Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Flowers and Foliage Now => Topic started by: Robert on January 02, 2022, 07:17:53 PM
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Hi Akke,
If I understand correctly, you garden in containers? This can be very rewarding. Although I have space to grow plants in the ground, I still grow many plants in containers. I think that they like the added attention.
Our mornings have been frosty with low temperatures about -1 C, so not too cold.
40 years ago this was normal; however frost during the winter has been sparse in the last 10 years. Some of our plants are having a difficult time adjusting to the mild winter weather. Here it is 1 January, this Rhododendron occidentale pictured below is attempting to bloom. This has been its habit over the past 5 years, or so. It is an early blooming form of this species; however this is far too early! Generally, it blooms about 15 March.
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Leucojum aestivum is a harbinger of spring. Back in the 1970’s I had a friend that lived in Chico, California – about 100 miles north of our home in Sacramento but still in the Central Valley of California. His backyard was kind of a wilderness: a semi-abandoned garden from the 1920’s – 1930’s. One early February day, I came across Leucojum aestivum blooming in a forgotten part of the garden. Our Leucojum aestivum is an old garden relic, most likely planted in during the 1940’s shortly after our current home was constructed. It might be a common species; however I enjoy having it in our garden.
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After 15 years or so in cold storage, I started to plant seed from mothballed projects last summer. Pictured is an exceptionally nice “old fashioned” type pansy grown from some of this seed. It has a nice mounding, compact habit, some heat tolerance, and nice flowers. The flowers are not especially exceptional; however the other qualities are well worth passing on to the next generation of plants. The next crop of hybrid seeds has now germinated and is growing well. I will be planting out the seedlings in a month or so.
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You’re right Robert, my major gardening is containers and it is indeed very rewarding to see everything up close. Even some ‘weeds’ got my attention. Lucky me, there’s a couple of places nearby where I can enjoy masses of flowering bulbs that I like.
Your Leucojum aestivum don’t sound common, they got history. In my ‘main’ ‘back’ garden there’s Galanthus nivalis that probably has been there since the park was created on the old defence walls 140 years ago, comman, enjoyed them already but now they seem a little more special. Gagea Lutea (‘nothing special’) got my real attention, this might actually gotten there naturally. Despite the Netherlands being bulb country, we actually don’t have many that are actually dutch (sorry Leena not much natural bulbs around here, mostly naturalized).
Photo In my containers Colchicum (merendera?) atticum is in flower.
Ps I got seeds of Viola suavis for my neighbour hoping for simple but likeable viola, do you know them Robert?
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Akke,
Colchicum and related species certainly are beautiful garden plants. We have only the pink species in our garden. Each autumn season they create a lovely scene in our garden.
I am not familiar with Viola suavis. I hope we get a report on how it performs in your garden. I have my hands full growing our local California native Viola species. Progress is slow, however there is a way forward with them. Of course, I am also growing (breeding) the very common bedding type Violas and “Old Fashion” type pansies.
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Our weather has shifted and temperatures are now well above average! I have been busy lining out the autumn planted California native annual species. Above is a small planting of Layia platyglossa.
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With a little bit of luck, Lupinus succulentus will put on a great show this spring.
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These are advance generation Gila capitata seedlings. Again, with some luck, a good line will develop.
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Collinsia tinctoria is one of 3 California native Collinsia species that I will be growing this year. All have done well in the past.
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Many of our California native annuals reseed themselves without any help on my part. These Clarkia gracilis ssp. gracilis are growing thickly with a few Eschscholzia caespitosa. I did not sow the seed; they are all chance seedlings. I am going to let them grow as is, and see what happens.
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Corydalis shanginii ainii always seems to be the first plant to flower in the alpine house.
Generally one stem & then weeks later the whole pot will flower.
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Corydalis shanginii ainii always seems to be the first plant to flower in the alpine house.
Generally one stem & then weeks later the whole pot will flower.
Crumbs! That seems very early! Lovely!
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Currently, the period of cold rainy weather has ended in our portion of Northern California. Temperatures have moderated and are running about average for this time of year. The mornings have been foggy at times, with clear skies during the afternoons.
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Snowdrops are blooming in the woodland garden. They are pretty this time of year. They are nothing exciting, just run-of-the-mill Galanthus elwesii hybrids of some sort, but never the less very pleasing to me. [Jasmin does not mind these couple small clumps, so long as the garden is not inundated.]
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Our main path out to the garden and compost piles is very sunny. This planting has year round interest. The gray foliage plant is Salvia sonomensis. The foliage gives off a very pleasant sage scent and is perfectly placed next to the path where the scent can be enjoyed frequently as we use this path. The Salvia shares space with Scutellaria californica that likes the bit of shade next to the cinder blocks. Bulbs such as Allium unifolium, Allium falcifolium, and Triteleia laxa are emerging from the ground and will be blooming later in the season. The Eschscholzia caespitosa seeds itself about without my help.
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Lupinus albifrons var. albiforns grows nearby and shares space with Castilleja affinis ssp. affinis. The silvery foliage of Lupinus albifrons is a delight. Castilleja affinis has been very persistent for many years now and provides flowers throughout the spring and summer. Planting this combination together has been very successful. Previous attempts with this variety of Lupinus have always resulted in the eventual demise of the plant. This always baffled us, since it is very hardy in the wild. Castilleja species always need a host. It has been a very fortunate experiment we both enjoy every year.
