Our clump of Salvia ‘Amistad‘ in the garden is finally starting to flower. This was a real test winter for this new introduction, and only 1 of our 4 garden clumps survived the winter, so we’ve changed our preliminary hardiness rating from 7b-10, guessing to Zone 8a. We’re obviously disappointed, but we’ll continue to grow […]
We have really enjoyed Penstemon murrayanus, which has been flowering outside our back door for nearly a month. This native beardtongue has unique powder blue cup-like leaves that combine with the bright orange-red flowers for a truly unique look. Penstemon murrayanus likes well-drained soils and bright light.
Penstemon murrayanus Read More »
Many years ago, I was driving down a rural back road in upstate South Carolina and had one of those “what was that” moments. Turning around, I located the population of wide, blue-leaf Eryngium yuccifolium that had caught my eye at 55mph. Securing a division from the small population, I returned home and planted it
Eryngium yuccifolium ‘Kershaw Blue’ Read More »
Looking really good in the gardens now is Clematis ‘Sapphire Indigo’. This unique hybrid between the vining mailbox clematis and the small-flowered bush clematis has been superb in our trials, flowering virtually non-stop all summer. Instead of making a vine, Clematis ‘Sapphire Indigo’ sprawls to 2′ wide, creating incredible color combinations with neighboring perennials…a designers
Clematis ‘Sapphire Indigo’ Read More »
Most of the ferns are looking really great in the gardens now as the spring ephemerals are going dormant. A fern that just impresses me more each year is deciduous Dryopteris tokyoensis. Here it is in our garden today, where it has formed a 3′ tall x 3′ wide clump…think deer-resistant!
One of my favorite foliage perennials is unquestionably Aristolochia fimbriata. While the flowers are insanely cool and produced all summer, the foliage is just so hard to beat. Even where it isn’t winter hardy, Aristolochia fimbriata makes a great summer container spiller, sprawling to about 2′ in width. Here’s how it looks in the garden
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While I was gone, one more agave produced a flower spike, bringing our total to 8 flowering century plants, equaling our 2013 total. Here is Agave lophantha that had the decency to wait until I got home to open. It looks like we’ve probably got another week or two before it starts to open and
Agaves in spike at Juniper Level Read More »
Just back from a whirlwind 10 day trek to visit gardens of Germany and Sweden. Lots of amazing plants, many new to me, and others nearly unrecognizable because of their incredible growth rates…especially many of our own native plants. Here is a photo of the amazing rock garden at the Goteborg Botanic Garden…unquestionably one of
Gardens of Germany and Sweden Read More »
On the dwarf side, Blue star creeper, Laurentia fluvitalis is looking great for us now. This tiny groundcover that likes moist sites in sun to part sun, tops out at only 1″ tall, smothered in tiny light sky blue flowers…perfect in the fairy garden or draping over the edges of a container. The growth rate
Laurentia fluvitalis – Blue Star Creeper Read More »
I love plants from cold regions that have a tropical feel in the garden and few plants are better at this than the Midwest native Silphium terebinthinaceum. Here it is growing on our patio this week. I love this plant that is so tolerant of hot and dry conditions in the garden!
Silphium terebinthinaceum Read More »
