Hamamelis Shopping In The Snow

Hamamelis Shopping In The Snow

by | Jan 23, 2020 | Plants I Dig, Plantswoman Design

What to do when it is a snow day?   There are many answers to that, but when you work from home, you usually just go to work.   This snowy day I had an appointment with a new client.   Since the roads were more than passable, I got there with a little extra time on my hands.   Of course, being close to one of my favorite nurseries was opportune.    The staff laughed at me when I walked in and started asking about the witch hazels.  They were not surprised to see me shopping.

I posted a few pictures of the new Hamamelis I ordered online last week.  While shopping today, I had a hard time deciding which one to buy.   It might surprise most people to know how many different varieties are available.   Usually, you will find “Jelena’, ‘Arnolds promise’ and ‘Diane’ for sale.   These were there but also ‘Birgit’, ‘Strawberries and Cream’, ‘Angelly’, and ‘Sunburst’ were flowering amidst all the snow-packed displays.  This time of year is a great time to be able to pick the colors and fragrances.   Different growing habits are also available for smaller gardens or a perfect narrow space with a good background.  

‘Birgit’ came home with me tucked into the back of the SUV that was necessary because of the snow.     Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Birgit’ is its botanical name.     It is blooming now with fragrant, showy purplish-red flowers, with upright-spreading branching. It is noted for being perhaps the darkest red of the cultivars available today. Each flower has four narrow, ribbon-like, curled and slightly crinkled petals. Axillary clusters of these flowers bloom along the stems from late January to March. Flowers are mildly fragrant. Fabulous textured dark green leaves (to 4″ long) turn yellow-orange-red in fall.

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Birgit’

Zone: 5 to 8

Height: 8.00 to 12.00 feet

Spread: 12.00 to 15.00 feet

Bloom Time: January to March

Bloom Description: Purplish-red

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Water: Medium

Existing in the garden already are Hamamelis Jelena, Diane, and ‘Little Suzie’.    ‘Little Suzie’ is a small hybrid of Hamamelis virginiana, a native of the east coast.  Flowering at an early age with branches that are densely covered with fragrant soft yellow flowers.  It was flowering in December here.  Its leaves turn a butter-yellow in fall.

‘Little Suzie’

Zone: 3 to 8

Height: 4.00 to 5.00 feet

Spread: 4.00 to 5.00 feet

Bloom Time: October to December

Bloom Description: Yellow

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Water: Medium

 

Just planted from my mail-order delivery is Hamamelis mollis, Chinese witch hazel.  It is one of the most fragrant of all witch hazels and one of the first collected in China in 1879.  It is pretty small at this point (only 1 gallon) but is placed where it can really grow and be amazing.

Hamamelis mollis

Zone: 5 to 8

Height: 10.00 to 15.00 feet

Spread: 10.00 to 15.00 feet

Bloom Time: January to March

Bloom Description: yellow with reddish-brown calyx cups

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Water: Medium

Hamamelis vernalis  ‘Purpurea’ is bigger in a 2-gallon root ball; it is already showing good structure and flowering now.  It is covered with burgundy flowers, and they are very cool.  They have a two-toned effect with the ends of the ribbon-like petals lighter colored.   I am looking forward to seeing that as they mature.  The snow will have to go away first.

Hamamelis vernalis  ‘Purpurea’

Zone: 4 to 8

Height: 6.00 to 10.00 feet

Spread: 8.00 to 12.00 feet

Bloom Time: January to March

Bloom Description: Burgundy

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Water: Medium

In the back of the white garden at the edge of the snowdrop meadow is Hamamelis ‘Amethyst’.  Very small at planting, probably a hybrid of H. vernalis, it has only one tiny bloom.   The reddish-purple flowers come out in mid-winter with cool gray/green foliage in spring before the signature red and orange fall color.

Hamamelis ‘Amethyst’

Zone: 5 to 8

Height: 10.00 to 15.00 feet

Spread: 10.00 to 15.00 feet

Bloom Time: January to March

Bloom Description: purple with reddish-brown calyx cups

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Water: Medium

Hamamelis cultivars typically bloom early in the winter before the leaves come out.  There is one that blooms in fall that might be fun to track down.  They are usually easy to grow with very few pests.  Deer resistant in most areas, they have a second season of interest with fabulous fall color.  It is essential to keep suckers cut off of all Hamamelis.  Some can spread into forests invasively.  Suckers below the graft on grafted ones can overwhelm the graft.