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Potentilla gracillis var. fastigiata has nice foliage most of the year and bright yellow flowers during the spring. It is tolerant of mesic as well as semi-xeric conditions. It grows in sun or part shade. This species seeds around our garden. In the background is a nice clump of Sisyrinchium bellum.
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Penstemon purpusii is one of the better preforming Penstemon species in our garden. This specimen, from a Snow Mountain accession, has a very nice growth habit. This species blooms in the spring with bright pink flowers that provide nectar to hummingbirds and a wide variety of bees.
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Our Arctostaphylos species are settling into our garden very well. This is Arctostaphylos ‘Sunset’--obviously not a species--but an attractive plant in our California garden. The various species bloom throughout the winter months and are an important nectar food source for our native hummingbird species during the winter. We are always on the lookout for our native butterfly species as they also come to feed on these early blooming flowers.
I hope that you have enjoyed a mini picture tour of our garden.
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In the UK and other parts of Europe there is Snowdrop season. For us here in California, the equivalent is Ume season.
Jasmin and I get up early in the morning and take a walk in the neighborhood well before the sun rises. This time of year, when I reach the sidewalk in front our house, I am greeted by the wonderful fragrance Prunus mume in the air.
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4 houses down from our home is a large and very old Prunus mume tree. Forty years ago, many Shin Issei lived in our neighborhood. These are the people Jasmin remembers as she walks in the neighborhood. Ume, Japanese Persimmons, Japanese Maples, and many other plants from their homeland were planted in their yards.
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The Ume tree 4 houses down from us, has very fragrant, semi-double, creamy white - blushed pink flowers. It also produces excellent fruit. Our Shin Issei friend, Eiko Yamamoto, taught my Jasmin, how to make traditional Japanese Umeboshi. They are delicious! Jasmin still remembers the first time she went to the elderly couple who lived in this house, asking them if she could gather the fruit. They were such a sweet couple. After, she brought them the results, which were terrible at the time—She had a lot to learn and practice! They were kind and generous enough to never shame her that her efforts were indeed horrid.
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I also grew Ume at our Placerville property. This plant came from a chance seedling that sprouted at the Placerville property. I kept cutting it back to near ground level, when I finally decided that I might be able to train it into a bonsai. I dug it out of the ground and planted it in a large training container. At one point, it did not get watered and nearly died. I brought the crippled plant to our Sacramento home and managed to nurse it back into growth. Now I am continuing to train the Ume and will eventual carve the dead portions into something interesting.
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I am not satisfied with just one Ume. These are rooted cuttings from one of the old established Ume growing at the Placerville property. I do not have room to grow Ume in the ground at our Sacramento home, so one of these cuttings will be trained into bonsai. There are many varieties of Ume, with flowers ranging in color from pure white to nearly red. Some forms have semi-double flowers others have single flowers. There are even varieties that have young twigs that are bright yellow rather than the usual green color.
This morning I took cuttings of the aged Ume tree in the neighbors’ front yard. We love the flowers so much. Jasmin misses her neighbors, and their gardens. There had been a number of beautiful traditional Japanese gardens, including the rockwork and koi ponds. However, when the owners died, and the homes sold, the buyers tore everything out and put in lawn. Having a portion of this tree is so meaningful.
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I enjoy the fragrance of many flowers. Paperwhite Narcissus are extremely common. I like their fragrance and grow a number of them in our garden.
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We had a glorious sunset last night. I do not have the skill the produce great photographs, so this will have to do. The bright orange and purple clouds were stunningly beautiful. A sight worth meditating on!
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Thanks for this lovely tour in your garden and neighbourhood, Robert. The Prunus looks so much like spring, lucky you. And a beautiful sunset which looks more like wintertime.
So far my attempts to ignore winter (or long autumn) are working out fine. Got Colchicum minutum waiting to open up given the wheather, while in the old Hortus garden Helleborus (pic1) and Arum (pic2) are a very nice shade of green between the brown fallen leaves, in the park and an old churchyard Eranthis and Galanthus are starting to flower and a very lonely Crocus (pic3) in a hurry as well. There’s also some mistreated Scilla Mischtschenkoana or Puschkinia present.
The big surprise for today was Crocus danfordiae (pic4) in my neighbour’s tub which seems eager to flower early as well. I keep some pots there to block an entrance (better than barbed wire), C. Danfordiae did so well last year that I decided to plant a few over there amongst the ‘more common’ bulbs. Maybe there’s some micro-climate there, Ipheion is still flowering and it doesn’t look ready yet, common and weedy but in their own pot very welcome. For now Viola cornuta is allowed to wander around over there, planted to fill up some space for a short time it got weedy in a sort of ok way. Talking about common. Other Crocuses are showing buds too, indeed it is rewarding to garden in pots.
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Akke,
In Sacramento, the Prunus mume always bloom during early January. Up at our Placerville property they bloom about a month later.
