The Damage Done...for now...

So, I went back to Landwave this past weekend to check on things and assess the damage done by our early season winter cold snap.

Temperatures plummeted down to the mid teens (possibly lower) and we had about 5-6 inch accumulation of snow the week of Thanksgiving. Luckily, and THANKFULLY, things began to really thaw on Turkey Day and people were able to get out and about. Seattle drivers are THE WORST when it comes to driving in snow and ice. ugh


I did my best to bring in the most important things, while others I just figured:

1) They'll be okay just grouped together or under this sheltered/protected area

2) Oh, it was cheap enough, I'll just buy it again next year

3) This plant has to prove it's worth and hardiness. I'm not babying it.


New Hardy Schefflera taiwaniana survives first test:


On the LEFT is a specimen I potted up and placed under the eves of the house facing Northwest. I recall the pot freezing just about solid and the new growth it tried to put on was zapped. The foliage also seemed to be a duller green. A similar story with the one on the RIGHT, which was planted in the ground. The new growth was hindered, but these also took on a gray/purple cast to the foliage. Overall, they seem alright for now.


Another comparison: Potted vs. in the ground, Mahonia 'Soft Caress'


Both planted this spring and basically in the same location in the garden. The potted specimen (on the LEFT) endured some frost damage, but the one planted directly in the ground (on the RIGHT) had very obvious damage. Both are in part shade, but the one in the ground is a little younger than the one used in a container. I wonder if that just one of many factors.

Not quite mush, but pretty close: Kniphofia northiae


I mean, I knew this was coming. I'm just praying that it isn't too bad. These were 2 gallon specimens that almost tripled in size over the summer. Now, they've proven to be hardy, but just how much of a setback winter will be on these, we'll have to wait and find out. I may need to find another specimen for the front entry of Landwave.

On the edge with Edgeworthia:

So, I could never get 'Gold Rush' to bloom and then it eventually was reduced to one viable stem so I just took it out and now 'Nanjing Gold' and the usually fairly reliable selection from Sichuan (see a post early this spring about this one) are not looking so hot. They have buds, yet, my fear is because the foliage was unable to properly yellow and undergo senescence, the forming buds might have been affected as well.




Hardy Bananas...please oh please live up to your name!


Even with the cage stuffed with dry fern fronds and pieces of Miscanthus I chopped up, the trunk of Musa sikkimensis has mushed pretty much down to the base. Perhaps if I wrapped it in burlap like I had planned to do in addition, it would have been okay. Now I'm just praying that it comes back from the crown underground. Musa basjoo I left thinking that it was surrounded by enough plants that it would be protected, but nope! It's also mushed down to the ground and fingers crossed that it comes back vigorously. The key to these bananas has always been making sure to plant them deep and get them really well established as older stands tend to be hardier and able to withstand the winter extremes we occasionally get here in the Pacific Northwest.

Annuals: Until next year.


So, this will have to be replanted next year, but those in the ground have a ways to go as winter hasn't officially started yet, but it's all a waiting game now.

To see more photos, click here.



R

Container Craze

So, I've been on sort of a roll in assembling container plantings this fall and I've been trying to build up a portfolio of some of my work.

I can't tell you how much fun it is to pick out plants and create an instant garden in a portable object that can either remain as is or be allowed to develop into something grand, wild, and over-the-top fabulous!

Planting containers is like flower arranging. You tend to emphasize what it'll look like right now versus what it'll look like in a few months. When planting up containers for clients, it obviously has to look great from the get-go, but as you water and feed them like there's no tomorrow, they billow and grow and flop and, most importantly, they're usually fascinated by the transformation.

Here's some current examples of pots I threw together last week!




This container was donated for an auction to benefit the Dunn Garden in North Seattle. It features a golden Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Tetragona Aurea', Heucherella 'Stoplight', black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'), and a fabulously dwarf and delightful box honeysuckle (Lonicera nitida 'Twiggy').

Another container I put together was a bit of an ambitious attempt where, yes, I cared about its initial appearance, but I just jam-packed it full of wonderful stuff just to see what will happen.



