I remember a few decades back, when my torso looked exactly like the foliage of Podophyllum ‘Spotty Dotty’, during a somewhat unpleasant bout of shingles. Fortunately, there is nothing but joy, that comes from growing this equally patterned mayapple, that’s looking great in the garden now. For over two decades, this Terra Nova introduction has […]
Horticultural Shingles Read More »
We’ve long admired members of the genus Packera, of which 57 species call North America home. In the garden, however, many species become some of our worst weeds, spreading like wildfire, and choking out every small plant in their reach. One species that has risen to the top of our white-list species is the well-behaved
Are you a Packera Fan? Read More »
Last week, we were thrilled to welcome the staff of SC’s Woodlanders Nursery to visit JLBG. We have been huge fans of this small nursery, based in Aiken SC, since its inception in the late 1970s. Woodlanders was founded by architects, Robert and Julia Macintosh (deceased), who settled in Aiken, SC in the 1970s, after
Woodlanders – Reloaded Read More »
Looking great in the garden is month is the highly coveted crested form of Royal Fern, Osmunda japonica ‘Gotemba Crest’. Osmunda japonica is the Asian equivalent to our North American Osmunda spectabilis, and Eurasian Osmunda regalis. This stunning form of the moisture-loving, sun tolerant fern, from Japan’s Gotemba Nursery matures at only 2′. Our next
The Japanese Royal Crest Read More »
Our 2023 introduction, Agave lophantha ‘Goldfinger’ is unique in that the tips of the foliage turn bright gold in cold weather. What’s also unique is that when it flowers, which it’s doing now for the second time, the flower buds are also yellow, instead of the typical green for all other agaves. The golden foliage
Looking great in the garden is the amazing Acorus calamus ‘Argenteostriatus’, a deciduous wetland perennial, native to Kazakhstan. Acorus calamas has been used by humans since at least 1300 BC, when the Egyptians documented using the fragrant rhizomes and roots to create perfumes. Purportedly, early North American settlers used this for a psychotropic experience. This
Eriobotrya japonica ‘Ghostbuster’ is our new loquat seedling, grown from seed from our spring, speckled-leaf selection in the garden. While most of the seedlings show some degree of speckling in spring, this gem is by far, the cream of the crop, with no sign of foliar burn. The foliage ages to green in summer, giving
Somethin’ Strange in your Neighbors Garden…Who ya Gonna Call? Read More »
One of the most amazingly stunning North American native plants we’ve ever had the pleasure to introduce is Saururus cernus ‘Hertford Streaker’. Below is it in the nursery this week. This perennial is found in swampy bogs from Canada south to Texas. In smaller and more intricate gardens, it’s probably not appropriate since it is
This is the second year, we’ve tried to offer the Southeast US native (Arkansas through Texas) beardtongue, Penstemon tenuis, to miserable sales. It’s always fascinating what sells, and what doesn’t. Below is a photo of our garden specimen this week. This robust grower forms a tight mass of rosettes that give rise in early spring
A Tenuis Situation Read More »
One of the most amazing native plants we’ve ever had the pleasure of introducing is Aaron Floden’s Triosteum aurantiacum ‘Barry Purple’. Horse gentian is a little-known North American native which hails from mesic woodland from Canada south to Georgia. This deciduous 3′ tall x 3′ wide clumping perennial usually has green foliage, but this exceptional
Spice up your Horse Fruit Gentian Read More »