Currently, we are experiencing a typical La Niña January – March dry pattern. So far, winter has lasted about 3 weeks this year. Although our drought situation has improved, it has not ended. More winter cold and precipitation would be welcome. The current spell of above average temperatures is confusing for some of the plants we grow in our garden. Right now the dry, relatively warm weather appears that it will persist for at least a week. Changes are occurring that might bring precipitation in the day 8 to 14 time period. I hope this pans out!
Our first spring Crocus had opened flowers yesterday. Slugs promptly ate the flowers. The same has been true for our hoop-petticoat Narcissus. At least the plants in pots can be kept safe.
I am not familiar with Crocus danfordiae. It looks like you need some sunny weather for the flowers to open.
Thank you for sharing the photographs and information about your container garden. It will be interesting to me to see how it progress through the seasons.
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I hope you get some precipitation, Robert. Sorry to hear about the Crocus and Narcissus, slugs were a real pest in the vegetable garden I could use for a short time. At least that’s a great advantage of gardening in pots, no slugs. Still worrying about the ants though.
The picture shows Crocus Danfordiae february 20 last year when we had sun and high temperatures, usually it’s warm and grey or sunny and cold (like Scotland?). One popped up in my own container today, more Crocuses seem to be coming soon.
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Akke,
Thank you for sharing the photograph of Crocus danfordiae. Although I treasure the few Crocus I grow, only a few species and hybrids, I do not know much about this Genus. They seem very worthy of cultivation. They are, more or less, a dead end for me. I never get them to produce seed. This is disappointing for me, as I like growing plants from seed. Generally, each generation seems stronger and better adapted to our garden. And then, there are the surprises; chance hybrids, and various types of mutations, some of which can lead to beautiful new varieties or breakthroughs in adaptability.
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Just wondering if there aren’t more special Crocuses that would be a nice garden crocus in your climate, Robert. As it happens I got Crocus D out out of the big tub because it seems to like a dry summer, it’s a bit small for the garden though. It did well with offsets and probably seeds, ants messed things up (gave a mix of seeds to a friend, we’ll see what happpens). Possibly you can get any good suggestions at the Crocus subject as my ‘just getting started’ is not an understatement. Of course sowing should get you the more adapted individuals as well, I think Leena does the same in her finnish climate. I just started sowing bulbs ( I mostly do bulbs) a year and a half ago, much to my surprise even had some flowering this year already, I enjoy and observe how seedlings are developing, it’s quite an education. According to my neighbour however my sowing’mania’ started years ago sowing strawberries instead of buying plants. He’s got a point, still very pleased about the ‘weedy’ strawberry turning up this year.
Crocus is a really lovable genus, till a year ago I didn’t know what a ’Croconut’ was and now I’m wondering if there’s a vaccin. Be careful, Robert 😀
In the mean time Ornithogalum sigmoideum and O. lanceolatum are having a nice battle which flowers first.
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Akke,
These days, my prime directive as a gardener is to have a garden that I enjoy. In the past I collected plants. My collector’s garden was ugly and most of the plants from collecting are long since dead and gone. I guess I am not a very good gardener. In addition, I just do not have the artistic ability to compose an eclectic collection of plants into anything attractive. Needless to say, in some ways, my past gardening efforts were not very satisfying. Now I am starting over as a gardener. This past autumn I finished emptying the freezer of seed from past projects. Many seeds have germinated are growing well. Some are already in the garden growing. Most of the species I enjoy growing are very common and local; Erythranthe and Diplacus species, Calochortus, Erythronium, Primula (Dodecatheon) species, and other very common local species. Starting over, I consider myself a beginner. I have spent the last 10 years getting current on a variety of topics. My natural inclination is to be more of a Maxwellean type gardener (more precisely using techniques Michael Faraday might have used if he was a gardener and not a scientist). Most of my efforts are toward transforming our local common species into something more adaptable to average garden conditions (easier to grow) and something new and interesting that I like.
As per the Genus Crocus, there certainly seems to be possibilities to expand the selection of species that I grow here in California. Janis Ruksans’ books “Crocus” and “Hidden Treasures” are both available at our Public Library, so I can glean valuable information from these books. In addition, there is a whole category on the Forum dedicated to the Genus Crocus, another potential source of information. I have my hands full pursuing my interest in our common local California native species, however as I gain experience, I will certainly attempt additional Crocus species in our garden (as well as Narcissus, Colchicum, Sternbergia, Zepharanthes, and a few other non native species that I enjoy growing).
The first of our garden grown Primula (Dodecatheon) hendersonii are showing color and will be blooming soon. These grow by the billions in our area. Common or not, I like them and will continue to grow them. Diplacus douglasii has germinated and the plants are growing well. I confess that I am very excited to finally and potentially have this local and common species in our garden.
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Nice to see things growing and flowering elsewhere! Here the most I can expect is a few plants with dried stems , leaves, flower heads sticking out of the snow-- most are buried...lol It has not been a snowy winter- Nov was mild and dryish, December cold with frequent but light snow, Jan up and down (yesterday's high was around +7C, the day before a high of -16, with -30 in the morning... this is not unusual here)..
Here, native Eurybia conspicua and Solidago sp, growing wild on the edge of the acreage.
