Gardening With Grace

Despite the definite change in weather, the garden is still doing quite well. We haven't had a frost yet so even plants like dahlia and fuchsia are putting out blooms.

Not only that but as I putter and visualize next year's garden, I can hear frogs croaking back and forth to each other at random intervals. If the temperatures remain mild (in the 50s) I'll continue to be enchanted by them.

I was surprised to see buds forming all up and down my winter-blooming 'Freckles' Clematis.

Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurescens 'Freckles'

This made me curious so I checked another of my three winter blooming Clematis, C. urophylla. Sure enough! Buds.

Blurry buds on Clematis aff. urophylla

Still no buds on Clematis nepalensis but that's okay. The vine looks healthy and that's the important thing.

There are still several summer/fall blooming Clematis blossoms.

Clematis texensis'Etoile Rose'

Given that it's the end of the season, I'm excusing the mildewed foliage.

Clematis texensis 'Princess Diana'

Clematis viticella 'Abundance' (red) and C. v.'Polish Spirit'

My longest blooming Clematis is C. integrifolia'Inspiration' pictured below. It started blooming in May and has not once been without at least one flower since then. I didn't cut it back so there are lots of seedheads too.

Clematis integrifolia'Inspiration'

This NOID from Deborah Hardwick is still making me happy. Again, the foliage is icky but who cares?

Clematis NOID

Clematis viticella'Rosalyn'

Clematis texensis'Pagoda'

And check out all the fuchsias still blooming!

Fuchsia'Celia Smedly' (I think)

Fuchsia lycioides

Fuchsia'Exmoor Woods'

Fuchsia'Baby Ann'

Fuchsia'Delta's Angelique'

Fuchsia 'Tricolor'

Fuchsia'Tricolor'

Fuchsia'Beacon Rose'

Fuchsia NOID

Fuchsia 'Nettala'

Fuchsia'Debron's Black Cherry'

Fuchsia'Checkerboard'

Fuchsia'Galfrey Lye'

And that wasn't even all the fuchsias but I think you get the idea.

Check out these Crinum lilies that I bought in a bag from Costco last spring. They have proven to be troopers. There are still buds forming on some of the bulbs.

Crinum x ‘Powellii’

Agastache'Blue Boa'

Gardenia jasminoides'Frostproof'

'Paris' Heuchera is another extremely long-blooming plant. This one has been in flower since February.

Heuchera 'Paris'

Rabdosia longituba

Chrysanthemum x rubellum'Clara Curtis'

I really should cut some of these mums for a bouquet.

Chrysanthemum x rubellum'Clara Curtis'

This Tinantia reseeds every year and blooms in that spot. The flowers are so cute.

Tinantia erecta

Now for some garden shots:

Persicaria'Fat Domino'

Mukgenia nova'Flame' next to Rhododendron'Everred'

Artemisia 'Seafoam'

Leucothoe axilaris'Curly Red'

I have three spots where I dug out plants that were too big or were otherwise needed moving. You can see the bare spots in the following three photos.

By the outer pond, I had a big Stipa gigantea. I gave it to Heather. In its place, I'm going to plant Nerium oleander.

In this open area, I had a Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace' that died. I'm going to plant my Chilopsis'Burgundy'

And finally, here I had a huge Nandina and spreading Euphorbia. I'm not sure yet what is going to replace them.

Having a bit of bare soil keeps my design proclivities charged and ready. Ooh the possibilities! And not just for plants. Today I lugged home a huge piece of driftwood, aptly named Boris. I'm going to find a place for him in my garden. I'll post photos of "him" next time.

And there you have it. Thank you for visiting.

I'm afraid it's going to be one of those winters--cold and foggy. I haven't counted but I bet we've had at least twenty foggy days since October and it isn't even winter yet. We've had several frosts, none below about 25 degrees though so it could be worse and I shouldn't complain.

One of the ways I can tell how cold it's gotten is by the looks of my hardy banana. I'd say it could and probably will get colder before spring.

Musa basjoo (Hardy Banana)

Yes, the garden is a mess but there are still a few flowers and foliage to keep things interesting.

The below Correa (and the white flowered one that I forgot to photograph) have been blooming since September. They're so pretty, sitting in my covered patio.

Correa x 'Dusky Bells'

On the cold nights I've been covering my patio potted plants with blankets. This Impatiens is continuing to bloom. In fact it's blooming more now than it did all summer which leads me to believe that it prefers cooler weather.

Impatiens sodenii'La Vida Rosa'

The same thing can be said for this Bacopa. In summer I was constantly watering and fertilizing it and although it thanked me with pretty blooms, it didn't look nearly as nice as it does now!

Bacopa'Rosea'

I'm hoping the temps don't drop too low because these flowers really do help stave off the winter blues.

Bacopa'Rosea'

This Abutilon is situated in a sheltered spot and continues to pump out blooms.

Abutilon

Check out this winter-blooming Clematis 'Freckles'! The weather hasn't discouraged it in the slightest!

Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurscens'Freckles'

Aren't these the cutest flowers?

Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurscens'Freckles'

I even trained a few of its stems to cling to this makeshift trellis thingy on my patio's ceiling.

Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurscens'Freckles'

Another winter blooming Clematis is a species called urophylla. I think it is a bit more temperature-sensitive though because the blooms haven't opened. They just sit there teasing. Yes. It has really gorgeous foliage too!

Clematis aff. urophylla

These tough, easy to grow Daphne are the best! They bloom almost continually and seem to be impervious to the temperatures.

Daphne transylvanica 'Summer Ice'

The one drawback, however, is that they don't really have much fragrance when the temps are in the 30s or 40s.

Daphne transylvanica'Eternal Fragrance'

The Mexican Orange has also been blooming off and on since early fall.

Choisya ternata (Mexican Orange)

Choisya ternata (Mexican Orange)

This little Callirhoe flower is a pleasant anomaly.

Callihroe involucrata var. tenuissima

Neil Bell is happy and that is good because I don't have a hummingbird feeder proper. Just flowers like these for the hummers.

Grevillea'Neil Bell'

Reliable both in its winter-blooming and in its inability to photograph well, (Okay, maybe it's the photographer.) this Viburnum has a few blooms and tons of buds. Clematis 'Freckles' clamors up its mossy branches.

