Nerine Obsession

by Susan | Nov 19, 2018 | Plants I Dig

I’m not sure how being curious about something turns into an interest which, in turn, becomes a collection. I’m also not sure how that collection suddenly, overnight, turns into an obsession. Enter the Nerine. This obsession snuck up on me.

My first experiment with a Nerine was with a couple of bulbs purchased online simply because I wanted to push the hardiness envelope. After meeting the sweet little bulbs, I proceeded to keep them in a pot, moving them in and out of the greenhouse, rather than put them in the ground and risk freezing. My second dabble at the edge of the rabbit hole of interest was a pot of bulbs from Dan Hinkley. I tucked them into a bed that didn’t get a lot of love, water or care, under a Pittisporum ‘Formosa fingers’ no less! I didn’t think about them again until fall. And suddenly, there they were, pushing through the foliage, intermingling with geranium, ceanothus, and pittisporum ‘county park’. They arrested my interest with their subtle scent and their bold (although pink) flowers opening as I walked by.

From there it was a free fall… A pot of bulbs from Ravenna Gardens, a few more from Dan Hinkley, and yes, more online purchases. This year I hit the mother lode. One of my suppliers had also fallen victim to the same obsession. On their availability list, there were several Nerines listed. At this point, most of mine were Nerine bowdenii, the straight species. The hard to find ones were, well, hard to find. Many available in the UK and their native South Africa, but not here.

At this point, my collection hit obsession status.

Nerines Mr. John, Anastasia, Elegance, Isabel, Early Red, Aphrodite, Patricia joined the family this year. I discovered Nerine Edelweiss, a stunning white Nerine, blooming in my garden, as was Nerine Isabel, a shorter structured pink/white Nerine. (Yes, I may have forgotten where I planted them) What I call my Nerine bowdenii dwarf is still in a pot. Its beautiful ruffled petals with white stripes and dark stamens are different than the other species I have. I even succumbed to two salmon-colored, and an orange-colored unnamed, not hardy, cultivars from Dan Hinkley’s greenhouse. They are still in a pot. They may be going in and out of the greenhouse for a while.

Also called Guernsey Lilies, Nerines bloom after their foliage has died down, giving them the common name of naked ladies. Unexpectedly, the bulbs last for years under cultivation. They prefer dry soil with lots of sun. With our arid year in the PNW, they are blooming spectacularly. Endemic to South Africa they are part of the amaryllis family.

Here is a link to Nerines from the Pacific Bulb Society. https://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Nerine Very knowledgeable about growing Nerines, they can offer more information about starting a collection of your own.

Let me share the plant portraits of the ladies.

Nerine Anastasia

Nerine Bowdenii Dwarf

Nerine Elegance

Nerine Isabel

Nerine Mr John

Nerine Patricia

Nerine Edelweiss

Nerine Patricia

Experiments with Food | Red Currant Jam

by Susan | Sep 7, 2018 | garden food, LB Tutorial: Recipes

The fun part about having a food garden is that you get the chance to experiment with food. I say food garden because food can be vegetables, herbs, and fruit. There are also chickens in the same place so I guess their eggs are food too! This year was the second year for my Current Shrub. It grew a lot last year but only had a handful of berries on it. This year, due to a better irrigation system there were huge clusters of hanging, almost transparent, red berries.

In the winter, red currant jam has many uses so this could be a good time to experiment with making my own. I searched several recipes but didn’t have a specific amount of berries that were called for. I didn’t want to buy any but to do this as if I was a true farmer that could use only what she grew. The recipe by David Lebovitz from his blog ‘Living the sweet life in Paris’ was perfect. It used what you had and measured the other ingredients by the processed fruit. I did pick some in succession because they ripen at different times. Over the course of 2 weeks I picked and stored the currants in the refrigerator until I had a good amount. Then proceeded with the jam. The recipe can be found by going to David’s website [https://www.davidlebovitz.com/red-currant-jam-recipe/] Here are the pictures from my kitchen.

Ready to grow your own? Check out Rain Tree Nursery online for mail order. Cascade Red Currant USDA Zone 3 – 8 Grows to 4 Ft Self Fertile Will live in Sun or shade Clusters of berries ripen in june and july.

