Lemon Gem September 4, 2009

 

In my neighbor Kerry Ann’s garden, she has the sweetest little marigold I’ve ever seen.  The fact that I’m even mentioning it here is indication that I’m sincerely impressed with this plant.  As a rule of thumb, I detest the genus Tagetes.  I know, that’s shocking coming from a gardener that likes to use companion planting  in pest management strategies.  Marigolds are rather the mainstay of the interplanted vegetable garden.  But, really, I hate them.  The smell of the foliage has always turned me off and somehow the fat-bottomed hot-colored flowers irritate me as well, though I can’t explain why. 

 

My prejudices aside,  Tagetes tenuifolia ‘Lemon Gem’ is a rock star plant from what I saw of it in Kerry Ann’s garden.  It’s compact, feathery foliage has the most heavenly scent of sunshine-warmed lemons.   The delicate petite flowers look like tiny little butterflies that have alighted on the leaves for just a second and are about to take flight again.  I wish I had thought to take a photo before the weather changed to autumn; in the summertime this plant was jam packed with blossoms.   Per Kerry Ann, she had three small transplants at the beginning of the summer that swelled to a large clump of four feet by three feet in diameter by the end of the season.   The leaves and flowers can be used as a lemony culinary herb, flavoring salads, desserts and teas.    This is a plant that will definitely be in my garden next year.  I think it would also make a great addition to container plantings, particularly those on a patio near some seating so you can relax and brush your hands along it to release that delicious fragrance.

Scott’s Green Roof Tour August 16, 2009

 

 

I spent a day at the Scott Arboretum recently, partaking in their great seminar on hardy succulents and cacti.  As part of this short course on one of my favorite plant groups, we were taken on a tour of the many green roofs on the campus that Scott’s staff manage.  I was impressed with the diversity of the plant material they were using; not just succulents were greening these hot, windy, dry surfaces, but also a few Opuntia, Dianthus, many grasses and a little blue flower called desert bluebell. 

 

 

 

Another element of Scott that I love so much are their creative container plantings.  Here’s one with a marbleized fern, Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Tiger’,  that I really love.  I’m wondering how well it would hold up in a vase…

 

 

 

I’d definitely recommend checking out Scott’s list of courses and events.  This arboretum is a dynamic setting with some really dedicated horticulturalist that don’t mind sharing their expertise.  They have a great garden blog too:  check it out!

 

Goldflame & Jade Princess August 4, 2009

Isn’t this Goldflame Honeysuckle lovely?  And very fragrant too!  I can picture it entwined in a bridal bouquet or spilling out of the centerpieces on rustic tables. 

 

Lonicera x heckrottii

 

And this fun ‘Jade Princess’ Millet would be stunning in more dramatic arrangments in autumn.  Does it remind you of furry fox tails too? 

 

England Wrap Up August 2, 2009

 

One final post about the trip to England to discuss a few of the plants I saw there that were new to me and struck my fancy.  England’s climate, especially in the south, is just about perfect for growing lush and happy plants so it was a bit of a tease to see a beautiful flower and then wonder if it would really do as well at home.  Others were old favorites but in new shiny cultivars I hadn’t seen before and I wanted to make a note of looking them up when I got back.

 

Aconitum ‘Stainless Steel’
Astrantia major
Dierama pulcherrimum
Itea iliciflora
Clematis ‘Mary Rose’
Sempervivum calcareum ‘Extra’
Sempervivum calcareum ‘Gallivarda’
Hydrengea paniculata ‘Renhy’ (Vanille Fraise)
Gaura lindheimeri ‘Whirling Butterflies’
Eryngium giganteum ‘Silver Ghost’
Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo’
Leycesteria ‘Golden Lanterns’
Dahlia ‘Admiral Williams’
Capanula lactiflora
Dictamnus albus ‘Purpureus’
Berberis x ottawensis ‘Purpurea’
Cerinthe major

Succulent Propagation 101 June 18, 2009

 

In an effort to expand my succulent collection and possibly someday propagate and sell unusual specimens, I’ve been teaching myself about taking cuttings from succulents and rooting them with the hopes of having regular success.  Generally speaking, this category of plants is pretty easy to get rooted, though somewhat slow to put on new growth initially.  Some genera are straightforward; they put out “offsets” or “pups” – essentially miniature forms of the more mature plant – that can swiftly be plucked off and rooted to grow a new plant.  In fact, several species practically kick off their young’uns themselves, as in the case of my thimble cactus (Mammillaria fragilis),  which makes these plants highly successful at spreading about in their native environments.   In other cases, such as the two Agave victoriae-reginae I bought recently, the plants really don’t want to let go of those offsets.  I used a flathead screwdriver to carefully wedge the offsets away from the mother plant.  Most of my A. victoriae-reginae offsets already had roots at their base so I was able to immediately pot them  up in a loose sandy media, all of which have rooted into their pots and are putting on noticeable growth today.