Viburnum bodnantense'Dawn'

Here's another tender plant that I have been covering with a blanket. I really hope I'm successful in keeping it alive.

Anisodontea x 'Tara's Pink'

Reseeders like this Feverfew are tougher than they look!

Tanacetum parthenium aureum

There is an interesting story about how I came by the rosebush (below) but I won't share it here. Suffice it to say that it is a winner! I've moved it around so many times and it still rewards me with this... even in December!

Rosa'Adelaide Hoodless'

Who doesn't love a tough and long blooming Penstemon?

Penstemon'Garnet'

Speaking of tough, my Gardenia apparently didn't get the winter commencement memo and is trying to bloom! See that fat, white bud there?

Gardenia'Frostproof'

A few surprise blooms on this Armeria too.

Armeria juniperfolius

And check out my Sarracenia. I know you're supposed to cut them back, but why?

Saracenia sp.

Sarracenia sp.

I'm going to have tons of baby Nicotiana seedlings next year. This plant is a blooming fool!

Nicotiana'Mutabilis'

I was surprised the Crinum wasn't killed back by the cold.

Crinum x powelli

Seriously, I'm not kidding. The cold weather is preserving these Clematis blossoms. They've looked like this for over a week.

Clematis viticella'Venosa Violacea'

More hummingbird food!

Mahonia x media 'Charity'

And this:

Arbutus enedo'Compacata'

And lastly, I was so happy today when I saw tiny flowers appearing AGAIN on this Osmanthus. This is another plant that blooms intermittently throughout the year and it's quickly becoming a favorite. Hopefully the weather will allow me to get a whiff of its fragrance.

Osmanthus fragrans aurantiacus'Apricolt Echo'

Winter foliage:

Hebe albicans 'Pink Elephant'

This Geranium, so far so great!

Geranium harveyi

With a Japanese maple towering above my patio, you can see what I have to contend with every November.

Leaves!

Pathway leaves!

Patio leaves!

Most of the leaves are now where they belong, in the beds where they will break down and feed the soil and its critters.

Patio leaves gone!

That's the update for now. Keep warm, peeps. Spring is right around the corner.

Happy New Year!

First, I need to apologize. For years I would be alerted via email to new comments on this and my other blog. At some point this helpful feature disappeared. I don't check as often as I should and this time I missed a bunch of you. I'm very sorry. Your feedback is the highlight of this endeavor so thank you. I'll do better this year.

With the new year comes a change in my format. Each week I'm going to focus on one plant. I'll share photos and prose. If you too have the plant I'm writing about, please share your thoughts and experiences with it.Even if you don't, your comments are most welcome.

This first week, my favorite plant: Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurscens'Freckles'.

I bought 'Freckles' in 2017 at the height of my Clematis obsession and to satisfy my desire for more winter-blooming plants to feed the resident Anna's hummingbirds. Donahue's Nursery was the only place selling it at that time. If you've ever purchased Clematis from this nursery you know that they arrive in small, four inch containers--too small to safely plant in the ground. I re-potted mine and babied it for a year then planted it close to the patio so it could grow through the branches of my winter-blooming Viburnum bodnantense'Dawn'.

Last year it put out a few of its characteristic red-spotted (freckled) flowers but they were so high up, I could barely get a good look. Still, I was thrilled that my plant was doing exactly what it was supposed to do.

The first bud on Clematis 'Freckles' as the vine scrambles up Viburnum bodnantense'Dawn'

This past fall I made sure to train the vine so it wouldn't be too high when it bloomed. And it's blooming like crazy!

I brought one vine/stem into my patio and trained it against this little wire thingy.

Winter hardy to only USDA Zone 7a (0 °F), this winter beauty won't survive in the colder climes. I understand how fortunate I am to be able to have it thrive in my relatively mild Zone 8b garden.

You can read more about Clematis 'Freckles' on the International Clematis Society's website.

Joy Creek Nursery also sells this Clematis now. However, as of this writing it is sold out and they haven't yet replenished their stock. It's a fantastic plant and high on my favorites list.

Thank you for visiting.

Again, your comments are most welcome.

Can we say Sarcococca ruscifolia five times real fast? Or at all? It took me awhile. (Sar kuh koh' kuh roo sih foh' leah yuh).

Or you could just say "Sweet Box" but where's the fun in that? I won't go into the plethora of reasons why botanical Latin is critical to proper plant identification but will suffice it to say, if you're a serious gardener, you should strive to embrace it, despite its esoteric nature, pun intended.

Sarcococca is a winter blooming, perfuming machine! A few days ago, I was surprised when I walked past it and caught a whiff of its delicious perfume. I wasn't quite expecting it yet because for the past few years cold temperatures have postponed its bloom by as much as a month. But this year's temperatures have been normal so it's doing its typical January thing.

Sarcococca ruscifolia in bud

I discovered Sarcococca in 2002 while in the throes of my fragrant plant phase. It sounded too good to be true: winter blooming, evergreen shrub, happy to grow in dry shade. In all the time I've had my plants, they've never been bothered by pests, including deer (knock on wood) and on warmer winter days intrepid bees will find their way to the flowers for what I can only imagine is a sweet cocktail.

Although the somewhat demure flowers wouldn't win any designer awards, the branches can be snipped and brought inside for a fragrant, albeit mostly green bouquet. As I write this, I'm enjoying its perfume in a vase on the table next to me. This particular bouquet has been here for almost a week and is still as intense as the day I brought it in.

Eventually the pollinated flowers will form plump, black berries as you can see above. If the conditions are right, the berries will drop, germinate and make new plants. I've also had success in rooting the aforementioned cut branches by leaving them in water (refreshed every week) for a few months.

My first Sarcococca shrub, planted in 2002, about two and a half feet tall and four feet wide.

That same plant while in full bloom.

There are a few other species of Sarcococca out there. Most notably, S. humilis a dwarf, slow growing plant that in my experience, bloomed much later. With a small garden and limited space and because I wasn't as thrilled with its performance, it went buh-bye years ago. However, it is purportedly more tolerant of cold winters, (winter-hardy to Zone 6, -10 °F) so if you're gardening in a colder climate, here you go.

