sprig to twig

We have about 10 Italian cypresses scattered along the drive leading to our house. They act like a series of exclamation points. Some shoot up from bare ground, while others provide vertical elements amid lower growing plants.

With Stachys ‘Helen Von Styne’ sending up flowering stalks from her mounds of silvery foliage, it amounts to the best of both worlds. Beloved by bees, these stems also exude a subtle fragrance and avoid flopping.

In late spring, Eremurus ‘Cleopatra’ towers over this same berm, anchored by an Italian cypress at the far end. I might be accused of overdoing the spires, but there are billowy Euphorbias, rounded Rhododendrons and a few groundcovers to soften the effect.

After Cleo has faded, Kniphofia ‘Percy’s Pride’ steps in. I always knew kniphs as red hot pokers, but Percy is more of a white hot poker, pale yellow shaded to light green. K. ‘Primrose Beauty’ is less vigorous, but it may just need a little more sun than it gets on the other side of that Berberis jamesiana.

About mid-summer, Acanthus spinosa produces tall columns of exotic looking blooms that dry in place and are dressing up their berm even now. When happy, they can be thuggish, but I love them too much to complain.

I never know where the foxgloves will show up, but they seem to have a knack for placement. You may recall my puzzlement over the cupped flower at the top of the wand of more expected gloves. I was just reading up and found that it is typical of Digitalis purpurea ‘Monstrosa’.

This Verbascum is another volunteer, so I can’t tie down its identity any further.

I’m not sure these could even be called spires (they are pretty fluffy), but they do reach for the sky, and they sure do inspire me. So what about you? Are there spires in your garden? What are they, and how do you use them?

In case you didn’t know, I wrote a book about getting bitten by the gardening bug and the revelations and little observations that came with that new pastime (some might call it an obsession).

You can order one at the sneak preview price by clicking here. Or, if you just want to know “Why the goofy title?”, the first few paragraphs tell that story, and are included on the order page.

A couple of blogging buddies have written reviews. To read what they have to say, go to Danger Garden and Gardening With Grace. If you haven’t already discovered these two excellent gardener/writers, you are in for a treat when you browse through their blogs.

Please let me know if you would like to be in the loop for notifications of related events like readings, signings, etc. Just leave a comment here, including your email address. I promise not to bombard you with missives…just the occasional update when something new happens.

The fall sale is always calmer than the one in the spring, but this scene at the check-out tables at around 11:30 in the morning was shocking. I have been hearing from friends in the biz that they are just hanging on. The last couple of harsh winters could be discouraging late season splurges as well.

There were quite a few plants in the holding area, but normally there would be people three deep waiting to claim their plants. When I worked in holding, we quickly ran out of designated spaces and had to improvise. I had arrived with firm resolve to resist coming home with a bunch of stuff that would need babying through the winter. I’m going to mark my weakness up to a spirit of largesse in helping to keep these growers growing. On the bright side, there were parking spaces close by (in the shade, no less) and it was easy to chat up the vendors about plants of interest.

Case in point: this fascinating flower was in a booth selling “succulents”, a frustrating generality to those of us who are drawn to this large and varied category. Let’s back up and take a look at the whole plant.

Talking to the woman who was overseeing the booth, I learned that it is a Stepelia, and that this large, blooming specimen with the $25 price tag started a year ago as a plant this size:

for a mere $4.

So on my way home I stopped by Garden Fever to pick up a pot for it. It will be overpotted, as directed, so I am expecting some of those op art flowers to show up next year. I was sure there was more to the name, so I Googled it and found several photos that looked like the very flower, but with different names: Stapelia planiflora? Stapelia lepida?. I also learned that the common name is carrion flower or starfish flower. Then I made the connection: James, over at Lost in the Landscape had written about the stench emanating from carrion flowers…oops. I didn’t notice an odor around the booth, so maybe this is a less offensive variety. Loree has a much better picture on her blog about the sale. I promise I won’t be as long-winded about the rest of my swag.

Acca sellowiana, or Pineapple Guava is Zone 6-9, but it will live in a bigger pot on the front deck until early spring.

As will Drimys lanceolata or Mountain Pepper, a Zone 7 evergreen shrub from Dancing Oaks Nursery.