Now to get my journal out to record these new plants and make tags for them.   Part of my goals for the new year, to make sure to keep better records.  Hopefully, these new purchases will stave off the lust for new plants.   Oh wait, the seed catalogs are stacked up on the table…. 

Footnote:  Thanks to the Missouri Botanical Garden Website for information about these cultivars.

Check out plantlust.com online for fabulous plants that are usually not available in nurseries. Thanks to Bay Hay and Feed on Bainbridge Island for continually providing unusual varieties of many plants. 

Foxtail Lily

Foxtail Lily

by | Aug 26, 2019 | Plants I Dig, Plantswoman Design

The eremurus robustus, or Foxtail lily, is a stunning plant. I have tried many times to grow a group of foxtails in my garden, but it has been a challenge. A wonderful gardener I know has grown these fabulous plants in the main bed of her driveway. It’s so impressive to see fifty or so Foxtails growing en masse in a circular plant bed. I’m surprised more people didn’t crash their cars while driving by such a spectacular sight.  

This particular lily has been growing in my garden for three years now. I originally planted three groups, but this is the only one that survived. I cleaned out some unsuccessful plants from underneath them, which I think helped this one thrive. They seem to like the soil a little dryer, which is great for where they grow. I will purchase more lilies this year to see if I can establish a larger group.

In addition to playing with plants, it is fun to play with art in the garden. Using glass in the garden can be difficult if not correctly placed. However, using a plant with contrasting foliage or duplicating another form from the garden are two ways to help your art stand out. In this case, the swirling shapes of these glass sculptures echo the structure of the foxtail lily. You can move these beautiful glass pieces around the garden, but I think this is the place for them. Even the darker orange at the bottom looks like the lily as the blooms start to fade out. 

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Tiny Plants…

Tiny Plants…

by | Apr 5, 2019 | Plantswoman Design

Why do I plant tiny things? Sometimes I wonder why I chose to buy such a tiny plant in the first place. I look at it and think ‘will I ever find it again?’   ‘Will it get lost in my garden?’  ‘Will it get weeded out never having a chance to say, ‘stop! don’t pull me out’?  

Then on a cold brisk day with a feeble sun shining I see those tiny plants.   And it occurs to me that early spring is the perfect time for them.  

The tiny snowdrops first show up first, then the aconities and scilla, with chionodoxa, hepatica, ranunculus, and frittilaria come next. And yes, even tiny trilliums make an appearance before the big trilliums make a splashy entrance.    As I look at these beautiful miniatures it occurrs to me why it is perfect timing.  90 percent of the garden is just waking up and in the height of summer these sweet babies won’t be noticed.  Only the big billowing hydrangeas, hostas, brunneras would be noticed. 

Just as your inner gardener is desperate for just a little bit of spring these little guys show up. Bravely facing blustery spring winds, cold temps at night and fitful sun. They shine on! 

Here’s a look at some of the tiny bits of spring growing in my garden this week. 

Trillium Rivale

Trillium Rivale

Trillium Rivale

trillium posillum plantswoman design 001

Trillium posilum ‘Early Alabama Spring’

scilla siberica plantswoman design 002

Scilla siberica

scilla siberica plantswoman design 001

Scilla siberica

chionodoxa luciliae 001

Chionodoxa luciliae

chionodoxa luciliae plantswoman design 003

Chionodoxa luciliae

chionodoxa luciliae plantswoman design 002

Chionodoxa luciliae

chionodoxa luciliae alba plantswoman design 001

Chionodoxa luciliae alba

hacquetia epipactis plantswoman design 001

Hacquetia epipactis

Northwest Flower and Garden Festival 2018: Celebrating 30 Years!

