Archive | 2013

Japanese Maple: Acer palmatum ‘Seiryu’ & Update: Begonia ‘Encanto Red’

Acer palmatum ‘Seiryu’ (Zones 6-8)

Henry Mitchell, author and garden writer extraordinaire, once said of his garden, “it is the cycle, not the instant, that makes the day worth living”. I agree. Enriching the garden experience year-round is the raison d’être of one of my favorite plants, award-winning Acer p. Seiryu’. The plant is quite unique, one of the few Japanese Maple upright dissectum cultivars. Conventional lace-leaved maples weep or cascade.

In the Fall, this lovely multi-branched tree’s fine, bright green foliage turns into a handsome palette of autumnal colors. As evidenced by the photos below, the colors are constantly mixing and changing; ultimately, before the leaves drop, they settle for a spectacular fiery display. And did I mention that Seiryu’s bark is a fabulous shade of green?

copyright 2013 --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

copyright 2013 --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

Japanese Maples flourish in shade, in well-drained acid soil with adequate water. In my organic garden, Seiryu has been a vigorous grower and disease free. Seiryu means blue-green dragon. Surely every garden needs one of those.

My tree came from RareFind Nursery. (See LINKS)

 

Update: Begonia ‘Encanto Red’

Speaking of interesting growing cycles, Begonia ‘Encanto Red’ deserves an updated mention. (See the June 3, 2013 blog post, “Beguiling Begonias”.) Encanto Red is a summer-fall, non-stop annual. In the Spring, pop it into a container in a bit of shade and then stand back and enjoy: As the months go by, the flower show gets better and better. (May-October photos below tell the story.)

copyright 2013 --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

copyright 2013 --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

Purple-leafed Canna ‘Australia’ plays well with ‘Encanto Red’.

copyright 2013 --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday and New Year.!

Bee Update

Where is Teddy Roosevelt when you really need him?

He had the courage to stand up to power, to take on corrupt politicians and industrial barons in order to protect the American people and the environment. (For a comprehensive and detailed account, see Doris Kearns Goodwin’s The Bully Pulpit, Simon & Schuster 2013)

Now, by protecting the giant companies that produce toxic chemical pesticides, the EPA is a complicit enabler in the wholesale slaughter of bees — and who knows what all else.  Our regulatory agencies are marching arm-in-arm with the industries they were created to regulate. (See May 1, 2013 blog post, “Beauty and The Bees:  Going, Going, Gone?”.)

Teddy must be turning over in his grave.

The latest move by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) illustrates well whom it favors. Soon after being sued by beekeepers and environmental and consumer groups who demanded a recall of the EPA approved uber-toxic neonicotinoid pesticides, the Agency went into action. In a transparent effort to counter adverse public opinion, it backed off its decision to do nothing until 2018 and instituted a new neonicotinoid pesticide package-labeling scheme (scam?) which states:  “When Using This Product Take Steps To: Minimize exposure of this product to bees and other insect pollinators when they are foraging.”

Sounds good, doesn’t it? But it’s self-policing — leaving it up to the poison applicator to do the right thing. And we all know how that works out. As did President Teddy Roosevelt.

Note too that the original package is the only place where the protective-use instruction is required to appear. By the time the poisons are in the hands of the applicators — who are not always the initial buyers — the original packaging may be long gone. Moreover, the EPA left no doubt of its true intent when it explicitly provided that the protective directions for use “are not intended to be placed under each crop or site” where the poisons are applied. Why not? Site placement informs the public and might lead to independent violation reporting. Isn’t that a good thing?

In addition, the EPA attached a slew of exceptions that completely eviscerate any protection for pollinators. For example, no pollinator protection is necessary if the poisons are applied after sunset or when temperatures are below 55 degrees F. The EPA is well aware that these poisons are persistent and if applied after sunset will still be lethal to bees the next day and thereafter. Ditto for the temperature exception. Indeed temperature change — upwards — can occur quickly. The Environmental Protection Agency knows these things.

Yet, there is some good news on two fronts: The lawsuit against the EPA  is moving ahead — it’s currently in the pre-trial motion stage. And Congressmen Conyers and Blumenauer have introduced the Saving America’s Pollinators Act (H.R.2692). There are 38 co-sponsors of the bill.

More good news are the photos below, taken at first light in the garden, of sleepy bumble bees on Rosa ‘Pretty Lady’ and Passiflora ‘Incense’. [ See blog posts, “Superstorm Sandy & Rosa ‘Pretty Lady’ ” (Nov.13, 2012) and “Hibiscus ‘Jazzberry Jam’ & Passiflora ‘Incense’ ” (Aug.11, 2012). ]

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

Surely sights worth protecting.

 

 

Autumn 2013: Japanese Maples

The foliage color of Japanese maples has been nothing short of spectacular, getting better and better with each passing day. I’ll let the trees speak for themselves:

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

DSCN4117

 

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

I’m equally captivated by maples that possess beautiful bark color, form, etc., so I’m going to devise a lecture — and blog posts — focusing on outstanding cultivars for the home garden. Stay tuned.

For now, I’m thinking about Thanksgiving and I’m delighted to share my recipe for cranberry sauce. It’s so simple and delicious you’ll never used canned again.

 

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Combine in a saucepan two cups of sugar and one cup of water. Bring to a boil without stirring. Cook this syrup for 5 minutes over medium heat. Meanwhile, wash 1 lb of raw cranberries, add them to the syrup and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until they burst. Then, remove the pan from the heat and stir in one-half cup of apricot jam and one-quarter cup of fresh lemon juice. Chill the sauce. Makes about 1 quart. I usually double or triple the recipe because it stays well in the fridge and it’s versatile—wonderful on toast for breakfast or with chicken for dinner. And, if you are feeling generous, spoon the sauce into pretty jars and give them as gifts. Enjoy!

Note: For another great Thanksgiving idea see my November 13, 2012 post, “Superstorm Sandy & Rosa Pretty Lady”

 

Variegated Plants: Caryopteris ‘White Surprise’ & Arundo donax ‘Peppermint Stick’

I’m a variegated plant groupie. Can’t resist them. Here are two outstanding new additions to my garden:

 Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘White Surprise’ – Zones 5-9

As soon as I saw this beauty in Patricia W’s garden, I had to have it.

