We’re moving into the later stages of the spring baptisa season, but here are a couple images of two of our hybrids, taken on a recent photo shoot in the beds surrounding our parking lot. The top is Baptisia ‘Aspiring’ with its very tall lavender flower spikes. Below is Baptisia ‘Cherry Pie’, the closest we
Baptisia Baptismal Read More »
Two of the later flowering wild gingers are looking amazing this week. At top is the Alabama native Asarum speciosum ‘Bloodshot Eyes’, a 2020 Plant Delights/JLBG introduction of a 2011 collection in Autauga County, Alabama with larger than normal flowers. At the bottom is the Japanese native Asarum sakawanum var. stellatum with it’s starfish-like flowers
While many of us grow hardy orchids, there aren’t many that grow so well you can share plants with your garden friends. Bletillas aren’t just one of the easiest orchids to grow, they’re also one of the most vigorous. Below are our field production beds now, before plants are dug and potted. Many sites still
Bletilla – The Friendship Orchid Read More »
In flower this week at JLBG is the little-known, Iris speculatrix, known as Hong Kong Iris. Iris are one our specialty collections and this small, evergreen species from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, tops out at a mere 1′ tall. The specific epithet (second part of the Latin name) means “to observe”. It is related
Speculation about Iris Read More »
When we first wanted to trial the incredible Arilbred irises, we were told in no uncertain terms that they wouldn’t share them with us because of our climate here in Raleigh. With some negotiations and sharing that we had built the crevice gardens, we were able to aquire some from Superstition Iris Gardens in 2017
Love is in the Aril-breds Read More »
Jeremy Schmidt’s amazing collection of Aesculus sylvatica, that he named ‘Sylvan Glow’ is looking quite spectacular in the early spring garden. The new growth emerges a screaming coral pink. Now four years old, it’s finally approaching 3′ tall. We’ve taken in few cuttings this spring, in the hopes we can get this to root, so
We obviously love flowers, but there’s nothing that gets us more excited than great basal foliage, especially when it emerges in late winter. Such is the case with the little-known Southeast native, Packera x memmingeri. It’s so little known that JLBG images are the only live plant photos you’ll find on-line. In the wild, it
It’s all about that base Read More »
We were late wading into the epimedium craze, and without the assistance of epimedium guru, Darrell Probst, still might not have done so. Up until the mid 2000s, we had avoided epimediums, due to both their confusing taxonomy as well as the lack of many showy garden forms. Early introductions such as Epimedium x rubrum,
A Fluttering of Fairy Wings Read More »
Norfolk Island Pines (Araucaria heterophylla) are popular house plants, but we always longed for being able to grow araucarias outdoors in central NC. Since this native of the region around Australia/New Zealand has poor winter hardiness, our obsession focused in on the more winter hardy, South American species, in particular, Araucaria araucana, known as Monkey
The Monkey’s Puzzle 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