Ready for another fall harvest challenge? Check out this Guilty Pleasures post about making apple butter…

Clematis Collection | 2018

by Susan | Sep 1, 2018 | Plants I Dig

Clematis Collection:

As seen on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter in July, here is this year’s Clematis collection. Be sure to keep an eye out for these when planning for your garden next year. Did you miss these posts on social media? Join me by clicking the links.

Clematis tangutica

Clematis Red

President Clematis

White Clematis

Clematis Integrifolia

Clematis Lemon Bells

Purple Clematis

Shady Characters: Planting for Shade

by Susan | Aug 24, 2018 | LB Tutorial: Design Challenge, LB Tutorial: Skills, plants

Shady Characters: Planting for Shade

Tall fir and cedar trees tower over this garden bed which can create a tough place for plants to live. The roots of the trees and their greed for water will make many plants give up and die. However, these plants, with supplemental irrigation, can not only hold their own but thrive.

Pulmonaria ‘Diane Clare’ Lungwort

The leaves of the PUlmonaria ‘Diane Clare’ Lungwort have both spotty variegation and solid white leaves. The blue flowers, which turn to lilac with age, bloom in May and June. The long graceful leaves lends a different texture to the combination. Zone 3, can take dry shade or moist soil.

Ophiopogon planiscapus nigerscens – Black Mondo grass

Once a rarity Black Mondo Grass is now becoming more readily available. Many times it is used in a sunny situation where the black leaves become scorched and sad looking. Here in the shade mixed with low growing Golden Spike Moss it is amazing. Not fussy about water and great next to a path it is able to spread to its hearts content. Zone 6, prefers moist soil, blooms in July-August, evergreen (or ever black).

Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’

Variegated spiderweb patterned leaves and floating blue flowers light up this area despite gray weather. Filtered sunlight and access to an adequate amount of water is all they need. Irrigation in this area helps to maintain their lushness and the shallow roots don’t have to compete with the deeper roots of the trees. ZONE: 5, likes moisture, blooms in April and May.

Selaginella krassiana ‘Aurea’ – Golden Spike Moss

This sweet little creepy thing really creates a matte of contrast to the black mondo grass. It disappears a little bit in the winter but comes back lushly in the spring. Zone 7, prefers moisture, part shade to shade, evergreen to semi evergreen.

Northwest Flower and Garden Festival 2018: Celebrating 30 Years!

by Susan | Feb 9, 2018 | Plantswoman Design

It is always wonderful to see spring in February (#springinfeb). Walking onto the show floor at the Northwest Flower and Garden show feels just like that. The birds are singing (albeit recordings), spring bulbs scent the air, and murmurs of appreciation can be heard all around you. This year I did not do a display garden, but I did get the opportunity to get in early on a Thursday morning to see the gardens up close with the lights on. The Thursday morning Tweet-up is perfect for taking pictures and not having to shift around other people once the show opens to the public. It is nice to be with media people, writers, bloggers, and tweeters milling about, talking, drinking coffee (much needed at 7:30 am), and tweeting about the gardens.

One of my favorites this year was ‘Embrace Flawed Beauty’ by West Seattle Nursery. The designers are spot on with their display this year. I love, love, love their plant pallet, the use of stone and the fabulous wall with moss and pots in the background. White and green color combination show well in the convention center. The sense of relaxation and retreat are real in this garden.

Missing from the gardens this year are the plant tags that weren’t required this year. Yay! I’ve always thought plant tags are distracting, plus people who are looking for the names always ask anyway.

The Dining Room, created by Choice Landscapes, with string lights and enclosed feeling is inviting and luscious. The water feature goes around and under the entrance to the garden feels relaxed and interesting as you journey into the garden.

Glass art was not in every garden this year as it has been in the past couple of years. This display by Avid Gardens is a beautiful example, large enough in scale to be seen as a focal point, not just an accent.

Nature Perfect has used these amazing slabs of wood in their show garden before and they are simply amazing. They could be installed outside in a garden to beautiful effect. The slabs are made of cedar and finished with a gloss sealant which can be maintained outside. The perfect accent for the living plant material around them.