Pat’s stunning landscape was filled with unique and interesting plants, but the shrub’s bold white-edged foliage was enough to make it a standout – even before flowering. I visited her garden in July; the lovely blue flowers, irresistible to bees, don’t appear until late summer or early fall  an added special bonus for the gardener and the bees. When I finally acquired my plant in September, it was in bloom and the bees zeroed in on the blossoms even before White Surprise was in the ground. (Photos below)

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

If, like me, you delight in having bees buzz about the garden but variegated plants are not your thing, no problem. Bees don’t discriminate and will happily savor the flowers of the green-leafed cultivars. (See photo below taken at Longwood Gardens in PA.)

copyright 2013  –  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

C. x ‘White Surprise’, a low-mounding shrub, will do best in well-drained, fertile soil, in sun or part shade. It flowers on new growth and can be pruned back in late winter without ill effect much like a herbaceous perennial.  And it is said to be deer resistant.

 

Arundo donax ‘Peppermint Stick’ – Zones 6-9

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

All I can say is WOW!!!!! No shy violet this one. I love it.

Peppermint Stick, a green and white variegated Giant Reed Grass, is a dramatic, focal point-specimen plant that can reach 10 feet or so. Likes sun, isn’t particular about soil, and will spread by underground rhizomes forming large clumps. (Can you imagine the impact of that? Can’t wait.) Most important, it retains its showy variegation even in summer – a big improvement over earlier cultivars like A. donax ‘Variegata’.

 

 

 

 

Franklinia alatamaha: An American Story

Now you see it, now you don’t!

The New York Times reports that United States Supreme Court opinions have cited to materials on the internet that “are very often ephemeral.” In short, you click on and get a whole lot of nothing, and as a result: “The modern Supreme Court opinion is increasingly built on sand.” (The New York Times, 9/24/2013, p. A13.)

Moreover, this disappearing-text-dilemma is not limited to Court decisions; the problem of lost data is universal, affecting all web-users—including bloggers.

My garden club recently visited Longwood Gardens in PA., the former estate of Pierre S. du Pont. There was much to see and admire, including a very fine example of our beautiful native tree, Franklinia alatamaha. Seeing it reminded me of my blog about Franklinia’s fascinating history, so with some trepidation–triggered by the New York Times piece—I re-visited the 2012 post. Worse than I feared: The title, some of the text, and the photos were gone. Simply vanished. A pox on those responsible!!!!!!!

Here is a restored and hopefully permanent post:

I like plants with a back story, a history, and there’s none better than Franklinia alatamaha.

 

copyright 2012  -- Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2012 — Lois Sheinfeld

It all began with John Bartram (1699-1777), a botanist and nurseryman from Pennsylvania, who traveled extensively in colonial America collecting native plants for customers in the colonies as well as in Europe, including the English aristocracy. As reported by Andrea Wulf in her fascinating, informative book, The Brother Gardeners, in England, “a landscape garden filled with Bartram’s trees and shrubs had become the way to show one’s wealth and taste.” The Duke of Richmond, for example, planted 400 different American species at his estate.

This “taste” for American plants led to a rash of plant thefts, which in turn, Wulf tells us, led to a Parliamentary Act providing that plant thieves could be sent to an American penal colony. [An American penal colony? Did Wulf confuse us with Australia? I decided to do a little research of my own and discovered that from 1620-1776 about 50,000 British criminals were transported to the colonies in North America to serve out their sentences, primarily as indentured servants. It was not until a decade later that convicts were sent to Australia.]

But I digress. Back to John Bartram and Franklinia alatamaha.

On a plant-hunting trip in 1765, Bartram and his son William discovered Franklinia along the Altamaha river in Georgia. The plants were not in flower, so they could not collect seed. William finally accomplished this task on a solo return trip in 1776, and at the Bartram farm in PA successfully grew plants from the seed.

After 1803 Franklinia was never again seen in the wild; it is believed that every tree now in existence may be traced back to the seeds collected by William Bartram in 1776. Living history in our own backyards!

John Bartram died in 1777 without ever seeing the exquisite flowers of his discovery. (William’s seedlings didn’t flower until 1781.) The tree was named Franklinia in honor of John Bartram’s great friend, Benjamin Franklin, with whom he and other scholars founded the American Philosophical Society. (This prestigious Society was dedicated to furthering knowledge of the natural sciences. In 1803, in preparation for The Lewis and Clark Expedition of exploration, President Thomas Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis to the Society to receive instruction from the nation’s leading scientists.)

In rich, acid, well-drained soil with adequate moisture, Franklinia will produce radiant, fragrant, snowy-white flowers in late summer-early fall. (Photo above) In my garden, when the flowers fade, the foliage takes on shades of vibrant red and orange. What a treasure!

Note: Franklinia is quite cold hardy (z5) and seems to do better in the Northeast than in the South–its place of origin–where it is said to be short-lived.

September 2013 : Begonias, Act 2.

Since my June 3 Post, “Beguiling Begonias”, the stars of the piece have been in continuous, glorious bloom, admired by one and all. And they show no sign of stopping. Outstanding annuals for outdoor containers!

My favorite? A difficult choice, but based on flower and foliage I guess B. x benariensis ‘Whopper Red with Bronze Leaf’ has a slight edge. (Recent photos below).

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

With the advent of autumn, Begonia grandis jumps in and demands equal billing. This winter-hardy, low-growing perennial is one tough customer. Years ago it began life in a shady border and when attacked by voles packed its bags and moved to the safety of the adjacent gravel path where it thrives and self-seeds. I never cease to marvel at the ingenuity of plants.

The begonia has lovely, heart-shaped green leaves with bright, reddish-maroon veined undersides, and clusters of Fall-blooming, pendent, dainty white blossoms. (Photos below). While there is also a pink flowering form—an equally vigorous, reliable bloomer—I favor white flowers because they  stand out better in shade, Begonia grandis’s preferred location. With well-drained soil and adequate moisture the plant will prosper.

 

copyright 2012  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2012 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

copyright 2012  -- Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2012 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

 

Summer 2013: A Tale of Two Dazzling Dogwoods

Cornus kousa var. chinensis ‘Milky Way’ (Zones 5-8) is a summer celebration all by itself. Believe it or not, it has been in continuous bloom since June, two months and counting. For flower power, no other tree in our area comes close. (Photo proof below: June, July & August.)