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Cohan
I grow our native Eurybia integrifolia, Ragged Daisy, in our Sacramento garden. In its native habitat in the Sierra Nevada Mountains they are currently covered with snow. Despite the warm weather, currently running 2.27 F (1.26 C) above average for the month of January, our Eurybia plants in our garden are still dormant. So far we have had about 3 weeks of winter this year (during December 2021). In addition, despite wet weather in October and December, November and January have been extremely dry. Currently there is no precipitation is sight for our region. Yesterday and today we have endured very strong desiccating winds. Although the current fire around Big Sur is far away, the winds are so forceful smoke is blowing in. Cooler weather and precipitation would be very welcome.
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Robert
Thanks for the elaborate explanation about your gardening, it got me thinking in a pleasant and useful way. What you plant is of course important, but how and why are interesting as well. Already present on a subconsious level, how and why will get more attention from now on. No revolution, just adding even more fun.
About being a good gardener, what are the demands? Personally I like your approach being a happy gardener, if that’s a competition I would like to enter and hope that first place will be shared by all. I don’t know how Faraday worked things out, he has had a very reassuring effect on me, being in a thunderstorm. I reckon that the better the ‘how’ fits you, the better the results are. Making compostions for me at this time consists of trying to fit as many bulbs (mostly ‘common’) as possible lasagnestyle, in layers, in a container for my neighbour, considering flowering time and planting depth etc. more of a nice puzzle actually. I’m not sure if planting a carpet of purple Crocus vernus x in the park together with Scilla Siberica was indeed a composition or coincedence, given flowering time it is beautiful to see it gradually change from purple to blue however. It seems composition matters, otherwise I’m not very charmed by ‘the big dutch crocus’ ( sorry), I hope to see seedlings of some other ‘dutch’ garden Crocuses I already had any day though (and C. Tommassianus seeds as well from the park, naturalized and all shades). Regarding non bulbous, indigenous plants, we (my neighbour knows more about these, so a common project) have some things in mind. Not as impressive as your californian species, looked some up, but sweet close-up (containers😀).
Hybrides can be both useful on account of being more adaptable as fun, I just like to keep the bees happy as well and trying to keep an open mind. I like my Narcissus nylon (still flowering) and wouldn’t mind surprises from Crocus gembosii x concinnus (don’t have them), but I’m avoiding Crocus reticulatus for now because it easily hybridizes with C angustofolius. Not very consistent, but it’s My garden.
Looking forward to more thoughts and pictures. Just a little bit happening here despite the 7C which even here is considered ‘warm’, Cohan.
Beautiful pictures as well, now I’ve discovered dull grey autumn/winter with flowers our autumn/winter looks much more attractive, before that I would gladly change places.
Hope you get better circumstances soon, Robert
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Akke,
Great comments! :) :) :) My wife Jasmin and I enjoy them all. :)
Maybe I am a Bob Ross gardener. You know, the TV painter guy. He started in the USA but I think the reruns are around the globe these days. Even in Iran I have been told.
In my garden nothing "but happy accidents". Bob Ross RIP!
Crocus are blooming in our garden now. Hopefully some picts soon. Nothing rare, but they are pretty and I like them in our garden. I agree, I like the species, however I do have some large-flowered Dutch hybrids. At the time it was the best I could do and they are still in the garden. What can I say. Maybe another Bob Ross "happy accident".
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too long ago for Bob Ross and my education, but I remember some things being very similar. Still not very good at drawing though.
I wish you a good Crocus season, while I enjoy some snowdrops(sorry Jasmin) as well.
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Spring is coming with Galanthus and Eranthis.
Meanwhile Ipheion in my neighbours container is still making new buds.
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Despite a cool start to January, our weather here in Northern California quickly turned quite warm and very dry. To date the average temperature for January is running 2.57 F (1.43 C) above the 30-year average (1991-2020). The weather is more like what we expect in late March, not late January.
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Color is already showing on the flower buds of Primula (Dodecatheon) hendersonii. Open flowers before the end of January is a strong possibility and will be a first-time event for us.
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Our early Hoop-Petticoat Narcissus are still blooming. The later blooming types are now just getting started.
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I finally have a sequence of new seedlings coming on each season. Nothing remarkable is showing up yet; however I have a good mix of genes to work with and the seedlings show many different characteristics.
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The sun has brought out the flowers of Crocus tommasinianus. I grew these plants from seed. Three plants survived and bloom on a regular basis each spring. Despite hand pollination, I have never been able to get the plants to set seed.
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On the other hand, I grew these Violas from a pack a seed I bought many years ago. They look nothing like the original plants. From one pack of seed I now have several color lines that are extremely heat tolerant, borderline perennial (despite our hot summers) and provide a great deal of color during the wintertime. Progress can be made. For me this is exciting.
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Another area where great progress is being made is with Calochortus luteus. This is a crop of F2 seedlings. I have a great deal of genetic variability to work with.
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This tub is filled with F1 seedlings of Calochortus luteus. They currently share the tub with dwarf Narcissus species, Leptosiphon ciliatus, and Phacelia stebbinsii.
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This is a photograph of Calochortus luteus blooming in the wild, Colusa County, California. This is what we look forward to, and even something better, each year in our garden.