So this container was actually a gift to Clayton's mom, who helps run CEM Design (read about him and his work). I actually surprised Clayton by visiting their headquarters in Kirkland and I just missed her by like 30 seconds to see what she thought. So, my "backbone" for this container is the elegant Japanese Cedar 'Sukkan Sugi' and at the base to the left is the whorl of fronds from Dryopteris erythosora or Autumn Fern left over from my nursery stock, I sneaked in 'Twiggy' on the other side with a corkscrew rush (Juncus effusus 'Spiralis') with sweetflag (Acorus gramineus 'Ogon') at the base behind, and towards the front you'll see the spiky evergreen foliage of a Pacific Coast Hybrid iris called 'Ami Royale', which is a pale violet with deep purple centers and a gold-highlighted crest and, finally, spilling over the front is another Heucherella 'Tapestry'. Oh, I think I tucked in a little black mondo as well. CRAZY! Hope Mrs. Morgan likes it! hehe.

Finally, I have this kick-ass ceramic, blue glazed bowl that I planted Mahonia 'Soft Caress' in. Near by are the same plant, but finally in the ground so I can compare the two growing conditions. (can you tell i have a thing for his lapis-blue color ceramic glazed containers? hahaah) Looking kind of boring by itself, I planted it with a dwarf creeping Euonymus fortunei 'Minimus', a few plugs of Cardamine trifolia, a winter Calluna vulgaris 'Firefly' and spilling over the edge is a dramatic Vinca 'Illuminator'.

The Overwhelmed Gardener. Part 3: The King Country Master Gardener's Sale

Another plant sale is upon us and it's another big event. In terms of number of vendors, it's considerably smaller than Florabundance, but the show the Master Gardener's put on is quite remarkable. They certainly make a weekend of it with various booths, tents, organized activities for kids, and various workshops and classes the public can take part in.

The King County Master Gardener's have been facing tough times as funding continues to be an ongoing issue for this well known and highly respected organization. It's essentially on the same page as everyone else trying to garner as much support as possible.

While I'm not vending at this sale, I contributed by designing a container for their raffle and donating a gift certificate to my nursery. Yes, another time consuming effort, but I certainly enjoyed putting the composition together and, hopefully, people like my work enough to hire me to do something similiar for them. I think it's also an outlet for me to show off, I guess. haha

Noticed I used that Mahonia 'Soft Caress' once again. =)


I had extra plants and since I was debating which container to use, I potted up both since I had enough plant material. This second piece went to my sister's house in West Seattle.




They hold the raffle on Sunday so I guess there's still a chance to see my container in person, but really....do support the Master Gardeners and the many local vendors who have once again come out to showcase their best plants for all to see, admire and add to their growing landscapes.

Visit their website here for directions and more information!

It's time to really get some work done outside our own homes!! Just be sure to visit the sale first and with the location being at the Center for Urban Horticulture, see the gardens and get inspired!


Cheers,

R

"Tonight I need your sweet caress..." a Mahonia 'Soft Caress', that is

I was printing plant labels yesterday morning when I saw a segment of "Gardening with Ciscoe" where they discussed a brand new Mahonia that has hit the market.

"Plants that work, eh??" hmmmm......I just got a few plants at Molbak's a few weeks ago to try and we'll see. I'm sort of on a Mahonia phase right now and I'm very curious as to how this selection does. They claim it to be a selection of M. eurybracteata, but there's a plant patent application for it that states it as a "mutation" of "Mahonia sp.". (Now, is it my understanding that selections made from natural occurrences are not allowed to be patented or am I wrong?)

If it is a form of M. eurybracteata it is an Asian species that's known to be a tad on the tender side and can be damaged by extreme cold.

Pretty enough plant, though. Nice texture and in full bloom right now. Would be cool if I can get it to cross with M. gracilipes.

'Soft Caress': sappy name that reminds me of one of my most favorite sappy 80's love songs:

Gotta love Breathe and their hit "Hands to Heaven":




Cheers,

Riz