 

copyright 2013  -- Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

copyright 2013  -- Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

copyright 2013  -- Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

I purchased Milky Way in 1995 because it was said to have an “extended period of bloom”. An understatement, to be sure. It certainly has exceeded all expectation. Moreover, when the flowers finally fade, the tree produces abundant, showy, raspberry-like red fruit beloved by song-birds, and in the Fall, before the leaves drop, its dark green foliage turns glorious shades of autumnal orange. A dramatic multi-season performer.

Kousa dogwoods are free of the dreaded anthracnose disease that has devastated our native population of dogwood, Cornus florida. Indeed, for the eighteen years it has graced my organic garden, Milky Way has been entirely disease-free. The tree flourishes in rich, moist, acid, well-drained soil. While the literature calls for a sunny location, mine does well in shade.

(Warning Note: Be aware that Milky Way is said to have confused parentage resulting in possible variations in the trees offered for sale.)

 

Cornus kousa ‘Summer Gold’ (Zones 5-8), purchased this Spring, is a new variegated dogwood introduction with radiant green foliage thickly edged in gold. Unique and fabulous! (Photos below.)

copyright 2013  -- Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

For added interest, creamy white flowers appear in Spring and its Fall foliage is a vibrant red. This tree is very compact, 8-10 feet at maturity, making it a perfect addition for a small garden. I planted Summer Gold near Milky Way so I can sit on my bench and admire both at the same time. (The first photo shows their proximity.) They share the same culture requirements.

 

 

Update of Post August 11, 2012

I’m delighted to report that Hibiscus ‘Jazzberry Jam’ is reliably perennial. It came back this year a-bursting with flowers. (Photo below.)

copyright 2013  -- Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

Hot Tips: Something Old and Something New . . .

Something New Up First.

You can never have enough hydrangeas. What would summer be without them? And I’ve just acquired a recently introduced sensation: Hydrangea macrophylla Let’s Dance Starlight ‘Lynn’, z 5-9. Quite a mouthful, but it’s quite a plant, the first lace-cap hydrangea that blooms on old and new wood. A rebloomer and a beauty.

Lynn’s large showy flowers are ph sensitive: pink in sweet soil and blue in acid. Mine arrived pink (see photo below) but in my acid soil I expect the blossoms will eventually turn shades of blue and purple. Among her other virtues, Lynn thrives in sun or shade, and at a compact 2-3 feet would be ideal for large or small gardens. Provide rich, moist, well-drained soil, and encourage new growth and maximum bloom by removing spent flowers.

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

I bought Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Lynn’ at Lynch’s Garden Center, 175 North Sea Road, Southampton, N.Y., phone 631-283-5515, which has an extraordinary selection of plants and garden supplies. Local one-stop shopping at its best. Also worthy of mention is the helpful and knowledgeable staff.  (Thank you, Jessica.)

 

Clethra barbinervis, Z 5-7  (Japanese Tree Clethra) is the old-timer in my garden. I guess it’s about fifteen years since I purchased a small plant from Broken Arrow Nursery (Blog Link) at the recommendation of Broken Arrow’s owner, renowned plantsman and mountain laurel guru, Richard Jaynes.

I don’t understand why this fabulous tree is not better known, or at least as popular as its kissin’ cousin, the fragrant flowering native shrub, Clethra alnifolia. My tree is now about 16 feet and displays exfoliating bark that reveals stunning patches of burnished cinnamon, much like Stewartias and Crapemyrtles.  Its foliage is a lustrous dark green and in July and August the tree dazzles with an abundance of fragrant, panicles of snowy-white flowers. (Photos below).

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

C. barbinervis thrives in shade. Just provide rich, moist, well-drained soil.

And I’m happy to report that it hasn’t suffered a whit from the nightmarish, mega heatwave we are currently suffocating under. Unlike this gardener.

 

 

Summer 2013: Albizia ‘Summer Chocolate’ & Hydrangea ‘Ayesha’

Yes, Virginia. You can satisfy those chocolate cravings without worrying about calories. It’s a piece of cake in the garden with Albizia julibrissin ‘Summer Chocolate’.

This remarkable tree and I have quite a history.

I’m reminded of a bit of popular garden wisdom: “You should not give up on a plant until you kill it three times.” Silly advice, isn’t it? There are too many fabulous plants and—regardless of the size of your property—never enough planting space to be saddled for years with non-performers. In my garden, as a general rule, it’s one strike and you’re out. Yet every rule has an exception. Reason flew out the window when it came to Albizia julibrissin ‘Summer Chocolate’, the purple-foliage mimosa tree.

When I lived in California, I admired the green-leaf mimosa with its graceful fern-like foliage and captivating pink flowers that attracted masses of colorful butterflies. But it wasn’t until I saw the purple-leaf variety in a Hamptons garden that admiration turned to obsession.

Over the years I searched it out, bought and planted it twice, and twice it died. But the third time was golden. A beautiful, well-grown plant survived the worst winter in memory and flourishes in my zone 7 garden.

Mimosas aren’t picky about soil ph but they do like full sun, and lots of it. The best I can offer is a few hours of filtered sun, so my tree may not produce flowers. Disappointing to be sure, but for me (sorry butterflies) it’s all about the foliage. (See photo below).

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

Another unique beauty, Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Ayesha’, was acquired this Spring. The mophead flowers, made up of distintive, tiny, spoon-shaped florets, start off pink, but in my acid soil turn a striking, violet-pink. And the florets eventually open to reveal amazing blue centers, providing a wonderful contrast with the bluest of blue lacecap hydrangeas planted in the same bed. Ayesha also boasts outstanding, thick, dark-green healthy foliage, so important in my organic garden.  (Photos below.)

 

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013  -  LoisSheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

I purchased H.m.’Ayesha’ from Hydrangeas Plus, hydrangeasplus.com, which offers an extensive mailorder selection of healthy, blooming size plants.

 

There are so many extraordinary hydrangeas to choose from, one needn’t be limited to the same-old, same-old, over-hyped, H.’Endless Summer’. As for example, one of my favorites, H. macrophylla ‘Bottstein’, produces a colorful array of mopheads in shades of purple, blue and pink. All at the same time. Even in the same flower. (See photos below.) And in the Fall , its foliage turns a rich, dark, red-purple. ( For photos and information about other exquisite hydrangeas, see my earlier Blog post of July 8, 2012, “Summer 2012: Heavenly Hydrangeas”.)

