Category Archives: Plant Portraits
Summer Tryouts – Geranium ‘Dragon Heart’
Hybridized by Alan Bremner of Scotland, a hybrid of the Armenian cranesbill, Geranium psilostemon, which in itself is a big plant, if of abbreviated bloom duration according to the books. I’ve never grown the species. The selections generally tend toward … Continue reading
Posted in Plant Portraits
Tagged Alan Bremner, Briza maxima, Geranium 'Dragon Heart', Geranium psilostemon, summer tryouts
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The Many Faces of Cobaea
Annual vine Cobaea scandens. Seems I still feel up to the challenge of including strong personalities in the garden. For two successive years in a row, I’ve had to launch emergency eradication efforts in early spring of overly boisterous and … Continue reading
Anatomy of a Plant Purchase
April 2010 Gardens Illustrated arrives in the mailbox. Two-page spread depicts in photographic splendor Carol Klein’s sumptuous spring-blooming choices to grow underneath Cornus controversa ‘Variegata.’ What’s this Prunella-like, spiky, dusky pink-flowered wunderkind with the lush foliage? A calamint maybe? Lamium … Continue reading
For the Vase
We had ferocious, 30-knot winds Wednesday. All night the old wooden house was buffeted and storm-tossed, creaking and groaning like she was about to slip her foundation moorings. The wind chimes clanged like alarm bells. I couldn’t sleep past 4 … Continue reading
Lysimachia atropurpurea
Some plants never live up to their catalogue descriptions. Never mind their growth habits or cultural needs, they simply fail to live up to the gushing prose that purports to describe what they actually, physically look like. This is my … Continue reading
Into White
A simple garden with acres of sky. Fearing I had carelessly brought in more white flowers than is sensible, it turns out it wasn’t much of a white-out after all, except maybe with the camera. For me, it’d be impossible … Continue reading
The Third Harmonic
It’s that time when the garden vibrates to the frequency of Alstroemeria ‘The Third Harmonic.’ The flowering stalks, when upright, graze my chin, and I’m 5’8.” This is a two-year-old clump, and it’s a good 5 feet across already. These … Continue reading
This Year’s Folly
As I’ve written in posts like “Type G Personality,” it seems every summer has its folly. This year looks to be no different. The chains are hung. I’m using the word “folly” to mean a project of dubious merit, not … Continue reading
Rehmannia ‘Snow Glow’
Chinese Foxglove, Rehmannia elata, a robust, easy plant for Southern California, full sun/light shade, zones 9-10. About 2-3 feet in height. Hated the mauvey color of the species, which sounds so petty, I know. This is the variety ‘Snow Glow.’ … Continue reading
Fringe Tree in the Rain
Not a title to elicit amazement, you’re thinking. But I’ve never seen the fringe tree, Chionanthus retusus, in full bloom, branches and flowers weighted down by rain. It can be tricky to get good views of this tree in bloom, … Continue reading