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I am thrilled to have 3 plants of Eranthis hymenalis that have survived in the open garden and have now bloomed for two consecutive seasons. They do set seed. Who knows what I can do with three plants?
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I have one plant of Viola adunca ssp. adunca that actually grows well in our hot, low elevation garden. I gathered the seed from a low elevation population where summertime temperatures routinely rise to 30 C or more. This plant will be blooming shortly. In addition, I have a huge genetic pool to draw from in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is a very real possibility that beautiful forms of this species that thrive in our garden can be created. Extremely exciting!
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Lovely flowering, Robert. And as always adding to my wishlist, a lovely and not to difficult Calochortus is now on it. Keeping in mind that this is a wishlist, not a definitily-have-to-list.
I like the way your viola’s are so different from the same package, I’ll see what happens this year with mine (put a few under glass to speed up).
Meanwhile with temperatures average or above, buds are showing up, including a nice clump of Eranthis hyemalis and some Crocus Tommassianus probably. They seem to like our wet climate, naturalzing well, adaptable to a certain point apparently.
Here a few pretty warm days are expected, mostly this means also miserably and grey this time of year, but I’m curious to see with so much flowers waiting.
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Cohan
I grow our native Eurybia integrifolia, Ragged Daisy, in our Sacramento garden. In its native habitat in the Sierra Nevada Mountains they are currently covered with snow. Despite the warm weather, currently running 2.27 F (1.26 C) above average for the month of January, our Eurybia plants in our garden are still dormant. So far we have had about 3 weeks of winter this year (during December 2021). In addition, despite wet weather in October and December, November and January have been extremely dry. Currently there is no precipitation is sight for our region. Yesterday and today we have endured very strong desiccating winds. Although the current fire around Big Sur is far away, the winds are so forceful smoke is blowing in. Cooler weather and precipitation would be very welcome.
Doesn't seem like the drought in your area is going anywhere....
This Eurybia is wild around here; although it is sometimes called Wood Aster, it flowers little if at all if it is under trees in any amount of shade- it does, in those conditions, make a handsome foliage plant, with a wide range of interesting autumn colours. If planting in a garden, you'd want to give it a large area alone or with other robust plants, since it spreads rhizomatously, forming extensive patches when given a chance! I also grow the much tamer E sibirica- it does not stay flat in my garden as it did at high altitude where some of my seeds were collected, but still forms nice mounds maybe 15-20cm high, and does spread, by seed, and as individual clumps, but not uncontrollably.
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Nice to see flowers, Akke-- Galanthus here flower with Crocus-- late April would be a good date, most years...
Robert-- I was surprised to see V adunca (which is very common here in a range of sites from mostly shady to mostly sunny, and has sown itself into rock gardens etc, where it does very nicely) in 'badlands' habitat in southern Alberta, also some very dry sites in the foothills, though in both cases primary precip will be in early=mid summer, and also snow melt in spring.
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It is nice seeing pictures and stories of flowers when it is still white here.
Violas are pretty, here I grow mostly Viola odorata and Viola sororia which do well in woodland conditions.. someplace even too well, but I don't mind. They are easy to move, if necessary. Last summer I dug up one clump of V.odorata and was surprised how deep and thick the rootball was, no wonder it seems very droughtolerant here.
This Eurybia is wild around here; although it is sometimes called Wood Aster, it flowers little if at all if it is under trees in any amount of shade- it does, in those conditions, make a handsome foliage plant, with a wide range of interesting autumn colours. If planting in a garden, you'd want to give it a large area alone or with other robust plants, since it spreads rhizomatously, forming extensive patches when given a chance! I also grow the much tamer E sibirica- it does not stay flat in my garden as it did at high altitude where some of my seeds were collected, but still forms nice mounds maybe 15-20cm high, and does spread, by seed, and as individual clumps, but not uncontrollably.
I had to google Eurybia conspicua, and it looked really nice. If there ever are seeds I would be interested. :)
I have Eurybia divaricata in my garden, and though I read that it can be considered weedy, it is not that here. I have had it for over ten years, and there are no seedlings during this time, but it does spread with roots. It flowers well every year even in quite shady and dry places and it is nice to have flowers in shade also in the autumn. My other asters don't flower in shade.
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Akke,
It appears that there is a common area (park) where bulbs and perennials have naturalized? It must be a pleasant location to visit.
Cohan,
Viola adunca and V. macloskeyi seem to be widespread through the northern portions of North America. Past attempts to cultivate these species in our low elevation garden have failed. The summers seem too long and hot for them. I have to admit that I am thrilled to have one specimen that appears to survive our hot summer weather intact. Maybe I have “my foot in the door” with this specimen.
Ragged Daisy, Eurybia intergrifolia, is indeed ragged looking when in bloom. “Asters” purchased at local nurseries have preformed poorly in our garden. The plants grow well, however the flowers do not hold up well in the late summer, autumn heat. I feel Eurybia intergrifolia cannot be any worse.
On the other hand, I have forms of Symphyotrichum spathulatum that preform quite well in our garden. The flowers are “bleached out” compared to their appearance at higher elevations, however the flowers do hold up well in the heat. There appears to be much room for improvement with this species. They do “run”, however keeping them under control is easy in our climate. In a cooler environment they might be weedy in this regard.
