smallest and first prime number and the only even prime number.  There is a real word "twoth."  When I typed in the subject line, I understood completely why we don't say oneth and twoth.   Considering the number two, there are many variations of jokes and references: Two cats called ‘1,2,3’ & ‘un,deux,trois’ had a swimming race across the channel. 1,2,3 cat won because un, deux, trois cat sank! Q. What is the explanation of this puzzle: 2 + 2 = Fish, 3 + 3 = 8, 7 + 7 = Triangle? A.  X (Normal) + X (Mirror Image) = Answer So 2 + Mirror Image of 2 will look like a fish, 3 + Mirror Image of 3 will look like a 8, 7 + Mirror Image of 7 will look like a Triangle How did 2+2=5 come about? 2+2=5 comes from the book "1984", where the Government had so deeply trained society to instantly, without thought, accept any official statement as true and instantly erase the past (2+2=4). Harkens to the Marxist belief that the State is the ultimate truth and individuals with an alternate "truth" are dissidents. Some employers and leaders also fall into this belief that reality is nothing but paradigms despite empiric facts offered by "not a team player" people.  2 + 2 = 5 because that is the party line. Our pictures come from December archives - our first picture was taken last year at this time in Charles Daley Park.  There will be more Poinsettia pictures to come as we look forward to beautiful Poinsettia displays in our public greenhouses.

Poinsettias in Niagara

Justin Trudeau's eulogy to Castro as a 'remarkable leader' has given rise to responses that raise our national reputation for satire to new heights.  Here are two replies: 'Though not universally liked by his compatriots, Mr. Ceausescu was a leader in urban design and affordable housing' 'Today we mourn the loss of Norman Bates, a family man who was truly defined by his devotion to his mother. ' Read more responses "here" at #TrudeauEulogies. Today we have a few more close-ups of the wonderful Poinsettia.

Parting the Sea of Red

I know a lot more about Poinsettias today.  I visited the Poinsettia Trials at Linwell Gardens in Beamsville.  Wayne Brown kindly toured me through the 160 plus varieties in the trials. Last year they were at Vineland Research Station and open to the public.  This year it was open only to the trade - to growers, breeders and buyers, so the public wasn't able to see some remarkable new varieties. The first is Gold Rush.  We in Canada have a clear space between Thanksgiving in October and Christmas.  This isn't so in the U.S.  There is typically a Poinsettia in the house for Thanksgiving.  That's why an orange colour would be perfect for the American holiday display.  Immediately behind it is a startling chartreuse colour, and behind that the pretty spring-looking pink blooms that we see in the next picture. There are so many different bract shapes - there are the up-pointing ones and the more downward cascading ones.  The shapes vary too - there are hearts, oak leaves and holly bracts/leaves. This 'white room' is where the trials were last week.  Everything was moved to conserve heat as they ship the poinsettias out during the last few weeks of this big season - Poinsettias are the largest crop of pot plants in North America.

Poinsettia Fever - keeping away Cabin Fever

My theory goes that cabin fever starts in November as the horizon lowers and the day shortens drastically.  Poinsettias seem to be the perfect 'pick-me-up'.  They are vivid eye candy to the eyes.  They are so varied now with all sorts of variations on red white and pink (aside from the horticultural spray painting of blue). They signal a good time ahead. So you can guess what makes me visit Sunshine Nurseries. A visit to Sunshine Nurseries last week was a feast of poinsettias.  As far as you can see are stripes of red, white, pink - all the colours and varieties of poinsettias imaginable. There are three locations for poinsettia trials in North America - Florida, South Carolina and Niagara.  This year it is taking place at Linwell Gardens, one of the growers.  Last year it took place at Vineland Research Station and there was a great public showing and voting. There are over 160 varieties on trial this year, and I hope to see them on Monday afternoon when I interview Wayne Brown, the chair of the activity.

Grand Christmases

Longwood Gardens puts on the biggest Christmas show on the east coast, that I know of.  Here are some of the images from a few years ago, inside the conservatory.

Poinsettia Countdown - Who's the Favourite?

Grimsby is very close to the Vineland Research Station and it had its Poinsettia evaluation open house yesterday.  They grow poinsettias for evaluation by the commercial trade to find new and better poinsettias for market.  There are only a few places where the poinsettia trials take place, so it great to be invited to vote on our favourites so that they get a sense of what is popular with the public.

What would make a better poinsettia?  It would be things like: One that grows straight up so that the branches don't break off when you take it out of the plastic sleeve.  One that has lots of coloured petals to make a big show.  One that grows quickly to come to market sooner.  

So there I was with Brian, my brother, who is the lily hybridizer, going from plant to plant looking at the differences and improvements.  I saw so many fellow gardeners too - it was a wonderful event.  

Check out Vineland Research at: 

http://www.vinelandresearch.com

There's a cogeco video at:

http://www.vinelandresearch.com/news/poinsettias-research

Here are some of the highlights: