We have long loved the Southeast US native star grasses (NC to Texas), but until a few years ago, the only one we’d grown was the faster-growing, Rhynchospora colorata. Below is our Charleston, SC collection of the much slower spreading, Rhynchospora latifolia, which also has more showy, wider bracts. In the wild, this grows in
A Star Grass is Born Read More »
Looking quite lovely in the garden is a stunning Southeast US native, Canna glauca ‘Panache’. The natural flower colors of Canna glauca, commonly known as water canna, range from white to pink, but we love this bicolor peachy yellow selection. Although it natively grows in shallow water, it also thrives quite well in average garden
A Native Canna with Panache’ Read More »
We’re so busy photo-documenting our trillium collection from late winter through early spring, that we often don’t take time to share any images from our collection. As we file this years images, here are a few samples. Our staff, as well as outside collaborating researchers spend significant time studying these in both the wild and
Looking quite golden this week is this combination of Trillium discolor, surrounded by a patch of Chrysogonum repens…two great perennials, that both happen to be Southeastern US natives.
Striking Spring Gold Read More »
Trillium maculatum makes a lovely contrast in the midst of this clump of Polemonium reptans ‘Blount Blues’ this spring…two wonderful Southeastern natives.
Splatter in a Jacob’s Ladder Read More »
Jeremy Schmidt’s amazing collection of Aesculus sylvatica, that he named ‘Sylvan Glow’ is looking quite spectacular in the early spring garden. The new growth emerges a screaming coral pink. Now four years old, it’s finally approaching 3′ tall. We’ve taken in few cuttings this spring, in the hopes we can get this to root, so
We obviously love flowers, but there’s nothing that gets us more excited than great basal foliage, especially when it emerges in late winter. Such is the case with the little-known Southeast native, Packera x memmingeri. It’s so little known that JLBG images are the only live plant photos you’ll find on-line. In the wild, it
It’s all about that base Read More »
One of our favorite native plants for the garden is Sabal minor, yet you rarely see these mentioned in lists of great native plants to use in the garden. I wonder if this is because they don’t have that “weedy, unkempt” look that most folks associate with Southeastern US natives. I’ve talked with many native
Not so minor sabals Read More »
Getting ready to open in late January at JLBG is the very rare, silver-foliaged form of the Southeast US native toadshade, Trillium underwoodii. This species is known for its highly mottled foliage, but if you look long enough, you’ll eventually find one of these odd silver-foliage variants within each species. Trillium underwoodii ‘Black Silver’ is
Black Silver Toadshade Read More »
I recently had the opportunity to visit the grape breeding trial garden of grape savant, Jeff Bloodworth of Orange County, NC. I didn’t realize it until my visit that Jeff, now 73, and I were in the Horticulture Department at NC State together from the mid to late 1970s. While I was starting on my