The coloring on Drimys is a lot like the Madrones, with the deep red stems.

Luzula sylvatica ‘Aurea’ is billed as Zone 5, so it is going into the ground.

Saxifraga ‘Whitehill’

And finally, a little trio of proven winners, Verbascum ariaphaenum, Selaginella krausseana ‘Aurea’ and Cornus canadensis, back there in the dark.

When the plants labeled lemon cucumbers instead began shucking out these, I decided it was time for a new experiment.

I had never made pickles before. It was incredibly easy. With this much raw material at hand, I will be trying out several variations and will let you know if there is a clear standout.

One tip was to put a grape leaf in the jar with the pickles to assure crispness. When I stopped by to see Michelle of Jockey Hill Nursery at the Scappoose Farmers’ Market, sure enough, she had grape vines. This one is a seedless Concord, good for jellies and pies, but it was the leaves I was after.

If you find yourself headed for the coast on Hwy 30 on a Saturday morning, you would be well advised to stop by this market. Michelle has healthy, well-groomed plants and there are always at least 5 that I can hardly resist. This Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’ had to come home with me. Cooking and planting: what a way to spend a beautiful weekend.

Want to see what others are cooking up from their gardens’ bounty? Visit Wendy and she will put you on the right path.

The folks at HPSO talked Loree into opening her garden to a small group and sharing her tips and tricks for growing succulents. I have long admired this garden and gardener online, so I jumped at the chance to meet them both in 3D. I kicked myself for failing to bring my camera (it was hiding out, having learned something from those devious car keys), but I needn’t have worried. Loree does a much better job of chronicling than I ever could here. She almost apologetically admitted that all of her expertise comes from personal experience rather than study. As far as I am concerned, that is the very best kind of knowledge. Plus, I happen to know that she gobbles up every book on the subject before experimenting freely on the hundreds of plants in her collection.

As if soaking up this fabulous garden and pelting Loree with questions were not enough, she used her considerable pull in the local plant community to procure donated plants. There were just enough to go around. I fell somewhere in the middle of the ingenious drawing system for choosing. The big, showy numbers had already been snapped up, but I had had my eye on this little guy right from the start. I never met a Euphorbia I didn’t like. E. mamilaris ‘varigata’ stands 4.5″ tall and is a perfect fit for one of three little metal containers I found in a thrift shop. Doesn’t he look like he is holding up his paws and shouting “Pick me! Pick me!”?

Planting him up gave me a chance to put new information into practice. We had been warned that most succulents will be planted too deeply. Sure enough, you can see the dark line where the soil level reached in the nursery pot. I can see why they do it that way, because he wanted to flop over when the soil covered only his shallow root system. Aha! Here is where the recommended layer of gravel top-dressing came in. Not only is it attractive, but it holds the plant upright without retaining moisture. I applied this same technique to an Agave pup that had been struggling.

Since she knew of the death, last year, of my prickly pear, Loree had saved a paddle from one of hers for me. I am taking no chances with this one, so more potting practice, using 70% potting soil to 30% chicken grit and once again topping off with gravel. I noticed that the Danger Garden employs many cachepots with no drainage holes, so the watering of this plant, similarly housed, will need to be even sparser than usual (I am sure that Loree will correct me in the comments if I am wrong about that). Update: I was right: see comments for the straight scoop.

All in all, this was a perfect way to spend a beautiful, sunny morning. Thanks, HPSO, for convincing Loree to step outside of her comfort zone and try something she wasn’t sure she would be good at. Hah! Loree…I think you might just be finding yourself in demand. You were great!

Almost every Sunday at 1pm there is a seminar of some sort at Joy Creek Nursery. Last Sunday Roger Gossler of Gossler Farms in Eugene, Oregon was the featured speaker.

He was talking about late-season plants, especially shrubs and small trees, to bring interest to a time when many gardens seem to be exhausted by their spring efforts and taking a breather before their fall show. He brought a load of plants to illustrate his points.

He is much in demand as a speaker, so he is comfortable in front of an audience and knows how to keep us engaged and interested. If you ever have the opportunity to travel to Springfield, Oregon, just outside of Eugene, a fine experience awaits you wandering through the magnificent display gardens. Barring that, a mail-order business puts the plants within your reach. A nice tour of the gardens can be found at nest maker. Do not fail to follow the links to part two.

