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Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Robert:
Narcissus cyclamineus grows well in our garden. We have incorporated this species in a number of our breeding lines with satisfactory results. Pictured with the Narcissus is Drymocallis lactea var. austiniae. Drymocallis lactea is a high elevation species from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. There are a number of subspecies, all of which have all done well in our summertime hot, dry garden.
Nacissus cantabricus is another species that has proven useful in our breeding work. Here they are blooming with Eschscholzia caespitosa and Epilobium ciliatum seedlings. I always let Eschscholzia caespitosa and Epilobium ciliatum seed around in many of my pots of early blooming spring bulbs. I enjoy the second wave of flowers when the early bulbs have finished blooming. As long as I keep the annuals thinned this seems like an agreeable arrangement.
[Jasmin]: As the season progresses, we are indeed finding more bulbs surfacing, which await relocation. There is quite the thick carpet of seedling Erythroniums. This is exactly what we envisioned when the parents were first set into the ground. However, without the walnut tree, they will need placement to more agreeable filtered light conditions. The ones that were relocated earlier are already robust and growing strong. The garden will be even more delightful with these other groups spread around to establish in other locations and catch the eye. Some Liliums are also peeking out from their dormancy.
This week the weather will be a bit unsettled and the soil remains too soppy, but after that there will be a dry period, ideal enough for transplanting. Our only concern is the prediction of possible extremely high temperatures for this time of year, in the 20º C ranges.
It is one of those ironies, that while I may be ready for the heat and some sun, I know this type of weather will hasten the plants to break dormancy. The last few years this has happened, the fruit trees were in full bloom, only to be decimated by killing frosts shocking them. While most of the trees survived, some lost limbs, and others the fruit crops were completely destroyed. Such are the vagaries and challenges we all must face with increasingly erratic weather.
Robert:
Much of our garden is still in a state of chaos. We are still adjusting to the loss of our large walnut tree in our back yard. This portion of the garden (pictured) was largely unaffected by the removal of the walnut tree.
The few snowdrops, Galanthus, we grow have already finished blooming. Eranthus hyemalis has not grown well in our garden. They have not bloomed now for two years, however the plants persist and new seedlings continue to appear each year. It will be interesting to see if this species can adjust to life in our garden.
Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’ is the most prominent species blooming in this part of the garden at this time.
Over the years I have divided the clumps of our Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’. Now nice blooming clumps can be found scattered around the garden. Here they are blooming with Geranium macrorrhizum in the background.
Pictured is another clump of Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’. Cyclamen coum also blooms during this time period, however this is another species that has not performed to expectation. We get a few flowers each winter and some seedlings have very attractive foliage, however in general they have not grown well. Pseudotrillium rivale also blooms during this time period and grows extremely well in our garden. They all needed to be moved to new locations. They are settling into their new locations and will likely be well adjusted to their new locations next year.
As much of the backyard garden is much sunnier now, I have been moving Crocus species into some of the sunnier locations. I recently moved most of them when they were in or near flowering. They too need to adjust. Pictured is Crocus angustifolius. This has been an easy species to please. Unfortunately, I have only one seedling. It increases extremely slowly and has never set seed. It might be nice to have more, however this also forces me to be creative and come up with other plant choices.
Robert:
I enjoy and breed many Narcissus x susannae type hybrids. There are many ways to approach this cross (Narcissus cantabricus or other Hoop Petticoat types x triandrus). This early blooming selection (pictured) is tiny. I separate the individual clones and grow them on for further evaluation. All of our miniature Narcissus hybrids are grown outside with little or no protection from the weather. The weaklings do not survive. The survivors are tough well-adjusted plants that thrive in our garden.
I use this Hoop Petticoat hybrid as a parent for many of my hybrids. This hybrid blooms profusely and can impart ruffled and widely flared flowers to second-generation progeny.
Robert:
I spent the last week of February moving the last of the shade loving plants from the garden beds that were once shaded by our walnut tree that was removed in July of 2024. Pictured above are all the plants of the Sweetwater Creek form of Erythronium multiscapideum that I missed from the first round of transplanting back in January. Both the Sweetwater Creek and Kanaka Valley forms of Erythronium multiscapideum run and multiply rapidly relative to our other forms of this species. With time the new bulbs will reach blooming size and the colony will begin to produce a fair number of flowers each year. We have other forms of this species that are very floriferous. Hybrids between the two types have been made and preliminary evaluations can start as these new hybrids begin to bloom over the next few years.
We moved most of the Sweetwater Creek forms of Eythronium multiscapideum to our front yard. Plants from both the January and February transplant periods have grown well and will be blooming shortly. Pictured are the Erythroniums (right) and Heuchera rubescens (left).
Earlier, I complained that Cyclamen coum performed poorly in our garden. Our Cyclamen coum in our front yard grow well, despite less than ideal conditions. I will have to experiment with the plants in the back yard and see if I can help them grow better. Vigorous, well blooming plants would certainly be an asset to our late winter back yard garden.
Cyclamen coum blooming in our front yard.
Pictured are more Cyclamen coum blooming in our front yard. Our Cyclamen coum in our front yard bloom satisfactorily, and also seem to seed about.
Robert:
The remaining parts of our ornamental garden in our back yard are looking fairly good.
I am pleased with the composition and evolution of the remaining portion of our back yard ornamental garden.
Many of the plants need to be appreciated close up. Pictured is one of our Deer Valley forms of Erythronium multiscapideum. These forms form tight clumps and spread slowly.
Our Buckeye Flat forms of Erythronium multiscapideum clump tightly, spread slowly, and bloom profusely. During periods of cold weather the flowers frequently blush pink, unlike any of our other selections of this species to date. The Buckeye Flat forms of this species grow near the high elevation limit of this species in our area. In addition, Erythronium purpurascens can be found growing a fairly short distance, at a higher elevation, from the Buckeye Flat and Pilot Creek colonies of Erythronium multiscapideum. Understanding the evolutionary history of these forms of Erythronium multiscapideum would be an interesting study. A not so distant relationship between the two species may be possible.
I needed to move all of our selection of Pseudotrillium rivale in February after they emerged from the soil. They have all taken well in their new locations. While digging the plants I noticed many seeds germinating. They do seed about in our garden and new forms that thrive in our garden are being selected over time.
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