Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => Blogs and Diaries => Topic started by: Robert on December 10, 2022, 08:53:24 PM

Title: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on December 10, 2022, 08:53:24 PM: In Northern California, the pattern of unsettled and rainy weather with much below average temperatures is continuing into December. As I write, strong winds and rain are pummeling our garden. [Jasmin]: The rain and chilling hours are very much welcome—it is like in ‘olden times’—however, the blustery winds leave much to be desired: When the large limbs of our neighbors’ large and neglected Sycamore tree sway vigorously, I am nervous and pray we and our household will be alright.

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Between storms I had an opportunity to photograph a few plants in their autumn prime. Acer rubescens ‘Silver Cardinal’ was looking particularly nice. This species gets a bit too large for our small garden, however I have been using Niwaki techniques to groom and shape the tree to fit properly to the scale of our garden. Year after year, this tree is slowly taking shape. Eventually, I hope to develop the structure and branching pattern so that the winter silhouette takes on a dramatic character.

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In our garden the leaves of Acer rubescens ‘Silver Cardinal’ turn an intense golden yellow during the autumn – providing we actually get cool autumn weather, more of a rarity these days. During the summer months the leaves show a creamy white variegation. For me the variegation does not add much – I find the non-variegated deep green leaves very pleasing. [Jasmin]: I love this tree: the shapely foliage with subtle white markings, the bright crimson new branches, and the striated bark.

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The creamy striated bark of this species is very attractive. This is my last remaining “Striped Bark Maple”. At one time I had a number of different Striped Bark Maple species growing at our Placerville property. Persistent drought and the scarcity of irrigation water have taken its toll on the garden in Placerville. Most of the mature plants in the Placerville ornamental garden are now gone without a trace. [Jasmin]: The largest garden area of ornamentals there is completely gone. Although it is just how it is, and now is a blank slate for other possibilities that are more appropriate to our climate now, I still am adjusting to the change. It takes me longer, since I rarely go up there now, and the garden that was held many fond memories and dreams—I always viewed the garden from our windows there. Loss of the garden really represents other losses, making my rare visits there feel alien and hostile, that I am just a stranger not welcome. This is a sorrow for my meditations and contemplations, to heal.

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Our garden in Sacramento is much smaller than the ornamental garden in Placerville, a bit less than one-quarter acre. For me this is the perfect size, as I prefer to focus my attention on accentuating the details.

Pictured above is the newly emerging foliage of one of my new Ranunculus occidentalis hybrids. Ranunculus occidentalis var. occidentalis is not tolerant of moist soil conditions during its dormant summer rest, however these hybrids are quite tolerant of summer moisture. We have a number of local California native Ranunculus species, so there are many creative breeding possibilities.

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I sowed about 25 different species to seed pans this autumn. The majority are miniature Narcissus hybrids, however I have a keen interest in a number of our local California native species. The seed of Lupinus polyphyllus var. burkei have already started to germinate and grow despite the freezing temperatures at night. This is a high elevation species in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and I often find them germinating in the mountains when freezing nighttime temperatures are still common. Getting this species established in our garden might be very challenging. We have experienced 110 to 115 F (43.3 to 46.1 C) temperatures each summer for the last two years. Before this, 110 F temperatures occurred once every 30 years. The impacts of climate change have been brutal in our part of Northern California creating many gardening challenges, however I enjoy turning the adversity into assets.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on December 10, 2022, 08:55:07 PM: [attachimg=1]

I also enjoy cultivating our local California native Viola species. Pictured is Viola macloskeyi as seen in the Sierra Nevada Mountains this past August. This species is common and widespread throughout North America – maybe beyond. Common or rare is irrelevant in my approach to gardening; if I like a plant and it fits well with my scheme I grow it.

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Salvia semiatrata is a winter flowering Salvia species that thrives in our garden. I enjoy the texture of the foliage of this species and, of course, the flowers are a delight to see in the wintertime. Currently, our specimen is taking a pause in its blooming cycle due to the cold weather. We also grow other winter blooming Salvia species. They too are taking a pause in their blooming cycle.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: ian mcdonald on December 10, 2022, 10:30:42 PM: A shame that many of the plants you knew and cherished have gone. A time of sadness can also be a time of opportunity. Maybe you can both plan for other species that are more capable of withstanding changes. Best wishes for the future.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Diane Whitehead on December 11, 2022, 03:40:57 AM: I did not know about winter flowering salvias. I will try some, as our Anna's hummingbirds will be appreciative.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on December 11, 2022, 05:42:11 PM: Hi Ian,

I already have plans for the Placerville property and have already started to implement them. In the past, part of the property was a working farm. I have already started to bring some of the fallowed land back into production. The general idea is to create a mostly closed system, sustainable, subsistence agricultural system, different, but much like the ideas expressed by the folk at Ecology Action in Willits, California. The plan is to feed my brother, Jasmin, myself.

The remaining land is now part of a habitat restoration project. The plan is to recreate a functioning ecosystem that resembles the original Native Blue Oak, Bunch Grass Savannah. Based on some of the native plants that have already recolonized the property some areas will likely become a sub-system chaparral ecosystem. Our hope is that this restoration project will also provide habitat for the native and transit wildlife. For example, our native and migratory bird populations have been decimated by human activities. I have not seen a Cedar Waxwing in decades. 50 years ago every winter I encounters hundreds of Waxwings. Bullock’s Orioles and Western Tanagers were once common springtime visitors. Now I rarely see them. There is a lot of work to be done; however it is also very exciting and meaningful.

Hi Diane,

Salvia chiapensis, S. gesneriiflora, and S. semiatrata are some of the winter blooming Salvia species that we grow in our Sacramento garden. I do not think that these species would be cold hardy for you in Victoria, B.C. ??? Our Placerville property is colder during the winter than our Sacramento garden site. I conducted trials with many Meso-American – South American Salvia species in Placerville over many years. I was rarely, more like never, successful bringing unprotected plants through the winter months – I always kept backup plants in a greenhouse. Maybe there are other cold hardy Salvia species that will bloom all winter in Victoria. I do not know. I am certainly not a Salvia expert. If you have outdoor success with winter blooming Salvia species, many others, and I would like to know the results. Keep us informed.

In our part of California our resident Anna’s Hummingbirds feed on Manzanita nectar during the winter months. Our local California native Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. viscida can start blooming as early December. Plants can be found blooming into March, when many other plant nectar sources start to bloom. My understanding is that Arctostaphylos columbiana is native to your area. Might this native species be a good source of nectar for your resident Anna’s Hummingbirds? This might be an idea worth looking into.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: MarcR on December 11, 2022, 06:29:47 PM: Quote from: Robert on December 11, 2022, 05:42:11 PM
......
Hi Diane,

Salvia chiapensis, S. gesneriiflora, and S. semiatrata are some of the winter blooming Salvia species that we grow in our Sacramento garden. I do not think that these species would be cold hardy for you in Victoria, B.C. ??? ......

Robert,
Actually, Victoria is not very much colder than Sacramento. It is substantially warmer than Western Oregon even though it is further north.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Diane Whitehead on December 11, 2022, 11:53:19 PM: The only salvia I have that blooms in late fall and winter is the pineapple sage - Salvia elegans. It does not like frost so lives in my unheated greenhouse.

I always break off the flower stems when it finishes flowering, but maybe I should let it set seed and grow out lots of seedlings to see if one will be able to grow outside.

Hmm. New project in mind - a bit of hybridizing now that I've stopped crossing rhododendrons.

Betsy Clebsch lists a dozen species that flower in the winter.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on December 12, 2022, 01:45:55 AM: Hi Diane,

If Salvia elegans is tender to the cold in your garden, then species such as Salvia chiapensis, S. gesneriiflora, and S. semiatrata will be impossible to maintain without greenhouse protection during the winter. With a great deal of effort I could keep Salvia elegans, alive through the winter at the Placerville property. I grew both the dwarf so-called Honeydew Melon Sage as well as the regular Pineapple Sage.

The Meso-American and South American Salvia species are still worth growing as container plants in regions where they are not hardy outside during the wintertime. Mariette is growing a fine specimen of Salvia confertiflora as a container plant in Germany. She keeps it in a greenhouse during the winter and as a patio plant outside during warmer weather. Her photographs of this species looked splendid. There are some fine smaller growing species such as Salvia discolor and Salvia sinaloensis that are easy to maintain in containers. These plants are widely available at nurseries in Coast California and seem to be available in the UK as well as in continental Europe. I bet you can find them, in season, at nurseries in coastal BC.

Good luck growing these fine plants. As I stated, I am not an expert with these species, however I have grow many species and hybrids over the decades and continue to grow and breed my own hybrids. I certainly get excited growing and sharing my experiences with these plants.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Diane Whitehead on December 12, 2022, 01:56:50 AM: Well, elegans might survive outside, but wouldn't flower in the winter. I read that it often gets knocked back to the ground in the Bay area. Maybe I should open the door and let the hummers in for a sip.

We've already had a couple of frosts - the dahlias are no longer flowering.

I just picked the last remaining salvia flower in the garden, an unnamed species from Peru with brilliant blue flowers. I'll use its pollen on my pineapple sage.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on May 03, 2023, 07:07:41 PM: [Jasmin]: After some days at 33 C, we dropped down into the 9-16 C range. Today started around 8 C, and the sun warmed things up to 16 C, but the wind out of the arctic kept the air cool, while the sun felt hot and burning. The cumulus clouds are phenomenal, billowing, and some quite dark. It is very unpredictable.

The garden parade continues, with one flamboyant display after another. This is so riotous, it deserves its own thread. All the pictures I took in my visually challenged aim and press fashion. I am always amazed when anything turns out. However, it was a perfect 11 C and high overcast, ideal for even the most challenged photographer to get at least something. Welcome to our garden!

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The first scene is the newly reconfigured strip. We are looking from the house toward the street.

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Some color combinations have turned out surprising. Here are Acer palmatum “Shaina” and Aquilegia seedling with the newly planted Salvia gesneriiflora and Mimulus/Erythranthe guttata.

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Looking back toward the house on the garage side, we have Acer palmatum “Pixie” with Rhododendron serpyllifolium with our fence in the background.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on May 03, 2023, 07:11:07 PM: [attachimg=1]

On the opposite side of the driveway, the colors are even more abundant.
Pentanthera azaleas wrap around the front.

