Congratulations to NC plantsman and friend Doug Ruhren, who was just named the new Gardens Manager for the JC Raulston Arboretum. Doug has volunteered in the perennial border at the arboretum for nearly 30 years, among full-time stints at Chatwood Camellia Gardens, Montrose, Daniel Stowe Botanic Garden, and the American Camellia Society headquarters. As an independent garden designer, Doug’s work is only display at other gardens and nurseries around the country. We look forward to seeing Doug’s transformative gardening/design skills throughout the arboretum’s amazing collections.
I have a butterfly ginger lily which I planted in a container. It has not bloomed eversince I replanted it over a year now. I see healthy leaves growing. It must be over 2 feet high now. It is in the full sun and I water it everyday. Should dig it out and replant them? Since I live in an apartment I can only plant in containers.
Ginger lilies (hedychium) in containers should never be allowed to drop to freezing, so you’ll need to find a way to protect it overwinter. You should be able to remove it from the container, remove the foliage, and store it in a bag of dry peat moss during the winter, but the temps would need to be around 50 to store well. Good luck.
So wonderful to see Doug doing well and being honored by the Arboretum. Many years ago I learned so much from Doug as a humble weeder at Montrose gardens. His contrubution to those gardens and those of us fortunate to have worked there is beyond what anyone knows or acknowledges. Blessings to you, Doug. I’m still growing lots of cool plants and trees, shubs in a little yard in Missoula, MT! love and blessings, Ruth
I see that you have a pinus morrisonicola at your arboretum that was grown from seed. I have been searching for a source for this tree to be able to grow white pine for bonsai in central Florida.
Sadly, we lost our plant in the winter of 2014.