While most gardeners are familiar with hybrid hellebores, those all originated with wild species. Although most lenten rose species are far less showy than their hybrid counterparts, there are some that are pretty nice in their own right. Once of these is Helleborus purpurescens, the source of much of the purple color in the Helleborus […]
Lenten Rose Purp Pose Read More »
One of the earliest bulbous plants to pop up in the garden is Fritillaria verticillata, also known as Fritillaria thunbergii. This Central Asian native has no problem starting to grow while low temperatures are still in the teens F. The leaves form hooks at the end in case climbing on a neighbor is needed. Within
In 1995, when we named our Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Snow Cream’, few people had even heard of the plant genus, Edgeworthia. Thirty one years later, people are actually visiting the garden and asking about it by name. It is always a favorite during our Winter Open Nursery & Garden weekends when it is in full flower
Time to Enjoy Snow Cream Read More »
Looking good in the garden this week, are two of the Ice N’ Roses’, sterile lenten rose hybrids. Helleborus x glandorfensis ‘Ice N’ Roses Rose’ (top), and ‘Rosado’ (below). Because of the Helleborus niger parentage, all flowers face outward. Mark your calendar to visit the gardens during our Winter Open Nursery and Garden weekends, Feb.
Late winter is peak season for our large collection of wild gingers, of the genus, Asarum. Below are a few from this week. The Chinese Asarum forbesii is typically deciduous, although we have a couple of clones, which retain a good percentage of their foliage, which we remove this time of year, for better flower
Wild Ginger Flowers – Part I Read More »
Ceratozamia microstrobila has been an amazing cycad in our trials, as you can see from the recent photo below. This rare species hails from the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains of Northern Mexico (Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosi), where there are only six populations remaining in the wild. Our 13 year old garden specimens have thrived in
Helleborus foetidus ‘Red Silver’ is looking great in the late winter garden. Not only is the evergreen foliage great, but the flowers have a lovely ring of lipstick on each flower tip. This European species thrives in both open shade and half day full sun, as long as the drainage is good.
Red Silver Bear’s Claw Read More »
The lowly US native arborvitaes still don’t get the respect they deserve. Because they are so easy to grow and propagate, their widespread use in places from trailer parks to fast food restaurants, cause many plant snobs to dismiss them as too common. The diversity in the genus is absolutely amazing, and as a landscape
Inviting Arborvitae Read More »
With a tribute to the Frankie Laine theme song for the 1950/1960s television western, the cast iron plant that bears the same name is equally as tough and long lasting. We offered this amazing, compact selection of Aspidistra sichuanensis for several years, but sadly, it never sold very well, possibly due to its slow growth
Rollin’, Rollin’, Rollin’…Rawhide Read More »
Looking good in late-winter is the rare, Japanese holly selection, Ilex crenata ‘Kufujin’. This superb, rock-garden-sized specimen, grows slowly, to only 1′ tall x 2′ wide in a decade. This gem hails from Japan’s Ishiguro Nursery, first brought to the US, by retired Hawksridge Nursery manager, Rick Crowder. Hardiness is Zone 5a-9a.
Nice and Bright in the Rock Garden Read More »