Sarcococca is a fairly common plant, so, gardening peeps if you're growing it, is yours blooming yet? And if you're not growing it, why not?

Wow! Do the weeks go by fast or what? Here it is again, time to discuss another favorite plant.

This week I wanted to focus on two plants of the genus Correa. Have you heard of it? If not, probably because it blooms in the (non-shopping season of) winter and is marginally winter-hardy here in the Pacific Northwest. Ooh, but look at those flowers!

Correa'Dusky Bells'

Starting in September, a succession of pretty pink or white (depending on species) two-inch bells hang from stems cloaked with small, evergreen leaves.

The white bells of Correa alba'Ivory Bells' and C.'Dusky Bells'

Here it is the middle of January and my plants are happy as can be, situated in pots on my covered patio. Hummingbirds enjoy nectaring on the bells, making the plants useful for wildlife which I find enormously gratifying.

I discovered Correa in 2018, while reading about winter-blooming plants. My goal was for more color in the garden, not just for the resident Anna's hummingbirds but also because it's so freaking dreary here during the winter that I needed something colorful to help me keep my sanity.

Correa is an Australia native, hence the common name Australian Fuchsia. It is a tough plant for warmer locales, tolerating poor soil, and drought. The lesson here, try not to pamper your plants too much.

Contrast the foliage of 'Dusky Bells' above to the leaves of 'Ivory Bells' below and you'll notice a distinct difference. Which do you like better?

So far, my two plants have eschewed summer's heat (I grow them in shade) and don't appear to be water-guzzlers. No bugs--including the dreaded adult root weevil--have been an issue. Super easy to grow, long blooming, year round interest... what's not to love?

In spring I move the plants (in their pots) out from under the covered patio onto my open patio that has a large Japanese maple canopy--basically a dappled shade spot. There they sit and grow, taking a backseat to the more showy plants. When they start blooming in September and October, I move them back to my covered patio.

Here you can see the chunky little buds.

C. 'Dusky Bells' was bigger when I purchased the two plants but it is also faster growing.

Correa'Ivory Bells' last year

Correa'Ivory Bells' this year.

This year. It's about twelve inches wide by six inches tall

This year

Unfortunately, I was unable to locate a first or second year photograph of C. 'Dusky Bells'. Below is a photo I took a few days ago. It's about two feet wide and half as tall.

Correa'Dusky Bells' this year

This year

In-ground and in warmer locations, the plants can get quite hefty; we're talking four to six feet wide. Can you imagine the hummingbird fights? Because winters here are not quite that friendly, I'm happy to do the next best thing. I'll cater to my potted plants and enjoy them as long as they will honor me by calling this home.

There is information on C. 'Ivory Bells' here on Plant Lust's website. Information on C. 'Dusky Bells' can be found here: Plant Lust's website

Wholesale nursery, San Marcos Growers in California sells several Correa. You can see descriptions here.

Thank you for visiting. Comments always welcome!

Hi Plant Peeps! I'm back with another favorite plant. This week I will talk about Polygala.

I can't recall where I first discovered this diminutive beauty but I bought my yellow-flowered Polygala chamaebuxus in 2014. It was a tiny thing and I feared it would be swallowed by its billowing neighbors thanks to my cram-scaping tendencies. So I put it in a pot and set it on a shelf on my patio next to the house where it received a bit of protection from the elements.

It started blooming in November and continued clear through the winter!

The common name for this plant is Shrubby Milkwort which is kind of baffling since it is not shrubby, nor does it look the slightest bit milky.

Well, I guess you could say the white part of these two-tone flowers is milky. I'm not normally a fan of yellow flowers but this little winter bloomer brings a bit of cheer to the this gardener.

A bit of leaf damage here but it recovered

I think it was spider mites which happens when the plant doesn't get enough water.

Polygala chamaebuxus is evergreen and winter-hardy in Zones 4-9. How's that for winning attributes?

After falling in love with the yellow-flowered species, the purple and yellow-flowered Polygala chamaebuxus'Kaminski' became a lust plant. Sadly, it was going for exorbitant prices, like $35.00 for a one gallon, small plant.

I figured I'd wait for a more reasonable price. In 2016, Pat at Secret Garden Growers had it for sale so I purchased it from her. Thank you Pat for feeding my never-sated desire for plants.

Here it is, in bud. It looks very Daphne-like, doesn't it?

It's been my experience, as you can see below, that the purple flowers bloom a bit later than the yellow ones.

The yellow-flowered Polygala is almost finished while P. c.'Kaminiski' is just starting.

Did I mention these plants are slow-growing? Last spring I decided to plant them together in a shallow, wide pot. They seem happy here.

However, last summer I set the pot on the ground, away from the house. A few weeks ago I realized that this cooler location had stalled the blooming. So I moved it back on my patio. Buds are forming but it is way behind schedule. The above and below photos were taken last year.

Lesson learned: Keep it close to the house where it receives a bit of warmth and it will be a true winter-bloomer.

There is a truly shrubby Polygala that is not winter-hardy here in the Pacific Northwest.

Polygala myrtifolia'Mariposa' or Butterfly Sweat Pea Bush

In 2015, I bought Polygala myrtifolia'Mariposa' on impulse while plant shopping at N&M Nursery in Hubbard. I knew it wasn't hardy and stupidly left it outside anyway. As I recall, it was a blooming machine, as many tropicals are, blooming right up until a cold spell devolved it to mush. My photos don't do it justice.

Information on several Polygala genera can be found on Plant Lust.

I hope you're enjoying these weekly installments. Thank you for commenting.

Yes moss. Some could call it a weed because it grows like one and attaches itself to anything porous during our rainy season. My hubby uses the white powder to keep it from growing on our house's roof but I gladly allow it in the garden.

You have to get low to really appreciate the diminutive beauty of moss. You have to slow down and study and stroke its softness. You have to be sort of childlike and think about its tiny world and the inhabitants of the moss microcosm. And you have to have a sense of humor, appreciating it for its uniqueness and quirkiness. And you have to marvel at its tenacity.

