COLLEGE STATION -- Antique enthusiasts have new haunts to scout beyond the rows of shops in quaint old towns where pricey furniture beckons checkbooks.
"Living antiques" are a new trend and can be found perhaps in old cemeteries, in the yards of elderly family members, or even through the Internet. They are plants, time-tested and nurtured over the years as people settled in different regions of the country, and are fast gaining popularity in what horticulturists call "heirloom gardening."
"We want gardens that have a sense of place and are not a burden to take care of," said Dr. Bill Welch, Texas Agricultural Extension Service horticulturist and co-author of "The Southern Heirloom Garden."
That may explain a couple of reasons why heirloom gardening is growing in Texas. The plants are tough and, as the state ages, Texans' respect for and interest in cultural heritage is increasing.
"If something's been doing well for 100 years, it's tough," said Welch. "People want plants to have a good fragrance and to be insect and disease resistant, be able to tolerate fluctuations in water availability and adapt to climate swings.
"That's what the old varieties offer. They've been tested through the years," he added.
Though there is not a specific criteria for heirloom varieties, Welch said, most plants used are from 75-100 years old. A lot of the heirloom plants are from native species that were cultivated by settlers.
"If a person has a old, restored home, they may want to have period furniture for it. Now they can have period plants as well," Welch said. "To me, it is ridiculous to make gardening decisions without considering what was done in the past."
In the United States, Thomas Jefferson s famous property known as Monticello in Charlottesville, Va., is an excellent example of a historic restoration of the garden, Welch noted. But Texas has several efforts to establish history plantings under way, such as philathropist Ima Hogg's home, Bayou Bend, in Houston. This home, at One Westcott Street, has 14 acres of formal and woodland gardens opened to the public along Buffalo Bayou. In recent years, caretakers of this Houston Museum facility have realized that the surrounding plants needed to be accurate historically.
"I think we may come to a time when the plants are more important than the structures," Welch said.
But having an old home or building isn't the only way one can enjoy heirloom gardening. Welch said people also are interested in duplicating gardens recalled from childhood perhaps planting varieties that were grown by grandparents or aunts. Often cuttings or seeds from plants are provided by family members.
"Many have been lovingly handed down from generation to generation within and among the families that contribute cultural diversity and richness to our gardens," Welch said.
To accurately plant a garden from a specific time period, Welch said, plant varieties from that era can be researched in nursery catalogues and gardening periodicals. These often can be found in libraries in small towns across the South. Larger collections of these periodicals are at the Cherokee Garden Library in Atlanta, Ga., Southeastern Architectural Archives of Tulane University in New Orleans, or the Center for American History (Barker Library) at the University of Texas.
He said three facts should be sought about varieties for heirloom gardens: the date of first introduction, time when the plant first became commonly available to gardeners of the region, and time when the plant first appears on the specific site being studied.
Once the plant varieties have been determined, he said, the next search is for suppliers. Local nurseries might be able to provide the desired plants. Gardeners might also want to check the Internet for heirloom gardening sites.
As with other types of antique collecting, Welch added, "it just depends on how far you want to take it."
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