Leena,
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Viola odorata grows well in our hot Sacramento, California garden. Yes! They are drought tolerant even here where summertime temperatures can easily reach 40 C. and there is no summer rainfall. Clumps of this species somehow survive even when the soil becomes quite dry (not much irrigation). I do not know how they survive drought, but they do.
I maintain a pot of Viola odorata. When they are in bloom I move them near our main garden pathway where their scent can be enjoyed (pictured).
I like Viola sororia. Sadly, it is very aggressive in our garden. I have to work very hard to eliminate them, which is impossible. Maybe this is not such a bad things as the flowers are very pretty.
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Your white gardens look beautiful as well, Leena and Cohan. But I'm very pleased with my new view, Crocus angustofolius, fleischeri, vitellinus and probably some chrysanthus cultivar popped up in the big tub. A few more ‘warm’ (up to 10C, 4,5C above average) days are expected, I’ll see what happens.
Interesting to read about plants growing in very different conditions, some seem to adapt easily, Viola odorata does well here left to its own in public green in usually wet circumstances, but it can be dry in your place I understand, Leena. Eranthis hyemalis is sometimes even considered weedy here and Crocus Tommasianus is also fine without care. They’re all ‘Stinzenplanten’, mostly imported even as early as the 17th century. It’s also worrying, regarding drier summers that are expected, 2019 and 2020 where extremely dry already
Robert, your post made it clear that Viola odarata can handle dry and wet as well, I think I’ll try a few seeds. It shouldn’t be to difficult to get as they are actually growing on several locations.
There’s actually a few parks and a lot more of public greenery where bulbs and perennials are naturalizing (Stinzenplanten are generally good at it). I live almost next door to a really nice park (‘my back garden’, one of the best places so far) where I walk my dog and have some more good places to go for an alternative doggywalk. The big city park is more interesting for the indigenous garden and there’s more places to visit (by bike), did some research. Yes, I consider myself lucky and mostly a troublefree ‘gardener’ :) I can enjoy lots of flowers with a lovely, natural composition.
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Jasmin adds: The nearest example we have to Stinzenplanten is daffodils, and sometimes irises growing in the foothills. They indicate places where once there was a homestead, and perhaps a farm or ranch during the late Gold Rush (1850s) and early turn-of-the-20th century. The flowers are all that remain at these isolated locales, a remembrance of some woman attempting to make a home and beauty in her new place. These women likely found solace gardening, when there was little comfort in her world: Many of these women were immigrants, brought over, and this was one stop of many she had been brought to by her husband’s wanderlust. These women suffered terrible isolation and regular uprootings; they had no kin in this country, and rarely womenfolk in their times of need for support during illness, childbearing, and loss.
As for Calochortus luteus and a lot of others, I do not think you would like the climate that they need! These Calochortus must have absolutely hot 40º C (or more) and intensely dry, long summer conditions, while at the same time making sure the bulb is deep enough that it does not desiccate! Our big black tub full of sand is situated in nearly the hottest, most exposed garden location. Many Calochortus grow naturally in very extreme areas: out of the serpentine rock in the full, intense sun, with absolutely no water nearby. The only analogous climate I can think of is the Australian Interior/Outback.
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Calochortus superbus blooming in our garden last spring.
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Lucky You to be able to grow Calochortus and Prunus mume in Your garden! Both failed to cope with our heavy, wet clay.
All January I was busy clearing withered perennials in the borders, as so many geophytes start to flower unusually early. The first of January, we enjoyed 16 °C and the first primulas.
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There were only very few nights with -2 °C, and seldom hoar-frost to grace the garden, in this case Cotinus coccygria next to a flowering Hamamelis.
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Helleborus niger contrasting the red berries of Ruscus aculeatus ´John Redmond´.
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Mariette,
Yes you are correct; I am very lucky to be able to grow Calochortus and many other fine plant species. It is embarrassing to think how I pined away, wishing that I could grow all the wonderful plants I saw and read about in the gardens of Northern Europe. It is unfortunate that I could not see that there were so many beautiful species right in front of me, right here in Interior California – and they thrive in the heat and many are very drought tolerant. Now, in general, I grow what thrives in our garden and enjoy the other plant species through the Forum. It is such a win-win situation. Thank you for sharing the scenes from your garden.
BTW – The Prunus mume in our neighborhood is still in bloom! A whole month of delightful frangrance! Recently I asked my wife to smell the Viola odorata, and she put it right up to her nose. I was concerned, how she could not smell it well? Her response was, with the Ume blooming, and all the other scents and fragrances, how could she isolate this one scent? She thinks a mix of Ume, V. odorata, earth (geosmin), and a hint of skunk (either Mephitis mephitis, or Spilogale gracilis varieties) would make a nice perfume or eau d’toilette.
Now some more pictures of Calochortus species blooming in our garden last spring – a few are photographs taken in the wild.
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Calochortus albus in our garden.
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Calochrtus amabilis in our garden.
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Calochortus leichtlinii growing in the wild.
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Calochortus minimus growing in the wild.