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Two are from Robert’s hybrid grex, the “Tatiana” series. Every plant in the grex was exceptional, so we just enjoy the various color forms.

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This seedling is from Robert’s hybridizing, but it has not received any name or credit beyond our appreciation. At this time, there is another pink that has a yellow sport that blooms later in spring.

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For now, we close our front garden tour with Azalea “Gibraltar”, a stunning orange bred by Edmund de Rothschild.

Please come again! Next time, we will tour the back garden.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on June 10, 2023, 06:11:18 PM: Welcome back to our garden!

Today is now 17 C and quite breezy with high clouds. The breeze is a cool one, making it necessary for me to leave the birds in the bird room with heat, something unheard of in my lifetime! By now it is usually closer to 30 C and rising.

Thanks to photography, we can jump back in time to our floriferous spring display.

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After coming through the gate, these two azaleas welcome us into the back garden. A little hidden at the base of some espalier fruit trees, we have Bletilla striata, and some Aquelegia blue. Robert has been playing with the blues, and they are turning out quite lovely.

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Directly opposite, growing among the native Artostaphylous, is Triteleia laxa. This is how one finds these jewels growing in nature, and is our preferred combination, as inspired by Mr. Ian Young’s directive to look to nature for the perfect displays.

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Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on June 10, 2023, 06:14:42 PM: Looping along the main path toward the far back, we have the “ordinary” pleasures of Salvia ‘Bee’s Bliss’, and the lovely flowers of Tragopogon porrifolius. To maintain this delicious root, we save the seed. This too is amazing to watch, as it transforms into a very large dandelion-type seed head. I know we missed a few when gathering the seeds, and either we will be surprised and delighted by where the flowers appear, or—like dandelion—we will eat the intruders.

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Along the far back fence, we find Azalea “Golden Lakota” with common Rosmarinus in the background. The purple and orange combination is very alluring—especially for the bees!

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Our next pleasure is an island of Cornus florida with a number of azaleas. Amazingly, the hues and shapes of the whites give them their individual character. It was accidental that they ended up planted next to each other, but it works, and we think of two very dear people.

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Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on June 10, 2023, 06:18:28 PM: At the base of the Cornus florida and white “Night Life”, we have a smaller orange azalea.

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In the far corner by a very ancient peach, we have Rhododendron luteum “Golden Comet” and a pink azalea with “Mount St. Helen’s” in its genes.

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Walking along, we have our favorite, “Iđi’s Laugh”. Nearby grow some orange Sparaxis.

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Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on June 10, 2023, 06:21:57 PM: Following a side path, there is a nice display of West Coast Iris, a pink peppermint streaked azalea with Rhododendron occidentale in its parentage, and a little lovely evergreen azalea, “Sweet Sixteen”

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We shall leave the garden with Mr. Rothchild’s Azalea “Orangeade”.
Thank you for visiting! Next time I will show some of the flowers that followed this parade.

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Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Hoy on June 17, 2023, 02:05:08 PM: I enjoy seeing your colorful garden! Doesn't look too dry either :)

Here it is very dry and warm (warm by our standards is above 20C/68F). No rain for about a month and a hose ban. doesn't make it easier to keep the plants alive.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on June 17, 2023, 07:22:56 PM: Hi Trond,

It is great to hear from you via e-mail or here on the Forum. Jasmin deserves all the credit for the two most recent garden tour postings on this thread. She is responsible for both the text and the photographs. I will have a few things to add when a few new plants in our garden come into bloom.

I always enjoy current weather reports from other parts of the world. Here temperatures have remained cool, which translates into average. (The 30-year average vs. a 20-year average for some of the Sierra Nevada data sets I keep) There has been a great deal of thunderstorm activity in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. At times the storms have held together and drifted over the Sacramento Valley. Here in Sacramento we have received traces of precipitation from these storms on several occasions. Our Placerville property and the Northern end of the Sacramento Valley have received much more precipitation from these storms.

Restrictions in water usage in coastal Norway? It indeed must be very dry. How is your garden and specific plants holding up with the dry conditions? How plants and plant communities react to climatic variables is one of my primary horticultural interests. Developing resilient plants varieties and methodologies to cope with the rapid environmental changes taking place is another primary horticultural interest of mine. I have a great deal of data that very strongly suggests that unless fundamental changes are made in the way we cultivate and view our gardens, a significant segment of the diversity of the plants we enjoy and cultivate will be lost.

I am in a position to follow the climatic changes taking place on the planet from a scientific perspective. The rapid change from La Niña to El Niño conditions in the equatorial Pacific Ocean has raised a great deal of attention. Currently, most of the oceans of the world are steaming hot and satellite data indicates global temperatures are in anomalously high territory. All the recent peaks in global temperatures have occurred during El Niño events. I recently updated my histogram for peak summertime high temperatures for the last 40 years at our Placerville property. The 110 F (43.3 C) high temperatures that were a once every 30-year occurrences are now once every 15-year occurrences. The 115 F (46.1 C) high temperatures which might have been a once every 10,000 year occurrences have now arrived at our Placerville property. (I still need to do the math to have an exact statistical number). The speed in which climatic change is taking place is alarming. Much of my efforts are toward creating a genetically diverse and stable garden and agricultural ecosystem at our Sacramento home and Placerville property. This is certainly a challenge that needs to be addressed immediately.

I hope to visit Sonora Pass during the peak wildflower season this year. The deep snow has yet to melt. Reports on my outings are probably best addressed as articles for Journals. Currently, I am working on a detailed article about Rocky Basin, which will appear in the IRG Journal.

Once again, I am pleased to hear from you whatever the means, the Forum or e-mail.

[Jasmin]: Right now it is 19 C, with a cool marine breeze flowing in. It is stunning to think that coastal Norway experiences such warm dry weather; yet, this is the reality on our planet. In some ways, it is a blessing my gardening experience is in north central California where drought has consistently impacted every aspect.

California developed an entire system of reservoirs, irrigation, water restrictions, and watering timetables here over many decades. Yes, some areas and individuals have always been oblivious to the reality of an arid environment; however, Robert and I have lived here for decades with “water mindfulness” as a way of life. There are incongruences: population and development levels come to mind. These keep expanding as if the water will magically appear.

Sadly, in the process of accommodating the above for money, we have lost both wilderness and water: The forests, wetlands, natural artesian springs, aquifers, and creeks we grew up with have been removed, diverted, and dried. This was once a major migratory bird stopover. The number of birds and the number of species have precipitously declined. The same is true of insects, and plants that supported and formed the ecosystem at all levels.

While our garden seems a haven—a goal we strive for—the reality is more stark: Yes, I can water once a week, and things have done amazingly well under my ruthless hand, no amount of water can be added to replace the moisture lost from the atmosphere and the soil through consistent desertification of the larger environment. We are the few in our area tending and cultivating a habitat. Yet, we cannot stop the soil from drying due to the larger impacts. All the rain of this past spring still did not replenish the moisture that has been and continues to be lost.

The garden had a beautiful display this spring, and I still have yet to post the last photos I took. We just have to enjoy each moment, because we no longer can count on such displays because of the desertification.

[Robert again]

Trond,

I am quantifying most of Jasmin’s statements with data. For example, the vapor pressure deficit is one method used in science to quantify aridity. I have been calculating and recording this data for many local sites on a daily basis for years. It is very interesting how used as a dependent variable this data can be used to predict the outcome for plant species and plant communities, especially when winter snow cover decreases in mountain ecosystems. Changes in the Arctic Oscillation Index over the last 70 years are alarming and impact all of us in the Northern Hemisphere. Stay tuned. Dramatic fluctuations and anomalous weather events are here now and are likely to intensify in magnitude into the near future. It seems wise to take appropriate action now. Many practices that worked in the past are not working now and/or will not work in the near future.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on June 23, 2023, 07:54:37 PM: [attachimg=1]

Dramatic climatic changes have been impacting our Sacramento garden for many years now. Over the last 2 to 3 years the climatic impacts have been increasing both in frequency and magnitude. Incorporating resiliency into our plants and garden design is an urgent necessity. Many gardening concepts and methodologies are now outdated and no longer work or are faltering quickly.

The rapid shift from La Niña to El Niño conditions in the equatorial Pacific Ocean has us extremely concerned. Note the extreme magnitude in the current world SSTs in the chart above. To quote scientists at NOAA, “We are in uncharted territory”. Every peak in global temperatures over the last few decades has coincided with El Niño events (See chart below).

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These seedlings of Lupinus polyphyllus var. burkei are an example of how we are working to develop resiliency in our plants and garden. Rather than growing a single specimen of a species, we grow populations. Detailed documentation and records are kept for each plant accession. Frequently, we grow multiple accessions of a given species from very distinct habitats giving us vastly more genetic diversity than if we grew a single specimen of a species. This approach is paying off. As an example, in the past we have not had success cultivating Lupinus polyphyllus var. burkei in our Sacramento garden. Now, not only are we having success, but we also have a population to work with to achieve even greater degrees of resiliency with this species.

Another important factor in our gardening scheme is that we keep things simple and work with plants that are readily available. Our attitude is one of stewardship, a relational interaction with our plants. Our plants are not possessions, but living entities that deserve our deepest respect and care. For us, working with these plants with this attitude has opened a floodgate of creativity. A whole new world with plants has opened up with infinite possibilities into an infinite future. Not only do positive solutions to the challenges of climate change seem obtainable, but also new currently unseen frontiers with plants seem possible even with simple and very common plant species.

[Jasmin]: Right now it is 19 C, with a strong marine layer obscuring and filtering the sun. This is such a strange experience. Technically, it is summer. While the marine layer clouds could stream by in the very early hours of the day in the past, they never lingered. By this hour (11:00 a.m.), they would have been long gone, and the marine layer would be stopped at the coast range. The distinctive temperature difference between the coast and the much hotter and dryer interior of central California would be extreme: Our area would normally be well over 30 C, with spikes close to 38 C. Now extremes of above 40 C are becoming regular occurrences. As noted on this Forum, our most extreme was a whole period over 46 C.

When I was a teenager, we would escape the central interior heat by going to the coast. The weather there is just as unpredictable now it seems. I understand the marine layer fog has in the past couple years been absent at times, and one risks sunstroke and sunburn.