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

 

 

 

Evergreen Azaleas: La Crème de la Crème

For flower power and multi-seasons of interest in a shady garden, evergreen azaleas are an ideal choice. And this year, despite the horrific winter, they have been garden superstars. It was difficult to choose among them — they were all clamoring to be included —  so I’ve tried to showcase a diverse, interesting selection of old and new introductions possessing good foliage as well as fabulous flowers:

 

Rhododendron ‘Benjamin Morrison’ (photos below of flowers and buds)

Named in honor of hybridizer Benjamin Yeo Morrison, this is one of the 454 azaleas he developed at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Introduction Station in Glenn Dale, MD. He began his breeding program in the late 1920’s and succeeded in creating new hardy azaleas with large flowers, known as the Glenn Dale hybrids.  Morrison served as the first Director of the United States National Arboretum, and the Arboretum’s dazzling Spring display of his azaleas in bloom draws hundreds of admirers every year.

I have a special affinity for R. ‘Benjamin Morrison’ because it was recommended to me by my friend, the late Hank Schannen, an extraordinary plantsman. It was his favorite evergreen azalea.

copyright  2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

copyright  2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

Rhododendron ‘Martha Hitchcock’ ( photos below)

Martha is another bi-color Glenn Dale azalea. When Morrison was asked for a list of his “choice cultivars”, Martha Hitchcock was one of the nine he recommended.  “The flowers are so wonderful”, he said, “anyone would be a fool to pass them by”. But he also said that as a young plant Martha is “stringy-looking”. Don’t let that worry you. Have patience. I know from experience that given time to establish, Martha Hitchcock will not disappoint.  ( B/T/W, in case you are wondering, Martha Hitchcock was not married to Wild Bill; she was the wife of A.S. Hitchcock, a botanist and author of the classic treatise, Manual of Grasses of the United States.)

Copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

Copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

Rhododendron ‘Marshy Point’s Lavender Miss’ (photo below)

Would you believe, a Martha Hitchcock look-alike on hormones?  Semi-double flowering R. ‘Marshy Point’s Lavender Miss’ is an exciting new introduction from an outstanding, albeit not well-known azalea breeder, Harry C. Weiskittel, founder of the wholesale family owned and operated Marshy Point Nursery in Maryland. (Weiskittel also introduced ‘R. Marshy Point’s Humdinger’, in my opinion one of the best multi-season blooming evergreen azaleas. See my Blog posts of March 1, 2013 and November 2011.)

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

Rhododendron ‘Marshy Point’s Daisy’ (photos below)

My most recent Weiskittel azalea addition, Daisy, is a knockout. In May and June gorgeous, large, single, peachy-pink flowers cloak her pristine, shiny green foliage. And the foliage suffered no winter damage this year. Amazing! (Don’t tell the others, but I think she’s my new Marshy Point favorite).

copyright  2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

Rhododendron ‘Amoena'(photo below)

Amoena is a very hardy, old-timey, Japanese Kurume hybrid, a group of azaleas with breeding and selection going back hundreds of years. With masses of tiny hose-in-hose vibrant magenta flowers in May, bronzy-green foliage in the fall, and at maturity a majestic presence, she would be an awesome addition to any garden. Yet for many years she has been out of fashion, out of favor, and impossible to find in the trade. That’s changing, slowly. Grab her if you can.

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

Note: For evergreen azalea culture information see my Blog post: Azalea ‘Marshy Point’s Humdinger’ (March 1, 2013).

 

 

Update: The Encore evergreen azalea, R. ‘Autumn Embers,’ survived the winter looking more everbrown than evergreen. It did bloom in the Spring but it was a sparse display — nothing like its Fall flowering. I’ll give it one more year before making a final judgment. Update 2014: Plant removed.

And Clematis ‘Omoshiro’ from Klehm’s Song Sparrow Nursery did bloom for me in the Spring. (See Blog post, The Next Best Thing 2013: Part 2, Jan.26, 2013).  In fact, my Omoshiros are still in flower, both in the ground and in containers. Enchanting plant. (photo below)

copyright  2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

Beguiling Begonias

Every year I resolve to do less in the garden, particularly when it comes to filling scads of pots with annuals that require daily watering in the summer.  Dragging the hose about in hot, humid weather has lost its appeal. But like New Year resolutions honored more in the making than in the execution, as soon as I see the plants my resistance dissolves.

This year three enchanting annual begonias won me over — love at first sight sort of thing. They are worth the effort. As British author, Iris Murdoch, wisely noted,” One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats”.  These garden “treats” make me very happy.

Begonias do well in outdoor containers and will bloom from Spring to frost. They appreciate rich, evenly moist soil, in shade or part sun. And they attract bees and butterflies.

Begonia ‘Encanto Red’

For several years I have filled containers with the showy Begonia boliviensis ‘Bonfire’. This year Bonfire has been replaced with the showier, flamboyant and gorgeous, semi-upright, B. ‘Encanto Red’. (I do not exaggerate. See photo below).

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

Dragon Wing hybrid Begonia

I saw this newly introduced beauty growing in a hanging basket but knew at once it would be the perfect plant for my favorite pot. (Photo below.)

copyright 2013 - Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

Begonia x benariensis ‘Whopper Red With Bronze Leaf’

A wonderful plant with its shiny bronze foliage and large flowers. Aptly named, Whopper Red can grow 2-3 feet tall and as much across. An added bonus is its excellent heat tolerance. (Photo below)

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

I purchased the three begonias from Halsey Farm & Nursery on Deerfield Road in Watermill , N.Y., phone: 631 726-4843; halseyfarmstand@gmail.com. They have an outstanding selection of annuals, perennials and vegetable plants. ( No surprise. They have been at it for a long time. This family farm was started in 1747.)

Fabulous Bloomers: Halesia carolina ‘Wedding Bells’ & Nemesia fruticans ‘Opal Innocence’

Luther Burbank, the prominent American horticulturist, once said, “Flowers always make people better, happier…they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.” So true. Here are two fabulous flowering plants to savor in your own backyard:

Halesia carolina ‘Wedding Bells’ (Carolina Silverbell z.4-8)

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

Halesia carolina is an enchanting, native understory tree, requiring rich, well-drained, moist, acid soil. For over fifteen years, in my shady garden, it has been a reliable and profuse May bloomer with no pest or disease problems. The cultivar ‘Wedding Bells’ flaunts larger snowy-white bellflowers than the species and to my mind is a showier performer. In the Fall, the tree produces interesting 4-winged seed cases which carry on the show until frost. I also grow a pink-flowering Halesia but while the flowers are lovely, the tree lacks vigor.