And I do.

So much for the succulents I planted in this roof garden where moss is king.

Does your garden grow moss? Does it annoy or enchant you?

It's this time of year when I appreciate conifers and broad leaf evergreens. My favorite conifer is the genus Tsuga, also known as Hemlock.

When we think of the Hemlock, we probably think of towering forest trees, right? For sure, Tsuga heterophylla, the Western Hemlock is one of the Pacific Northwest's most treasured conifers. In fact it is Washington State's state tree. You can read about the tree's attributes here.

I don't have many Hemlock photos but I took the one below while visiting Bosky Dell Native Plant Nursery last May. All of the the trees were at that perfect stage with the bright green new growth at the branch tips.

One of Bosky Dell's Hemlocks

My garden is not big enough for a full sized Hemlock since they grow quickly and get up to 240 feet tall. But last year I bought a small tree anyway, just because. It's growing in a pot and eventually, if I don't decide to bonsai it, I'll probably give it to someone who has the space to set it free. For now, though, I'm going to love it right on my patio.

My Tsuga heterophylla tree, today

Below is what it looked like last spring when I got it from LeBeau Nursery through mail order from Plant Lust.

Here's a hint for you all. Small plants are cheaper. Buy small and save some bucks.

And here it is again now looking just as lovely as its towering relatives. Almost.

Here is a close up of the needles. Notice how they gradate to lighter green at the tips? I love this.

The little tree is not my only Hemlock. I have two more, both of which are what we call "Dwarf Conifers", meaning they won't tower at 240 feet.

Tsuga canadensis'Jeddeloh' today with a gnarled driftwood, in case you were wondering

Tsuga canandensis'Jeddeloh' is a Canadian or Eastern Hemlock but it was discovered in Germany at Jeddeloh Nursery.

I bought Jeddeloh in 2018 when my sister and I stopped at Young's Nursery in Roseburg. (Oregon). I couldn't believe it when I saw the one gallon pot on the clearance rack for cheap!

Here it is in 2018, right after I spruced (pun intended) it up.

It had a few issues but I cut off the dead stuff, loosened the tight root ball and planted it in fresh soil.

It has grown fast. I think I'll keep it trimmed to allow the inner branches to be exposed, kind of a quasi-bonsai.

A close up of the needles.

Going even farther back to 2016, my Hemlock fixation was temporarily sated with this beauty. Tsuga canadensis'Gentsch White'.

Tsuga canadensis'Gentsch White' today

I bought Gentsch at Rocky Mountain Nursery in Independence (Oregon). If you're familiar with this nursery, you know they sell mostly the usual plant suspects but at really good prices, i.e., wholesale but open to the public.

A really crappy photo of the new plant in 2016

Supposedly Gentsch has green and white variegation but I really don't see it and I really don't mind that I don't see it. Maybe it was mislabeled. It was named for Otto Gentsch of New York back in 1960.

A close up of the needles

Since Hemlocks are woodland wonders, I am doing my best to mimic nature by growing them on my patio in the shade of a tall Japanese maple. I water them frequently during the heat of summer. Other than that, they are carefree plants.

Who knows, I might find another goodie this year! I'll let you know.

Do you have a favorite conifer?

I believe it's pronounced Hee Bee. At least that's what I say and what everyone I know says. However, taxonomists have changed the genus to Veronica which I can understand because the flowers look very similar to the herbaceous Veronica and it's the reproductive parts that taxonomists use to classify plants. But most of us are still calling them Hebe and we're more interested in the foliage anyway.

My first encounter with Hebe came years ago when visiting the sadly now-defunct Fry Road Nursery. They sold a bunch of different Hebe species and varieties as small, rooted plugs that I would bring home and grow on in larger pots until they were big enough to get planted in the ground. Not always would they survive but that's the way it goes with gardening.

One of my favorite Hebe is a long time survivor. H. albicans 'Pink Elephant' looks its most dramatic in winter. This first photo was taken several years ago when Pink Elephant was a baby.

Hebe albicans 'Pink Elephant' as a small child, notice Hebe 'Shamrock' on the right. It didn't survive

Check out the leaf colors.

Hebe albicans'Pink Elephant' this winter

I need to tip prune it this spring so it will get more bushy. I've been negligent.

Hebe albicans'Pink Elephant'

Here is a wider shot of the Hebe situated in this bed, photo taken yesterday.

Below is a crappy photo of 'Pink Elephant' taken in the summer to show you how ordinary the foliage looks during this time of the year.

And one more photo taken last summer. See the red circled Hebe? It's easy to miss in summer.

Hebes are compact, evergreen shrubs whose native lands are Australia New Zealand. They won't survive cold winters but do really well in the Pacific Northwest. Well, I should clarify. The small-leaved Hebes will do fine with our winters. The rule is, the smaller the leaf, the greater the likelihood it will survive in our climate while the larger-leaved varieties are better suited for the coast and Zone 9 winters.

Not all Hebes are as colorful as 'Pink Elephant.' However, Hebe 'Red Edge' is a close second. Obviously named for the red margin on the gray-green leaves. It's actually more magenta than red though. See it below.

Hebe 'Red Edge'

Below, Hebe 'Broughton Dome' is probably the tiniest of the small-leaved Hebes. It looks like a conifer. No fancy other colors here. Just a gorgeous silver-green.

Hebe cupressoides'Broughton Dome'

Below is Hebe buxifolia (I think) or "Boxwood Hebe". It has been here for probably five years.

Hebe buxifolia

It looks the same in both summer and winter. It makes an easy, year round, low growing presence in the garden. Mine is in mostly shade but it does equally well in full sun.

Hebe buxifolia photo taken today

The below photo was taken in May of 2014, not long after I planted it. This gives you an idea of how fast it grew.

The Hebe is on the far right bottom beside the log.

Another Hebe in my garden is Hebe sutherlandii. It has gray-green, small leaves and also looks fantastic all year.

Hebe sutherlandii

Hebe sutherlandii as a baby, next to Weigela'My Monet' (2010)

Hebe sutherlandii

My Hebe 'Quicksilver' is still really small. I bought it in 2017 and it appears to be a slow grower.