Recently the birds and I listened to Mr. Ian Young’s video supplement. This is something we all enjoy very much. While it is terrible to hear temperatures have been in the 22-24 C range, and dry conditions, the sounds of bees and birds is such a delight in addition to the opportunity to visit another garden. I wish I could say we still had trees alive with the buzzing bees, and a garden full of birdsong. As much as we strive to provide habitat for food and nest sites, we cannot overcome the lack of area and the impact of humanity, lingering damage from wildfires, and climate changes on the larger environment. The goldfinches and hummingbirds are our most dependable visitors. Mr. and Mrs. Dove are out there, but not the numbers we once had. Our bee populations are completely changed. Mostly, we see these cute little bees, and a sweat bee now and then, sometimes a European honeybee. Other pollinators are at work.

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The native Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, is one plant that seems to attract a variety of pollinators. Mostly I notice the ants. I am not sure if what I smell is what the ants smell and are attracted to: The flowers of this plant smell like a mild, soft-ripened dessert cheese—the good kind America will not import because it is not pasteurized and irradiated to death.

Our Moreas are long since done, but I noticed that one in particular was always overloaded with flies. I did not detect an odor; however, the central markings are “fly”-colored: copper-metallic.

Other visitors reveal themselves to our delight: lady beetles, hummingbirds, and butterflies.

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Robert just moved my pictures over to this computer, so it will not be too terribly long before I can bring you around on another garden tour.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on June 26, 2023, 09:38:26 PM: As of 25 June 2023 the average temperature for the month is running -2.29 F (-1.27 C) below the 30-year average. Now that El Niño conditions prevail in the equatorial Pacific Ocean (+1.0 C in Zone 3.4 as of 26 June) it is not unusual for troughy conditions, low pressure, and below average temperatures to prevail in Northern California in May and June.

This winter the average temperature was 45.43 F (7.46 C), -1.98 F (-1.10 C) below average and the second coldest winter in the last 40 years. Generally cold winters are followed by below average temperatures the following summer. I recently did a statistical analysis of this hypothesis and found that it does indeed appear to hold true in our region, but since 2000 this trend is starting to change and become a weaker signal of cool summer temperatures. Thus, I would generally expect temperatures to run below average to average this summer, however the quickly evolving El Niño and record high global Surface Sea Temperatures raises considerable doubts about my expectations for temperatures this summer.

Currently, 100 F plus (37.7 C +) high temperatures are being forecasted for our area over the next 4 to 14 days. Some nearby areas are forecasted to reach 110 F (43.3 C). With the cool weather this spring and much of June our garden is looking good and holding up well. The change to extremely hot weather is likely to change this situation dramatically. Creating a garden resilient to dramatic swings in the weather and climate, as well as resistant to extremes of heat is a challenging and slow process. Progress is being made, however resourcefulness is also a necessity. With our garden, we do our best to make the best in any given situation. We are very open to attempting novel, new ideas and methods.

We are prepared the best we can for the coming heat wave and extreme high summertime temperatures. We will continue to select the best-of-the-best from the genetic diversity we endeavor to maintain in our garden.

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Coming into bloom is a group of F2 Monardella breweri ssp. lanceolata seedlings. These F2 seedlings were derived from a genetically diverse set of F1 plants in our garden last year. The past wet winter revealed their susceptibility to root disease organisms. The surviving plants are strong, bloom profusely, and likely carry some genetic resistance to root diseases. If we would have grown a group of plants derived from a single, highly inbred line, we would have likely lost all the plants and would need to start over again with this species.

In addition, other local Monardella that we have conducted trials with have also shown vulnerability to root rotting organisms. With the knowledge we gained from our experience with Monardella breweri ssp. laceolata thus far, we are likely to have greater success with other Monardella species in future trials.

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Last year I was able to get a single seedling of Trifolium longipes ssp. atrorubens to germinate and grow. The single seedling died during the 115 F (46.1 C) heat wave last September. Luckily I made another seed accession last year from a meadow at 6,657 feet (2,029 meters) in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Germination this spring was excellent and I now have 20 + strong seedlings growing. The forecasted heat wave will be the first true test for these seedlings.

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I am very excited with this group of Trifolium monathum ssp. monathum seedlings. They are growing extremely well. I made this seed accession from the Ebbetts Pass region at 8,825 feet (2,690 meters) in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This tiny leaf mat-forming perennial clover is such a jewel. As pictured, they are blooming now and will hopefully set seed. It will be a great success if the plants survive the coming heat of summer and set seed.

For us this is building resilience and being resourceful with what we have – in action!

[Jasmin]: So far today is 19 C. I have been enjoying my vicarious Meconopsis garden—I very much appreciate, as Ms. Macrelle does, the opportunity to delight in other’s gardens through this Forum. I remain astounded at the hot dry conditions found in Leena’s garden in southern Finland. When it is hotter and drier in Finland and Scotland than California, who can possibly deny the planet is suffering. Yet, so it is.

So far we have been spared the extreme heat of the entire region around and within Texas. Out in the ocean appears to be an area of high pressure, and we are nervous whether it will come in and join with the existing heat dome over Texas. We shall see.

Thinking back to our late spring explosion of color, I can continue with the next succession in our front yard. At some point I will catch up!
Since we pack in as much as we can (and keep striving to fit in yet more), the garden does appear to be some wild explosion of colors:

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The recently planted Aristolochea is growing really well, and can be seen here exuberantly sharing space with the sweet peas, azaleas, and an Abutilon.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on June 26, 2023, 09:41:27 PM: [attachimg=1]

“Sandra Marie has a faint blush of pink on the pale golden yellow flowers.

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This yellow is the sport to the pink that blooms a month earlier, and was in the earlier front garden tour.

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Until we planted the Aristolochia, this red abutilon has been lingering in our garden for ages without doing much. Now suddenly, it has perked up and seems to be much happier. Until you experiment, you never know what combinations will encourage a plant to thrive. We always think about the water, soil mixture, and lighting. How often do we think about companionship? Usually, I think in terms of colors, textures, and shapes, but that a plant might be lonely in the garden? Abutilon is not hemiparasitic like Castilleja, and is definitely not native here; yet, clearly this plant was pining for something until now.

At one time we had an egg-yolk yellow Abutilon along the back fence the hummingbirds loved. We removed it when the rodents turned it into their luxury hotel. I still miss the flowers; however, we now have even more nectar and habitat plants for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other creatures.

I shall close now with these “super common” Shasta Daisies. They were my mörmör’s favorite flower. They are situated along the driveway, right where I see them every time I step out front. She lived to be 90, and there are so many skills I “inherited” from her.

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A garden for us is not just some showcase, or even a labor of love, it is a place of love: Robert has had his phases of collection. I aimed to remember people, and places. My mother loved the cottage garden, and the regular bounty of vases brimming with flowers, especially once she was in a wheelchair and not able to venture out into the garden. I liked fresh herbs, vegetables, and fruits.

Over time, we get older--and maybe wiser--accept climate changes, and our interests change too. We have long been inspired by Monet’s garden, and his garden-inspired paintings. We continue to be influenced by Mr. Ian Young’s Bulb Logs and video garden visits. All these facets are combining, and evolving. Gardening, like life, is truly a journey.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on July 08, 2023, 08:15:05 PM: Hi Lois,

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As stated earlier Monardella breweri ssp. laceolata is looking especially nice in our garden right now.

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Our Flavor King Pluot is loaded with fruit this year. This Pluot variety has been a very reliable and consistent producer every season for many years. I am growing it as a dwarf tree on a Krymsk rootstock (Prunus tomentosa x cerasifera). This has proven to be a very reliable rootstock for Japanese type Plums (Prunus salicina) and pluots. ([Jasmin]: The birds have already sampled one!)

Flavor Queen Pluot has been a very inconsistent producer. I strongly believe this is a pollination issue. I am still looking for a better pollinator for this variety. Flavor Queen shares the same rootstock with the Flavor King Pluot.

We are still working on revitalizing our orchard in Placerville. Currently we have a Santa Rosa Plum and Satsuma Plum on Citation rootstock. I would prefer dwarf trees on Krymsk rootstock, and will rework the trees as I can propagate more Krymsk rootstock.

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I continually strive to create superior fruits and vegetables for our garden. These are F1 and F2 generation strawberry hybrids. Modern commercial strawberries taste terrible and have an unacceptable texture. Here I am bringing back the old-fashion flavor, texture and aroma of heirloom strawberries. Commercial handling of the fruit is unnecessary, as the fruit will go directly from plant to mouth.

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Here is part of this year’s container trials of upland rice varieties.

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Now that we are finally getting some heat the heirloom Sea Island Cotton, Gossypium barbadense is starting to grow well.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on July 08, 2023, 08:18:15 PM: [attachimg=1]

Benne Sesame, Sesamum indicum, is a brown seed Sesame with a lower fat content and higher protein content.

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We bred Elena’s Scherzo Tomato over 10 years ago. The grape-like clusters of fruit are delicious and sweet. During tomato season, Elena’s Scherzo and Freya’s Tears, also bred by us, sold out before the Farmers’ Market even started. This was one good indication that they were good varieties. Although we no longer grow for the Farmers’ Market or other venues, we grow these varieties for our own pleasure.

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Breeding fruits and vegetables continue. The 115 F (46.1 C) temperatures last September underscore the need to keep ahead of the rapid environmental changes taking place. Catastrophic crop losses and catastrophic losses in ornamental plant collections are increasing in frequency and magnitude. As the U.N. recently stated, “At current levels of warming (global) food production is starting to come under strain”. This is a very conservative statement that minimizes the seriousness of the current situation. I have been involved in agriculture in California for my whole adult life, close to 50 years now. Agricultural regions in California such as western Kern and the whole west side of the San Joaquin Valley are rapidly losing productivity and will eventually revert to desert. In light of the rapid environmental and climatic changes taking place, self-sufficiency, self-reliance, and resiliency are all strategies we will continue to incorporate into our ornamental as well as food production gardening projects.

[Jasmin]: Currently it is 20 C, but last week we had a couple of days in the 39-40 C range. The sea breeze is strong, giving us what Robert’s dad called “resort weather”. I now continue our garden tour catching us up with some of the back garden colors we have enjoyed this season.

Because we have had so much (for us) cool weather, many flowers graced our garden for longer, and the lighting was soft enough to capture the whites and yellows that usually challenge us.

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This yellow Eriogonum bloomed profusely again this year, and this year’s lighting allows the photo to do it some justice. It has been in our garden about 15 years now, part of an area in the garden for the re-creation of natural habitat. The longer it is established, the better it looks—and maybe my fondness for this plant encourages it along. I pass this plant many times a day, so it is a regular cheer up.

