We’ve grown a number of seedlings of the former Schefflera delavayi, now Heptaplureum delavayi, but none have the character of the deeply-lobed clone I first saw several years ago at Dan Hinkley’s Windcliff Garden. Dan christened his plant, Heptaplureum ‘Windcliff Lace’, and we were fortunate to acquire a rooted cutting, a couple of years ago.
Leucophyllum langmaniae ‘Purple Lion’ is the second selection of barometer bush that has thrived for us, since 2019. This is another collection from the amazing field work of plantsman, Patrick McMillan. Hailing from north of Monterrey in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, this cold and heat/humidity tolerant clone has been an amazing performer in our garden, forming
Mexican Barometer Bush Read More »
Few shrubs we grow evoke an emotional response quite like Osmanthus fragrans ‘Beni Kim Mokusei’. For all its power to inspire devotion, however, it has no connection to the perfectly coiffed televangelist Benny Hinn. This amazing Chinese native evergreen comes in white, yellow, and orange flowered forms. The orange flowering clones are known as Osmanthus
Oh Beni, She is Really Keen Read More »
For the first time in six year, we will once again have enough Fatsia japonica ‘Murakumo Nishiki’ to share, in our January 2027 catalog. Our 8 year old garden specimen of this amazing evergreen shrub, pictured below, is one of the most asked about plant in the garden, so we’re thrilled to be able to
Our native wax myrtle, Myrica cerifera, is a ubiquitous plant, oft scorned by plant snobs as a mere commoner. As a functional shrub with deliciously fragrant foliage, it’s prized by both builders, and the mow and blow crowd, because its tough as nails in a wide range of conditions from sun to shade, and from
Waxing eloquently about Myrtle Read More »
I was just photographing our 21 year old specimen of Abelia x grandiflora ‘Mardi Gras’, and as we like to do, took measurements, which showed our plant is now 8′ tall x 10′ wide. I should also note that this is growing in an unirrigated part of the garden, without benefit of fertilizer. Just for
A Really Big Mardi Gras Read More »
I’ve long had a fascination with the floral variegation of plants, and in particular, azaleas. Rhododendron ‘Gay Paree’ is a little-known Satsuki Azaleas from the 1950s/1960s work of California breeder, Howard Kerrigan. I acquired this back in the 1980s, and it’s thrived in our garden since then. For us, it’s never grown larger that 2′
I was just admiring the genetic instability of Camellia japonica ‘Your’s Truly’ in the garden this week. This 1949 introduction was named as a sport of Camellia japonica ‘Lady Vansittart’. Our plant regularly throws three different flower types. If genetic stability is your thing, this probably isn’t for you, but then, who are we to
Genetic Instability Read More »
Flowering now in the garden is Daphne odora ‘Wild Winter’. This patterned leaf form was named and introduced by NC Nurseryman, Jason Stevens. The flowers are the same, super fragrant type of typical Daphne odora, which hails from Southern China, Vietnam, and Taiwan. In cultivation, good drainage is the key to success.
The Scent of a Wild Winter Read More »
Looking lovely in the winter garden is the adult ivy, Hedera helix ‘Coal Miner’. When the winter temperature drops, the leaves take on a purple black cast that contrast with the veins, which remain green.