After soaking up all of the stories and background information we were ready to shop. I came away with Rhododendron ‘Ebony Pearl’. Now I am trying to drum up interest in a trip south.

Purchased at the HPSO spring sale in 2006, Enkianthus companulatus ‘Red Bells’ has lived in a pot all this time.

We have determined that this must be the year of its liberation, so we have been moving it around from place to place, trying to determine the perfect spot where we can enjoy the subtle coloration of its bell-shaped flowers and still give it the little bit of shade it craves.

A hand truck comes in mighty handy at times like these. I can move big, heavy pots around with ease, all by myself, using this little garden buddy.

The plant tag said that this small tree would top out at 8′, but the one in the display garden at the Stark Street Portland Nursery is more like 12′ at 27 years of age. My tendency is always to plant things too closely. I will use this information to try to mend my ways and give this beauty plenty of elbow room. It is a relative of Rhododendrons, so we know what it likes. Richard gives his Rhody’s a yearly dose of cottonseed and plants them high, with lots of grit in the hole for good drainage. I’m pretty sure ‘Red Bells’ will thank us with years of May into June blossoms and fall color.

Mothers Day weekend brings the Rhododendron Society’s big sale in the parking lot of the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. Since Richard is a fan, it has become something of a tradition with us. Here is what we came home with this time:

Rhododendron ‘Nancy Evans’ x macabeanum will have creamy yellow blooms with red nectaries (whatever that means).

This is the second Loderi in our collection, Rhododendon ‘Loderi White Diamond’. It should get huge in time, with large fragrant ivory trusses.

Bright red flowers attracted us to R. ‘Markeeta’s Prize’, even though we have had less than perfect luck with red-blooming Rhodys…fingers crossed.

While R was indulging himself, I was off browsing the other offerings. On the left is Acer palmatum ‘Shishigashura’, or Lion’s Head maple. This is an unusual form for a Japanese maple, tall and upright rather than low and weeping. I have been wanting one for years, so I was happy to find this small one in my price range. On the right is Pinus mugo ‘White Bud’, an Israeli introduction with “White buds that glow against the dark-green foliage in winter…”. The plant in the center is a Monkey Puzzle tree, Araucaria araucana, my Mothers Day gift. It is from Means Nursery, but that’s another story.

We though it would be fun to see a nursery and display garden featuring Rhodys to get some ideas about how to combine them with other plantings, so we headed over to Bovees Nursery

Behind this gate is a fully mature garden made by true connoisseurs of the species.

Several of these big-leaved guys took a big hit and were lost, but this one is looking good.

Mature trees like this maple with the beautiful peeling bark provide a canopy of shade.

As does this Prunus serrula.

Something to see at every level. Looking down, these moss-covered rocks give way to seas of white anemones as ground cover.

Other parts of the woodland floor are covered in lacy ferns.

These little pom poms were a form I had not seen before.

Following a trail around the house towards the greenhouse, we came out of the woods into a more open area just as the sun broke through for a few moments. We spent most of the day dodging hailstorms and cloudbursts.

The next few pictures were taken in the greenhouse, where the largest collection of the semi-tropical Vireya rhododendrons in North America (perhaps the world) are housed.

The owners of this nursery are slowing down as age catches up with them. It shows in the haphazard labeling and pricing, as well as their willingness to shoot the breeze endlessly with visitors. We learned a lot, and came away with a warm feeling about the place. We did not come away with any plants. We felt kind of bad about that, but it was hard to tell what was for sale (many areas were roped off with not for sale signs) and nothing that interested us had any kind of labeling. In hindsight we would have made at least some sort of token purchase, but the skies opened and we dashed for the car. Maybe we will go back on a nicer day, pick up an unusual plant or two, and remember to ask about those “nectaries”.

Beautiful spring days have been few and far between this year, so when last Saturday dawned bright and clear, I knew it was time to head for Joy Creek Nursery.

An early visit allows one to focus on emerging plants like this Rogersia. Sorry, I failed to make a note of the full name, but I will be back to see if it maintains the wonderful bronze tones it is showing early in its cycle. If so, I must have one of these.