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This is a trumpet hybrid whose lineage is long forgotten, but its cream-white flowers with a hint of yellow, and the scent more than compensate for lost labels.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on July 08, 2023, 08:22:10 PM: [attachimg=1]

In the shadier part of the garden, a deep pink Nicotiana sprung up in one of the Acer palmatum containers.

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Nearby, my favorite Heuchera was blooming for quite some time.

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Just across from the Heuchera, this purple Gladiolus is a stunning delight.

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Robert continues his Dahlia hybridizing. The various flowers provide late season color, and nectar for hummingbirds and other insects.

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This Lillium henryi x Louis is just between our side door and the garden gate. Another one grows prominently at the front. It is one of my favorites, and the flowers always cheer me.

I finally finished digging up some of the tulip and other bulbs we had scattered in front, to be relocated to more prominent garden spots later this autumn. After, I finally could clean up all the spent spring bulb leaves.

There are a couple of Hydrangeas blooming out front, and a couple different ones blooming out back, along with the various lilies. The native lilies always perform best in our garden. As much as I enjoy other type of lilies, eventually all the care in the world does not help them survive, let alone thrive. We suspect xenobiotics. This year so many did not even come back, and we wonder how much the wet season after so much drought contributed to their loss.

Developing resilient plants is fortunately one of Robert’s passions, and will keep both of us busy for decades to come.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on July 09, 2023, 08:15:31 PM: 4 July 2023 was Independence Day in the U.S.A. I went to bed early for a good night’s sleep; however, my thoughts are filled with deep concern for our precious planet.

We--the whole planet--are not independent of the impacts and consequences of the climatic changes taking place and our continued disregard of life-sustaining ecosystems on the planet. I agree with the bumper sticker I saw recently: There is no plan(et) B!

With regard to global governmental efforts to enact change, the U.N. recently declared, “The pace and scale of what has been done so far and current plans are insufficient to tackle climate change.”

4 July 2023 was the warmest day for the whole planet since satellite temperature monitoring became available: 17.18 C (62.92F). The previous record was on 3 July 2023: 17.01 C. The third highest was 14 August 2016: 16.92 C (62.46 F).

The 2016 record was set during an El Niño teleconnection event, and the current records are also occurring during the beginning of an El Niño teleconnection event. Concerning the recent record setting temperatures, scientists say “the impacts of catastrophic heat waves, flooding, drought, crop failures and species extinction (including many of the rare ornamental species we grow or wish to grow in our gardens) become significantly harder for humanity to handle as we fail to take the necessary action to solve the climatic and ecological problems the planet faces.”

I feel impelled and called as an individual to make, continue and sustain appropriate action: increasing the scope of our self-sufficiency and resiliency, and endeavoring to create balanced sustainable garden ecosystems at our Sacramento home and Placerville farm.

My diary of this journey--especially as it pertains to ornamental plants--seems appropriate for this Forum. If this diary only interests and helps a handful of like-minded gardeners, then it is a tremendous success. I am not looking to change anyone, just “preach to the choir” (those that are already interested).

Currently I am very busy writing an article for one of the journals; however more postings on our gardening journey will be forthcoming.

[Jasmin]: Right now at 11:10 a.m. it is 18 C. This morning it was 10 C. There has been a steady cool breeze for the past several days. This weather is definitely not our normal interior California July weather! Normally, we would have weather in the 30s C!
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on July 29, 2023, 05:34:22 PM: [attachimg=1]

A few days ago I visited Rocky Basin in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

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Despite an above average snow pack and below average springtime temperatures through June, the snow did not linger late into the summer season as it did in the past. By the end of July conditions were very dry.

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The site I visited is at or near the low elevation limit for many plant species in this region. Pictured is Sierra Juniper, Juniperus grandis, a species that is much more common at much higher elevations.

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The reddish-brown bark of Juniperus grandis is quite striking and attractive.

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Hechera rubescens is also near its low elevation limit in this area. This species performs well in our Sacramento garden, however adding genetic diversity to our Sacramento gene pool is also an important objective. Stewardship of plants in a garden environment through the preservation of their genetic diversity can be very enjoyable as well as bring mindfulness to the importance of the conservation of plants and their natural ecosystems.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on July 29, 2023, 05:36:05 PM: [attachimg=1]

A number of years ago I discovered a unique population of Eriogonum ursinum var. ursinum at this site. This mat-forming species is very attractive.

A full detailed report on Rocky Basin will be presented in an upcoming article for the IRG Journal.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on July 30, 2023, 07:27:21 PM: For decades obtaining high quality non-native seeds for ornamental species has been a persistent challenge for me. Increasingly stringent and restrictive import/export regulations only exasperate the situation. While I could lament the situation, but this does not solve anything. My solution has been to find the opportunities within the challenges, i.e. find the silver lining!

One huge blessing of limited access to seed is not taking on more than I can manage and care for. Quality over quantity has been a blessing. Having fewer projects also helps me maintain focus, and see the very important finer details that can be easily missed when overwhelmed. Prioritizing the plants and projects aids me to concentrate on what is truly meaningful to our garden and me.

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Habranthus and Zephyranthes species grow extremely well in our interior California climate. A number of years ago I made a number of interspecific and intraspecific hybrids using Habranthus robustus as the seed parent.

My Habranthus robustus stock provided little in the way of genetic variability; however I did proceed with a number of intraspecific crosses to see if there might be desirable recessive traits that breeding might reveal. This year many of the hybrids began to bloom. The results were about as expected: There was a bit more variability than I anticipated, but nothing exceptional in this F1 generation. Seed has been saved from these plants. In specific cases the F2 generation of seedlings can be extremely variable. In a few more years I will know.

I did one cross with Habranthus robustus x Zephyranthes treatiae. I lucked out with this cross. I somehow avoided incompatibility, chromosome non-homogony, and apomixes, as this cross definitely shows hybrid attributes between the two parents. For example, many of the hybrid progeny exhibit nearly upright flowers, a characteristic from Zephyranthes treatiae the pollen parent. Selfed F2 seed has been saved and, if viable, the progeny will likely be extremely variable. I will know next year if the seed is viable and then it will be a few more years before I see results.

Other Zephyranthes hybrids were also created, so in the coming years I will have many interesting plants to evaluate during the late summer growing season.

I certainly do not have a huge collection of Zephyranthes/Habranthes species and hybrids. While I am not expecting spectacular results, it is very stimulating and satisfying to be creative with the few species I do have to work with. For me it is about the process and learning.

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As Bob Ross would have said, there are “happy accidents” occurring in our garden all the time. Pictured is a F2 Vitis labrusca x vinifera hybrid. I grew on these hybrids with fruit production in mind; however I find the texture and coppery color of the new growth attractive. Who knows, I might get excellent quality table grapes and an attractive ornamental vine all in one plant. I am always looking outside the box to find new ornamental plants for our garden.

With creative thinking, limited access to seeds can be great fun and very satisfying.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: hamparstum on August 04, 2023, 01:09:49 PM: Hello Robert and Jasmin, I'll write a PM giving you my update. We are just recuperating from a three year long very severe drought that took its toll on fully grown trees ( some native natural (like Maytenus boaria) and others introduced although originated in Mediterranean climate.( Abies pinsapo). So climate extremes are already everywhere.
Your grape vine immediately watered by mouth... The leaf looks temptingly tender ideal for stuffing grape leaf dolma. I even grow a vine for that purpose. It never sets fruit, but the leaves are something!

Arturo
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on August 04, 2023, 03:50:00 PM: Arturo,

Jasmin and I certainly hope you and your farm are doing okay. We are very concerned. We are very painfully aware of the impacts of drought and climatic change on agriculture. Rebuilding the farm in Placerville has been a slow process. This past winter was wet and cold, however persistent drought and at times extreme drought have been the prevailing pattern over the last 20+ years. In addition, extreme high temperatures both during the summer and the winter, have had dramatic impacts on both our food crops as well as our ornamentals. A huge priority has been to too keep ahead of the exponential climatic changes that are now occurring in our region of California. Incorporating resiliency into very aspect of our gardening program is the top priority. The grape pictured is just one part of this gigantic project. I have been breeding new citrus fruits, apples, stone fruits, small fruits, vegetables, grains, ornamentals, just about everything in an effort to stay ahead of the climatic changes taking place. Most likely this is just foolishness on my part, but I am not interested in sitting around and just do nothing.

I just finished reading a book by Jack Lalanne about maintaining health and fitness into old age. Mr. Lalanne was 95 when he wrote the book and was still happy, healthy and productive. His ideas were very similar to those of Helen and Scott Nearing. Scott was strong, productive and healthy until 95 too and died at age 100. The Nearings built a stone house by hand when he was in his 90’s and Helen was in her 70’s. There are no guarantees but a sensible plan seems to increase the odds of success. There is a great deal I wish to accomplish with ornamental plants and food crops in the next 30 years.

Jasmin and I both look forward to hearing from you and get an update on your farm and ornamental plant projects.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on August 04, 2023, 03:59:52 PM: Views of the house Helen and Scott Nearing built when they were in their 90's and 70's.

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Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on August 12, 2023, 07:16:02 PM: [attachimg=1]

Mid to late summer is a quiet time in our Sacramento garden when fewer plants are blooming and many bulbs and California native perennial species are dormant. However, our garden is not without flowers or plants of interest. Pictured is a new selection of Erythranthe guttata derived from seed gathered from the ditch in front of our Placerville farm. This selection put on a tremendous show of flowers this spring and still has a few flowers here in mid-August. In addition, this selection has produced many vigorous rosettes at the base of the plant, a very promising sign that this selection may have the capabilities to be a longer-lived perennial in our garden.

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Some of our F3 generation Gilia capitata mediomonatana x pedemontana hybrids are still in active growth and producing more flowers. In contrast, most of the other Gilia capitata plants in our garden have finished blooming, produced seed and completed their annual life cycle. This line is showing continued progress and potential to extend the blooming season of this species.

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A few of our F2 generation Monardella breweri ssp. lanceolata plants are also exhibiting the characteristic of an extended blooming cycle late into the season. As with the Gilia, most of our Monardella breweri ssp. lanceolata plants have finished their life cycle and are gone now. Seed has been saved from the extended blooming cycle plants and hopefully some of the F3 generation plants will continue to display this trait.

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In this photograph one can see the many flower buds that are yet to open on some of the remaining Monardella plants.

