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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Another of those Random Posts

First, what I got at the Heronswood spring sale in addition to the three begonias from yesterday:

Helleborus multifidus var. hercegovinus  which I first saw and fell in love with at Heronswood years ago but was unable to find except at Pine Knot Farms in Virginia and never got around to ordering it. To me the foliage resembles Syneilesis aconitifolia (Shredded Umbrella Plant) but this is evergreen, slugs don't like it, and it blooms in the winter.  You need this plant! 

One of my very favorite foliage plants for winter, meconopsis paniculata forms a large basil rosette (if it's happy - deep rich soil!) of this amazing gold-haired foliage that glows in the low winter sun and holds droplets of water like jewels.  Unfortunately, it's monocarpic (grows for a time before blooming and dying.)  If the gorgeous foliage isn't enough, the floral display is spectacular! A hirsute multi-branched three to five foot candleabra bearing plump furry little flames arises from the rosette. These each burst open to reveal a red, pink, white, or yellow flower creating a show worthy of Liberace.  Even the seed pods are covered in this golden fur and are gorgeous.  I've never been successful scattering the seed on the ground but when these bloom some year, I'll collect seed and try starting them in pots.

 Geranium palmatum. I've had this several times in my garden.  It seeds politely about after it's magnificent bloom but in a past harsh winter, I lost mine so will bring it back for more fun.

Aciphylla glaucescens is a dangerous plant that enjoys poking people with it's sharp ends.  Perhaps this needs to go live in Portland.

I finally decided to get one of the pink Cardiocrinum giganteums from Far Reaches Farm.  (Mostly because Alison got one last year and we like to copy each other!)

Other developments in the garden:

The tulips are changing from that pink color to orange and looked great just in time for a few days of wind to knock them over. 
 Speaking of tulips, I've never had anything like this happen to tulips before.  It looks as if much of them have been eaten befor they emerged from the ground.  Have you any idea what might have been eating them?  This only happened to one variety of the several I put in and they're planted in different parts of the garden.

I was out moving some things around and found a random plant tag in a bed.  Turns out it belongs to this plant, Strobilanthes gossypinus,  that Rickii liked in an earlier post.  I knew that tag would show up!

Scadoxis puniceus bud is opening!
 Yes, they're sort of novelties but also kind of cute.  Lithops species  and Pleiospilos.  Let's see if I get the watering right!

The Begonia experiment continues - The begonias ordered from Breck's on the same day, February 22, arrived a month later than those ordered from Blackmore and Langdon so they just got planted. However, the others haven't sprouted yet.  I tipped one out of it's pot to see if anything was happening and sure enough there were roots!  Meanwhile, the ones that I overwintered in their pots as I have for years are already putting on growth.  So, the newest begonias added are the row on the left.  Also started is a basket of "fragrant" tuberous begonias.  We shall see!

I often buy basil in the store during the winter that comes in a plastic bag and looks like it may have been grown hydroponically.  At the bottom are those little cell thingies with roots coming out.  Just about to get rid of the last of this, I decided to throw it in a pot with soil instead.  Have you tried this? Did it work?  If not, no loss but if so, free basil plants.

I'm seeing people carrying gallon-sized tomatoes out of the nurseries.  It's still way to early to plant them out here but those big plants sure look nice.  Will my seedlings catch up in time?  Of course, I'll be growing them in the greenhouse so they can keep going as long as they want!

Love the brilliant spring color of this Acer palmatum. 


Happy April Fools' Day!  Was going to try and trick you in some way but y'all are far too smart for that!

26 comments:

  1. That was a hellebore? Wow! Especially as I was already thinking it was a syneleisis when I first saw it. And that Aciphylla...sigh! Tried second time and just saw in our greenhouse yesterday that it was going downhill.

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    1. I love that hellebore and was pleased to find it at the sale. There were only two there and the other one was grabbed pretty quickly. After reading some more information about Aciphylla I'm thinking that it might not make it in my care. You know how it is, you're at a plant sale and something looks really cool...

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  2. That tulip damage has to be slug damage, doesn't it? But you said it emerged that way... hmmm.

    That Helleborus multifidus var. hercegovinus is worth considering, since the shredded umbrella plant is already "on my list".

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    1. I'm hoping that it's just slug damage as I know how to deal with them. Funny thing is that it's all happened on only one type of tulip and some of them are quite near untouched hostas. Maybe this was early, just below the soil food for the slugs.