 

Coveting Thy Neighbor’s… June 10, 2009

Sanguisorba menziesii

 

Cool plants! There are lots of them to be seen among the gardens that surround mine. I took a little photo tour of them today so I could share some with you. What great inspirations for my own garden!  Unfortunately I don’t know the names of some of them, but I plan on finding out just as soon as possible and will label the photos accordingly.

 

 (L) To be Determined and (R) Eremurus bungei

 

(L) Aeoniums with a Sambucus nigra, I think, and (R) Linaria reticulata ‘Flamenco’

Starting a Collection? May 10, 2009

 

It’s been lurking at the edge of my list of passions for awhile – a swelling interest in the group of plants lumped under the common name “succulents”.  I find them marvelously diverse and architectural, not to mention relatively low-maintenance, which suits my gardening style to a “T”.    This past week I visited a wholesale grower of succulents near West Chester, Pennsylvania.  After drooling over the extensive selection there, I decided it was high time to start my very first plant collection.   This decision actually wasn’t spur-of-the-moment.  Ever since I saw some of the fantastical Euphorbia obesa and Pseudolithos migiurtianus specimens at the Philadelphia Flower Show earlier this year, I’ve been on the hunt for a few interesting specimen plants of my own.   But it wasn’t until I walked the crowded aisles of this wholesaler that I decided I needed a full-blown collection.  I’m not entirely convinced I’ve got a collection on my hands, seeing as how I still don’t have a Pseudolithos… perhaps you can be the judge based on the list below.

 

 Echeveria ‘Red Trump’,  Mammillaria plumose,  and Aeonium ‘Sunburst’

 

- Agave victoriae-regina (Queen Victoria Agave)
- Agave flexispina
- Echeveria lilacina
- Mammillaria fragilis  (Thimble Cactus)
- Myrtillocactus geometrizans (Blue Candle Cactus)
- Kalanchoe luciae (Paddle Plant)
- Aeonium ‘Black Rose’
- Echeveria ‘Red Trump’ (Ruffled Echeveria)
- Echeveria ‘Topsy Turvy’
- Sempervivum ‘Candy Floss’
- Hawarthia fasciata (Zebra Hawarthia)
- Mammillaria plumose (Feather Cactus)
- Aeonium ‘Sunburst’
- 48” tall  Aeonium ‘Black Rose’

Abeliophyllum distichum April 7, 2009

Photo taken from UBC Botanical Garden site.

 

While string trimming around the garden this week, I got a whiff of something delicately scented.  Following my nose, I discovered the romantic white blooms of this Korean  Abelia (Abeliophyllum distichum), or White Forsythia.   It is a small shrub with a profusion of blooms that I’m certain will make good forced branches for late winter/early spring arrangements.  It grows in partial shade so I am adding it to my list of shade grown cut flowers to try.

Eremurus December 10, 2008

Photo taken from Brent & Becky’s Bulbs website.

 

In the frenzy of ordering and planting bulbs, I almost forgot to make mention of a new cut flower I’m trialing in my garden next year.  Eremurus stenophyllus, commonly known as Desert Candle or Foxtail Lily, is reportedly a real show-stopper both in the garden and in the vase.  It grows about three feet tall with large spikes of leafless star-shaped florets that bloom in late spring with the alliums.   Since they are very expensive, I only ordered a mix of five hybrids from Brent and Becky’s Bulbs to see how they would fare in my garden and in arrangments. 

 

Eremurus is usually lumped with fall bulbs like tulips or alliums in catalogs and requires the same winter cold to induce flowering.  However, it’s not really a bulb and looks more like a thin dahlia tuber.    Eremurus should be planted in full sun in well-drained soil (it doesn’t like being wet) and should be put in a site where it will not be disturbed for pretty much its entire life.   When planting, do so in late fall and place the fleshy roots 18-24 inches apart and about five inches deep in holes large enough to not bend the roots.  Cover with soil and mulch heavily the first two winters to protect the roots until they are established. 

 

I absolutely can’t wait to see these bloom in the spring.   I plan to collect seeds so I can propagate more each season instead of having to spend the money on more bare roots.   If I’m successful, I’m sure these will be top sellers in market bunches and arrangements.

Vitex agnus castus November 4, 2008

 

Today I was working for the curitorial staff, putting out labels on plants around the gardens, when I ran across this shrub/small tree.  Commonly called the Chaste Tree, it is like Butterfly Bush on steroids with similar flowers and a magnetic pull on bees and butterflies.  However, what I especially liked about this plant was the seeds it had here in November: beautiful panicles of subdued purple.  They would be perfect for fall arrangments.  After a little research, I also learned the seeds have herbal properties for tea making (the tincture is reported to help lactating mothers) and can be used as a peppery culinary seasoning. A multipurpose plant: music to my ears.  And if I wasn’t sold enough already, Vitex is suppose to be ridiculously easy to grow and very pest-free.   I plan to put some seeds I gathered in my cold frame to see if they’ll sprout in the spring.