This is a difficult species to cultivate; however seedlings grown from low elevation populations are showing promise.
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Calochortus monophyllus growing in the wild.
This species grows well in our garden and blooms each season. Maybe I can get a good photograph of the plants in the garden this spring.
This is a small sampling of the California native Calochortus species that grow in our vicinity. I enjoy thinking about the creative possibilities of exploring the genome.
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Mariette, your plants look really colourful, like spring is already here. Your weather conditions are apparently not very different to mine. Tomorrow high temperatures are expected here but strong winds as well, well it might damage some flowers but at least the bulbs won’t be hurt.
Jasmin, I think you’re right to compare the abandoned Narcissus and Iris to stinzenplanten, they are still there even if the stins and the people who lived there have long gone because they’re good at naturalizing in the circumstances. Had another look around knowing there isn’t a universal guide what a stinzenplant is, but they agree on this. They agree on being species as well, but funnily no remarks on the big dutch Crocus. Apparently it started in the northern part of the Netherlands ( and Germany, Ost-friesland most likely?), the western part following much later. Of course this was for rich people and not for the women you describe. Accurate descriptions of unpleasant lives always failed in our history lessons, leaving things to the imagination and empathy.
Robert, I’m taking a leaf from your book. I’m not going to build a greenhouse with oven, I’ll just enjoy (win-win hopefully) your Calochortus and they look stunning. On the useful and pleasant thinking, I can handle a certain amount of plants to hide in the cellar in case of serious frost, digging up bulbs to keep them dry for the summer isn’t a problem (not doing so seems more difficult for now), just trying to keep some sort of balance.
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Iris ‘Painted lady’ opened today, I planted a few bulbs around a tree nearby. Maybe they prefer real ground, the ones in the containers are only just showing up.
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It's still winter in my garden, but it's fun :)
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It looks like fun to me :). Sweet.
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Hello Stefan,
Your photographs of the plants attempting to bloom through the snow reminds me of the spring snow melt season in the Sierra Nevada Mountain of California. It is a favorite time for me to go botanizing, as there are beautiful interactions between the newly emerging plants and the melting snow.
I look forward to viewing more scenes from your garden and learning about your gardening environment.
Yes, seems fun to me too.
Akke,
I hope Jasmin’s comments concerning Calochortus luteus did not discourage you from attempting this species in your garden. It is good to know what one is up against when trying a new plant in the garden. The garden here in Sacramento is an experiment – a gardening research and development project. Yes, I want an attractive garden, but I am constantly experimenting with plants in ways that have low probabilities of working. If I were to write a book about plants with the title ‘Hidden Treasures’ it would be about genes and gene expression in under utilized plant species. I am finding ‘hidden treasures’ in our garden constantly. I am continually experimenting. It is exciting to go out to the garden each morning and see what new variation has appeared.
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A photograph from this morning. The beautiful cold weather foliage of Clarkia amoena ssp. amoena with morning dew and the reddish tints of anthocyanins.
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Just hope to see more of the snow melt season pictures here as there are no mountains in the area and winter comes and goes as it pleases.
Jasmin
I might be discouraged to try Calochortus luteus now or maybe ever, I had a look around and found that the genus has very attractive species that would possibly feel more at home here. No hurry, but I’ll keep them in mind for future adventures.
Robert
Beautiful foliage, if I understood it well the color is dependent on the wheather?
Walking the park enjoying the rush of flowers and buds, it took a moment to think why they were more special than before, they look so natural and common here, but in other circumstances these are not easy plants. Of course it’s also very considerate that people planted these years ago to please me now ;).
I think I will understand your ‘Hidden treasures’ conpletely, given the time to observe and learn. The main thought seems clear. I’m still in the happy-exploring-stage and thought I should leave room and more attention for lucky accidents like this tiny flower.
Just 1-2mm across and I would never have noticed it growing in a garden.
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Akke,
The simple answer to your comment concerning the anthocyanin pigmentation in the Clarkia leaves is, yes, the pigmentation is weather related.
A more technical answer deals with the physiology, genetics, and biochemistry of plants. Through biochemical messengers, environmental information is communicated through a plant. With some plant species, in the case of cold temperatures and high light intensity, biochemical messengers signal transcription factors to alter gene expression. For example, during periods of cold and light intensity stress, transcription factors alter the production of anthocyanins in the lower epidermis cells of species such as Mimulus kelloggii. The abaxial leaf surface will appear dark purple, as the lower epidermis cells have high concentrations of anthocyanin. These anthocyanins absorb excessive light energy that would normally overwhelm and damage the leaf tissues. The excessive light energy is dissipated as heat. I see this characteristic frequently during the early spring months with many plant species. As the weather warms, the concentrations of anthocyanins diminish dramatically, the result of the plants ability to process light energy more effectively in warmer weather. Other types of environmental stress can trigger a plant to increase the production of anthocyamins. In some species drought stress is one example.