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  3. Ooooo..so many wonderful things happening in your garden, Peter. Yes, ALL spiky things belong in Portland. Of course they do. If you do successfully plant seeds of Meconopsis paniculata - it looks so wonderful and your description..well..who could resist? :) Still waiting to see what happens with your begonias. My lonely tuber is in its hanging pot outside doing nothing. I hope it makes a go of it. If it does I shall dub it "Peter the Orange".

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    1. If I'm successful with starting seeds of Meconopsis paniculata, I'll have lots to give away! Your begonia, if it wasn't taken in, may have rotted during the winter. If it's still in good shape (your finger doesn't go through the rotted tuber, bring it inside and give it some heat. It'll grow faster and you'll see blooms before October that way.

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  4. I have planted that kind of grocery store basil in the past, and it survived and produced more. Hope yours is successful. I have some shredded leaves and weird flowers on some of my tulips too, I was wondering if it was a disease.

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    1. If the basil dies, no big deal as it was headed for the compost heap anyway but if so, free basil is a good thing! Curious about the tulips, a totally new experience for me!

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  5. Everybody loves Tulips. Looks like slug damage to me, too. Voles cut them off just below the ground. Each one starts to look wan and then a gentle tug pulls out the gnawed off tops.

    A Stobilanthes that isn't purple. Imagine.

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    1. How nice of the slugs. I'll have to put down some nice food for them!

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  6. So...I had to read up on the Scadoxus, which was new to me. One reference for one cultivar said it took 10 years to progress from seed formation to flowering plant. That is NOT for me! I'll be interested to see what people say about your damaged tulips. When I see similar (usually on hostas) I usually think that they got abraded (trod on, raked over, scratched up by an animal) while just underground.

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    1. On the other hand you can get a Scadoxus from Rare Plant Research in Oregon and it'll bloom the first year. They're bulbous plants so they do take a while from seed, like tulips, amaryllis, etc. so getting a bulb is a quicker option. The abrasion theory has merit as some of these were planted in odd spots so might have been walked upon at some point.

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  7. I need to know everything you know about every good plant. That hellebore is a killer.

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    1. You already do know everything I know! My brain function has been outsourced to the interweb. On my own I can't remember the difference between a cactus and a waterlily!
      I'm very pleased to have that hellebore that I fell in love with so long ago!

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  8. Oh man...I bought a pair of Meconopsis paniculata last year, actually up your way when on a trip with Andrew. Sadly they dried out and died. I don't recall seeing them around here anywhere but I will be watching.

    I bet your basil takes off! I've made a habit of planting regular old basil that I buy as cut herbs in the hard plastic "shell" container. I just stick the stems in water for a few days until they start to form roots and then stick them in the ground.

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    1. Meconopsis paniculata can do o.k. in pots but for best performance, they like to be in the ground before May. If their root system is sitting in nice deep rich soil for a while before the heat of summer, they tolerate it better.

      I usually keep the fresh basil on the counter in a glass of water and it invariably grows roots. In the winter, there's no point in trying to keep it but this time of year and with the warm greenhouse, I'm hoping they'll grow, and that I can extend the season a bit.

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  9. Do you recall which nursery was selling the Helleborus multifidus var. hercegovinus? I'd love to get one myself. Thanks!

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  10. I noticed the rare everlasting alium in your last photo. :-)

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    1. I first saw those in your garden when Alison and I visited! Thanks for sharing your source!

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  11. Peter, I've seen this Scadoxis puniceus lily in a Conservatory and you have it in your garden, magnificent! What a nice time spring, daffodils and tulips are flowering. I imagine your tomatoes growing and having many tasty fruits, sure they will.

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    1. The Scadoxis was a lucky find at the Portland Yard, Garden, and Patio Show. A nursery in Oregon, Rare Plant Research, always has interesting plants to buy! I'm looking forward to sharing tomato plants as I planted too many but I wasn't sure how many would germinate.

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  12. Nice additions! And that Scadoxus is beautiful!

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    1. Thanks, Evan! I'm enjoying the Scadoxus very much. I saw some in bloom at the Rare Plant Research open house last May but there were none left for sale so I was happy to find this one. We'll see if it is as interesting out of flower. BTW, the RPR open and sale is on may 16 this year.

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  13. Thanks for the reminder and the ID to go with it.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.