One of our prized confers in the garden is the little-known, Nothotsuga longibracteata. Originally thought to be a hemlock, this Chinese native hails from several of the southern provinces, where they grow on acidic soils at elevations between 1,000′ and 7,000′. Sadly, they are now endangered due to excessive logging. In the wild, they eventually […]
Long-bracted False Hemlock Read More »
Since the 1990s, I have been enamored with the weeping red cedar, Juniperus virginiana ‘Hancock’s Weeping’. This native gem was originally discovered by plantsman Bob McCartney of Woodlanders Nursery, in Georgia’s Hancock County. We are thrilled to have this amazing specimen as part of the JLBG collection. Sadly, it’s not a plant that will ever
We’ve long been a fan of the Japanese cedar cultivar, Cryptomeria japonica ‘Gyokuryu’. This excellent plant was first brought to the US from Japan in 1967, by famed rock gardener, Joel Spingarn, who was also a founding member of the American Conifer Society. For us, this mid-sized confiner tops out at 18′ tall x 10′
Here’s Lookin’ at Gyokuryu Read More »
About five years ago, we picked up this fascinating crinkled leaf form of Sarcococca hookeriana var. digyna in the UK. Both the leaves and form are different from any other forms of sweet box we’ve grown. Since it didn’t have a valid cultivar name, we’ve christened it Sarcococca ‘Chris Crinkle’. It’s looking quite nice here
Chris Crinkle’s Sweet Gift Box Read More »
We know it’s time to start thinking of spring when the Atlas Mountain native, Narcissus romieuxii ssp. romieuxii, bursts into flower, here in late January. Nights in the teens F are no match for this amazing bulb.
Cold-blooded Narcissist Read More »
Last year, we posted a garden photo of the amazing new Galanthus ‘Mt. Everest’, which came to us as a Galanthus elwesii selection from Holland. We now think it is most likely a hybrid between Galanthus elwesii and Galanthus plicatus, first prompted by the assessment from Patrick McMillan. Below is it in full glory, starting
Mt. Everest – an easy Garden Climb Read More »
Our 28 year old clump of Hedera rhombea ‘Cheju’ is looking fabulous with an ice coating in late January. This is an adult form of English ivy that forms a woody compact shrub.
It’s been a few years since we posted photos of one of our favorite conifers, Thujopsis dolobrata ‘Jurassic Park’. This little-known selection with dense, thick, plastic-like foliage, is most likely a tetraploid form of the wild species. We planted our first typical Thujopsis in 1999, but the cultivar Thujopsis ‘Jurrasic Park’ didn’t go into the
In 2019, we were trillium botanizing in Lumpkin County, Georgia, when we stopped at a site along the Chestatee River. Growing together at the site, were Trillium catesbiae, Trillium freemanii cf., and Trillium decumbens. Despite the trilliums, the most exciting plant that caught my eye was a unique, small-leafed toothwort that somewhat resembled a minature
A Dentist and Horticulturist’s Dream Read More »
One of the finest variegated hollies to ever hit the market is the amazing Ilex ‘Solar Flare’. This sport of Ilex ‘Oakland’ was discovered and introduced by the former Unique Plant Nursery and Garden in North Carolina. Sadly, this plant is rarely seen in commerce, due to its slower than normal growth rate, as desired
The Splendor of a Solar Flare Read More »
