Corydalis curviflora rosthornii ‘Blue Heron’

Common name :  Blue Corydalis

Just recently collected in China, this outstanding selection may be the best blue-flowered Corydalis ever introduced. It forms a mound of ferny blue-grey foliage, topped for several weeks in the spring with clusters of intense sapphire-blue fragrant blooms. Give this a cool, shady position with regular moisture. May go dormant in summer if kept too hot or dry. Habit appears to be distinctly clumping rather than spreading, with little or no self seeding. Performance over a wide range of climates is not yet known. An absolute gem for the moist woodland garden. Collected in Sichuan, China by Dan Hinkley of the famous Heronswood Nursery in Washington State.

	Conditions	Appearance
	Sun Exposure   Partial Shade Soil Type   Normal   Sandy Soil pH   Neutral   Alkaline   Acid Soil Moisture   Moist Care Level   Moderate	Flower Colour   Deep Blue Blooming Time   Early Summer   Mid Spring   Late Spring Foliage Color   Grey Green Plant Uses & Characteristics   Accent: Good Texture/Form   Alpine & Rock   Border   Containers   Edging   Rabbit Resistant   Fragrant   Specimen   Woodland Flower Head Size   Medium Height    20-25 cm    8-10 inches Spread    25-30 cm    10-12 inches Foot Traffic    None Growth Rate    Slow

Social Media Guide Being Developed For Floriculture Retailers & Wholesalers

The Floral Marketing Research Fund (FMRF) has partnered with the Flower Promotion Organization (FPO) on a one-year project, “A Social Media Guide for Floral Retailers and Wholesalers.”

This guide will analyze social media literature, best practices and case studies to develop a Social Media guide for the floriculture industry. The project will be conducted by Charles Hall, Ph.D., Texas A&M University, Bridget Behe, Ph.D., Michigan State University, and Chengyan Yue, Ph.D., University of Minnesota.

Many industries are successfully using social media as a communication tool toincrease sales and build relationships with customers. The FMRF Social Media project seeks to take an in depth look at how retail and wholesale florists can effectively use social media. The guide will include an analysis of specific social media tools with recommendations for how to best use them, and will be applicable to industry members with a wide range of social media experience. The guide will include an electronic PDF document and video series, and will be available for distribution in Fall 2012.

About FMRF
The Floral Marketing Research Fund (FMRF) established in 2009 by the AFE Trustees, funds consumer research projects for the advancement of the floriculture industry. With added financial support from other industry organizations and individuals, the FMRF has provided more than $110,000 in funding over its first two years. Create an account at www.floralmarketingresearchfund.org in order to receive the latest news and research reports.

Sources:
American Floral Endowment & The Floral Marketing Research Fund
http://www.perishablenews.com

Hort Dept Organizes Awareness Camp

Jammu, Dec 29: In order to promote fruit and flower cultivation in the Khour block, Departments of Horticulture and Floriculture Jammu jointly organized One Day Farmers’ Awareness Camp under the centrally sponsored scheme Rashtrya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) today at Village Mallah, Khour block.
 
Director Horticulture, Jammu, Jadav Nath Sharma and Director Floriculture, Jammu, K. K. Sharma, were present on the occasion.

More than 200 farmers from the far-flung areas participated in the camp who were educated about the various developmental schemes of Horticulture and Floriculture Departments presently under implementation in the area, an official statement said.

While addressing the farmers, Director Horticulture, Jammu briefed them about various centrally sponsored schemes viz. Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan State (NMNH), National Mission on Medicinal Plants (NMMP), RKVY and District Plan Schemes and advised them to take maximum benefit from these schemes by availing incentives available under these schemes so that the fruit production of the region is increased and their socio-economic conditions are raised. About 500 plants of Aloe-Vera were distributed free of cost amongst the participating farmers by the Department of Horticulture.

Source: http://www.greaterkashmir.com

NASS reinstates, retains 10 reports - News

The National Agricultural Statistics Service will reinstate or retain 10 reports previously lost to cost-cutting measures.

They include its annual reports on Farm Numbers, Farm Income and Land in Farms; and its Fruit and Vegetable in-season forecast and estimates.

The other eight reports deal with rice stocks; hops production; floriculture; catfish and trout; sheep and goats; cattle; bees and honey; plus mink, according to a news release.

NASS will soon publish Federal Register notices reflecting the program changes, according to a news release from the Agricultural Statistics Board of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

NASS will make available any data that falls outside the scope of the agricultural estimates programs in the five-year Census of Agriculture. The next census will be conducted beginning January 2013 to reflect activities in 2012.

Efficiencies gained in 2011, including a new operations center in St. Louis that centralizes data collection, made reinstatement of the reports possible, according to the release.

In July, NASS reinstated agricultural labor surveys and reports. The agency had said in May it would not publish the April farm labor report due May 19. The July and October surveys and reports were also cancelled because of budget constraints.

Cutting them would have saved $310,000 — or .001% of the $23.9 billion USDA allocation President Barack Obama proposed in his 2012 budget.

Those quarterly reports, which compile data from about 6,000 farms nationwide, include the number of agricultural workers, hours worked and wage rates. Data are used to project agricultural productivity. Wage rate data are used to set wages for the H-2A agricultural worker program.

Source Article: NASS reinstates, retains 10 reports - News

Video - Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Park in Profile: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Measuring more than 1,000 acres, the Golden Gate Park has stood as a symbol of natural beauty, easily earning the title as one of the most visited city parks in all of America. As San Franciscans turned their attention to the happenings of New York City’s Central Park, residents began to yearn for their own scenic community dwelling. Today, although similar in shape, Golden Gate Park possesses an array of unique and one-of a-kind features that sets it apart from other urban settings.

During the 1860s, plans were put into motion to transform the bleak sand and shore dunes that decorated San Francisco into a usable, inviting park for the all to enjoy. In 1870, a field engineer named William Hammond Hill organized a survey and developed a topographic map that would serve as the blueprint for the new park site. One year later, he was deemed commissioner of the project. At first, the park plans were met with natural opposition as engineers attempted to sketch a course of action that would add traverse roadways throughout the park. The positioning of gems, such as the Concourse and the Arboretum, made this difficult to achieve.

Read more: Golden Gate Park History

Link to the park's website: Golden Gate Park Homepage

Photos: Golden Gate Park

Golden Gate Park, a group on Flickr.

Flickr Group Photo Pool on Golden Gate Park.

Video - Singapore Botanic Gardens

Photos: Singapore Botanic Gardens

Singapore Botanic Gardens, a group on Flickr.

Flickr Group Pool Photos of the Singapore Botanic Gardens.