Flowering now is the amazing Coreopsis palustris ‘Summer Sunshine’, an award-winning 2000 Plant Delights/JLBG introduction. Although it’s native to swampy forests, from NC south to Florida. We have found that Coreopsis palustris makes an even better specimen in full sun, and in regular garden soil…as long as the soil doesn’t get bone dry. For us,
Summer Sunshine Swamp Tickseed Read More »
Early fall is Hemiboea time in the garden, and the the first to flower this year, is the little-known Hemiboea gracilis. The specific epithet, “gracile” means graceful. This hardy gesneriad (African violet family) naturally grows in mountain valleys and streamside among rocks, from 1,000 – 4,000′ elevation in South Central China. As you can see,
Most folks think of Zinnias, as an annual bedding plant, but the genus actually includes so much more, including some little-known, North American native perennials. One that has thrived for us, since 2018 is Rocky Mountain zinnia, Zinnia grandiflora, which naturally resides from Kansas to Arizona. We’re growing a particularly vigorous selection, Zinnia grandiflora ‘Gold
Not Your Grandmothers Zinnia Read More »
One of the truly great WHATZAT plants of the fall garden, that results in more questions than anything else is the weeping fall shrub mint, Rostrinucula dependens. Little known outside its native haunts in Shaanxi, China and south to Yunnan, this deciduous shrub to 4′ tall is adorned with flaking brown bark and acts as
Weeping Fall Shrub Mint 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
One of our favorite vines is unquestionably the South American, Brazilian firecracker vine, Manettia cordifolia. This amazing, well-behaved plant doesn’t emerge for us until mid-to-late June, but once the temperatures rise, it explodes into a hummingbirds dream. The peak flowering season for us, is September and October, when it puts on a show like little
Manettia – a Hummer’s Dream Read More »
Flowering this week in our part shade rock garden, is the amazing, fall-flowered gesneriad, Titanotrichium oldhamii. This is simply an amazing plant that we grown for more than two decades. Several years ago, we were lucky enough to see in the wilds of Taiwan, where it grew from vertical rock walls. Light, but open shade,
Falling for False Gloxinia Read More »
One of our favorite toad lilies, is the dazzling Tricyrtis ohsumiensis ‘Nakatsugawa’, which is looking splendid, now, in the summer garden. This specimen is rarely offered, primarily because it produces so few cuttings. Unlike most toad lilies, that need to flower to be noticed be gardeners, such is not the case with Tricyrtis ‘Nakatsugawa’. When
Toad Lily With a Twist Read More »
If you like botanical oddities, then the cute Camellia parvilimba is just what you’ve been looking for. This miniature species, is tiny, in terms of flowers, leaves, and overall stature. Camellia parvilimba is the victim of a taxonomic tug of war, with many taxonomists classifying it as simply a tiny form of Camellia euryoides, while
Honey, Who Shrunk the Camellia? Read More »
Looking like it’s covered by a dusting of snow is our garden specimen of Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Kaori Hime’. This amazing plant is adorned, starting in early November, with thousands of sweetly scented, small white flowers. In Japan, the word “hime” literally translates to young lady of nobility, such as a princess. In plant names, however,
Tiny Leaves, Tiny Flowers, and a Big Belly Read More »