Hebe pimeleoides'Quicksilver'

Tiny gray leaves on elongated stems make it a cool ground cover for rock garden areas.

Hebe pimeleoides'Quicksilver'

I bought two little Hebes at a nursery in Eugene last year. They were not labeled so I'm guessing on their specific identities. Please correct me if I'm guessing wrong.

On the left is Hebe'Emerald Gem' . On the right is Hebe buxifolia'Nana'

Hebe 'Emerald Gem'

Hebe buxifolia'Nana' is smaller leaved than the regular Hebe buxifolia.

Hebe buxifolia 'Nana'

I won't bother you with all of the Hebes I've killed. But now that I've gotten better about protecting cold-sensitive plants, I'd like to try again to grow some of the larger-leaved, summer blooming Hebes. Perhaps 'Great Orme'. My earlier experience with that plant was a success until it wasn't. I can blame that colder than average winter but if I had protected it, maybe it would have lived. As with many plants, I'd like another chance.

What is your experience with Hebe?

This week's beauty is Ribes roezlii or Sierra Gooseberry, a west coast native shrub. I fell in love with it because of the winter-blooming tiny fuchsia-like flowers and bought me a one gallon plant at Seven Oaks Nursery in 2018.

My plant is in full bloom right now.

Ribes roezlii gleaming in the sun

Notice the bright red sepals when the sun is shining on them, contrasted with the dark red when it's not, below.

What was surprising to me is how tiny the flowers are. Check out my daughter's hand holding the penny for scale.

The evergreen leaves are also tiny and slightly glossy. And then there are the thorns!

This is not an easy plant to photograph.

There are red berries that ripen later in the summer but I haven't seen them yet on my plant.

This Ribes seems to be a slow grower and mine is still in a pot. Eventually I'll find a semi-shady spot for it and let it take off. If I don't kill it first. So far, so good.

Native plants are all the rage right now. This is good news because it means more of them will be for sale at nurseries!

Do you grow any native plants?

The other day I asked my sister if she had any crocus blooming and she replied, "No. I don't like them. They remind me that it's cold." Or more specifically, "No, they just remind me that's it's fricking cold out."

I get that. But what I like about crocus is that they remind me that the worst of the cold is behind us and that spring is coming. And they make the bees happy.

Here are random crocus photos I've taken over the years.

Yes. That is dandelion foliage.

Look who the sunshine woke up!

They're reliable. They come back every year, despite my neglect.

This one is protecting itself from the rain and waving at you!

They do have their charm, don't they?

I'm late in delivering my plant of the week. Bad me.

This week's gem is blooming right now. It is Prunus mume'Kobai' one of the Japanese Flowering Apricots. It had been on my wish for at least fifteen years and I don't know why it took me so long to get it, but back in the fall of 2018, my wish came true.

A winter bloomer, Kobai starts blooming at the beginning of February and is still looking nice right now. On warm days I can catch wind of its sweet fragrance.

Prunus mume 'Kobai' flowers

I bought my plant from sweet and super smart plant lady Lucile Whitman at Whitman Farms, located just outside of Salem's west side. If you've never been to her beautiful nursery, you must call Lucile and make an appointment. She's got the coolest stuff, more than what's on her website.

The flowers are small, maybe one inch in diameter, but they're oh so exquisite with their soft petals and frilly insides. They appear on bare branches, followed by the leaves in early April.

Below is a photo of the plant right after I brought it home. It was in October so it was already going dormant. At almost three feet tall and branching, it was already off to a good start.

The stick-looking plant is the Prunus

Unfortunately I don't have a photo of the early bees enjoying the nectar. But they do. Trust me.

Finally, in case you're wondering, flowering apricot trees/shrubs are pretty much strictly ornamental. They produce these cute baby apricots but they are not delicious.

Do you grow this lovely?

This week's pick is the Western Sword Fern. If you live here in western Oregon or anywhere along the northwestern shores of the continent, I'm sure you're familiar with this native fern. It's a common thing indeed, carpeting forest floors and shady roadsides. I've always loved it so when we moved here back in 1997, I made sure to bring along several clumps from our previous home which, conveniently was in a forest.

Those original ferns have grown and made lots of baby ferns and now I have more than I need or want but I'd rather have too many than not enough. I mean, who can kill a cute little baby fern like this?

Baby Sword fern.

Another one

These ferns love to assign themselves as under-story plants on the ground or in containers and on rocks and between pavers, basically anywhere that is moist and shady.

These ferns anchored themselves right here with no help from me.

The one growing in this fern table I made a few years ago is almost too big now.

The one growing in this container with an Aucuba is happy too.

The one growing in this hanging basket is looking a little tattered.

The ones in my woodland area are a little too crowded.

The reason I chose the Western Sword Fern this week is because mid-March is the time to cut off the old growth fronds. I've found that removing them before the new ones unfurl is much easier than waiting and having to be super careful not to cut off the new growth.

These brown fronds are what happens when we don't cut them off.

If you look in the center of the fern, the new furry fronds are about to unfurl.

This fern has been cut back. The hidden fronds will unfurl any day now.

Can you see my clippers hiding in this pile?

Other than cutting back the old fronds, this fern has no other needs and is probably the most carefree plant you can grow. Planted in full to part shade, with moisture until established, there is nothing else to do except stand back and admire.

The fern in this pot is growing with a still-dormant hosta.

So much promise!

Total cuteness!

And while you're fussing over the more fussy plants in the garden, the Western Sword Fern will just sit there with its unobtrusive beauty, complementing its neighbors.

This is what happens when we allow our ferns to do their willy-nilly procreating.

Are you growing the Western Sword Fern?

How are you all doing? I hope you're adjusting to the new normal that the Coronavirus has imposed upon us. For me it's been okay since I work from home anyway. Thankfully the weather has been really pleasant and while I'm not working I'm getting a lot done in the garden. In fact, here it is only the middle of March and I'm way ahead of schedule on winter clean up and other spring tasks. Happy dance!

This week's plant is Sedum forsterianum'Silver Stone.'

Like many sedums this one takes on a beautiful winter blush. Isn't it cool how the pink complements the silvery bluish green?