IF you haven’t gone to the show yet, do. While it is raining and 43 degrees outside and most of the rest of the nation is under snow yet again, it is spring in February in Seattle.

Mid-Century Updated Entry Walkway

by Susan | Jan 20, 2018 | LB Tutorial: Design Challenge

During the winter months pathways become more important. Just a way to get to a destination? No, but a way to keep out of the wet, above the often muddy, leaf covered beds and soggy grass. Often in the summer pathway edges are obscured by overhanging plants and seem to disappear. But during the winter they need to be easy to navigate, open and beautiful. Paths can also be a dominate design consideration. This mid-century house is amazing and deserving of an amazing entrance. The gravel and rock edged path was not at all appealing. Creating an entrance with rectangular slabs of concrete that was in keeping with the rest of the angles on the house was exactly right. The slabs are paced out with an offset, so the walker is able to walk and enjoy the journey through the updated garden without worrying about where to put their feet. The entry gate is offset from the entry to the house to provide the sense of expectation. The house can be seen from an angle becoming more visible as you walk down the path. Lights are placed in the rise of the steps to provide good visibility during the dark. The canopy of high fir trees makes it shady during the day and especially dark at night. Stone was added to edges to retain the soil and keep it from the pathway. Choosing a complementary stone and keeping the angles flat and squared up helps transition the concrete into the natural.

Front pathway before

Front pathway before

Front pathway after

Front pathway after

Updating the garden meant having to let go of some of the smaller Vine Maple trees (Acer circinatum). They grew in a thicket and needed to be thinned out. The remaining trees were limbed to accent the beautiful curves in the trunks. Planting pockets were found under the larger trees to add rhododendrons, sarcococca, and azaleas. The open ground around the pathway was filled in with Acorus, Low mosses, Heuchera, pachysandra, and fern. Specimen pines and Japanese maples that the owner had collected were replanted at intervals along the path. We had originally chosen Japanese forest grass to edge the path but the two dogs who live here grazed it like cows. The acorus was not nearly so tasty apparently and adds bright color and movement to the beds. The pallet of bright green, orange and purple lightens up the area during the daylight hours.

Christmas Cuttings 2 | Greens

by Susan | Jan 12, 2018 | Plants I Dig, Plantswoman Design

Today we are going to finish the rest of the essential cuttings for your Christmas display. Some of these can be used inside with fresh roses or other cut flowers. They can also be used as wreath greens for outdoors. We are lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest where many of these evergreens are growing all around us. You may have some already growing on your property and can use these by pruning the branches carefully so as not to ruin their shape. There is another method that we jokingly call ‘civic pruning’. Roadside edges and vacant land around here contain Pine, cedar, fir and even mahonia. These natives are constantly reseeding themselves around. The road department is constantly shearing the edges, mangling the trees that encroach on the road. I simply help them along by clipping what is overhanging ditches and vacant land. Rules (my own admittedly) are, park safely, don’t get into traffic, and don’t go on private property. For those less adventurous let’s grow some of our own.

Magnolia grandiflora – One of the loveliest of all Christmas greens. My first Magnolia grandiflora had been damaged by a windstorm elsewhere and I rescued it by moving it to my house. It was sadly flat and misshapen so I didn’t feel too bad about harvesting the branches to make a lovely wreath. These are very expensive in the florist shops and even silk ones are very dear. Both this big variety and the smaller ‘Little Gem’ have great leaves and buds. Sometimes there are even seed pods left from the fall that are red with a bumpy texture. If you have the bigger ones you can prune them gently at any time during the year. Hardy to zone 7, Likes moist fertile soil with full sun. You might even plant a young one and keep pruning it just for the greens.

Hardy to zone 7, Likes moist fertile soil with full sun.

Pine – Both Shore Pine (Pinus Contorta) and Western White Pine (pinus monticola) are cut for Christmas greens. These both grow as natives in our state. They are easy to grow and work well in a larger garden. If you use them for greens cutting they are necessarily smaller. Hardy to zone 5 will take moist and dry soil but prefers acid soil. Full Sun is best. Sap can be a problem so it’s important not to plant them too close to driveways, patios or other sitting areas. These are good for adding to arrangements, or making wreaths.