Northwest Flower and Garden Festival 2018: Celebrating 30 Years!

by | 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.
plantswoman design wsn flawed beauty nwfgs
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.
Christmas Cuttings 2 | Greens

Christmas Cuttings 2 | Greens

by | 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!
Gardening Resolutions 2018

Gardening Resolutions 2018

by | 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.
  1. 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.
  1. Be more aware of the value of beneficial insects in the garden. Use more earth friendly solutions for everyday garden problems.
  1. 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.
  1. 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.
  1. 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.
  1. 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.
  1. Read more, study more, and add innovative new garden ideas to my current garden.
  1. 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.
  1. Visit more gardens, hike more trails, and observe more. Making time to connect with other gardeners and hikers creates a network that feeds lives.
  1. 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.
Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice

by | Jan 1, 2018 | Plantswoman Design

Happy new year my garden friends!  Winter Solstice has passed not that long ago and the days are growing longer.  Soon the earth will wake from its winter slumber and burst into Spring.  But until then, it’s time to dream and plan of the garden to come. Cheers to this new year!
Plants I Dig: Blooming Winter Plants

Plants I Dig: Blooming Winter Plants

by | Dec 22, 2017 | Plants I Dig, Plantswoman Design

So many people think that the garden goes dormant and nothing happens in the winter. That is so not true and if it is true in your garden it’s time to explore Winter Plants. Plants, like people, like different things.  Some don’t start their bloom cycle until everything else stops, fragrance drifts on the breeze tempting you to follow the scent to discover what is going on. Right now, there is the crazy scent of grape soda along my garden walk.  

Winter Plant Profiles:

The stunning Nerine Bowendii is happily blooming under the fremontodendron ’Ken Taylor’. It is in a dry bed that get lots of hot sun and has the reflected heat from the parking area and a walkway.  The strappy leaves aren’t very exciting and you kinda wonder what it is.  Then suddenly there is a blast of berry pink showing through the branches and a sweet berry fragrance in the air.  Several times I’ve walked by wondering what it was before I investigated.  I have Nerine undulata in a pot that I purchased online.  This goes into the greenhouse when the weather cools and it becomes wet. The tops of the Nerine bulbs should stay slightly out of the soil so they have a good baking in the summer.  Drainage is the most important thing for these bulbs. Read more about Nerines… Spring is Not The Only Fall Season: Fall Bulbs and  Fall Garden Super Star
Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurascens ‘Freckles’ is an evergreen winter blooming clematis.   I first saw this plant in Seattle, growing on a sheltered wall, about 10 years ago when my daughter lived there. It was so surprising and unknown to me.   It blooms all winter on previous year’s growth. The creamy bells are densely freckled in their interiors with dark red-purple. Evergreen in our climate but needs protection from drying winter winds. I purchased one for my old house on miller bay. It grows up a post onto the deck, and along the railing. It is large now but the stalks are not very heavy so it is ok for it to hang on the railing. Blooming so beautifully right now but is hard to find for sale. This is one of the many garden worthy plants that go out of favor so growers stop growing them. There are several varieties including ‘lemon bells’, and ‘wisley cream’. Hardy in zone 7 they need only occasional hard pruning and some clean out and growth directional pruning after flowering.

Mahonia Charity

Mahonia Soft Caress

Walking through the woodland with everything dormant and leaves on the ground, Mahonia Charity practically shouts out to be seen. The bright yellow flowers provide relief from the gray, brown and dark green in the garden just now. Mahonia ‘soft caress’ has lost most of it’s flowers and the fine foliage maintains throughout the rest of the winter. Mahonia Charity is just starting and although a much more structural plant the flowers are the same electric yellow that softens as it blooms out. A very important food for overwintering hummingbirds it bridges the gaps between blooming seasons. It is often still blooming in a warm early spring when the mason bees come out.
Have a walk in your winter garden. Take note of what is blooming out there. If there is nothing then you should start working on next year. Nursery stock is still high and mail order plants are ready to ship. Plan, plant, enjoy.
Garden Gifts From The Ground And The Heart

Garden Gifts From The Ground And The Heart

by | Dec 2, 2017 | Plantswoman Design

Tis the season for giving, not getting. Right? More and more I’m spending time on the internet converting my list into charges on my credit card. As I think about the things I want to give, I think with purpose. Why not encourage someone to grow some food, get some exercise, get inspired, connect with nature, spend more time outside, connect with other people, and share their experience. Wow, that is all found in a garden! Crazy. Here’s my list of ‘good for you, good for everyone’ gifts.