 

Nemesia fruticans ‘Opal Innocence’ (z.9-10)

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

As soon as I saw this annual dazzler, I was a goner. Moreover, in addition to its incredible color and irresistible charm, Opal is fragrant and in constant bloom from Spring to Fall. Grow in sun or part shade in the ground or in containers. That is if you can find it— I think I bought them all. ( Mine came from Halsey Farm & Nursery in Watermill, N.Y.)

 

Addendum to Post,”Beauty and the Bees: Going, Going, Gone?”

If you invite your bees over for brunch, be sure (bee sure?) to serve coffee. According to a recent scientific study, reported in the British publication, The Garden ( May 2013), bees feeding on nectar containing caffeine—present in the coffee plant’s flowers—have dramatically improved memories: They are three times more likely to remember a flower’s scent, and thus remember a good nectar source. ( A great tip—for the bees. Would that coffee had a memory improving effect on me. I certainly drink enough of it.)

 

Beauty and the Bees: Going, Going, Gone?

When I saw the first bees arrive and buzz about the garden it was cause for celebration.

While a quarter of the American diet depends on bee pollination, for almost a decade bees have been dying en masse. This time period coincides with the increased use in agriculture and in gardens of an extremely toxic group of pesticides called neonicotinoids. Last year, 40 to 50 % of the honeybee hives needed to pollinate fruit and vegetables in the U.S. were lost.

On April 29 the European Union’s health commissioner announced that the European Commission would enact a two-year ban on neonicotinoids. “I pledge to do my utmost,” he said, “to ensure that our bees, which are so vital to our ecosystem and contribute over 22 billion euros annually to European agriculture, are protected.”

Yet despite numerous studies and scientific evidence linking these chemical pesticides and the loss of bees, our government has not taken remedial action . Well, strike that. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been motivated  to “assess” the situation.

Another USDA assessment casts some light on what that means. A Director at the USDA has recently recommended approval of a U.S. based slaughterhouse for horses intended for human consumption, the first since 2007.  Not only does the owner of the proposed slaughterhouse have a criminal record but in 2009 and 2010 his previous business, a cattle slaughterhouse, was effectively shut down by the USDA for serious violations of sanitation and food safety. These violations included “inadequate” testing for E. coli, and “irregularities” in the segregation and disposal of animal parts banned for human consumption because they have a high risk of transmitting mad cow disease.

If you fail with cows, you get to kill horses? Gee, it doesn’t bode well for the bees, does it.

Meanwhile, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is “in discussion” about its earlier fast-track, inadequately reviewed, approval of the neonicotinoids, but it has put off making any decision until 2018. I guess they figure if they wait until all the bees are dead they won’t actually have to do anything at all. And that is what the bio-chemical giants that manufacture and profit in the billions from the poisons are probably counting on— indeed expecting; they have been playing footsie with these federal agencies for years.

It’s business as usual in Washington.

Fortunately, private individuals and groups have stepped up to the plate. Two months ago, beekeepers, environmental organizations, and consumer groups sued the EPA on behalf of the bees, asking, inter alia, that two of the most toxic and dangerous neonicotinoids be removed from commerce. (Ellis et al. v. Bradbury et al., United States District Court for the Northern District of California, March 21, 2013). The bees and I will closely follow developments.

I am reminded of another case, one before the Supreme Court of the United States, Baldwin et al v. Fish and Game Commission of Montana et al. (1978). When I was teaching I found it very useful in illustrating how parties to a lawsuit determine the issue before the Court. Here, hunters were suing the State of Montana because they, non-residents, were forced to pay more than Montana residents for a hunting license to kill elk in Montana. The Supreme Court decided the issue in favor of Montana: It was not a violation of law for Montana to charge non-residents more for the right to kill elk.

I asked, would the issue have been different if the elk were represented by counsel?

Unlike the hapless elk, the bees’ interests are represented.  Hopefully that will affect the outcome.

Moreover, be aware that these poisons also endanger birds. A recent comprehensive report by The American Bird Conservancy concludes that “neonicotinoids are lethal to birds as well as to the aquatic systems on which they depend. A single corn kernel coated with a neonicotinoid can kill a songbird.” (The Impact of the Nation’s Most Widely Used Insecticides On Birds (March 2013).)

The good news is that endearing, native bumble bees still abound in my organic garden. The early Spring arrivals are very fond of the masses of flowers produced by Rhododendron ‘Mary Fleming’, an outstanding shrub.

As you can see from the photos below, while her flowers change color somewhat in different light, they are always lovely. I am told, however, that there is an R.’ Mary Fleming’ in the trade with unattractive “muddy” colored bloom.  So, if possible, check out the flowers before you buy. ( For a discussion and photos of other wonderful, early Spring blooming, lepidote Rhododendrons, see my Post, Rhododendron Favorites: April 2012).

And treasure the bees and birds. As Rachel Carson, author of the seminal treatise on the dangers of pesticides, Silent Spring, said: “There is something healing in the repeated refrains of nature.” May the music continue.

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

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copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

Early Spring: Snowy White Dazzle For Shade

PIERIS x ‘Spring Snow’ (z. 5-8)

I love all things Pieris! With handsome evergreen foliage, vibrant, colorful new growth, and fragrant early Spring bell flowers that attract both fat bumble bees and stunning white-edged, dark-chocolate-brown Mourning Cloak butterflies, no wonder it’s one of my all time favorite garden plants. Oh, and did I fail to mention that it’s deer resistant? (Actually, over 25 years, I’ve planted a good number of Pieris and they have all been deer-proof.) Moreover, all my Pieris are grown in shade and have been disease free. (Be aware that Pieris grown in sun is vulnerable to lace-bug attack which can cause serious damage.)

Pieris x ‘Spring Snow’ is a cross between our native Pieris floribunda and Pieris japonica and inherited outstanding attributes from both parents: rich dark green foliage from japonica and masses of upright, luminous, snowy-white flowers from floribunda. But this hybrid-child also surpasses its parents with a profusion of bloom that cloaks the shrub with dazzling, dense, very fragrant white flowers in early Spring.

