What do you see on your garden walks? 2012

[RickR]

It seems like every year I watch and wait in anticipation of the fall witchhazel bloom.  And every year I think the flower buds are so small that it will take "forever" for them to open, and all of a sudden - poof!

              
                    Hamamelis virginiana

[externmed]

Amazing how much difference a week can make.
Crocus photo today, Corydalis BlacKberry Wine, Allium thunbergii, and Aconitum 1 week ago.
Charles Swanson NE MA USA

[McDonough]

Rick, which witchhazel is that (fun semantically asking that )

Charles, nice stretch of Allium thunbergii there. Regarding the Aconitum, I had posted an unknown Aconitum species on Facebook that the local garden club members share around here, and it looks just like your plant. After an hour of research, I think it looks like Aconitum carmichaelii 'Arendsii', I'm sure that's it.

[externmed]

Hey Mark,
Think this one (Aconitum) came from Herronswood.  Not clear from the picture, but it's 5 to 7 ft.  I'm planning to try everyone I can find, as they are quite seriously deer-proof.  Most not that easy though, either suffering from fungus or summer dryness (or both).
Charles

[cohan]

Cool flowers, Rick! I thought I had some healthy seedlings of wild Hammamelis, but not sure if I lost track of the pot or what, I don't think I saw them this year     Definitely can't imagine any plants that start flowering at this time of year- even if we weren't in an early stretch of winter..

Charles- interesting about the Aconitum- I had a small plant from a friend in Poland planted fall 2011, it came up in spring and was promptly eaten by something, but came back and grew for a couple of months, till it was eaten again- no sign of it after that

[externmed]

Rick,
That Hamamelis virginiana is a lot nicer than what we have wild around here.  Is it a cultivated variety?
Charles MA USA

[RickR]

Well something ate 3 of the 4 umbels on one of my Allium thunbergii f. album, a rabbit I would suppose.  I guess they are not oniony enough.

There is something irresistible about members of the Hamamelidaceae family.  Rabbits seem to search them out.  I had very special seedlings growing from native seed here, and the first night I put them out they were eaten.  Same with a fothergilla plant, too.  Maybe this also goes for Lauraceae, too, as sassafras were promptly eaten also.

That's a Hamamelis virginiana, Mark.  I got it as a plant mail order from Girard's back in 1982.  The photo is labeled now.

[McDonough]

Charles, this Aconitum (carmichaelii 'Arendsii') seems easy and tolerant of varying conditions, it see it in various yards around here.  Mine is 6' tall, a few shoots a bit shorter.  I'm with you, so far as looking for more species, very interesting plants.

Rick, too bad about the rabbit munchings, that is so irritating. We have two rabbits in the yard this year, and they loved Vernonia lettermannii nearly to death, ate it to a stub early in the summer, it grew out and was budded up, then they ate it to a stub again, will have to protect with wire mesh next year.  Young tree seedlings seem to be very tasty, had a devilish time a few years back getting maple species seedlings to survive nibbling onslaughts.

So, my Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena' is NOT, its actually H. virginiana, glad to have a correct ID on it.


This might be a lame attempt at protecting developing seed pods on my Allium thunbergii 'Alba' from two days of soaking downpours from Hurricane Sandy, happening as I type this message, but I put plastic bags over the heads and zip-tied them. Just ran outside (with 50+ mph gusts) and so far they're holding up okay. For a couple other items I wanted seed on, I covered the plants with large heavy inverted pots, weighted down with boulders and bricks.

[Hoy]

I found the first flowers of my Hamamelis virginiana about a week ago, although it is quite a few years since I planted it. The flowers are not very impressive yet and smaller than Rick's but I hope they'll improve the years to come!

Aconitum 'Arendsii' is the commonest garden aconitum in Norway I think! But all Aconitums and Delphiniums are prone to slug damage, at least in my garden I have tried several species from seed and they are prompt devoured. I always suspect slugs (and snails) but rodents are possible too but not rabbits (cross fingers).

[RickR]

Yes, yours would be H. virginiana, Mark.  I don't think there is any other species that blooms in the fall.  And of course, it's the wrong color for Jelena.  My shrub gets a fair amount of direct sun that really doesn't increase flower size, but does increase flower numbers. 

