As there is little I can do in my home until the walls and floors dry out I am turning my thoughts to my garden. I live in an old cottage with quite a large garden,and my choice of flowers are predominantly of the old fashioned type,..hollyhocks,canterbury bells,delphiniums,hydrangeas,paeonies and roses. All plants which don`t really have a neat habit,but which tumble and weave amongst each other.

However, I am preparing a flower bed in the orchard and would dearly love to make it a truly meaningful one...so...I wondered how I could make this work for our cause.In England,there is a trend towards opening private gardens to the public once in a while, charging a nominal entrance fee and allowing visitors to wander.The proceeds then go towards a worthy cause.
I don`t know if this will work for me but I want to give it a try so......
I have decided on a pure white flower bed and I am naming it my
PEACE FOR PARKINSON`S PATCH

What would make it really special would be flowers chosen by my friends and my PD aquaintances [and I regard you as friends] ...and so...if anyone would
like to suggest their favourite white flower,I would love to plant it and tag it with a bronze label with your name on...permission given of course.

I know it`s a long shot and not an overnight venture but I foresee several opportunities to raise money from this;
1. Garden open to the public...PD info could be available.
2. Photo`s of the flowers which I could then make into cards and gift tags.
3. Harvesting the seeds and taking cuttings to sell on to the public.
4. A place to flog [sell] my cd which is not far from completion

I really am quite excited by this and although it is not unique,it presents a real challenge and focus for me. So...if you would like to be included would you mind adding your name [can be your forum name] and your favourite WHITE flower.

Thank you.
Love
Steff
x

You can expect a reality answer from me. No sugar coatings. Although you ARE a sweet person.
I once spent 6 years of my life in a city called Victoria in BC, Canada. They had a wonderful public gardens there, known as Butchart Gardens. They had every imaginable bush, shrub, flower, vine, etc, that at some point of the year yielded flowers of every color of the rainbow. These gardens are a very British thing, so I think I know why you would propose what you have.
Just think though, although your endeavour wouldn't be on the scale of the Butchart gardens, they had HUNDREDS of young healthy employees, who worked year round to make the whole endeavor possible.
And how many white flowers are there, not quite as many as there are PWP, methinks.
So why don't you plant a few bushes or trees that each have thousands of white flowers, and open your garden to the public every now and then to gaze at the millions of white flowers, each little one representing a nameless PWP? THat way, by the time the bushes or trees are ready, the work will be done, it will be self perpetuating with little or no work to be done on your part, because by then you will be probably not able to do any hard gardening work yourself. Keep the orchard, and charge anyone coming to your PD garden DOUBLE the price to pick the fruit that you grow in your orchard, half of which YOU keep for all your hard work, and half to benefit local PWP.
Leave the raising of the billions of dollars that it's going to take to conquer PD to others who can more easily do this kind of thing.
My first selection would be a true Magnolia Tree, which has thousands of white fragrant blossoms for a few weeks each spring; that's probably the number of PWP in your county alone.
It always amazes me how good people, going through tough times want to help OTHERS. Now if only we could get all of the healthy young people with no current major problems in their lives to do the same, we would all get SOMEWHERE, in the fight to eradicate serious, debilitating disease, instead of fighting each other. but

Thank you for your very practical yet caring reply. And it is re-assuring to have someone so very much in tune with the reality touch to balance " air heads " like me.It is indeed a flaw in my make up Ol`cs...I have the desire and determination,the belief and the tenacity to follow my notions, but you are right. The work will be tremendous and I love the alternative you have suggested.
But...I won`t give up without at least a try,and it will keep me out of mischief for a while...so how about we compromise? If I draft in my gardener on a regular basis,and even try to involve some youngsters....healthy ones...and folk here would still like to add their suggestions on flowers...if I promise to do all that, will you give up on me?

And if all fails,I will still have a PD patch in my garden where I can sit quietly,and look at all the tagged white flowers...and just enjoy the scent and beauty of the flowers. My tranquil place.

Gosh.Does PD make us stubborn or what? And boy,am I stubborn.But I can`t say I haven`t been warned and I will go into this with your good advice firmly planted ...eek...PLANTED!!!!! [SORRY] in my head and how about I post pictures along the way? And in all of em I will be flat on my back....

So...can I put you down for the Magnolia tree ?

Thanks so much for this. Appreciate your care.
x

Lily of the valley for their wonderful perfume.

the purple tulip! It is the official flower of PD

Chas

Here is a partial list of white flowers. Although not on the list, one of my favorites is Baby's Breath

michael b.

My pick is the wee Snowdrop which is the first flower to bloom here in the mountains of North Carolina. It is a symbol of HOPE.

http://www.theplantexpert.com/springbulbs/Snowdrop.html

Ibby, a fellow air-head

Here is a photo show of some of Woody Hatfield's flowers. Woody recently passed away. He was a fellow PWP who contributed to the beauty of this earth. The earth will miss his touch.

http://www.braincrumbs.org/WoodysPic..._detected.html

michael b.

...yes...evrn yours Ol`cs...you are not getting away as easy as that. lol

ECG...what a wonderful choice which you actually share with another lovely lovely person on this forum.My sister had lily of the valley as her wedding flower so that holds a personal memory for me as well as it being so beautiful.
That shall go on my order list. Thank you.
Ibken? I wouldn`t have termed you an "airhead" lol but hey....welcome to the club.I need fellow " air heads " support here.
The snowdrop...so delicate yet strong enough to force its way through frost covered earth..it always raises a smile of hope because of its tenacity and will to survive.I have several types in my garden so a special bunch is being transferred for your little corner. x
Chasmo.....Not white but what a stunning contrast it would make...a purple tulip against a backdrop of white.There are several varieties I could choose if you are not a "plant" man. But yep...purple tulip is in there for sure.
And Michael...thank you for your list and photograph links .What stunning flowers and a pleasure to see. I understand now what you meant about this man.He must have contributed so much despite his suffering.
Baby`s breath will be scattered ad lib...to spring up amongst the other varieties.It will mingle..and rub shoulders with all types of other flower and that is how I see you Michael...able to get on with everyone.
I hope I haven`t missed anyone out so far.
Whoops.. I said I was an "air head" and that is confirmed...right now.

Of course I`ve ,missed someone out....ME I haven`t listed my own choice. A paeony called Duchesse de NEMOURS. It has fothy frilly blooms....and is white...and has a devine perfume.

Oh I am excited about this even at this point. And for a moment,ironically...I am forgetting I have Parkinson`s disease.Flower Therapy.

x

Impentians are a pretty white flower that require little sun and alot of love. Hope this helps.
Eileen