And Spring Snow is a slow, compact grower, never exceeding three feet in height, making it an ideal plant for a small or large garden. Moreover, it’s a can-do, easy-care plant. Good winter, bad winter—it doesn’t matter. P. x ‘Spring Snow’ will bloom reliably for you every year and its foliage will be bright, healthy green. Just provide well-drained acid soil and shade. And enjoy.

copyright  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright  2013  –   Lois Sheinfeld

 

copyright  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013  –  Lois Sheinfeld

 

A few other Pieris favorites are: P. japonica ‘Mountain Fire’ which flaunts fire-engine-red new growth that turns bronze and then dark green; P. x ‘Brouwer’s Beauty’, another floribunda-japonica hybrid with light green new growth, an exquisite contrast with its mature dark green foliage; and P.’Flaming Silver’ which astonishes with scarlet-red new growth that turns pink, then yellow, and finally variegated green and white. All fabulous woody ornamental shrubs.

Finally, please indulge me. Magnolia x loebneri ‘Merrill’ demands a mention—and a photo shoot. So, if you want a beautiful, vigorous, hardy tree, that blooms with an abundance of pristine white flowers that perfume the air with sweet fragrance, at roughly the same time as P. ‘Spring Snow,’ you can’t do better than my “very pushy”, albeit beloved, Merrill. (See also my previous post on M. x loebneri ‘Merrill’, entitled  Identity Theft, November 26, 2012.)

 

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld
copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

 

copyright  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013  –  Lois Sheinfeld

 

copyright  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013  –  Lois Sheinfeld

 

2013 Early Spring Surprise and Alert

One of my favorite garden writers, Alan Lacy, once said:  “Gardening is complicated, and prejudice simplifies it enormously.”

Very true — as a general rule. But when circumstances change, it may complicate things again. As for example, while I have recently spoken unkindly about hellebores (See Blog post of March 3, 2012, ‘Hellebores and Naming Names”), it hasn’t always been that way. Years ago, I was seduced by the beauty of the glorious doubles and planted a goodly selection.

Not one had the decency to show up for the second season. Maybe voles got them, maybe not. ( According to the garden literature, hellebores are toxic and anathema to rodents. But then again, voles don’t read — too busy eating.) No matter. I was disenchanted with double hellebores and never replaced the plants.

Well imagine my surprise a week ago — the first time the weather permitted an inspection of the garden — when I discovered an exquisite double hellebore in full bloom, in exactly the same area as the previous no-shows. While the ID tag is gone — along with my memory —  I think it’s one of the doubles I originally planted in 2009, Helleborus x hybridus ‘Elegance White’.

copyright 1013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

Moreover, after the horrific, ruinous winter, the hellebore was a joy to behold. See what I mean? Circumstances can change the way you feel about plants.

But there’s no ambivalence about a recent alert from Cornell University’s Department of Plant Pathology:  In the Fall of 2012, warm, wet, humid conditions led to the rapid spread of the destructive new boxwood blight, caused by the fungus Calonectria pseudonaviculata. Equally troubling is the discovery that Pachysandra is a host for the fungus. Ditto for Sarcococca, according to a report from the UK. Cornell suggests gardeners look for alternatives to boxwood.

And finally, I was baffled by a New York Times article about a brain wave pattern study from Scotland that found “going for a walk in a green space or just sitting, or even viewing green spaces….is likely to have a restorative effect and help with attention fatigue and stress recovery.” (April 2, 2013, p.D5). Did the Brits really need a new-age brain study to prove what we gardeners have always known?

In fact, decades ago, it was a British plantswoman, Gertrude Jekyll, who said it best:  “The first purpose of a garden is to be a place of quiet beauty such as will give delight to the eye and repose and refreshment to the mind.” Amen!

Winter Superstars: Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’ & Salix chaenomeloides ‘Mt. Aso’

I was longing for Spring but Mother Nature’s Evil Twin wasn’t finished with us. As soon as the snow melted enough to see bare ground, we were zapped with yet another storm on March 8th—my birthday, no less—causing more havoc and ruin. It’s enough to make your head spin.

Thank goodness for the intrepid and beautiful Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’. ( Zones 5-8 ). This award-winning, sweetly fragrant Witch Hazel bloomed on, despite the strong winds and heavy snow. Pallida has lovely yellow flowers with vibrant reddish-purple calyxes and foliage that turns a rich banana-yellow in the Fall. According to Witch Hazel guru, Chris Lane, “It sets the standard on which to judge all others.” ( See Lane’s authoritative reference, Witch Hazels, Timber press, 2005.)

Witch Hazels do best in compost enriched, well-drained, acid soil. It’s important to supply sufficient moisture, especially in times of summer drought. Mulching helps. My Pallida flourishes with filtered sun in winter and early spring before the oaks leaf out and in high shade thereafter. It’s sited in front of a white pine that serves as an ideal backdrop for the hazel’s flowers.

Hamamelis 'Pallida' (3/8/13):   copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

Hamamelis ‘Pallida’ on March 8:  copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

H. 'Pallida' post storm:  copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

H. ‘Pallida’ post storm:   copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

Another winter-wonder worth mentioning is the magical Salix chaenomeloides ‘Mt Aso’ (Zones 6-8), a Pussy Willow adorned head-to-toe with fabulous pink catkins. Irresistible!

Like Witch Hazels, Willows appreciate moist, well-drained soil, but require more sun. Mt. Aso, relatively new to my garden, is faring well with filtered morning sun. As you can see from the before-and-after snow storm photos below, the pink “pussy willows” have been doing their star-turn for months, despite MN’s ET’s never-ending winter assaults. Amazing!

 

catkins emerging before storms: copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

catkins emerging before storms: copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

closeup of catkins emerging: copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

closeup of catkins emerging: copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

catkins between storms: copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

catkins between storms: copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

catkins post storms:  copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

catkins post storms: copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

It has now warmed up a bit. Dare we hope for an early Spring?

March 29 Post Update: Mt. Aso is a bottomless well of interesting. Check out the Springtime Fashionista in pale yellow, dove grey, and a sprinkle of pink.

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

Azalea ‘Marshy Point’s Humdinger’

Hurrah, it’s March! Spring is but a shiver away.

