In flower this week is the amazing evergreen Magnolia ‘Inspiration’. This extremely floriferous hybrid is a cross of Magnolia doltsopa x laevifolia, often sold incorrectly as a selection of the latter. Very few nurserymen still grow it because it grew too fast in containers…what an odd problem. Our ten year-old specimen is now 15′ tall
We’ve been adding quite a few new cultivars of the winter hardy, Cymbidium goeringii over the last few years, and so far, all have thrived in the garden. This week marks our first flowering of Cymbidium ‘Sanxingdie’…we are duly impressed. We’ll continue to post new selections as they open.
Cymbidium – the journey continues Read More »
Two more of our favorite sterile lenten roses are putting on quite a show today. The first is Helleborus x glandorfensis ‘Ice n’ Roses Red’. Below that is Helleborus x lemperii ‘Walberton’s Rosemary’, a stunning David Tristram hybrid that PDN will have available later this year, for the first time in four years. Join us
Lenten Roses parade continues Read More »
Looking delightful in the garden today is Iris unguicularis ‘Great White’. The typical flower color is lavender, so this albino flower is one of the rarely seen color forms. This iris, native to Northern Africa (Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco), is growing in one of our alpine garden berms near the base of an agave. It
Great White in Winter Read More »
In full flower in early February is the amazing Crocus tommasinianus, also knows as Tommy’s crocus, and among bulb collectors, simply as Tommy. It was named after the late Austrian botanist, Muzio Giuseppe Spirito de Tommasini (1794-1879). Our clump below is over 30 years old, and is every bit as stunning as it was when
Tommy – a winter rock opera Read More »
We’ve always loved the Christmas rose, Helleborus niger, and a few years ago, European breeders were able to cross it with Helleborus argutifolius. Helleborus niger is a white-flowered species with below ground flowering stems (acaulescent), while Helleborus argutifolius is a green-flowered species with above ground flowering stems (caulescent). The hybrids, known as Helleborus x nigercors,
Christmas Rose on a Stick Read More »
After a couple of warm days, the lenten roses (Helleborus x hybridus) have begun to pop. Here are a couple of our seedling selections in the garden today. Over the last decade, we have made these selections from our Winter Delights strain, looking for great colors, more outfacing flowers, and of course, good flower form.
Looking out our home window this week, I shrieked that the Persian ironwood, Parrotia persica was in flower, while Anita looked on as though I’d lost my mind- which isn’t a rare occurence. I grant you, most folks probably don’t get as excited as I do, over flowers that normal folks can barely see, but
Persian Ironwood Ablaze with Color Read More »
Coming in second place to the Helleborus niger we posted earlier is Helleborus x ballardiae ‘Mahogany Snow’. This is a cross of the Christmas rose, Helleborus niger and Helleborus lividus. The flowers emerge white, then age to a lovely salmon pink. We find this hellebore hybrid much easier to grow than either parent.
The Christmas Rose Bowl Read More »
Late December marks our first flowering of Iris planifolia. This odd native to Southern Europe and Northern Africa has a similar distribution to the better-known Iris unguicularis, but this Iris belongs to the group, known as Juno or bulbous iris. These deciduous iris are extremely sensitive to summer moisture, which is why this resides in
First Flowers of Flat Iris Read More »
