Winter is a a great season for wild gingers, since this is the peak flowering season for many species. The heaviest flowering of all species is the Chinese Asarum ichangense. Native plant enthusiasts know these as Hexastylis, even though DNA studies continue to show that this old genus is nothing more than a North American
Ginger is ready for sex Read More »
Last week, we made a short foray to pick up some spaghnum for the bog gardens we constructed last year, and it was great to see the native golden club, Orontium aquaticum already in flower. This fascinating aroid needs a bog with shallow water to survive. These plants were growing in very deep shade, but
It’s shocking the number of articles, both in print and on-line that demean plant cultivars, as though they are the scourge of the natural world. These articles repeatedly proclaim that cultivars are not native, not environmentally desirable, and not of use to pollinators. Sadly, this is an indictment of our educational system, since it shows
Cultivars – Evil or Misunderstood? Read More »
Looking lovely in the gardens this month is the dwarf Japanese black pine, Pinus thunbergii ‘Banshosho’. Our five year old plant is now 2′ tall x 4′ wide. Most catalogs list this Japanese selection as maturing at 3′ tall x 5′ wide, but based on the growth rate we’re seeing, that seems to be quite
Watch for Banshoshos in the Garden Read More »
Looking lovely in late winter is the Mexican beautyberry, Callicarpa acuminata. Long after most beautyberry fruit has been long gone, the tawny purple fruit of Callicarpa acuminata ripen. The Mexican beautyberry plant matures around 4′ tall x 8′ wide, and thrives in light shade. While the fruit are loved by wildlife, it’s often wildlife that
Mexican Beautyberry Read More »
We love the curled leaf tips of Nolina erumpens as the afternoon sun lights the clump. This bear grass is native to the border region of Texas and New Mexico. For us, it thrives in a sunny, well-drained location. LIke its cousins, agave and hosta, nolina is another member of the asparagus family, but without
Looking lovely today is the witch hazel, Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Strawberries & Cream’. This is always a sign that spring isn’t far away. Join us this weekend and next, Feb. 24 & 25 and March 1-3, 2024 for our Winter Open Nursery & Garden Days. Get inspirations for your winter garden and start planning for
Fruity Witch Hazel Read More »
One of our favorite native plants for the garden is Sabal minor, yet you rarely see these mentioned in lists of great native plants to use in the garden. I wonder if this is because they don’t have that “weedy, unkempt” look that most folks associate with Southeastern US natives. I’ve talked with many native
Not so minor sabals Read More »
We’ve been adding quite a few new cultivars of the winter hardy, Cymbidium goeringii over the last few years, and so far, all have thrived in the garden. This week marks our first flowering of Cymbidium ‘Sanxingdie’…we are duly impressed. We’ll continue to post new selections as they open.
Cymbidium – the journey continues Read More »
We’re rapidly approaching our Winter Open Garden and Nursery, from February 23-25 and March 1-3, 9am-5pm each day. Here’s a current image of one section of the woodland garden showcasing what’s possible, even during the winter months. So many shade gardens simply aren’t very interesting in the winter, usually due to the lack of botanical
Woody Winter Wonderland Read More »