Since I first wrote about ‘Marshy Point’s Humdinger’ in November 2011, this can-do, glowing, double pink, evergreen azalea has flowered reliably and prodigiously every spring and fall. It’s a fabulous, hardy, blooming machine.  (Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the Encore Series repeat-blooming azaleas I’ve tried.  Yet I’m hoping for better luck with my current Encore, ‘Autumn Embers’. I’ll let you know.)

Humdinger is not a fussy or demanding garden diva, but like other evergreen azaleas it does insist on a few culture essentials:

Plant in acid soil, in an area with high, open shade protected from exposure to strong winds. The soil should be well-drained and abundant in organic matter such as leaf mold, compost or shredded pine bark. Organic matter improves aeration, increases the soil’s water-holding capacity, reduces leaching of soil nutrients and promotes beneficial mycorrhizae. Moreover, in my garden, beneficial soil-enriching earthworms are especially abundant in areas with pine bark mulch.

Before planting, any tightly bound root mass must be loosened by cutting from top to bottom around the circumference of the root ball. Failure to do so often results in a dead plant. So don’t be timid, you won’t hurt the azalea. Humdinger will thank you.

Comprehensive information about azaleas can be found in the ne plus ultra reference, Fred C. Galle’s Azaleas (Timber Press, 1987). For a more recent reference, see Kenneth Cox’s Rhododendrons & Azaleas: A Colour Guide (The Crowood Press Ltd, 2005).

I bought my Azalea ‘Marshy Point’s Humdinger’ (Zones 6-9) from RareFind Nursery. To easily access their 2013 online catalog click onto my blog link. (For my previous post on Humdinger, see: Archives, November 2011, “The Real Dirt: Try It You’ll Like It”.)

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

February 2013: Snow Blizzard Diary

Feb. 9-10:

Snow blizzard direct hit.  My garden looks like a fall-down drunk.

Twelve foot tall Pieris and Rhododendron are bent over at the waist with their torsos awkwardly splayed out on the ground, while six, seven foot woody ornamental shrubs have been crushed by two and a half feet of snow into lumps of tangled branches.  Other plants have completely disappeared under the icy blanket and five foot icicles are hanging from the roof.  And that’s just what I can see from our windows.  Adding insult to injury, walls of snow prevent the outer doors from opening so I’m locked in, unable to rush to the rescue, or even to assess the extent of the damage.

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

Feb. 11-12:

Good news: Weather has warmed, snow is melting and it appears that the plants have begun to right themselves.  Bad news: Still home-bound and more snow predicted.

 

Feb. 13:

Brave husband dug himself out this morning.  Took some photos.  (Self explanatory.)  [All photos below are copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld.]

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Feb.14:

Valentine’s Day. Mother Nature’s gift: More snow last night. Quite beautiful, really.

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copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

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To be continued…..

Feb.21:
I’m back. Nothing good to report. Snow has turned to ice and the driveway is treacherous. I’ve had it with the weather and with Mother Nature’s evil twin.

Next post is about a must-have plant. Plants make me happy.

Skimmia japonica: Shade Plant Sublime

When we left northern California and returned to the east coast in the early 1980’s we bought wooded acreage in Southampton N.Y., built a house and started a garden.  Actually, 14 lilac bushes went in before the house was finished.  I couldn’t wait.

Lilacs are my favorite flowers.  They need a cold spell in order to bloom, so for the twelve years we lived in La La Land, zone 9, I was lilac-deprived.  (We did have one small shrub in a pot that we fed ice cubes all winter while we sang, “New York, New York, it’s a wonderful town”.  It rewarded us with two or three flowers every year.)

California nurseries tried to sell us on “California lilacs,” a/k/a Ceanothus, which we scornfully rejected. They looked nothing like real lilacs. ( Of course I would now kill to have a glorious, sumptuous, blue flowering Ceanothus in the garden. Figures, doesn’t it? )  But I digress.

After the house was built we lined one side of a shady path with a group of the woody ornamental shrub Skimmia japonica.  A friend of a friend was experimenting with them and urged us to try some.  At the time I hadn’t heard of  Skimmia, no one I knew had them, and they weren’t available at local or mail-order nurseries.  Now, 25 years later, what a difference.  Skimmia is everyone’s darling, and rightfully so.

Through lectures and meetings I have certainly done my part in spreading the word about its many virtues and happily take the opportunity to do so here:

Skimmia is a reliable, prolific bloomer, even as a young plant, and even in shade, which is its preferred location.  Lovely creamy-white flowers open in April, releasing their delicious fragrance into the air.  Large reddish flower buds are produced in early autumn and carry over winter, so the shrubs appear to be flowering in the snow.  And in late summer, female plants produce clusters of fat, fire-engine-red berries — which the birds ignore until spring — so that highly decorative flowers and fruit adorn the shrubs at the same time.

Skimmia japonica is dioecious and requires both male and female plants for fruit.  I don’t grow the self-fertilizing variety, Skimmia reevesiana. The jury is out on its performance: reviews are mixed, some good, some not.

No doubt about Skimmia japonica’s garden worthiness.  In addition to fabulous flowers and fruit, the shrub’s magnolia-like, thick textured, dark green leaves are evergreen, and if rubbed or bruised emit a strong herbal scent that repels deer.  Fragrant flowers, evergreen foliage, decorative fruit — and deer resistant! To my mind, as close to perfect as a plant can get.

And yet, with all its superlative qualities, Skimmia isn’t a prima donna requiring constant pampering.  Far from it.  But there are a few essential culture requirements:  moist, acid, well-drained organic soil, and most important, SHADE.

Skimmia is winter hardy here on Long Island, zone 7, and despite periods of horrific and loony weather we have never lost a plant.  Zone 6 may be somewhat iffy but given a bit of protection surely worth a try. (Sort of the reverse of our lilac in a pot with ice cubes.)

One other thing. My shrubs are over 6 feet tall.  The plants I now see for sale and in gardens mature at 2 or 3 feet tops.  The current garden trend does seem to favor dwarf plants.

Large or small, Skimmia japonica is an outstanding plant of enduring merit.  One of the best.

 

Skimmia japonica copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

Skimmia japonica   —   copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

Note: Setting The Record Straight.   Growing along the same path as Skimmia japonica, Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Orange Peel’ has been in dazzling bloom since mid-January.