Hardy to zone 5, acid soil, full sun

Mahonia is a beautiful shrub with berries to cut and bring in. Mahonia ‘Soft Caress’ has beautiful soft fingers of leaves. Sometimes the yellow flowers are present which adds more color to the mix. These are beautiful in arrangements, containers outside (plant then replant into the garden later), and garlands. Zone 7b, shade, looks best with protection from winds, can take some drought. Other mahonias are also good but this new one is a better twist on the native.

Zone 7b, shade, looks best with protection from winds, can take some drought.

Rosa Nutkana and rosa multiflora have great rose hips. Nutkana hips with their thorny branches are fantastic in wreaths. They can be woven into twiggy wreaths by themselves or added to wreaths, draped across the tops of wardrobes, cupboards, and cabinets. The hips harden and they have a lovely deep dark red color. These are very easy to grow and in some cases the rosa multiflora have been considered invasive. I think they are easy to control and make a good hedge for keeping animals out of a garden. Both easy to grow in average soil, better with moisture, full sun and hardy to zone 3. Roots are shallow and easy to pull out. Let them spread out for good arching stems with small roses in cluster.

Easy to grow in average soil, better with moisture, full sun and hardy to zone 3.

Red Twig or Orange Twig dogwood (cornus ‘midwinter fire’, elegantissima) are amazing in many ways in Christmas decorations. They can be planted in containers outside, cuttings can be added to wreaths, garlands, and even in the Christmas tree to have spurts of color coming out of the tree. Easy to grow in many conditions, hardy to zone 3, full sun or shade, and easy to cut and keep cutting.

Easy to grow in many conditions, hardy to zone 3, full sun or shade.

Western Red Cedar, Thuja plicata, is our native cedar. This is probably the most used evergreen for decorating. Cedar garlands are for sale at grocery stores, home stores, and florist shops. Fragrant and tough (no needles falling) they are good for many areas in the home, wreaths, garlands, mantle pieces, banisters, and outside eaves and railings. Lights can be tucked in along the line to add interest at night. Easy to prune and take boughs from, can take a lot of foliage without noticing.

Zone 3, wet or average soil, sun or shade with no real pests.

When planning your Christmas cutting garden choose an area of your garden that is a little out of the beaten path. Sometimes the cutting will be noticeable until the leaves and branches grow back in. Situate the plants closer than you would normally plant them. They will be cut back possibly yearly so they can stand to be close. Good siting for sun and shade can be determined by the path of the sun and planting to provide shade with taller things acting as shade. Enjoy your own cutting garden of Christmas Greens!

Christmas Cuttings 1 | Holly

by Susan | Jan 11, 2018 | Plants I Dig

As sometimes happens (many times actually) some research on a blog post can turn you to another direction totally. This is one of those times. While researching where and how to grow my favorite Christmas greens I came across a lot of information about holly. I use holly in my Christmas decorations but usually outside where the birds can feast on the (poisonous to us) berries while I look on. Not a huge fan of getting poked I like to concentrate on hollies that are a little friendlier. There are some great holly plants that are not prickly and are a structural evergreen presence all year round. Still worthy of mention is the traditional English Holly (Ilex aquifolium), not one of the ‘friendly’ hollies. The leaves are spiny and sharp, making a great hedge with good foraging and home making places for birds. Predators can’t get to the nest and there is plenty of food. Beautiful and large in stature the Ilex aquifolium is worth a place in your large garden. Our family had one when I was a kid. I usually noticed it when I stepped barefooted on the leaves that littered the ground. This holly is the traditional holly for Christmas decorating but is easily replaced by a few friendlier varieties.

Heavy on berries, the unusual Ilex cassine var casine (Dahoon Holly), grows in moist ground. The leaves are spineless, evergreen and medium green. Hardy to zone 5 in full sun or part shade it is native to eastern United States, Mexico and the Caribbean

Moist ground is also a good place to grow Ilex verticillata or Winterberry Holly. Branches of this plant are abundant in the wholesale coolers at Christmas time. Deciduous, the berries are the part that makes this plant valuable for decorating. Vibrant in the landscape, bird fodder, and easy care make this plant well worth growing if you can find it. Hardy to zone 3 it is small in stature, worth it to put several plants growing together.

