When asked why or what about certain garden things, experienced gardeners can reply with some scientific answers, experience based answers, botanical answers and when all else fails: Who Knows What!
There are times when all experienced gardeners (professional or amateur) don't have a good answer. Sometimes we can give a "maybe it's whatever" but that's still means Who Knows What.
Newbies tend to think there's a firm answer for everything in nature but there's not.
Here's an example: A daylily will be pictured as having a green eye by the hybridizer. In your garden, it may have a gold eye. No, it's not a mistake, you weren't hoodwinked and it wasn't mislabeled. It's probably because of the difference in soils, or perhaps the camera, or the time of day, or if it's cloudy or sunny, or where it is in the bloom cycle OR Who Knows What.
Some years a perennial flower, bush or tree may produce seeds and other years nothing. Some are predictable while others are Who Knows What.
We all know weather plays an important part in plant production, looks and survival. But weather isn't a finite explanation. Without sounding too basic, there are so many factors in nature when combined in different ways at different times, it would take a lot of horticultural knowledge and testing to determine the why of many of our garden questions. And simply put, there's not much money to pay for that kind of individual testing especially since it may a once in a lifetime thing. And so...we simply guess when all known answers have been exhausted.
It can frustrate or it can be another example of the wonder of our gardens and of nature as a whole. The act of gardening shouldn't be frustrating and I suggest you learn to move swiftly into Who Knows What as a way to remain happy and sane in your gardens. It's a definite answer in an indefinite garden world.
"Carnival in Mexico" with one flower having a gold eye
and the bottom flower with a green eye.
There are times when all experienced gardeners (professional or amateur) don't have a good answer. Sometimes we can give a "maybe it's whatever" but that's still means Who Knows What.
Newbies tend to think there's a firm answer for everything in nature but there's not.
"Designer Gown" will throw off lavender and purple flower
and other times a peach and rose flower.
Here's an example: A daylily will be pictured as having a green eye by the hybridizer. In your garden, it may have a gold eye. No, it's not a mistake, you weren't hoodwinked and it wasn't mislabeled. It's probably because of the difference in soils, or perhaps the camera, or the time of day, or if it's cloudy or sunny, or where it is in the bloom cycle OR Who Knows What.
My "Japanese Red Franksred" maple tree has always turned a glowing orange in the fall. This year a few leaves turned and the rest have kinda just stayed green until they fall. Who Knows What.
Some years a perennial flower, bush or tree may produce seeds and other years nothing. Some are predictable while others are Who Knows What.
We all know weather plays an important part in plant production, looks and survival. But weather isn't a finite explanation. Without sounding too basic, there are so many factors in nature when combined in different ways at different times, it would take a lot of horticultural knowledge and testing to determine the why of many of our garden questions. And simply put, there's not much money to pay for that kind of individual testing especially since it may a once in a lifetime thing. And so...we simply guess when all known answers have been exhausted.
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| This "Cherokee Chief" dogwood did poorly from the beginning. I moved it three times, pruned it, sprayed it, swore at it and finally decided to do nothing and let it die in it's own shame. And then - yes then - it became all it was suppose to be. Who Knows What. |
It can frustrate or it can be another example of the wonder of our gardens and of nature as a whole. The act of gardening shouldn't be frustrating and I suggest you learn to move swiftly into Who Knows What as a way to remain happy and sane in your gardens. It's a definite answer in an indefinite garden world.
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