Seed Savers Exchange

This gift can go both ways. Give a catalog, buy seeds or donate a tax-deductable gift to the preservation of seeds as a gift for the person who has everything. The amazing folks at Seed Savers are determined to save seeds for all of our futures. They preserve over 25,000 different kinds of seeds in their seed bank.  Becoming a member helps with this tremendously important task. LINK :  www.seedsaver.org

Garden Design Magazine

Give a gift subscription to this fabulous magazine. Supported by subscriptions and donations this magazine is not full of advertising. I remember cancelling a subscription to a home magazine because I counted the space dedicated to advertising versus content and the advertising had more space.   No such worries with this magazine. The only problem is whether to save it or give it away. I would never throw it away it is too good!

Northwest Flower and Garden Show Tickets

If you know someone who has never been to the show a pair of tickets would be a fabulous gift. They have so many things to see and to buy that even non-gardeners can enjoy the show. It is like a little bit of spring in the middle of winter, well worth the trip to Seattle.

The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible by Ed Smith

Starting a vegetable garden in easy steps. This is a great book for first time gardeners looking to grow a little of their own next year. Terms are explained, seed starting is made less daunting and humor is laced throughout. It is not about new methods, just simple explanations of tried and tested ways to grow a great garden. Include a few packets of your favorite seeds with notes about how you have grown them makes it personal!

Wooden handled Garden Tools

I love my favorite tools and most of them have wooden handles. These are far more sturdy and last longer than the ones with plastic handles. My all-around champion is the ‘claw’, its alias is the EZ Digger Korean Garden tool. This is the most useful tool in my bucket. Drop in a couple of pairs of insulated garden gloves by Otterback Fleece and you have a wonderful and useful gift.  The dual layer gloves from Otterback are coated with Nitril Palm coating for good grip.   They are available on line (of course) from Galeton.com.

[photo www.shopterrain.com]

Seed Bombs

These are so fun! Become a guerilla gardener! Seed Bombs are garden seeds put into clay and compost.  They are one of the best ways to get someone who is not a gardener involved in creating beauty without much effort.   These can be thrown into your own garden or along a disturbed edge of road, or vacant lots.  You can purchase specific bombs for pollinators or just to spread beauty around! Head on over to Terrain’s website at   www.shopterrain.com      But be careful though, you may accidentally click on something that you want. If you want to create your own, the Gardenista website has a tutorial as well as good tips for using them. https://www.gardenista.com/posts/diy-wildflower-seed-bombs/

[photo www.shopterrain.com]

Crafty fun for Kids

Terrain has a seed starting kit for ‘Fairy Tale’ gardening.  Jack’s magic beans kit includes a tin of seeds, directions too!    Include a ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ book for a good Boy’s gift.

Planning a Healing Garden

Plan a garden for someone who needs help. There are lots of great books to help with planning a new space for a special person. Gardening Yoga and healing gardens are great ways to help people recover from illness or connect with nature on a more personal level. Plan for fragrance, herbs that can heal, or a quite space for contemplation. Commit to helping with the planting (even in a container) in the spring. Give plants, seeds, gloves, labels, etc, to communicate your vision.

[photo mindware]

RootVue Farm

Available from Mindware (www.mindware.orientaltrading.com) this see-through growing reservoir will inspire kids to understand how to grow easy to start seeds. A good tutorial book, growth chart to track progress and low maintenance design make a good gift for your favorite child.

[photo www.cabelas.com]

Propane Fire Pit

Lastly for the Man in your life. Maybe not the recliner in the back yard he is dreaming of but the propane fire pit is easy, fun, and even romantic. They don’t have to be a boy scout to get it going and clean up is just turning it off and walking away.   Available at local nurseries and home stores it may inspire him to create a patio to go with it. My favorite is the Outland Fire bowl at Cabela’s. It is beautiful, portable, and makes a great fire that looks like a real campfire.  www.cabelas.com or local store. So, now that your shopping is taken care of, get out the eggnog, start a fire, check the wrapping paper supply and get Christmassy! In my family, it is well known that Christmas music can be played in any month ending in ‘BER’ so it’s time to switch to my Holiday play list.