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 »
Our ten year old plant of Cryptomeria japonica ‘Gifu’ is looking quite lovely. Often sold under the trademark Dragon Prince, this compact selection from Japan’s Gifu Prefecture, is one of the smaller of the “dwarf” Japanese cedar selections. In our good growing conditions, our 10 year old plant has reached 2.5′ tall x 3.5′ wide,
Hosta rectifolia ‘Mito-no-Hana’ is quite striking in the garden this week. This eye-popping selection of the Japanese Hosta rectifolia comes from Japan’s Tenjin Yama Bunen Nursery in Mito City. The leaf coloration is best in open shade or with a couple of hours of morning sun. The leaf vein coloration fades in the intense heat
It’s been a few years since we posted photos of one of our favorite conifers, Thujopsis dolobrata ‘Jurassic Park’. This little-known selection with dense, thick, plastic-like foliage, is most likely a tetraploid form of the wild species. We planted our first typical Thujopsis in 1999, but the cultivar Thujopsis ‘Jurrasic Park’ didn’t go into the
Even unclothed, Styrax japonica ‘Fragrant Fountain’ still provides great winter interest with it’s weeping branches, like a fountain frozen in time. This gem from Oregon nurseryman, Crispin Silva, is slow growing and should mature around 8′ tall x 8′ wide. Our garden specimen has been in the ground since 2008. Zone 5a-8b.
Looking rather nice in the garden in mid-winter is the yellow-fruited, Rohdea japonica ‘Golden Eggs’. We’re now on our third generation, and have been please to find that all of our offspring that have fruited so far, come true to color from seed. We picked up our original plant a Japanese auction over a decade
Golden Eggs in the Garden Read More »
We just snapped this image of our clump of Aucuba japonica var. borealis ‘Sea of Japan’. In parts of the county where typical Aucuba japonica isn’t winter hardy, this tetraploid subspecies may be worth a try. This subspecies hails from one of coldest regions of coastal Japan, in northern Honshu, where it’s subject to an
See the Sea of Japan Read More »
Like so many conifers, Cryptomeria really stand out after those pesky perennials go dormant for the winter. Cryptomeria japonica ‘Elegans Nana’ is looking lovely this winter. This 2017 planting is now grown to 3′ tall x 7′ wide. Cryptomerias are quite durable in the garden, and survive in both full to half day sun. Cryptomeria
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 »
This spring, we posted photos of the obscure Japanese native woodlander, Ainsliaea cordifolia, but we wanted to follow up with the same plant in riotous bloom, as we move into late October. There are actually 57 species of this Aster family genus, all from Southeastern Asia. Growing Ainsliaea in your home garden is certainly a
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