One of my favorite euphorbias is the widespread US native, the deciduous Euphorbia corollata, which flowers for month in the garden. Here is our garden clump today…resembling a baby’s breath, but much more tolerant of humid summers. And for something completely different, here is the evergreen Euphorbia x martinii ‘Ascot Rainbow’ in the garden today. It
Euphorbias..much more than poinsettas. Read More »
The cardinal flowers are simply stunning in the garden now. Above is Lobelia ‘Monet Moment’. The key for successful cultivation is a moist soil and being sure the winter rosette remains uncovered. This is Lobelia ‘Compliment Deep Red’…another of our favorites, flowering now.
Cardinal Flower in full bloom Read More »
I recently caught this gal making a deposit in the garden. Unlike cats, which do this to deposit other things, she’s leaving us a pile of box turtle eggs…how cool is that.
Box turtle shelling out offspring Read More »
We love Southwestern plants, and were thrilled this year to have so many dasylirions bloom. Unlike their agave relatives, dasylirions don’t die after flowers. Also, unlike agaves, each plant is either male or female. We haven’t had good luck getting both to flower the same year until now. Here is a female
Dasylirions in flower Read More »
The pineapple lilies have been just grand this summer in the garden. Here is a recent image of one of our favorites…Eucomis ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ in its full splendor. Hardiness 6b-8b. Eucomis autumnalis ‘Naude’s Neck’ is a dwarf that’s just amazing, and the flowers last for months in the garden. Eucomis are both drought and heat
Eucomis – Pineapple Lilies Read More »
I was walking over our newly acquired adjacent property a couple of days ago, and walked right up on this blue heron, who was sitting obliviously in the lawn. Usually, they fly away if I get with a couple hundred feet, but this fellow seemed nearly tame as I maneuvered within a couple of feet
A couple of years ago, I saw this amazing plant on a visit to the Denver Botanic Garden. Curcurbita foetidissima is a Zone 4 hardy perennial gourd, native from Wisconsin south to Texas. The powder blue foliage is what first captured my attention. Here it is growing and flowering here at Juniper Level today. Just
Perennial Native Gourd Read More »
Ornamental grasses make such great combinations. Looking outside our back door now is this combo of Chasmanthium ‘River Mist‘ with tricyrtis, and a thelypteris fern. No colorful flowers…only great textures and form.
Variegated Sea Oats combination Read More »
Here’s a combination shot from the gardens at Juniper Level today, featuring one of our favorite perennials, the evergreen Carex ‘Everillo’…love the foliage color and the texture. In light shade or morning sun, the golden color holds all season. In more shade, the foliage turns more chartreuse green in the summer.
We know it’s hard for some folks to wrap their mind around being excited when insects eat your plants, but that’s how nature works. In the best scenario, the insect eating the plant is as beautiful or more so than the plant their eating. I just snapped this photo of the larvae of the Pipevine
Butterflies have been busy Read More »
