I was first introduced to lowland loosestrife on a 2022 South Carolina botanizing trip with Zac Hill and Patrick McMillan. I was shocked that I’d never heard of Steironema hybridum before, despite it being a widespread US native from Canada south to Florida. How is it possible that this late season-blooming perennial wildflower is completely
Orphaned Lowland Loosetrife Read More »
It’s lycoris time at JLBG, as we’re just wrapping up the early part of the flowering season (July 15-August 10). Most of the early blooming surprise lilies are the spring-foliaged species and hybrids. Typically, there are only a few of the fall-foliaged selections that flower during this early period. Sadly, most gardeners have only grown
The Season of Surprises Read More »
One of our favorite ginger lilies is the shade-loving, Hedychium densiflorum ‘Stephen’. While it may look similar to the other members of the genus, Hedychium, it’s actually quite different. While most ginger lilies adore heat, this one tolerates heat, but prefers a cooler summer. It was discovered in 1966 in the Dudh Kosi Valley of
Ginger sure is Dense Read More »
2025 sets a record as we welcomed 22 different century plants into flower. We’ve set up our ladders for the pollination ritual, where we hike to the top with pollen we forcefully extracted from potential suitors and do our best to impregnate the moms. Then, we wait and hope for viable seed. This is Agave
The End of the Century is Approaching Read More »
We’ve planted quite a few lobivias through the years, and killed quite a few, since our climate is a bit too cold for most species of this member of the cactus family from South America. One that has survived, and is putting on quite a show now is the Northern Argentina native, Lobivia aurea var.
Ambivalent Lobivia Read More »
Looking great in the crevice garden this month is our specimen of the Arizona native Dudleya saxosa ssp. collomiae. Through the years, we tried this succulent in several of our rock gardens with no success, until we planted one under a rock overhang, where it has thrived since 2018. As we suspected, winter hardiness wasn’t
Dudleya Done Right Read More »
Three years ago, we wrote about our success growing the Western US (North Dakota to Southern California) desert native, Stanleya pinnata, Desert Prince’s Plume. In the years since, we planted more, with our recent attempts being in the crevice garden, where, as you can see below, they have thrived. The key for success is superb
Lord Stanley’s Cup Runneth Over Read More »
Ablaze now in our well-drained, gravel-infused, dryland garden is the amazing Calylophus berlandieri ssp. pinifolius ‘Fugitive’. This Patrick’s McMillan superb collection of the US native (Missouri west to New Mexico) sundrop from Kimble County, Texas. The 1′ tall x 2.5′ wide patches are clothed with short and extremely narrow, fleshy green leaves, and topped with
Consider Housing a Fugitive in Your Garden Read More »
Flowering for the last few weeks, and still not slowing down is the amazing, southeast US Gulf Coast (GA to Louisiana) native, Chrysogonum australe ‘Eco Lacquered Spider’. This amazing groundcover makes a solid mass in part sun to open shade. There are few plants that better live up to the term, “green mulch”. Hardiness Zone
Groundcover of Green and Gold Read More »
Looking great in the woodland garden now is the amazing Asian (China, Korea, Manchuria) native Solomon’s Seal, Disporum flavens. This species is probably the showiest of the genus, putting on a tremendous show in spring garden. While there are both running and clumping species in the genus, Disporum, this gem remains in a nice clump.
