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 »
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 »
We trial several hundred newly developed plants each year, and most never grace the pages of a PDN catalog, either because of performance or a lack of uniqueness. One that has fascinated us is Dahlia ‘Grandalia Burgundy Improved’. With a height and spread of 20″, you’d swear that this dahlia had either been regularly clipped
A little purple meatball Read More »
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 »
Echinacea ‘Big Kahuna’ has turned into a wonderful beast in the garden. Here is our clump of this super vigorous selection this week as it enters its third year in the gardens at JLBG with no sign of slowing down. The fragrance is also amazing, as are the number of bees it attracts.
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
We recently visited conifer collector Bruce Appeldoorn at his nursery in the tiny town of Bostic, west of Charlotte, NC. Not only are the gardens amazing, but Bruce has transitioned from his career in landscape design/installation, to an amazing dwarf conifer nursery. He now sits atop the throne, having what is almost certainly the top
Bruce and his conifers Read More »