I have two plants, both in containers right now. I kept one container (above) on my patio. The other one (below) has spent the winter out in the garden.

Stay safe and well, my plant peeps! Thank you for visiting.

Hi Plant peeps. How are you dealing with our new normal? I hope you're keeping healthy and finding lots to do. Hopefully the weather has been decent and you're getting outside.

Last Friday, I went to Costco. The Corona-hoopla wasn't terrible and was made all the better when I spotted plants. I don't typically buy plants at Costco because they're just standard fare. But when I spotted these Armeria I grabbed one.

This species Armeria juniperifolia (or SpanishThrift) is different than what we typically see for sale-- A. maritima or Sea Thrift. In my opinion, this plant is way better. The leaves are smaller and the overall effect of the plant is a much tighter ball of foliage when not in bloom.

Perfect for a rock garden or trough, of which I have several.

Check out the Ameria juniperifoia growing in one of those beds (below).

This plant is a few years old. It puts out its main flush of flowers now but it will flower intermittently throughout the summer.

How cute is this? With the gardener's rule of when-it-works-repeat-it, I'm going to tuck my new Armeria plants wherever I can find room...

This is a really easy plant to grow. What's not to love about that?

And there you have it, my plant of the week, Armeria juniperifolia or Spanish Thrift. Thank you for visiting and happy spring! Keep healthy.

Hi Guys. Now that we're full-on into spring, it's getting more difficult to choose just one plant to feature each week. I contemplated between Fritillaria, Clematis alpina'Constance' and Lathyrus vernus'Albo Roseus'. The latter two will wait but the Frits probably won't, especially if they get pummeled by more hail, so this week I'll feature them.

Fritillaria meleagris in my woodland garden

Fritillaria are small, fall-planted bulbs--one of the "minor bulbs" if you will. They require a good winter chill in order to bloom. There are many species of Fritillaria. We're talking about probably the most common one here, Fritillaria meleagris.

Fritillaria above a carpet of Oxalis oregana

There are common names, like Snake's Head Fritillary, Checkered Lilies and a bunch more you can read about here. But I think Fritillaria rolls off the tongue just fine so I call them that, or Frits for short.

Isn't that the cutest little checkered lantern?

This white one is cute too, yes? It is called Fritillaria meleagris alba.

A few years ago it was easy to purchase Fritillaria bulbs at WinCo grocery store. Twice a year--late summer and late winter--they have a huge display of inexpensive yet quality bulbs for sale.

However, in the past few years Fritillaria have not been included as an option. Maybe they will have them again this fall. If they do, I'm going to grab about six boxes!

Fritillaria uva-vulpis

I also have a small clump of Fritillaria uva-vulpis growing in another section of my garden. I bought these in a four inch pot from a roadside stand several years ago. They haven't increased much but they bloom reliably and make me happy.

And that is my plant of the week. I hope you're enjoying these segments. Thank you to all of you who take the time to comment. I love you. Stay safe and stay home.

Wow. The weeks just fly by. I guess this means I'm old.

I hope you all are staying safe and healthy. In these parts, the weather has turned beautiful. Yesterday's high temperature today was 74 degrees, fairly uncommon for early April and a hallmark for me: I switched from socks and boots to flip flops!

My plant this week is Daphne x transatlantica'Summer Ice.' I could feature this phenomenal shrub any week of the year because it always looks good. However, I chose this week because, although this Daphne has been flowering off and on all winter (and fall and summer...), the flower fragrance rises with the temperature the scent of "jasmine" wafts through the air.

This is the second 'Summer Ice' I've grown. The first one (below) died shortly after I moved it from this spot. I should have known better.

July, 2012

This second one (below) has been here since 2016 and is about 3 feet tall and wide. I have it situated where it gets morning sun and shade by the middle of the afternoon. This seems to suit it fine which is good because it's staying put!

This Daphne does perfectly with our Zone 8 winters and purportedly can take temperatures down to 0 degrees or Zone 7.

Even when 'Summer Ice' isn't in bloom--which is not all that often--the small evergreen leaves with a creamy margin give the shrub a sophisticated look.

After the first year, I stopped watering it, although in summer it probably gets a little water run-off from a large nearby pot I keep hydrated. Other than that, I don't do anything. Admittedly I still harbor the dreaded Daphne-phobia. I've learned: Kindness kills Daphne. Leave it alone and enjoy. You can learn more about this sweet plant here.

Here's hoping you all can receive the essential survival therapies: sunshine and warmth, fresh air infused with floral fragrance and hugs from your loved ones.

I hope you all are enjoying your gardens. I've seen on Facebook that some of you are getting snow. I think snow in April is just wrong and you have my sincerest sympathies.

Speaking of the weather, I'm sure it sounds like I'm bragging when I say that the skies have been clear and sunny here for the past week or so. But it's true, and ironically, we who live in this part of the world can only take so many days of sunshine without the nagging reminder that April is usually a rainy month. And then we worry that maybe we're going to have a drought. The media helps with this.

Onward to the plant on the week, Lunaria ridiviva. This is the perennial Honesty, Money Plant or Silver Dollar Plant. There is a biennial Honesty too (Lunaria annua) that is nice in its own right. But when I read about the perennial Lunaria a few years ago, I thought it would make a great permanent addition to my woodland garden.

Lunaria ridiviva blooming now

I was right of course. But it's taken awhile. Last year It had one little bloom on one little stem. This year the plant has bulked up nicely with lots of stems and flowers.

The plant is about two feet tall and a foot wide. Check out the big heart-shaped leaves.

~~Maybe~~ the best thing about this plant is that, unlike the annual Lunaria, these flowers are intensely fragrant. I mean seriously fragrantly delicious!

Purported to be a spring-bloomer, I'm not sure how long this plant will be in bloom but there are still buds forming.

Just like the annual version, the perennial Lunaria flowers will form silvery seedheads. I don't have any photos of them yet but you can see them here and here.

Lunaria rediviva is easy to grow in any shady spot that gets occasional summer water. It is winter-hardy in Zones 4-9. You can learn more about it on Plant Lust. And did I mention that the flowers are fragrant? I wish there was smell-o-vision. Yummy!

