Sunday 21 October 2012

Daylilies



Lambertson '98 [Druid's Chant x Sea Urchin] 5.5" Semi. Ev. Re. Em. 27" Tet. A beautiful blue lavender with a white star burst coming out of a green throat and gold edging. Great parent, producing sharks tooth edging. 

“Sandy Denny” is a variety of daylily (hemerocallis) hybridized by Ludlow Lambertson in 1998. Luddy and his wife Rachel describe themselves as “huge fans of both Sandy and Fairport Convention”, hence the choice of name. Rachel sings; Ludlow is the hybridizer; both are painters. Based at Lake Helen, Florida, they open their garden to the public during daylily bloom season, which runs from May to June (details on their website at Art Gallery Gardens). What you won’t find on display, alas, is the “Sandy Denny” bloom. They no longer have it. And nor does anyone else, as far as I can establish. A website in Canada, Rural Roots Gardens, purports to offer it for sale, but the illustration is incorrect (it shows another of Lambertson’s hybrids, “Do The Twist”) and my enquiries have gone unanswered.

Some years ago a horticulturalist in south London contacted me, saying she was planning to import “Sandy Denny”. I met her when she came to the Troubadour tribute in 2008, but failed to keep in touch, alas. I wonder if she succeeded?

Kyle Orosz, who designed the authoritative Sandy website at www.sandydenny.org.uk, incorporated the flower into his illustrations.

Do we know any more about this elusive bloom?

Thursday 4 October 2012

Calling New Yorkers!



Friday 12 October, 7pm

Salina Sias
“The Songs of Sandy Denny”
Rockwood Music Hall
196 Allen Street
New York, NY 10002


Salina is a New York-based singer-songwriter who has become a great Sandy enthusiast, keen to spread the word. She writes:

…I discovered her work thanks to Robin Millar, also known as “The man behind Sade” and one of the UK’s most successful record/music producers.  He was kind enough to lend an ear and give me advice – he was the one who introduced me to the names Sandy Denny and John Martyn.  He thought, perhaps, my original music was influenced by their work.  I love being influenced by someone I did not know – a kind of karmic ethos.

Interesting lady – a daughter-in-law of Norman Mailer, no less. If you’re a fellow fan in the NYC area, I’m sure she’d be delighted to see you at her gig.

Postscript 6.11.12: some fan footage has appeared on YouTube showing Salina's version of  'Autopsy'.