We obtained this amazing variegated Japanese Solomon’s seal selection in 2015, and in the years since, Polygonatum odoratum ‘Ki Chou’ has formed an amazing specimen in the garden. We’ve started dividing our clump, and hopefully, will have enough to share within the next couple of years. Hardiness is Zone 4a-9b. JLBG currently holds one of
Ki Chou, Bless You Read More »
I’ve always loved the genus Mukdenia, since first spying it cliffside on a 1997 botanical expedition through South Korea. This monotypic genus currently belongs is the Saxifragaceae family…think Tiarella, Heuchera, and Astilbe. Although, it’s typically grown as a woodland plant, we tried one clump of Mukdenia rossii ‘Karasuba’ in our full sun crevice garden, planted
With a Name like Mukers, It’s Gotta Be Good Read More »
One of my personal favorites in the very early spring garden is the amazing Chloranthus japonicus. This delightful Asian (China, Japan, Korea, and Russia) native is naturally found in moist woodlands, growing streamside, up to 6,000′ elevation. In the garden, it forms a 15″ tall x 20″ wide clump. We have found it very easy
Essentially Essoteric Read More »
Here are more wild gingers flowering this week in our garden collection. This fascinating genus is a member of the pipewort family, Aristolochiaceae. All of the images below are clump forming species. Asarum asaroides ‘Dohmu’ is a yellow-flowerd form of a typically purple-flowered Japanese species. Asarum campaniflorum ‘Ginormous’ is our selection of the beautiful Chinese
Wild Ginger Flowers – Part 2 Read More »
Just emerging from its winter slumber in the woodland rock garden, is the scarlet orange-flowered, Adonis ‘Chichibu Beni’. This rare selection is a triploid hybrid between Adonis multiflora and Adonis ramosa. When it comes to Adonis, not all treasures are golden. Hardiness Zone 3a-8a.
The Elusive Red Adonis Read More »
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 »
One of the more unusual fairy bells we grow is the Asian (Assam to Central China) Disporum longistylum. Starting in mid-April (NC), the open, upright stalks are adorned with clusters of small ivory flowers that form at the branch tips. In our climate, Disporum longistylum is evergreen down to 20 degrees F, but below that,
Winter is the time when all the evergreen ferns shine, and there are few fern genera that look better in winter than the holly ferns. A favorite that’s rarely offered is the spear-leaf holly fern, Cyrtomium lonchitoides, which hails from Japan, China, and Vietnam. This has the smallest pinnae of the hardy holly ferns, which
Spear-leaf Holly Fern Read More »
Looking fabulous in the winter garden in mid December is the amazing Arachnioides standishii. The common name, upside down fern, refers to the fronds, which appear to be inverted. This slowly spreading fern is tardily deciduous, meaning it remains evergreen until temperatures drop to 10-15 degrees F. Although the fine texture makes it look delicate,
What’s up with Upside-down Ferns Read More »
Looking lovely in the fall garden is the little-known fern, Microlepia strigosa ‘Shishi’. Despite the durability and appearance of this Southeastern Asia native, it has never been a fern that has sold well. In our garden it forms an 18″ tall x 3′ wide patch. Perhaps now that some fern taxonomists have moved it into
A Lack of Microlepia Respect Read More »