No slug damage on these emerging Hosta leaves, and the light was just right to emphasize the dance created by their veining.

And speaking of dancing foliage, get a load of this clump of Muscari macrocarpum ‘Golden Fragrance’. It is always a learning experience to see how they do things here. I have been wanting some of these, and now I will order up a small amount and plant them all in a clump, like this, rather than spreading them out.

The almost needle-like leaves of Berberis lologensis stay on the plant through the winter. Its flowers are more prominent than those on most barberries.

When you have a nice bamboo grove like the one at the entrance to Joy Creek, the bonus is plenty of material to build structures like this.

Vignettes of conifers have kept this garden interesting all winter. Now they take more of a supporting role as the divas begin to take the stage.

I have written often about the way they have limbed up the huge Rhododendrums around the house, so I thought I should show you what they look like. Quite an improvement over the way they so often are allowed to become big, dark blobs of leaves in foundation plantings around town.

Several of these metal sculptures do their part to keep things interesting.

This was not primarily a shopping trip, but after all the hospitality shown me it would have been downright rude to leave empty-handed. I have been wanting a Madrone to add to my evergreen drive, so right after I leave you, out I go to plant this Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Harmony’. Oh, and about that hospitality…if you go on a weekend, they make the best chocolate chip cookies!

We had a morning meeting, then some time to kill before meeting a cousin to look at a house he just made an offer on. First stop, Concentrates. If you are a Portlander and you do not know about this place, I highly recommend clicking on the link to learn more. It is a great place to find all of the nitty gritty unglamorous supplies like corn gluten meal in 50# bags for about the same $$ you would spend on a small amount of a name brand product. While I was waiting for my haul to be loaded into the car, I spotted this:

…across the street. To fully appreciate it, you must know that this is a heavily industrial area where most businesses shun any attempt to green up their surroundings. Doesn’t that undulating hedge look like a magic carpet ready to whisk us away to never never land?

Here’s a close-up. This must have been trimmed just recently. Just look at the sheer wall of hedge rising from the sidewalk. I will have to remember to check this out the next time I’m there to see if it is always this sharp. Usually topiary shapes spend a good deal of their lives looking a little out-of-focus.

Well, we were only 50-some blocks away from Portland Nursery with still a little time to kill. No-brainer, right? Richard had some questions he wanted to find answers to, so I just wandered around with my camera.

The very first place my eyes landed was this shrub/small tree next to the garage door in the parking lot. I got the name and wrote it down, but that elusive small scrap of paper has disappeared into the chaos of my studio. It sounds like Gary-I, but the spelling escapes me. Those dangling tassely things are haunting me. I may have to have one, and I know where to find it, even without that scrap of paper. Update: it is Garrya elliptica. It turned up in this morning’s Oregonian as Lori Vollmer’s favorite shrub, and was identified in comments here by Danger Garden’s Loree, complete with reference to a nearby source. Ain’t blogging grand?

Even in this plant mecca, things are looking a little sparse.

But a smattering of daffodils here and there does a lot to liven things up, and we get to glimpse some of the props that work behind the scenes to keep things looking perky later on.

The simple concrete retainer along the sidewalk has donned a mantle of moss to lend it character. The Hellebores spilling over it were a lesson to me. Mostl of the leaves had been removed. I guess I will try that this year, though I do love those leathery, sawtoothed leaves nearly as much as the flowers.

The liberal use of evergreens in the borders assure year-round interest.

I wonder if my upcycled Christmas tree will ever look this fabulous.

If you have had doubts about what a few strategically placed big rocks can do for a garden, this should tip the scale.

During the high season, things like the wonderful structure of this tree are obscured by explosions of color against a green background.

This tree is blooming on bare branches, so we get to enjoy the flowers while the structure still shines through.

I couldn’t resist stepping inside for a peek around. Whoever does the staging here does a great job of setting up groups of special plants to tempt us.

Good thing I was on a short leash. The pot selection is huge.

I’ve always admired Henry Lauder’s Walking Stick. Now that I have seen him dressed in this tasseled garb, I’m pretty much a goner.

One more stop was squeezed into our afternoon, but I think I will save that for next time. I don’t want to wear out my welcome.