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Pictured is a F1 Habranthus robustus x Zephyranthes mesochlora hybrid. The upright stance of the flower is a characteristic of Zephyranthes suggesting that the plant is indeed a hybrid.

Habranthus and Zephyranthes species grow well in our Sacramento garden. We have few species in our garden. We are content making the best and being creative with what we have. I do have a small list of various bulbous species I would like to include in our garden. For me this is a very relaxed process. I am of the thinking that “when the student is ready the teacher will appear”, i.e. when I am ready, the plants I need for the garden will show up. I put very little effort into acquiring new plants and thus avoid the corruption of avariciousness and the damage it creates. The result is a contented gardener.

[Jasmin]: It is now around 23 C, with a prediction of perhaps 35 to 37 later today. So far, we have not had many 40 C days, which never hurts my feelings.
Yesterday Robert was gathering and cleaning the Monardella seed, and the most distinctive scent from the plants wafted through the air. It is not sweet like fresh mint; yet extremely pungent and not unpleasant or foul. In late summer Centromadia pungens (Common Tarweed) fills the air with its presence especially if there is a thunderstorm or early rain, and this Monardella scent is similarly evocative.
As for my relationship with the garden, I have to admit I am presently in a stupor. After 10 months and 20 days of care, our precious Dariya cockatiel died, 28 July 2023. We are simultaneously so thankful she was able to be with us, and her normal, joy-filled, happy self—She was kept comfortable, and content. She did not suffer. Yet, we still have shock, and sorrow; we so prayed she could rally and recover completely. She has a place in the garden, and a rock placement is there. At some point, the appropriate plants for this garden place will be planted.
I find it interesting how our gardens evolve in a number of ways, depending on so many variables. Some is climate, climate change, and location. Some is who we know, how we obtain our plants, and whether we are tidy or not—as Mr. Ian Young points out in his latest Bulb Log Video Supplement. Some of us are more relaxed about Nature, letting the birds and bees and plants do their thing for the most part. Others prefer their garden to always look ready for the show bench display, to get the Farrer medal or some other prize. Each has something to offer, each has something to appreciate.
In our garden, it seems more Natural Evolution, with a hand thrown in once in a while—more similar to Mr. Young’s style, except that food crops are part of the ornamental display. This is quite the evolution for Robert. When he was younger, I remember the seed lists, and seed pans, and our race to see which of us would find the first signs of germination. I do not know what amount of our changes are our aging, and what is sheer acceptance that the climate has radically altered since we married, among other factors. We do realize there is only so much we can do, and perhaps a maturity and realism govern our choices now. We no longer have the people we once had, who gave us parts of their garden—for better or for ill, those beloved thugs I have had to diminish lest they take over. Yet, we have other opportunities and interests, such as local native flora. Robert has always loved hybridizing, and the fun of exploring what traits will manifest, and this is a marvelous direction for his creative energy. I am more like the river flowing along, meandering. I am the one that looks at a place in the garden, such as Dariya’s resting place, and ponders the possibilities. Sometimes a garden evolution begins with the plant and the rocks follow, or in this case the rocks come first. After 52 years in this home, with this garden, I can remember an entire story—a story of my childhood, of beloved companion animals who found their resting place in the garden, of wild birds and wild life, of my young adulthood, and of my marriage and the journey Robert and I have taken together.
Have you thought about the story your garden tells? What does your garden say about your life and choices? Do you have memories that reach back, emotional connections? These are thoughts I gathered recently. I have never been one to write in a diary or journal; yet, in a sense, I have: the garden has been my journal, telling of my sojourn here on this earth. If you could read it, you would know my heart.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: ashley on August 12, 2023, 11:06:09 PM: Quote from: Robert on August 12, 2023, 07:16:02 PM
... In our garden, it seems more Natural Evolution, with a hand thrown in once in a while
... After 52 years in this home, with this garden, I can remember an entire story—a story of my childhoodbrings , of beloved companion animals who found their resting place in the garden, of wild birds and wild life, of my young adulthood, and of my marriage and the journey Robert and I have taken together.
Have you thought about the story your garden tells? What does your garden say about your life and choices? Do you have memories that reach back, emotional connections? These are thoughts I gathered recently. I have never been one to write in a diary or journal; yet, in a sense, I have: the garden has been my journal, telling of my sojourn here on this earth. If you could read it, you would know my heart.

Thank you Robert and Jasmin.

Jasmin, you express beautifully thoughts that resonate with me. Our garden of (only) 30 years continues to evolve toward nature, but also reflects many aspects of our lives over that time that would be invisible to a visitor. It has always given us great peace and contentment. Despite horticultural 'failures' along the way, every day in the garden brings new delights and learnings.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on August 14, 2023, 04:17:30 AM: Ashley,

I appreciate your thoughtful comments. There are many facets to gardening, or perhaps it can said to be multidimensional. Our garden is so much more than beautiful flowers, trees and shrubs, or even food for the table. I know that this is true for many others. This is a central reason I am so keenly interested in other gardens and the stories they contain.

Thank you again for your mindful comments.

Today, 13 August, is watering day. Jasmin and I were up at 4:00 a.m. to get an early start with the watering before it got too hot. It was clear for most of the day with the temperature cresting at about 37 C. During the early evening dark clouds moved in from thunderstorms in the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the east. To our south near the city of Stockton some of the thunderstorms held together and there was rain in the Valley. This is not very common occurrence during the summer. As of 8:00 p.m. it is still overcast at our Sacramento home but no rain or thunder. The next few days we are expecting high temperatures in the 38 to 41 C range, then a cool down, maybe.

[Jasmin]: Thank you for giving me a great idea! In earlier submissions I have placed tours of our garden; additionally, in the past couple of years I included some past pictures of the garden here (at that time, under the heading “…in the Northern Hemisphere”). I really have not considered a garden tour detailing a history and relationship with the garden and certain plants until now.
Thirty years is still a substantial amount of time. The age of the garden here is actually layered: Some plants older than I am, and some planted when my family moved here 52 years ago and I was a girl. The orange tree is at least the same age as I. There are also representations of the many garden phases I have gone through as well: The cottage garden, the wildflowers, and the herbs. There was my vegetable garden the neighbor’s rabbit ate.
Once Robert and I married, the garden here has gone through even more exponential change, with additions, losses (both horticultural failures and climate change), removals of beloved thugs, and changing tastes and interests.
Gardening as a creative endeavor is very interesting when married with a fellow gardener. There are twice the opinions, and much more time spent pondering ideas. Sometimes it requires more patience, and even fortitude to hold back, to restrain oneself: Both Robert and I often think physically, placing something about to see the effect, and sit with it for a time. This means not moving it without talking about it first. It can appear like a chess game, except there is no checkmate, and each of us has a valid vision. In some areas I have deferred to Robert because he does have more experience and knowledge; yet, I find myself surprised that I have also acquired quite a bit of my own along the way. As with our Forum submissions, it is the synergy and combination of the two that creates the final effect.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on August 30, 2023, 08:16:48 PM: [attachimg=1]

Here it is the end of August, the days are shortening, and the summertime heat appears to be winding down. High temperatures this summer have been average, with very few extremes. The only notable weather event this summer was Hurricane Hillary. As the remnants of Hillary moved to our east we received a few hundredths of an inch of rain and some gusty winds. In the Sierra Nevada Mountains, especially the east side received considerable amounts of rain and a great deal of thunderstorm activity.

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The end of summer is the start of the harvest season. Our Sea Island cotton, Gossypium barbadense, is still blooming. Many cotton bolls have formed and it looks as if we will have a good harvest. Our climate is a bit dry for this cotton species as some plants suffer a great deal from spider mites. Others suffer little from spider mites; we save seed from these plants.

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Our Duborskian rice, Oryzia sativa, is heavy with rice.

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Our rice plants have responded well to a modified form of Masanobu Fukuoka’s direct seeding/non-cultivation methods. The rice plants are growing through a thick ground cover of White Clover. Once the rice is harvested the rice straw and chaff will be returned to the plot and winter barley will be planted.

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As our ornamental garden awakens from it summer dormancy Epilobium canum ssp. canum is coming into bloom. The plant pictured survived many years of abandonment at our Placerville farm. It is an exceptional form selected from the plants growing in the Wrights Lake region in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I am very pleased that this selection was not lost. Now to bring it back to full health!
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on August 30, 2023, 08:21:00 PM: [attachimg=1]

In our Sacramento garden Epilobium canum ssp. garrettii is performing well. I have been brave enough to grow some of our other native Epilobium species. They are notorious for being weedy. So far Epilobium ciliatum has bloomed all summer and shows on signs of being weedy in our Sacramento garden. It looks best blooming in the spring. The plants are very susceptible to rust. I will take some photographs when they are blooming next spring if they survive the rust.

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Now that it is late August, colonies of Cyclamen hederifolium are coming into bloom.

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Most of out Cyclamen hederifolium bloom in shades of pink and white. With some effort deeper shades of pink could be selected, however I am content letting them colonize as they wish.

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Colchicum macrophyllum is the first Colchicum species to come into bloom in our Sacramento garden.

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Colchicum macrophyllum has large bold foliage, which I appreciate greatly during the spring.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on August 30, 2023, 08:24:12 PM: [attachimg=1]

Colchicum autumnale is another early blooming species in our Sacramento garden.

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Acis autumnalis is another harbinger of autumn. I have grown this species for decades; however lately I have begun to select and gather seeds from the plants I like the most. Some plants I like much more than others. We shall see where this goes.

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Erythranthe lewisii x cardinalis hybrids have been around in the California nursery trade for many years. A number of years ago I started my own breeding program with the two species. Currently I have a wide range of color forms. This yellow form turned up this season. I still have much to accomplish with these hybrids. One goal is to select stronger, longer-lived, perennial plants. Plant habit and flower form are two other goals. The hybrids bloom for a long period of time during the late spring and early summer, so I do not mind having many in our garden.

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This chance seedling of Salvia coccinea ‘Brenthurst’ appeared in one of the nursery pots I have in the garden. It is an exceptional plant, with larger flowers and a good clear bright pink color. This species is perennial in our Sacramento garden so I can grow it as a clone and save seeds and see what turns up.