Thank you for visiting.

Hi Plant Peeps. What to choose, what to choose for the plant of the week? So many plants are worthy of a post, as you fellow plant lovers know.

After much contemplation, I decided to go with this lovely variegated Spiraea. Spiraea x vanhouttei'Pink Ice.'

This plant is one of the legacies of the now-defunct Fry Road Nursery. It came as a spunky little thing, in a four inch pot or it could have been a plug since I bought a lot of my plants that way back in the day. This one specifically in the year 2009.

Any plant with "pink" in its name will pique my interest and I swoon over variegated foliage too. I was defenseless against this beauty.

This is how it looked a few weeks ago as the flower buds were forming.

The little sputnik flower buds, protruding from their bright pink petioles are utterly charming.

Eventually, the pink fades to white, and the little buds open to flossy flowers, attractive to bees.

And then after a week or so, the petals fade and fall off.

This picture was taken in 2018

One other nice thing about this plant is that there is lots of new growth at the base. This means that rather than having to deadhead to keep it looking tidy all season, a gardener can cut back the woody stems to the ground. This opens up the plant so the new growth can stretch and grow.

Then, until fall, we are bedazzled with green and cream--with a touch of pink--variegated leaves. Like most, if not all in the genus Spiraea, this one is deciduous so it appears as nothing but sticks in winter. Unlike most Spiraea, however, this one doesn't get that disappointing foliar mildew. (Maybe I'm the only one with this troubling annoyance?)

I've found 'Pink Ice' super easy to grow. Mine is in dappled shade in the morning and a few hours of sun in the afternoon.

It is about 2 feet and 3 feet tall and wide right now.

Pink Ice Spiraea is winter-hardy in Zones 3-9. See more photos and prose here: Plant Lust

Below is a really crappy photo of 'Pink Ice' in August.

(PS. I'm not receiving any compensation for these Plant of the Week posts, [unless you want to pay me]. Just having fun, sharing what I love.)

Thank you for visiting. Go ahead and tell me what you think.

After a ridiculously long self-imposed hiatus from my blog, I'm back. Again, it wasn't easy to pick a favorite because, as all plant people know, there are so many plants to love.

But with Belle Etoile's exquisite fragrance wooing me as I meandered my garden paths, I chose to focus on her. After all, she is in her finest element right now.

In early June Philadelphus'Belle Etoile' or Mock Orange explodes with hundreds of three inch flowers on lax branches. They emit a powerfully, sweet, slightly citrus fragrance.

I bought this shrub back in 2007 from Dancing Oaks Nursery. But nowadays you don't have to seek out a specialty nursery to find it since it's fairly readily available.

My plant is growing in part shade and still puts on quite a show.

A variegated shrubby dogwood (Cornus alba'Argenteovariegata') is situated nearby and I like their white color echo.

The variegated foliage of Japanese Iris (Iris ensata'Variegata') also contributes to the green and white theme. And if you look closely at the upper right of the photo above you'll see a white-blooming Fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica'Hawkshead'). Blooming since early May, this is its earliest ever, thanks to a mild winter.

Once it is finished blooming, I'll cut back all of the lax branches and give it a good drink. It responds well, maybe even better than I need it to.

Now, I'm going to go outside and pick a bouquet. Thank you for visiting.

Here is a cutie pie. Heron's Bill (Erodium manescavi) is a long-blooming, sun-loving front of the border beauty. It is also a nice rock garden plant and will reseed a little if one is lucky.

I got my plant from Robin Parer's Geraniaceae Nursery back in 2018. I knew exactly where I wanted to plant it, under full sun, in loose soil by my outer pond.

It has been growing here ever since, slowly expanding its ferny foliage and increasing its flowering stems each year.

The flowers are a cool, lilac color with slightly darker veining on the petals.

Once the flowers finish, the seed pods develop their signature "Heron's Bill" look.

But that doesn't mean the show is over as more flowers continue to bloom...

...enhanced by the soft, ferny foliage.

Here is my plant a few weeks ago:

It's about two feet wide and twelve inches high now--it's mature size.

The aforementioned "Heron's Bill" seed pods will drop a few seeds and baby plants will emerge. Not nearly enough though, if you ask me.

There you have it, my plant of the week. Thank you for visiting!

In 2007, I bought Mukdenia rossii 'Crimson Fans' after somewhere seeing--I forget now--photos of the pretty leaves. I remember that I spent $18 for a one gallon and at the time, it seemed like such an enormous sum to spend on a plant--such an extravagance for a penny-pincher like myself.

It grew. It's an easy plant with no fussy requirements at all except moist soil. (But wait.)

It's deciduous and in spring, it pushes up new leaves of bronze.

There are also these comparatively banal flowers.

The flowers persist as the leaves grow.

Eventually, if the conditions are right, the green leaves develop a pretty crimson margin--the 'Crimson Fans'. Yes, I'm a fan of the crimson fans.

And this, my friends, is where things get tricky--"if the conditions are right" being the operative phrase. Too much sun and the leaves will burn by turning brown. Not enough sun and the leaves will stay green.

I looked through my photos for really burned leaves but to no avail. Apparently I don't like taking photos of ugly things. Anywho, above and below show leaves with small brown spots--the beginnings of the burn.

The challenge has been finding just the right balance between sun and shade. I've had this plant both in the ground and in a pot, as the trial and error experiment went on, year after year, trying one location after another to meet--but not exceed--the sunlight requirements.

But this year I think I may have finally found it, which is a good thing since my thirteen year old plant is huge now and not so easy to move. But I will admit, I'm not really sure if this year's success is due to the plant's location or the fact that we've had a mild summer so far.

Time will tell.

Mukdenia rossii 'Crimson Fans' is a common plant now and the price has come down. There is also one called M. r. 'Karasuba' which I bought in 2016 for a much cheaper price.

Here are the two, side by side. 'Crimson Fans' on the left and 'Karasuba' on the right. 'Karasuba' is not nearly as impressive and is planted in my full shade garden for now where, admittedly, it is completely ignored.

But 'Crimson Fans'...

That there is some pretty foliage! Are you growing Mukdenia? If so, please share your tips.

