Recent Posts

91

Flowers and Foliage Now / Re: June 2022, Northern Hemisphere.

« Last post by Leucogenes on June 17, 2022, 07:20:17 PM »

Hi Robert

Thanks a lot  for the quick and extremely helpful reply. How much I still have to learn about the world of plants is shown by the fact that I didn't even know the term somatic mutation until now.

Here in Europe, if at all, the particularly small-growing representatives of the Eriogonum are popular. Admittedly...I also totally like them. But I also find the half-high Eriogonum very decorative...you have to protect them here in the wet winters, of course. But the small effort is definitely worth it in my eyes.

Here's another example of this multi-faceted genus. Eriogonum strictum (sowing 2020, wild seed from Tronson Ridge in Washington, 1700 meters).

92

Flowers and Foliage Now / Re: June 2022, Northern Hemisphere.

« Last post by Robert on June 17, 2022, 06:36:57 PM »

Hi Thomas,

The somatic mutation on the Eriogonum ovalifolium is very fascinating. Very cool! I have never observed this type of somatic mutation on any of our local Eriogonum species (in the wild or our garden), however each season I always find a plant or two in our garden with a somatic or meiotic mutation. Most often the mutation is just an oddity, however sometimes with a creative mind there can be possibilities. Developing a mutation that takes a line of plants in a new direction is very rewarding, or at least it is for me. Depending on the situation, saving a desirable mutation can be challenging, but this is part of what makes gardening so fun and interesting.

What a keen eye! Thank you for sharing!

I have not been out botanizing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in many months. Hopefully I will be able to get out sometime in July. Now that the constraints of caregiving have ended for me, it is not surprising that I have drifted back into agriculture and plant breeding. My passion for agriculture started when I was very young. My grandfather was the superintendent of West Wind Farms, in Brentwood, California during the Great Depression. When I was young, all my mentors were farmers (Mr. Barrett) or involved in agriculture one way or another (Mr. Jones at the California Department of Agriculture). Mixed in there has always been an interest in ornamental species. Despite my passion for agriculture, I have no intention of giving up my pursuit of ornamental plants.

Yesterday, I was at the irrigation supply store and got into a conversation with one of the employees. He has an keen interest in California native plants species. This is easy to do when this person is not busy with other customers. We had a lively conversation about some of our local native Eriogonum species. Some species clearly thrive in our Sacramento garden and others species have possibilities. The topic of our native Primula species – or Dodecatheon – also came up. The lower elevation species also thrive in our Sacramento garden, however we both agreed that the high alpine species are gems. The question is how to develop these species so that they can actually be grown in our hot, dry, low elevation gardens. This is very much a challenge, but also can be an adventure too. As you say, there is no end to the fascination with plants.

Thank for posting. If possible keep in touch. Here in the USA things are getting strange with expensive petro prices (this partly limits my ability to travel to the Sierra Nevada mountains). 1970’s type inflation in the USA is going to lead who knows where. At least we have not had to contend with war on our own soil since 1865, unless one counts the attack on Pearl Harbor, or maybe 911.

Thomas, thank you again for the very interesting posting. Take Care!

93

Flowers and Foliage Now / Re: June 2022, Northern Hemisphere.

« Last post by Leucogenes on June 17, 2022, 03:43:00 PM »

Hi Robert

As always, I follow your reports in the background.... always with great interest and enthusiasm. As you know I am by now a big fan of the North American mountain flora. During my routine walk around the garden today, I made a whimsical discovery... currently blooming is a specimen of Eriogonum ovalifolium in a charming creamy white. Seeded 2020.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed that one flower has deciduous leaves forming in the middle of the flower.... exate shape and structure as at the base. I have never seen anything like this before.

Since you are an excellent connoisseur of native flora and have an excellent perception of small details, I would like to know if you have ever observed this phenomenon?

I find exactly these small things and details make gardening so infinitely delightful for me.

Thanks in advance and best regards
Thomas

94

Plant Identification Questions and Answers / Re: How do they get there - and what are they?

« Last post by JohnnyD on June 17, 2022, 01:10:54 PM »

Thanks guys - it does ring a sort of bell! JohnnyD

95

Plant Identification Questions and Answers / Re: How do they get there - and what are they?

« Last post by Maggi Young on June 17, 2022, 12:27:01 PM »

I'm with Jon!
How do they get there? How does any plant spread its seed ! The ways are many and various - and that's before one considers the delayed germination of seed  in soil or potting compost - what a marvel the natural world is!
 

96

Plant Identification Questions and Answers / Re: How do they get there - and what are they?

« Last post by Jon Evans on June 17, 2022, 11:57:25 AM »

Omphalodes linifolia ?

97

Blogs and Diaries / Re: Fred's Carnivorous Plants and other oddities

« Last post by fredg on June 17, 2022, 11:33:17 AM »

I tried growing outdoors many years ago and decided very quickly that in the UK the season is too short. The plants also tend to get somewhat raggy. We just don't have the same climate as the Southern States and our sunlight is about the same as southern Alaska.
Frost free is unnecessary for many including Sarracenia and Darlingtonia. All my greenhouses are unheated. Of late I've been getting winter lows of -2 to-3°C which if fine for everything, including Disa even my Mesembs are happy. The only worrying time I had was during the long cold winters 2009-11 (O°F or -18°C the lowest I recorded). Even then I lost very few.

As for Chelsea, the plants will be further forward when they're grown in large glasshouses anyway. Being commercial premises they're also sited for maximum light and growth, unlike we plebs who have to stick the plants in the best available spot of the garden that comes with the house.

BTW I remove glass panels from the doors in spring and replace them with wire mesh panels. This gives good airflow and allows insects to enter, a bonus being they keep the Blackbirds away from any Sphagnum Moss.  Roof vents are open all year round.

98

Plant Identification Questions and Answers / How do they get there - and what are they?

« Last post by JohnnyD on June 17, 2022, 10:39:05 AM »

Seedling in a pot of orchids and looking distinctly annual - but does anyone have a clue?

99

Flowers and Foliage Now / Re: June 2022, Northern Hemisphere.

« Last post by Herman Mylemans on June 17, 2022, 08:10:53 AM »

Thank you Marc and Herman. June is the month when all sun loving, colorful species look the best, and most of them were grown from seeds.
I am particularly fond on Dictamnus albus, it is a fantastic perennial but also for nostalgic reasons.

Few more colors with Iris sibirica, Papaver atlanticum 'Flore-Pleno' (it will flower until fall) and the first flower of P. bracteatum.

Gabriela, in our language Dictamus albus is called fireworks plant.

100

Blogs and Diaries / Re: The Blogspot of Kenton J. Seth

« Last post by brianw on June 16, 2022, 11:11:13 PM »

I have been on NARG conferences and US trips a few times, some with Kenton Seth. "Crevice gardens" seem to vary somewhat in N America. In Montreal for example there is a very large CG of the type seen at Wisley. I.e lots of thin rock slices packed closely together. (the toast rack principal) The plants have to work hard to get down to the water, and there is very much more rock than plants. In other gardens it was difficult for me to see that a garden was a crevice garden as the displays looked at first glance like the old "plum pudding" type but with many more rocks. I guess it depends on if thin slices are available locally when you build it; the crevice being the important thing. How easy it is for plants to get at the moisture will depend mostly on how often it rains, (naturally of otherwise) but the construction type will also play a part.