One of the bright spots in the fall garden are Aucubas, like Aucuba japonica ‘Ogon no Tsuki’. Even on a dark, dreary day, the bright leaves serve as a focal point to help lighten the mood.
A Bright Spot in the Woodland Read More »
We are entering peak flowering season for Aspidistra (cast iron plants), a time we always enjoy because of the fascinating leaf and flower diversity in the genus. One of several species flowering this week is the rare, South Central Vietnam native, Aspidistra quangngaiensis, a species only discovered and described in 2017. Sadly, it’s small population
Can I Buy a Vowel? Read More »
We first posted an image of Hemiboea cavaleriei last year, but wanted to share an update image, now that our clump is more established. What an amazing show for the October and November woodland garden, until a frost arrives. Our plant gets a couple of hours or morning sun, then shade in the afternoon, where
Kit Kat has decided that her favorite napping spot in the garden is on our patch of Carex eburnea. This amazing little North American native sedge with soft, needle-thin foliage likes dry woodlands and makes a perfect spot for an afternoon siesta. Since this isn’t the fastest growing of sedges, it may take a while,
The deciduous Korean spindle tree has been looking quite sharp for the last month. Native to Japan and Korea, Euonymus oxyphyllus is a small tree, usually to only 8′ tall in cultivation, that brightens the fall garden with its showy fruit. Reportedly, it can reach 25′ with great age, but that certainly wouldn’t be in
A Sharp Heart’s a Bustin Read More »
Looking fabulous in the woodland garden as August gives way to September is the Chinese Begonia grandis ‘Alba’. We never have enough plants that will flower in the summer/fall woodland garden, so I can’t imagine a garden without cold hardy begonias. The sprays of white flowers and red backed leaves make B. grandis ‘Alba’ a
For those who have followed us for a while, you know we have a fascination for tuberous aroids, particularly those in the genus, Amorphophallus. We’ve spent quite a bit of time making seed selections as well as hybrids, often using the super winter hardy Amorphophallus as a parent. So far, we have 14 species that
Cognac or Konjac – We’ll take the Latter Read More »
Recently flowering in the woodland garden at JLBG is another hardy gesneriad, the Chinese Lysionotus wilsonii. This gems hails from 2,000-6,000′ elevation in China’s Yunnan and Sichuan province, where it’s found in woodland valleys. That’s near the minimum elevational range at which we’d expect winter hardiness in Zone 7b/8a, so we are thrilled that it
I’ve spent the last 60+ years tromping through woodlands across the Eastern US, from Maine to Florida, and west to Texas, and have looked at more Christmas ferns (Polystichum acrostichoides) than you can imagine. Being a diversity freak, I am always looking for odd forms, which are surprisingly rare for this species. I could count
All I want for Christmas is a new Christmas Fern Read More »
We’re just wrapping up the flowering of the “starfish” group of cast iron plant species. While none are reliably winter hardy in the ground here in Zone 7b/8a, they make amazing house plants. The first and second are Aspidistra pulchella, and the final two images are Aspidistra radiata. The giant upright purple flower buds on
Casting for Starfish Read More »