Next, Ilex cornuta, or Horned Holly is friendly too. It can easily be a small tree as well as a maintained shrub. It is good as a privacy hedge but without the spines to deter the random dog or human, a good choice for barefooting. Berries are there but does not bear heavily. This holly likes sun and dry-ish ground. It can be part of a drought tolerant landscape. One of the most amazing places I saw it growing was in Phoenix Arizona, it was pretty happy without much extra water from the tap. Zone 7 – 9 in Sun or part shade. I most often see Ilex cornuta ‘Burford’. No male plant is needed for berries on this tree.

Ilex altaclerensis Balgeica ‘marginata’ has no spines and beautiful white variegated foliage. Berries stay well and is easy and more robust than common English Holly. It likes moist, well drained soil and male plant close by to produce berries.

It is fun to mess with people and plant a holly like plant that is not a holly. It always makes for good arguments and has the added benefit of showing off your horticultural ‘name that plant’ knowledge. Osmanthus genus will do that for you! Osmanthus heterophyllus has holly like leaves both with silver/gray foliage (Tea Olive), dark green foliage (Gulftide), and variegated foliage (Goshki). Throw in a Osmanthus fragrans to really stir the brain cells. The leaves are very spiky looking but with a soft, not stiff texture. Zone 7 – 9, blooming in September with fragrance, they are well worth a spot in any garden. They are drought tolerant and can even grow in clay soil.

Most Hollies like:

slightly acid soil with good drainage.
full sun or partial shade
Protection from drying winds
birds, bees, and insects to live in their branches.

Hollies are not liked by:

Deer or foraging animals.
Humans with small children, or pets that may eat the berries.
Barefooted people (young or old)
People or animals trying to get into the garden or your house – Great hedging.

Stay tuned for updated Christmas Cuttings list – Fabulous plants you can plant now for cutting greens for years to come. A design for a bed using these will also be given at the end of the series. Christmas Cuttings List – Magnolia Grandiflora, Rosa Nutkana, Midwinterfire dogwood, western red cedar, shore pine, White Pine, Rosa Multiflora, Mahonia

Gardening Resolutions 2018

by Susan | Jan 6, 2018 | gardening, Plantswoman Design

Gardening resolutions are easy to keep. They are usually two-fold. We have a goal in mind that can have another benefit to us by keeping it. A resolution like planning to spend more time in the garden is good for the garden and the time spent there can add to our sense of peace and help us get a good dose of Vitamin N (Nature). Working in the garden or planting an edible garden are good for exercise and have good health benefits. Here are my top garden resolutions for 2018.

Spend more time in my Garden. Just to enjoy it. There is always something to be done but just sitting and being are important. Connecting with nature and seeing the cycle of plant life, insects, and birds helps us de-stress and realize our place in life.

Be more aware of the value of beneficial insects in the garden. Use more earth friendly solutions for everyday garden problems.

Leave wild portions of my property for foraging birds, insects, frogs and fish. Clean out invasives carefully and replant with natives. The creek and ponds on my property need the shade and undisturbed edges to create an aquatic habitat.

Use the compost pile more and get it working properly. Sometimes it is just a pile of debris that I clean out and take to recycle. Then I turn around and purchase it as compost. I use compost in all my garden beds and no synthetic fertilizer.

Plant my usable spaces with intention instead of random ‘stick it in’ style. Designers especially have this problem. We just plant a plant to see what it does instead of intentionally adding it as a part of a design.

Share what is growing in my garden with others. Plant starts, seeds, and produce can all benefit others and sometimes start a life long love of gardening.

Read more, study more, and add innovative new garden ideas to my current garden.

Learn more about planting seeds and adding them to the garden instead of buying plant starts. This aspect of gardening can be daunting but so rewarding if you get it right.

Visit more gardens, hike more trails, and observe more. Making time to connect with other gardeners and hikers creates a network that feeds lives.

Be aware of water needs in plants and plan. In 2017 we had the one of the wettest ‘water years’ in history (49.3 inches) but at the same time the driest summer in history with 52 days of no rain. Creating more water retention on my property is a key goal this year.

Everyone has a different way to look at resolutions and have different needs in their garden. Let me know what resolutions (if you call them that) you have for this year.