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The first new Salvia guaranitica hybrid is coming into bloom. Many more seedlings are budded and will start blooming shortly. I am getting good variation from this group of hybrids. They are already many Salvia guaranitica hybrids in the nursery trade here in California. It would be nice if something novel showed up, however my goal is to have fun and leave it at that.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on August 30, 2023, 08:26:25 PM: [Jasmin]: Right now at 11 am our time it is 27 C and expected to reach about 38 C. We have a strong north wind, which brings smoke from the wildfires in Northern California and Southern Oregon to our area. We have a fire watch all through the valley, since there is extremely low humidity—8%. Combined with the heat and strong winds, the fire danger is elevated.
In the past, July and August were the hottest months, and we could count on September having a weekend with the extreme heat but finishing cooler. I no longer have the confidence in this old pattern anymore, and will not be surprised to see a continuation of heat. All I have to do is look at the satellite images of ocean temperatures and the extreme weather happening everywhere to suspend my ability to predict what might be next.
It is this loss of ritual and routine I feel keenly, and it causes disorientation. We all crave predictability, the comfort of the illusion of unchanging patterns in our lives. How much ambiguous loss do we all have, that we are unaware of, we just feel out-of-sorts with some vague unease that we brush off yet it niggles us?
When there is a birth, graduation, or death, most times we have rituals to mark these events; the pain of certain changes and losses can flare up like an arthritic knee on a rainy day. Yet, here we are confronted by changes and losses that we sense, but have yet to name or enumerate. It is grief for plans that must change to meet the new situation, a loss of certainty, of the image for the future that was so planned for. It is a true reminder that all we really can know is this moment, and savour it.
I cannot call it a plan, all the changes that have taken place in this garden throughout my life.

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When my parents and I first moved here, there were traditional rose beds, and crabapples. My father planted the sweet Navel orange tree, and began a vegetable garden.
I was a shy, quiet child. I was more inclined to read books, a habit I still indulge in liberally. Yet, in my sense of solitude, I found comfort with the plants. I was not a tree-climber; rather I would find solace snuggled up to the trunk of a favorite tree, of which this photo shows one. A good book and a tree, and all was well. I do not think gardening was anything that occurred to me, that I would partake in.
Many decades later Robert and I started our first rock garden experiment near this apricot tree, planting it with Lewisias and other things I cannot remember now! The whole business we had to undo and reconfigure elsewhere when the mother tree reached the end of her life. We called her Queen Hunsa, for she was very old, having been a grown tree when my parents and I moved here. We have her “daughter”—a cutting grafted onto the plum rootstock—is in a bed forward and left, and two vegetable beds are where the mother tree once was. For many years the mother tree had a hollow underneath, a squirrel hole, and I had placed things in that hole. It was like finding and opening a time capsule.

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It was more wild in the area then; I find it reassuring when the wildlife pass by. We still see the white turkey from time-to-time, whether the original, or some daughter of hers. Various raptors still call about the neighborhood that has since filled in. The proximity of the river guarantees you might be pleasantly surprised while out in the garden.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: MarcR on September 02, 2023, 11:08:06 AM: Jasmin,

I enjoy the way you express yourself! It reminds me of reading Louisa May Alcott.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on September 04, 2023, 02:06:49 AM: Dear Mr. Marc,
Thank you so much for your kind encouragement. It has been many years since I read Ms. Alcott, perhaps fourth or fifth grade! Mr. Ashley’s comment in August gifted me the opportunity to ponder my many years here, and the changes that have evolved.

Right now at 5:12 p.m. it is 26 C. The past couple of weeks we have been the border area for some unpredictable weather. First, the edge of the remnants of Hurricane Hillary zipped past. The bulk of this system hit Southern California and shot up the middle of Nevada, largely missing us. This latest system appears to be the remnants of a typhoon that impacted Japan a week to ten days ago. This proved to be more interesting, with build-ups and thunderstorms, particularly in the foothills and higher mountains. Rain was spotty here; yet Sunday is our watering day, so we had raingear on as we watered, since the rain was insufficient for the garden. The dramatic cooling we have had the past several days, combined with the shortening of day length; however means we are able to water a bit less. It is also the end of watermelons and cucumbers, my summer foods of choice for refreshment.
Although the Cyclamen and Colchicums are now blooming, there is always this lull in the garden bloom-wise; yet there is plenty of activity. It is so easy to stick to the usual, photographs of what looks good in the garden. While that is appreciated, many months can pass before anything “worthy” finds its way onto the Forum.
Our gardening style seems to fit in with Mr. Young’s “messy” natural approach—however, I am feeling more negligent than creative at the moment. Yet, I shall close with the bright welcome to Autumn, Colchicum macrophyllum.

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Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on September 24, 2023, 10:00:14 PM: [Jasmin]: Today is 20 C, which for many of you would still feel like summer. However, yesterday was the first official day of autumn, and combined with the longer nights and the chill in the breeze indicates weather changes are on the way. Monday night there is a forecast for a slight 20% chance of rain. Until the rains truly arrive, I still wake at 4 am to get the garden watered on the permitted day and during the allowed timeframe. I strive to have all this done before I uncover the birds for the day. Unlike my sweet husband, I am not clinging to any rock faces botanizing.

Even a light rain would clear the air of the murkiness. Smoke from distant fires has settled throughout the valley, being more concentrated to our south. The dinginess we live with is not adequately photographed. However, it does give me an opportunity to share with you the effects of temperature and xenobiotics in the garden. It is not a lovely sight.

You will recall Azalea ‘Orangeade’ from this past April.

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Although the leaf color is pale, which I associate with many years of climate stress, it is still blooming well.

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The most recent picture shows the lines of chlorosis and some dieback. In past years it already would have been cold enough to have autumn color; however, the leaves loose their green in the heat but there is no chill to turn the dying leaves those beautiful reds, oranges, and golds.

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The dieback is something we see repeatedly, as can be seen with this azalea, which once towered over my head and was an explosion of spring and autumn color. The plant’s fate hangs in the balance: In some instances there will still be vigorous growth at the base, and abundant flower buds, so the plant endures in the garden.

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In other instances, as can be seen with this Rhododendron maddenii type hybrid, the plant will continue to die a little at a time over the years. For some plants, this is a slow progression toward death.

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So the garden looks like it might be a graveyard, or soon. We have indeed lost a great many plants this way. However, we never have the heart to just yank the dear plant out until it is really, truly dead. We always end up with surprises, where the plant actually recovers, or an azalea we thought dead and gone decides to sprout from some mysterious root that was still alive down in the ground, as in the case of Azalea ‘Mirte’.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on September 24, 2023, 10:02:43 PM: [attachimg=1]

Japanese maples go through this similar progression, and we have yet to detect a pattern beyond the obvious: Many plants are sensitive to both xenobiotics, and to the lack of winter chill. It is impossible to discern which aspect, or the combination is behind these effects. Here is ‘Ukigumo’, with one branch dead already; its summer full of the slow progress of death. The rest of the tree is still verdant, but none of the three trees show any autumn color.

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In contrast, California native plants such as this Buckeye (Aesculus californica) have spent the entire summer looking pitiful and partly dead. This is their natural, healthy appearance! They leaf out with the rains, and flower in the spring. In the summer they have nothing more than their seed capsules and pods, awaiting the next rains, if the plant has not yet dehisced its progeny. In the wild, the California Buckeye looks like a dead tree with dull golden Christmas baubles clinging to its limbs.

Walking through our garden is its own botanical experience, since some of the plants look dead and are supposed to, while others are dying when they are meant to be at their peak yet are clearly not entirely happy.

It would be easy to lament the situation, looking at the garden, for the plants we lose and their slow, ugly demise; however, there actually is simultaneously a certain pleasure: At this juncture, I can derive great satisfaction for no other reason than I actually discern and know the difference. Robert’s botanical knowledge and experience have always surpassed my own. When it comes to marriage and gardening, these things did not osmotically incorporate into my being. It would be too easy to leave him the garden, and defer to his predilections; however, that is not the case, and not how decisions are made here. We both have equal voice, and equal vision, and creating our garden as a unit despite our differences is one of the great pleasures that continues to enhance both our marriage and the garden.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: MarcR on September 25, 2023, 11:04:37 AM: Jasmin,

One year of what used to be average rainfall can be very restorative, and can reverse much of the damage.

It may not happen; but, there is hope :)
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on October 25, 2023, 09:03:04 PM: [attachimg=1]

In many ways our “spring” arrives in our part of Northern California during the autumn when the first significant rainfall of the winter rainfall season arrives and temperatures consistently drop and stay cool. At this time many of our native annual species germinate and start to grow. In addition, many of our native bulbous species also begin to grow. It is often amazing how quickly many of our bulbous species emerge from the ground after the first significant rainfall.

Pictured above is a flat of California native annuals planted out in soil blocks. This year we have many new and exciting species to trial in our Sacramento garden. Below are some photographs of the new species we are looking forward to in our garden this coming spring.

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Diplacus kelloggii – We obtained seeds from a low elevation form of this species growing near Camp Creek, El Dorado County, California.

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Some of the best forms of Diplacus torreyi can be found in Rocky Basin, El Dorado County, California. I was fortunate to arrive at the perfect time to gather seed of this species at this location.

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I encountered an unusual form of Diplacus viscidus in the Caldor Fire burn scar area near Camp Creek this year. This population exhibited a great deal of genetic variability. In addition, the plants in this population did not exactly fit the botanical description of this species. They may represent a hybrid population. More study will be necessary.

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There were pure white forms of Diplacus viscidus in this population.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on October 25, 2023, 09:04:44 PM: [attachimg=1]

Although quite common in the wild, Navarretia leptalea ssp. leptalea will be new to our garden this season.

In addition to the new native annual species for this season, we have a whole lineup of new hybrid bulbous species based on our native species found here in Northern California.

We have a great deal to look forward to this coming season.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on November 11, 2023, 08:21:38 PM: [attachimg=1]

Purple Needle Grass, Stipa pulcha, is starting to recolonize our Placerville property. 200 years ago this species likely grew abundantly on this property. Now only remnants of this species can be found in our area clinging to niches in the local chaparral plant communities. Offspring of these chaparral plants are also thriving in our Sacramento garden.

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California Fescue, Festuca californica, is also reseeding on our Placerville property. This species is more often found in the California Coastal Mountains, however it is also native to the Sierra Nevada region. This species also seeds around freely in our Sacramento garden. Our native bunch grasses look perfect in our California style Mediterranean garden.