It might be interesting to know that anthocyanins can play a major role in flower pigmentation. Anthocyanins and carotenoids, are two major biochemicals frequently involved in flower pigmentation. While anthocyanins are most often found in high concentrations in the valcuoles of the epidermis cells, carotenoids are most often found in high concentrations in the mesophyll cells. The absence and/or the combination of these biochemicals will affect the color of the flower. There are a number of different anthocyanins with differing characteristics such as pH and color. Xanothophylls are an interesting class of carotenoids frequently involved in autumn coloration of leaves. They are also involved in NPQ (Non-photochemical quenching) a topic I touched upon when discussing photoinhibition.
Jasmin adds: Plant cravings can always be fulfilled vicariously through pictures on the Forum. Anyone who posts pictures of Lilium martagon or Meconopsis receives my vicarious joy.
As for history, which is a topic far from the nature (!) of this Forum, the truth is every nation provides its citizens and potential citizens with what I consider an overview. The challenge is every nation has events that do not inspire pride, and incorporating knowledge of shameful events remains a subject of debate. Racism, slavery, genocide, and other wrongs are painful to discuss, although they must be taught. Deciding when, and how much is the challenge.
There really is an amazing amount of information that we know or can conjecture about any time period—be it the insulae (the slum tenements of the Roman era), Haithabu, Jorvic, or Black Pool of Norse-Viking times, 1290 or 17th century, or our stintzenplanten. One just has to be persistent. Thankfully as we come close to modernity we have the benefit of literacy, paper (letters and diaries), oral histories (written and recorded), photography, and sometimes just knowing the right person. Robert had a colleague who was the son or grandson of one of the ranches. He was elderly at the time, but he spoke of the stinzenplanten that were planted and he spread around the area. There were also authors such as Hannibal Hamlin Garland, who was the son of such an immigrant household. Most information is kept in some archive, at local, state and national levels. Because The Gold Rush was a pivotal event for the area, the Sierra Foothill communities actually have a number of archives, museums and events to remember and preserve the history of the area.
A few photographs from our Sacramento, California garden taken today, 30 January.
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Crocus biflorus ssp. isauricus. I purchased these bulbs locally a number of years. I am nor sure of their true identity. They have consistently performed well in our garden, blooming each spring.
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Although the picture is fuzzy, this is the first Primula (Dodecatheon) hendersonii to come into bloom this season! The first flower opened three days ago. This clone came from our El Dorado County property where they grow naturally in the oak woodland. We grow various forms derived from seed gathered from various locations in Northern California. In addition, new hybrids are in various stages of development. We have a pipeline of new plants coming along, which is very exciting.
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Various geographic forms of Erythronium multiscapidium are emerging from the ground. Flower buds are already visible. We are looking forward to this show.
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Robert
I had to look up some background information to understand (just translating probably wouldn’t have worked), but your technical explanation makes sense now. Fascinating how plants evolved to fit new or changing circumstances, not very likely to see this kind of adaptation here considering the climate.
Jasmin, your description of enjoying pictures on the Forum is great, I hope this works for everyone. It works for the beautiful flowers you show.
About history, there’s certain things we, the dutch people, rather not know, debate is going on. More interesting on this forum, ‘historical’ Galanthus nivalis (pic 1) likely to have been naruralizing here for over a hundred years.
Leucojum vernum (pic2) in the old churchyard, didn’t see it a week ago.
Pic3, leaves of Allium ursinum already showing, in a couple of months there’ll be (10s of?) thousands.
New history maybe (pic4), a different mix of bulbs was planted in various places in the
public green away from the ‘historical’ ones. Petticoat Narcissus and a few Crocuses being the first to show, last year followed by Iris reticulata, Chionodoxa, Tulipa turkestanica and Muscari (neglectum?) if I remember correctly. I’m curious if these will naturalize as well.
At my neighbour (pic5) Iris ‘clairette’ and ‘harmony’ are starting to flower now, in between, a purple dot of Crocus sublimus ‘tricolor’ and of course Ipheion which doesn’t go into dormancy there. I wonder if this tub will explode, the plan is to leave it untouched for three seasons.
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It is nice seeing pictures and stories of flowers when it is still white here.
Violas are pretty, here I grow mostly Viola odorata and Viola sororia which do well in woodland conditions.. someplace even too well, but I don't mind. They are easy to move, if necessary. Last summer I dug up one clump of V.odorata and was surprised how deep and thick the rootball was, no wonder it seems very droughtolerant here.
I had to google Eurybia conspicua, and it looked really nice. If there ever are seeds I would be interested. :)
I have Eurybia divaricata in my garden, and though I read that it can be considered weedy, it is not that here. I have had it for over ten years, and there are no seedlings during this time, but it does spread with roots. It flowers well every year even in quite shady and dry places and it is nice to have flowers in shade also in the autumn. My other asters don't flower in shade.
Sorry to be so late replying! I can easily gather vast amounts of seed from E conspicua every year, though the last few years I have not been trading any seed the last few years since my gardening is sort of on hold, as I expect some kind of move...lol remind me in late summer, and I should be able to do something... E conspicua does not flower here in shade, except maybe very light shade. It does, though, make a great foliage plant in deeper shade- large nice textured leaves, and it turns all kinds of colours in autumn.
As for asters flowering in shade, Symphyotrichum ciliolatum is another local and flowers in every condition from full sun to quite deep shade, it is also very well behaved in the garden.