When I was about four years old, I distinctly remember the magic of fragrant flowers. It was the face of a pansy flower's soft petals caressing my nose. One of my parents had planted a bunch of them in our front yard on the other side of the driveway. To this day, when I stick my nose in a pansy blossom, I'm that four year old once more.

Circa 1964, My little brother Ronnie and me

Fast forward six years and I'm in Hawaii, discovering good and bad things about life. The good things included fragrant flowers. I remember my mother taking us to visit one of her wealthy friends who lived in a beautiful house and garden on a hillside in Kailua, Kona. Included in the landscape was a ginormous, blossoming Gardenia bush.

Back in Oregon as an adult, my love of plants has never wavered and I continue to love a fragrant flower!

Years ago I bought a 'Kleim's Hardy' Gardenia, erroneously assuming that it would grow in Oregon since it was labeled "hardy." It didn't go well. I still longed for that Gardenia fragrance of my childhood and when Gardenia 'Frostproof' came on the scene I hesitated for fear of failure but in 2013, decided to go for it.

Of course, the following winter would be brutal with temperatures dipping low into the single digits. I tucked a blanket around my baby (one gallon) Gardenia and hoped for the best. And it lived!

September 2014

The next year I was equally tentative of its survival and babied it with blankets during the coldest weather. But it survived and grew more!

July 2015

July 2016

Neither of us could be happier.

July 2017

It usually starts blooming in July.

July 2018

By the end of the month, it is full bloom and will continue until frost.

July 25, 2018

July 2019

The flowers turn brown after a few days and it will improve the look of the plant if they are clipped off. I enjoy the task because of the yummy scent.

August 4, 2019

Here we are, seven years later and the plant is happy as can be, with flowers popping open daily. It stands almost four feet tall and two and a half feet wide. I provide it a compost top dressing and ample water during the dry months to keep the soil moist. It gets morning sun and afternoon shade.

July 2020

I will admit that during the winter months the plant can look a bit ragged. So much so that last year I bought another one gallon plant just in case my first one died. However, it appears that the warm weather of summer is the remedy. Here's my newbie (below), blooming and looking full of promise.

July 2020

Granted, I live in a relatively warm-winter climate, Zone 8b with winter temps averaging about 38 degrees or so. When we do get a freeze it is generally over quickly. If you live in an area colder than Zone 7 (0 degrees Fahrenheit) you could grow Gardenia 'Frostproof' in a pot and bring it inside for the winter. It's definitely worth the effort.

Are you growing this plant? I hope you're enjoying your summer. Thank you for visiting.

After a rare--for August--rainy morning yesterday, most of the taller perennials are bowed over from weight of the raindrops. Especially annoying is the Phlox paniculata and if its flowers weren't so delectable to the swallowtail butterflies, I might be tempted to cut it all back.

Sanguisorba hakusanensis 'Lilac Squirrel' isn't leaning as badly. And it is my plant of the week! Check out the flowers and you'll see why it is called 'Lilac Squirrel'.

This winter-hardy perennial (Zone 4a to 9b) starts out as a 12 inch wide basal clump with dark green, serrated, pinnate leaves.

The green leaves belong to 'Lilac Squirrel'. The leaves edged in white, to S. 'Dali Marble'

Starting in July, flowering stems rise to 4 or 5 feet (in my garden) and produce "bodacious pink boas" as Digging Dog Nursery in California calls them.

Aren't they fun? The typical height of the flowering stems is purported to be 24 inches so maybe it's my cramscaping that fuels their need to reach higher.

As you can see below, the "boas" eventually fade to a tawny color, at which point can be clipped off.

Planted in a full sun or a mostly sunny spot, this plant will perform better with moist, freely draining soil. With its simple met needs, it will increase in size and "flower" production each year. I believe they make cute cut flowers too although I haven't attempted it.

Want a long-blooming, low-growing easy-to-grow, winter-hardy perennial? Look no further than Soapwort, Saponaria x lempergii'Max Frei'.

You may already be familiar with the spring-blooming Rock Soapwort (Saponaria ocymoides). I grew it years ago and loved its warm, pink flowers. But, as things go, I got rid of it. I don't remember exactly why.

Saponaria ocymoides

Back in 2013, while perusing Digging Dog Nursery's website I found 'Max Frei.' I liked that it was a summer bloomer instead of spring and I knew exactly where I wanted to grow it.

I have it cascading over a small rock wall, with a similarly colored hardy Fuchsia called 'Pink Rain' nearby.

The most challenging thing about this plant is trying to get my camera to capture the right color of the flowers. They're a more on the cool side.

'Max Frei' starts blooming in early July and goes until late summer. It doesn't need deadheading. It just blooms and blooms.

When it's finally finished, I just cut the whole plant back. Missouri Botanical Garden's website lists 'Max Frei' as being hardy in Zones 3-7 but I'm in Zone 8b and it does fine for me. I have it planted in morning sun and afternoon shade and I supply it with regular water.

Are you growing this sweet plant?

Pondering Plans for Next Year

Brrr! It's December!

A New Year and A New Format

Plant of the Week: Sarcoccoa ruscifolia

Plant of the Week: Correa

Plant of the Week: Polygala

Plant of the Week: Moss

Plant of the Week: Tsuga (Hemlock)

Plant of the Week: Hebe

Plant of the Week: Ribes roezlii

Plant of the Week: Crocus

Plant of the Week: Prunus mume 'Kobai'

Plant of the Week: Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum)

Plant of the Week: Sedum 'Silver Stone'

Plant of the Week: Armeria juniperifolia

Plant of the Week: Fritillaria

Plant of the Week: Daphne x transatlantica 'Summer Ice'

Plant of the Week: Lunaria rediviva

Plant of the Week: Spiraea x vanhouttei 'Pink Ice'

Plant of the Week: Philadelphus x 'Belle Etoile'

Plant of the Week: Erodium manescavi

Plant of the Week: Mukdenia rossii 'Crimson Fans'

Plant of the Week: Gardenia jasminoides 'Frostproof'

Plant of the Week: Sanguisorba 'Lilac Squirrel'

Plant of the Week: Saponaria x lempergii 'Max Frei'