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Currently I am planning outings for the coming season. The canyons and ridges of the Feather River region possess many fine species well suited for our California gardening conditions. Pictured is Fritillaria recurva with Ranunculus occidentalis var. occidentalis blooming in the Feather River canyon. Fritillaria recurva thrived at our Placerville property and domestic seed lines are being established for our Sacramento garden. We have a huge array of native species that just need some development to become outstanding plants for our Sacramento garden. Excellent progress is being made in this endeavor.

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Narcissus elegans bloomed for the first time this October. The autumn blooming Narcissus species thrive in our Sacramento garden. These species are being incorporated into our Narcissus breeding projects. Preliminary results may take time, however the whole creative process is very enjoyable.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on November 19, 2023, 06:36:15 PM: During the La Niña event of last year we experienced much below average temperatures during the winter and early spring with very low snow levels in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. These events are closely associated with La Niña in our part of California. The much above average precipitation last winter, however, is generally not associated with La Niña.

Climate change has impacted our region to the point where we are in uncharted territory. El Niño was once associated with much above average precipitation and temperatures during the winter months in our part of California. Starting about 25 years ago, the association between El Niño events and seasonal weather patterns began to decouple.

Currently there is a very strong El Niño event occurring in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. So far temperatures have turned much above average, typical of an El Niño event in our region. However, precipitation totals have been running about average, with long periods between precipitation events. Precipitation is much more difficult to forecast than temperature, especially months into the future. Right now there is no clear indication which direction our winter precipitation season will turn. Drought seems to be the new normal for us, so I am not very optimistic about another abundant precipitation season this winter in our region.

Looking to create a garden resilient to our evolving conditions is a passion. Right now, autumn color finally began, but the much welcome rain has quickly blown much of the leaves away. So, we look with anticipation toward spring, and some plants that we are working with to create this acclimated vision.

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This is a photograph of Rhododendron occidentale ‘Early Cream Pink’. This is one of 5 selections I made from an ecotype of the species found in the Pulga Bridge region over 20 years ago. All 5 selections are extremely heat tolerant. 115 F (46.1 C) temperatures are common in this region most summers, and these plants thrive in our Sacramento garden despite the extreme heat we have experienced the last few years. In addition, each selection blooms about 45 days before the type species in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The Sierra Nevada race of Rhododendron occidentale is very different from the race found in coastal areas of California. For hot, dry climates these selections are vastly superior to the coastal California varieties of this species.

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This is one of our Rhododendron occidentale hybrids derived from our Pulga Bridge selections. It too is extremely heat tolerant and thrives in our Sacramento garden. Progress does not stop here. Crossing these with extreme dwarf forms brings the possibilities of small 0.3 x 0.3 meter plants that are extremely heat tolerant, and have fragrant and colorful flowers. Maybe my Summer of Love series of deciduous azaleas will someday be realized. How exciting!

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Developing resilient new plant varieties for hot, dry climates is very exciting. This high elevation form of Erythronium multiscapideum thrives in our Sacramento garden. The petals of this selection are flushed pink. In addition, the genes of the “Cliftonii” ecotype of this species are present throughout the genome of this species throughout its range. The depth of genetic variability presents additional breeding possibilities.

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There is tremendous genetic variability in Calochortus venustus.

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Breeding forms of Calochortus that are easier to cultivate is another project that is slowly progressing. This pink form of Calochortus venustus from the Sierra Nevada Mountains is quite attractive.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on November 19, 2023, 06:38:35 PM: [attachimg=1]

Calochortus splendens is another species found in brutally hot and dry parts of California.

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For those that enjoy growing tiny alpine species, these high elevation forms of Calochortus minimus are worth the effort to cultivate.

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If one observes closely, the genetic variability in Calochortus minimus becomes very apparent. These low elevation forms of Calochortus minimus experience extremes of heat and drought not experienced by the alpine forms of this species. In this photograph a pure white and flushed pink form of this species can be seen. This is only a fraction of the variability found in this species.

In a rapidly changing climate there are many opportunities to find and develop new resilient plant varieties for hot dry climates.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: MarcR on November 20, 2023, 02:49:49 AM: Robert,

Over the past 60 days daytime temperatures have ranged between 52 and 71 degrees F [11-21 C].
Night temheratures have ranged from 44- 56 F [7-13 C].
We actually have more different taxa in bloom now than we did in summer.
I have been trying to inventory what is in bloom and just in the early part of the alphabet, i have in bloom:

i/o = indoor/outdoor /a= annual
* In winter wraped in a polyethylene cylinder with hair dryer and thermostat set to 35 degrees F

Abutilon hybridum
Abelmoschus moschatus
Abutilon megapotamicum
Abutilon pictum
Abutilon ‘Thompsonii’
Achimines antirrhina i/o
Achimines erecta i/o
Achimines grandiflora i/o
Achimines hybrids i/o
Achimineslongiflora i/o
Aconitum carmichaelii
Aconitum helmsianum
Agastache barberi
Agastache foeniculum
Allium callimischon
Allium stellatum
Althaea cannabina
Anemone huphensis
Anemone vitifolia
Anisodontea scabrosa
Antirrhinum hispanicum
Arum pictum
Asclepias incarinata
Bomarea caldesii i/o
Brugmansia sanguinea i/o
Calluna vulgaris
Caltha dionaefolia
Camelia brevistlea
Camelia fluviatiles
Camelia japonica
Camelia oleifera
Camelia sanguinea
Camelia x vernalis
Campylotropis macrocarpa
Caryopteris x calydonensis
Caryopteris incana
Ceanothus ‘Marie Simon’
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
Cestrum ‘Orange Peel’ i/o
Chelone lyonii
Chelone obliqua
Clerodendrum bungei
Clerodendrum ugandense i/o
Clethra barbinervis
Clitorea ternata /a
Cobaea scandens /a
Colchicum autumnale
Colchicum baytopiorum
Colchicum bivonae
Colchicum byzantium
Colchicum ‘Lilac Wonder’
Colchicum speciosum
Colchicum variegatum
Commelina coelestis
Correa ‘Dusky Bells’ i/o
Crocus banaticus
Crocus goulimyi
Crocus hadriaticus
Crocus kotschyanus
Crocus laevigatus
Crocus longiflorus
Crocus medius
Crocus nudiflorus
Crocus ochroleucus
Crocus oreocreticus
Crocus pallasii
Crocus pulchellus
Crocus sativus
Crocus serotinus
Crocus speciosus
Crossandra nilotica i/o
Crowea exalata i/o
Cuphea ignea /a reseeding
Cuphea macropetala /a reseeding
Cyclamen africanum
Cyclamen cilicium
Cyclamen cyprium
Cyclamen graecum
Cyclamen hederifolium
Cyclamen mirabile
Cyclamen rholfsianum
Daboecia cantabrica
Daboecia scotia
Diascia barberae
Diascia cordata
Dichorisandra reginae i/o
Distictis buccinatoria *
Dracocephalum forrestii
Eccremocarpus scaber
Erica abietinia
Erica alopecurus
Erica calycina
Erica carnea
Erica cetinthoides
Erica coccinea
Erica x darleyensis
Erica discolor
Erica glandulosa
Erica pilulifera
Erica pixidiflora
Erica sparsa
Erica tetralix
Erica triflors
Erica vagens
Erica versicolor
Erica x watsonii
Escallonia bifida
Escallonia x exoniensis
Eucryphia cordifolia
Eucryphia x nymansensis
Fremontodendrom californicum
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on November 20, 2023, 08:09:20 PM: Hi Marc,

Is it unusual for so many plant species to be blooming in your garden in mid-November?

Here temperatures have been running above average for the month of November, although there is not much blooming in our garden at this time. In past years we have had some species bloom well out-of-season, during the autumn or winter. Temperature is clearly one variable; yet other factors are involved. Variations in solar radiation (cloud cover) can initiate out of season blooming. Epigenetics may also be involved, however there is still much to learn about how and why epigenetic processes take place. Epigenetics is clearly a survival/adaptation mechanism for most life forms.

In some cases epigenetics is involved with changes that take place in the vernalization process of various plant species. It may also be involved with the changes that take place with seed dormancy. For example, seeds that will germinate readily when sown fresh (i.e. go through their normal vernalization to germination process), but enter a more complex dormancy if sowing is delayed.

Learning and discovery is never ending, but this makes life and gardening enjoyable and interesting.

Below are a few of our native Delphinium species that we are working with in our garden. Most are difficult to work with in our low elevation, hot, dry, Sacramento garden. Steady progress is being made to find and create forms that are much easier to cultivate in our garden. They are such graceful, beautiful plants. [Jasmin]: These have shown the most promise, given our conditions. Decades ago, we could dabble with more traditional garden Delphiniums, but just as with Meconopsis, eventually climate and climate change won out.

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This is a high elevation perennial species that grows quite large.

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Delphinium gracilentum is a mid-elevation, perennial species. There are many color forms of this species. A favorite in our garden.

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This is Delphinium hesperium ssp. pallescens as seen in Colusa County, California. We have never cultivated this species in our Sacramento garden, however it would be worth trying. It is also a good reason to return to this region, as there are so many fine plant species in this area.

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Delphinium nuttallianum generally blooms with deep lavender-blue flowers. In my fieldwork I occasionally encounter white and lavender-pink forms of this species. Delphinium nuttallianum is a perennial, high elevation species. I have found mid-elevation forms of this species that likely have genetic qualities that might allow this species to be cultivated in our Sacramento garden with more ease.

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Delphinium patens ssp. patens is a low elevation, perennial species. We have had great success cultivating this species in our Sacramento garden for many years. Second generation plants are being grown and tested throughout our garden. At one time this species grew abundantly on our Placerville property. Due to very poor land use practices, this species is now rarely seen on our property. Steps are being taken to restore much of our property to something that might resemble its original condition 300 years ago before the introduction of gold mining, invasive species and livestock grazing.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on December 15, 2023, 07:42:36 PM: [attachimg=1]

Winter in our part of Northern California is an active time for many plant species, especially many California native species. Pictured is a batch of Phacelia campanularia seedlings started in October. They are now large enough to plant out in the garden and will make a beautiful display, if all goes right, when they bloom in the spring.

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Over the past few months I have been transferring my handwritten botanical field notes to one of my computers. There are over 30 years of field notes, so this process will take time. Fortunately, what I have accomplished so far has proven very helpful in my development of superior varieties for our Sacramento garden. With the computer I am able to sort my field note data according to species, location, elevation, microclimate, soils types, ecotype characteristics, and more. This data can also be linked to my climatic data for our part of Northern California.

