botanic garden

Goin tubing in the garden

We’ve got a different take on going tubing. For us, tubing is something we do, starting in mid-June each summer, when we sit and enjoy our patch of Sinningia tubiflora. This amazing South American (Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay) gesneriad (African violet cousin) forms masses of underground potato-like tubers, which produce these amazing stalks of sweetly

Goin tubing in the garden Read More »

Trolling in the garden

Trolls and trolling are generally associated with something unpleasant, so it’s quite bizarre to have such a name associated with an amazingly delightful plant. Gingko biloba ‘Troll’ is a superb dwarf gingko with lacy textured leaves that has been quite a star here at JLBG. Our six-year-old plant is now 3′ tall x 3′ wide

Trolling in the garden Read More »

Who is Walter Flory?

Flowering today at JLBG is Crinum ‘Walter Flory’…not only a superb crinum, but one named after one of NC’s pre-eminent botanists. Dr. Walter Flory (1907-1998) was a botany professor at Wake Forest University. Dr. Flory received his PhD in 1931 from the University of Virginia for his work with both edible asparagus and phlox. From

Who is Walter Flory? Read More »

Is that really yew?

While folks from “up north” know yews (Taxus), they are far less likely to know its doppleganger, the false yew (Cephalotaxus). I’ve always considered the two fairly interchangable, so was fascinated when DNA showed they actually belong to different plant families, which aren’t really closely related…other than both being conifers. Taxus is now in its

Is that really yew? Read More »

Always wanted to fall for a princess

We are in love with the winter hardy princess lilies, and have been for quite a while. They have been in peak bloom for several weeks now, with no sign of slowing down. Here’s our oldest clump of Alstroemeria ‘Princess Fabiana’ this week. Shockingly, these have also been winter hardy for years in Western Michigan

Always wanted to fall for a princess Read More »

My ginger…your foliage is…wrong

I grew up as a child spending most of my time botanizing the woods from a ridiculously early age. One of the native plants I’ve known since my earliest adventures is Asarum arifolium, which was the most common wild ginger in our region. Over the last 60 years, I’ve undoubtedly seen tens of thousands of

My ginger…your foliage is…wrong Read More »

Striptease in the Succulents

Agave x striphantha ‘Striptease’ is a JLBG creation from a 2013 cross of Agave striata and Agave lophantha. Both parents are 30 year survivors here in the garden, so we wanted to see what a combination of genes looked like. Also, Agave striata is the only hardy agave species, whose main crown doesn’t die after

Striptease in the Succulents Read More »

Scroll to Top