In 2005, 21 years ago, we were botanizing in Northern Vietnam, when we decided to head east toward the town of Baba. After several hours, we arrived at the edge of a large river, only to find that the bridge, shown on our maps, had yet to be built. Instead of backtracking several hours, we
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 »
I can’t say that I’d ever thought about using cast iron plants as hedging, but we might need to rethink that with one of new hybrids. Aspidistra x sichlatior ‘Screen Gem’ is our hybrid of Aspidistra sichuanensis x Aspidistra elatior. This selection from our 2021 seedlings has already reached 4.5′ in height. Other than acubua,
Next year, Plant Delights will be introducing a fabulous new, dark pink-flowered selection of the native, Macbridea caroliniana, discovered by our former Plant Records/Taxonomist, Zac Hill. Macbridea ‘Pink Hill’ is a dramatic change from the light pink flowers we’ve seen on the commercial material, as a you can see below, when grown in rich, slightly
It’s Hard to Top the Pink Hill Read More »
Our 2014 tongue fern introduction, Pyrrosia lingua ‘Limon’, was discovered here as a solid gold sport on Pyrrosia lingua ‘Ogon Nishiki’. We took this image last week, of a superbly grown specimen at our sister institution, the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh. This is a lovely evergreen fern, hardy from Zone 7b to 10b. It’s
When Life Gives you a Limon Read More »
Back in 2004, we noticed an odd fern in our spore pots of Dryopteris tokyoensis, so we set it aside for planting in the garden. After several years in the ground, we concluded that it seemed to be a hybrid of the Asian Dryopteris tokyoensis and the North American Dryopteris ludoviciana…something we really didn’t think
In the recent past the name lady fern referred to a wide ranging single species, which covered much of Europe, Northern Asia, and North America. However, recent taxonomic studies determined that Athyrium filix-femina was actually four distinct species that were all masquerading as one.
The Ladies have parted ways Read More »
If you want to create a colorful, fire-like spark in your woodland garden, without endangering your neighbors, there are few plants better than our 2021 introduction, Lychnis senno ‘Once in a Vermillion’. This Chinese woodland native catchfly, has proven both durable and reliable, starting to flower for us in July, and continuing through September. Below
A Cool Forest Fire Read More »
Twenty years ago (2006), we were botanizing in Southern Alabama, when I spied a particularly unique clump of Adiantum pedatum with finely divided fronds. Despite the common name, Northern maidenhair fern, this was growing at the Southern extreme of its natural range. A small division returned back with us to NC, where it has formed
A Lust-worthy Alabama Maiden Read More »
One of our jack-in-the-pulpit hybrids that has looked fabulous in the garden this spring is Arisaema x trigesii ‘Zebra Stripes’. This selection is from our cross of the North American native Arisaema triphyllum and the Chinese native, Arisaema fargesii. This selection has amazing vigor, and we look forward to the day that we will have
A Jack of all Stripes Read More »