I hope those bags hold, Mark.  I see you have one pinned down with a stick.  A wise move, I think.  My region from the beginning has been predicted to be one of the areas least hit by climate change, and so far, I think that's been true.  I'm not envious at all for your storm of storms out east, and I heard a prediction of 3 feet of snow in Virginia, too. 

[cohan]

I think Virginia already got the 3 feet of snow..
Rick, this area also seems to be (so far) avoiding some of the extra extremes (this climate is extreme enough without climate change!) many other areas have had- our winters have been near normal when others have had excessivley warm/dry or unusually cold winters, no serious summer heat waves or droughts either (in the last few years at least, but then ups and downs of moisture are not out of the normal)..

Trees going down on lines always seems to be a big problem when those big storms come- here, at least in the countryside, they try to keep all trees pruned well away from lines, so we don't see much of that, but  in more heavily populated areas, with trees larger than most are here, I guess it's not possible..

[RickR]

Right, Cohan.  Trees that are impressively big here in Minnesota are just run-of-the-mill further south.  I can imagine that the difference is even more so where you are.

[Toole]

I admit to having a few plants  in pots  --far too many    --mostly duplicates of easy bulbs that grow well in the garden--however a number are more specific and need to be under cover in winter as an aid to control moisture levels---i find pots easier for photographing  -For all of the above though, the main reason is that my garden is 'chocka block',(full),and i haven't yet resolved the battle between purchasing plants/sowing seed verses lack of space--although that day is not far ahead ....

Cheers Dave.

Well ---yesterday i solved some of the space issue .... for the meantime  

I was forever trimming back some large shrubs on the west side of our driveway ---namely a large Rhodo 'christmas cheer', a good sized pink Camellia and a vicious rambling rose which had grown up into the surrounding trees and was leaning over the entrance way catching the top of the truck each time i drove in.
I was in some ways sorry to see them go .

15 minutes with the chainsaw then a couple of rather full loads to the tip where it all will be chipped into mulch .

Then I sort of lucked things a bit --while pulling out the roots of a honeysuckle about half a metre inside the cleared area i came across a railway sleeper --then i found another further on and realised that this was the edging line of the original bed --in the end i located and dug up 13 sleepers--they show a bit of deterioration having been buried on their side into the ground for at least 20 years ,but will do .

There is a little weeding ,then the fun part begins --I'll probably be able to plant out about 70 seedling Trilliums ,divide /move a few Hostas from elsewhere , as well as a few different Epimediums and a number of native ferns at the far shaded end ,hoping to keep everything well below a metre in height .

Cheers Dave.

 

[Bundraba!]

Here's a couple shots taken through my back 'doting window' today. I am presently in the process of taking down the
perennial plunk; first photo and to right in second (The Fothergilla will remain unclipped; but I've considered removing
it; see view below). Some folks leave spent perennials up, and that is fine as they are decorative, but taking them down
gives me opportunity to well trample rodent infested ground and check for rogue weeds that may have taken a bet on hiding
there. All the clippings will be left on the bed. The adjacent lawn is being religiously raked. Lawn is lawn; plunk is
plunk, and shade is shade (shade at left in photo 2). Fallen foliage is encouraged on the shade bed; discouraged on the
lawn; and tolerated on the plunk. It is not tolerated on the rock gardens! This leaves me with plenty of mosey "work" at
this time of year; ensuring that the alpine beds go into winter free of fallen leaves -just as the plants there would have
it if they had not been removed from their breezy homes. However, I suppose, the main reason for taking the perennials
down in this garden is twofold; One, the view of the rockeries from the subject window is cool. It daily reminds me of
some of the high points in my life in a small yet glorious sort of way when it is set upon a level and clear foreground,
and, two; several thousand snowdrops will appear here in April. They will appear through the desiccated remains of the
leveled perennials as if upon a mountain tundra after the winter's thaw.

[Lori S.]

Good job, Dave!  It's always exciting to have new gardening space, isn't it?

Great views, Michael.  I see some beautiful stonework in there!