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Orange Peel'   --  copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Orange Peel’ —
copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

Because of its sweet fragrance, I chose Orange Peel over the similar orange-flowered Witch Hazel, H. x intermedia ‘Jelena’.  While Jelena is a looker, her flowers have no scent. ( See the authoritative reference in the field, Chris Lane’s 2005 Royal Horticultural Society Plant Collector GuideWitch Hazels. )

I’m surprised that garden writers continue to wax eloquent about Jelena’s wonderful fragrance. In The King and I, the King of Siam said it best: “Is a puzzlement!”

The Next Best Thing 2013: Part 3

Fairweather Gardens

Many of my favorite plants have come from Fairweather Gardens (www.fairweathergardens.com), and I’m excited about its 2013 catalog offerings. Here are my choices:

True to its name, Hemerocallis ‘Milk Chocolate’ is a exquisite, brown daylily. I already grow a bunch — but more is better.  I’m not aware of another source for this wonderful, uniquely colored plant.  Z. 3-9.

copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

Rohdea japonica 'Galle'

Rohdea japonica ‘Galle’

Rohdea japonica ‘Galle’ is a 12-18 inch high, evergreen, shade perennial.  A handsome ground cover or edging plant, Galle has shiny, dark green leaves, short stalked pale-yellow spring flowers, and carmine-red berries in the fall. Z. 6-9.

 

 

 

My red-flowering Cytisus scoparius ‘Burkwoodii’ was so knock-your-socks-off gorgeous it took my breath away. (See photos below) That is, before the voles killed it.  Now that I’ve discovered VoleBloc ( See April  2012 Post, “Hot Tips: Vole Damage Protection” ), I can safely invite this ornamental woody beauty back into my life.  I’ve ordered three replacement plants. Happily, Fairweather assures me they will be blooming size. Cytisus is an easy-care plant: Provide sun and infertile, sandy soil; once established, there’s no need to feed or water. Z. 5-8.

 Baby 'Burkwoodi'copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

Baby ‘Burkwoodii’
copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

 

 Mature 'Burkwoodi'copyright 2013  -  Lois Sheinfeld

Mature ‘Burkwoodii’
copyright 2013 – Lois Sheinfeld

Finally, I’ve chosen a new and distinctive tree to grace my garden:  Abies pinsapo ‘Aurea’ ( Golden Spanish Fir) is an eye-catching conifer with dense, sharp, prickly needles that emerge golden yellow before turning chartreuse green. This uncommon, slow-grower is suitable for a large or small garden and appreciates well drained soil with protection from intense afternoon sun. Z. 6-9.

 Abies pinsapo 'Aurea'

Abies pinsapo ‘Aurea’

 

 

Note: Fairweather Gardens is a small grower/nursery, so there are limited quantities of each plant. If you are interested, order now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Next Best Thing 2013: Part 2

Klehm’s Song Sparrow Farm and Nursery

A long time ago I visited the New York Flower Show in Manhattan and was seduced by a beautiful peony from Klehm Nursery.  The New York Flower Show may be defunct, but for twenty years and counting I’ve been a Klehm plant groupie.

The nursery specializes in and hybridizes peonies and daylilies but it has also been my go-to place for fabulous woody ornamentals and perennials.  Here are some of my 2013 picks:

Paeonia 'Guardian of the Monastery'

Paeonia ‘Guardian of the Monastery’

Tree Peony, Paeonia ‘Guardian of the Monastery’, is a vision with dazzling flowers  in shades of mauve and lavender with purple flares.  From spring to fall, Klehm ships these 3-to-4 year old woodies in pots.  (Note:  I’m delighted that apart from daylilies and herbaceous peonies all of Klehm’s plants are shipped in their containers.)  Zones 4-8.

 

 

 

 

Clematis 'Omoshiro'

Clematis ‘Omoshiro’

Clematis ‘Omoshiro’, has large, 5-7 inch, lightly fragrant, pale-pink flowers with a dark-pink edge and reverse.  I am surprised that the name Omoshiro means amusing, interesting.  In this case, don’t you think WOWIE! is more apt?  The plants are two-year-old trellised vines that will probably bloom the first season.  (That’s my experience with Klehm clematis, not a Klehm guarantee.)  Zones 4-9.

 

 

 

Pinus cembra 'Big Blue'

Pinus cembra ‘Big Blue’

Pinus cembra ‘Big Blue’, is a dense, slow growing, showy, evergreen conifer with long blue needles.  I am very fond of blue plants and the birds love conifers. A win, win.  Zones 2-8.

 

 

 

 

 

 

x Heucherella 'Gold Zebra'

x Heucherella ‘Gold Zebra’

x Heucherella ‘Gold Zebra’ is a ground-cover or edging plant sporting gold leaves splashed with dark red swirls.  There are white flowers in the spring, but this shade perennial is all about the foliage.  Zones 4-9.

 

 

 

Klehm’s 2013 catalog can be easily accessed by clicking on this blog’s LINKS.

 

2013: What’s New?

Happy New Year!

An early-bird 2013 catalog has arrived from one of my favorite mail-order nurseries and my order is in . Here are some of the plants that have caught my eye:

Camellia Forest Nursery:

Cryptomeria japonica ‘Champagne’ is a sport of C.j ‘Nana Albospica’, but is more vigorous and grows twice as fast.  It has white new growth which takes on a purple cast in winter.  Ten year size is 8 feet tall by 6 feet wide.  Zones 6-8.

Cryptomeria japonica ‘Knaptonensis’ is a slow growing dwarf with brilliant white new growth and very short needles that curve around the branches.  Zones 6-8.

Both C.j. ‘Champagne’ and C.j.’Knaptonensis’ like moist, acid, well-drained soil and some shade—especially shade from intense afternoon sun.

 

Symplocos paniculata (Sapphireberry)

Symplocos paniculata (Sapphireberry)

Symplocos paniculata (Sapphireberry) is not a new plant but almost impossible to find in the trade.  In the spring, small white fragrant flowers cover this large shrub (or small tree) and in the fall it produces masses of  sapphire-blue berries. Sapphireberry is a social animal and likes company: plant several to ensure cross pollination and abundant fruit. Zones 5-8. ( And do check out Camellia Forest’s exquisite and extensive camellia offerings. )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can easily access the nursery catalog by going to LINKS on this blog.

Next time: Part 2 ( more nurseries, more plants)