In the photograph above, I am selecting seedlings for further evaluation based on seedling phenotype characteristics and known marker genes for specific characteristics. Quick access to the data in my field notes has simplified and enhanced this process greatly. This certainly can reduce the number of seedlings that need to be grown on to maturity.

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This batch of Narcissus romieuxii type seedlings started blooming on 5 December. This is 4 weeks before the average first bloom date for this type of Narcissus in our garden. During other seasons flowers have appeared as early as 16 December. We have no history on this batch of seedlings other than they were derived from open pollenated garden plants. Without a history for these seedlings there is no way to know whether this early blooming characteristic is a function of the weather this season or a genetic characteristic that will persist to a certain degree from season to season. I like to keep notes, so this batch of seedlings will begin to have a history and unique characteristics can be notes.

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This photograph was taken of the same batch of Narcissus romieuxii type seedlings on 13 December. All of our older batches of Narcissus romieuxii type seedlings have flower buds emerging from the soil and seem on track to bloom at their usual time, approximately 1 January.

Our goal is to breed resilient plants well adapted to our Sacramento garden. Establishing a truly sustainable closed garden ecosystem, like one finds in nature, is also a very important goal. The creative process to craft garden plants that are useful, functional, beautiful and unique to our garden is a very pleasant pursuit.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on December 29, 2023, 05:53:01 PM: [attachimg=1]

As we approach the New Year I would like to share some photographs from our Placerville garden taken during the spring and autumn of 2007.

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Our Placerville garden was lush and full of many beautiful trees, shrubs and perennial species.

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We liked to use color and texture of foliage effectively in this garden.

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We had many grafted named varieties of Japanese Maples.

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Autumn leaf colors were spectacular.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on December 29, 2023, 05:55:10 PM: [attachimg=1]

This is the same garden today.

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“A picture is worth a thousand words”.

This is why we are so emphatic about sustainability and building resiliency into our garden and the plants we grow in our garden. Our Placerville garden is an example of how climate change and other changing conditions can ravage a garden if one does not consider sustainability and resiliency into the long-term garden plan and design.

We feel sad that all these plants died; however without this lesson we would not be creating an exciting new garden in Sacramento. I am currently engaged in my most creative and exciting gardening projects. Jasmin and I hope to share our new and evolving garden though this gardening diary.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: MarcR on December 30, 2023, 08:33:08 AM: Robert,

It is sad that so many trees died. You might consider replacing them with things like various Catalpa species and Paulownia elongata.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on December 30, 2023, 05:24:15 PM: Hello Marc,

A plan for the site where our Placerville ornamental garden was once located was devised quite a few years ago. Our primary objective is habitat restoration. The goal is to recreate a stable habitat/ecosystem that resembles what might have existed 300 or 400 years ago in an Upper Sonoran, Blue Oak Savannah ecosystem in this area.

Most of this project does not pertain to ornamental horticulture, however some aspects are being applied as part of my R & D projects here in our Sacramento garden. For example, the process of rapid adaptive evolution is being applied to create resilient ornamental varieties specifically adapted to our region and the climatic changes taking place. The concept of rapid adaptive evolution is nothing new. In a broad sense, one could say that the selection/evolution of teosinte to maize is an example of this process.

In our Sacramento garden we are making excellent progress applying rapid adapted evolution in our R & D projects. For example, in three short years we have developed genetic lines of Ranunculus occidentalis that are tolerant of summertime irrigation, highly resistant to garden pests and diseases, and are strongly perennial. The original introductions of this species in our garden were quickly destroyed by garden pests and had no tolerance of summertime irrigation. Developing strongly perennial plants occurred quickly in the selection process. Currently we are in the process of incorporating additional breeding lines to create what we envision as outstanding and resilient garden plants for our region.

We have many other species in the development stages. For example, excellent progress is being made with our native Delphinium species, Lupinus polyphyllus, as well as many of our native bulbous species such as Erythronium, Allium, Brodiaea, as well as other Themidaceae. Identification of useful genotypes in the field is being facilitated greatly by the organization of my botanical field notes on one of my computers in a way that specific populations can be identified and trialed for useful genetic characteristics.

So out of what could have been viewed as an unrecoverable disaster, has come the most creative and fulfilling horticultural undertaking I have done to date. It is incredibly exciting and every day brings something new, fascinating, and fulfilling.

[Jasmin]: Yes, although we loved the garden-that-was immensely, we are so excited and enthusiastic to create something new. This is the opportunity gifted us. Gardens are creative endeavors. Change is constant, no matter what we grow: There are seasons, weather, microclimates, plant successes and plant “failures”. It is up to us how we choose to view or perceive the situation.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: MarcR on January 06, 2024, 12:23:30 AM: Robert & Jasmin,

You are fortunate to have 2 beautiful properties to work with. I think that [within limits] almost anything you do with either of them will look nice, because the beauty of the property will make it so. Your current plan of selectively breeding natives to adapt to climate changes is certainly a wise approach. Once you have established your native Garden; you might consider adding an eclectic selection of exotics that you enjoy and that do not clash with your natives. Though, if you want to grow exclusively natives that will have its own beauty.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on January 06, 2024, 02:54:00 AM: Hello Marc,

Yes, my work with local California native species is progressing well. I am working with a select partnership, here in the U.S.A., to expand the range of plants I grow in our Sacramento garden. There are other Mediterranean type plants I am working with. Any new acquisition needs to meet strict, specific requirements before it is included into my development work. I find this work is extremely fulfilling, highly creative, and filled with the most fascinating experiences and results throughout the seasons.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on February 03, 2024, 06:32:57 PM: Here in California the winter has been very mild. December was the warmest December ever recorded. We also experienced above average temperatures in January, 2.76 F (1.53 C) above the 30-year average. It was 76 F (24.4 C) on 29 January! This tied the record high temperature for the month of January set back in 1984. We also had some cold weather in January, however we are still on track to record the warmest December through March time period. The lack of chilling hours is likely to have a strong impact on agricultural crops as well as ornamental species. [Jasmin]: As an aside, the personal impact of such a warm winter has actually been the proliferation of mildew in the house on the north side during damp days (foggy or high humidity, but not exactly rainy). Even with airing the house (since it is not frigid), the stuff grows much too quickly.

The lack of cold weather has also manifested itself in high snow levels and below average snow accumulation. Currently snow liquid equivalents are about 75% of average to date above 6,000 feet (1,829 meters). Below 6,000 feet the situation is much worse, 25% or even less. Currently, precipitation amounts are running about 85% of average to date, however a large snow pack is very important hydrological aspect of both the ecology of the Sierra Nevada Mountains as well as a reservoir of water for agriculture and municipalities throughout California. We have two more months in our precipitation season and are hoping for the best.

Here in our garden I am doing the best I can to create and maintain genetically diverse seed lines of at least a few ornamental species. Margaret Thorne alerted us to the alarming number of Meconopsis species either lost to cultivation or threatened to be lost soon. The situation here in California is similar or even worse for many ornamental species. So many ornamental seeds traded about are either unintended hybrids or highly inbred and lack the genetic diversity to survive the dramatic climatic shifts taking place around the globe. Too many species are introduced from the wild and then are quickly lost to cultivation. Continuing reliance on wild seed stocks is not a viable strategy in the long term, given climate changes. I am doing the best I can to do what I can to remedy this situation; however I am just one person and can only do so much. At least, efforts are being made to remedy the situation with the Genus Meconopsis.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on February 04, 2024, 08:09:50 PM: [attachimg=1]

I enjoy creating true-breeding, genetically diverse seed lines to share with gardening friends. It is always nice to receive true-to-name or true-to-description seeds to grow in the garden.

Above is an example of seed saving going wrong. A number of years ago, I received seeds labeled as Crocus tommasinianus. When the resulting plants bloomed, it was clear that they were not Crocus tommasinianus, but hybrids, likely with Crocus vernus. In addition, the plants turned out to be completely sterile, and are likely aneuploids. Unless I get a spontaneous doubling of the chromosomes and some sort of fertility is restored, this line is useless. Most of the Crocuses in our garden are of a similar makeup. Fortunately, I finally have one fertile seed line. How inbred this line is, is unknown to me at this time, however the F2 generation of plants are coming along.

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I received seed of Narcissus cantabricus that have developed into nice plants and are completely fertile. They appear to be true-to-type. Sadly, most of the “species” Narcissus seeds I receive are unintentional hybrids. For breeding purposes they are generally fertile and do give me a mix of genes to work with, however they are useless as true-breeding species as they were originally labeled.

Despite the challenges and obstacles I am making slow progress with some groups of plants that interest me. Progress with our local native plant species is relatively rapid since I do not have these same challenges and obstacles, yet these breeding projects still require a great deal of effort on my part. Thankfully I enjoy the process, which is a pleasure and rewarding.

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I want our seed lines to become tough, enduring plants. All of our plants are grown and tested outside in the garden. I want them to thrive despite the weather, pests, and diseases. Also, when possible, I want them to thrive under a range of soil conditions, and require little or no supplemental fertilizers. In other words, I want to create plants that will preform well in our garden or a friend’s garden without a lot of pampering.

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Here is an example of how I can make rapid progress with “local” native plant species. Pictured are some of this year’s intra- and inter-specific Erythronium hybrids. Erythronium hendersonii, E. multiscapodium, E. oregonum, E. taylorii and E. tuolumnense are represented in the mix. An issue we need to deal with in our Sacramento garden is a lack of chilling hours (vernalization), which influences the growth and blooming of many Western Erythronium species in undesirable ways. We grow hundreds of seedlings and select the most adapted plants to keep in our garden. Rapid adaptive evolution is possible if large numbers of genetically diverse plants are grown.

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I have not worked much with the genus Cyclamen, however I appreciate this chance Cyclamen coum seedling immensely. I hope to save seed from this selection and see if I can develop a true-breeding seed line.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on February 04, 2024, 08:12:40 PM: [attachimg=1]

Delphinium patens ssp. patens is another local native species that I am working with. The next generation of plants is coming along nicely. Many years ago this species grew abundantly on our Placerville property. They were so beautiful! I want to recreate this effect in our Sacramento garden. In addition, a strong adaptable seed line will be useful when it is time to reestablish this species on our Placerville property.

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Our native Pipevine, Aristolochia californica, is coming into bloom in our Sacramento garden. We have planted many, hoping to attract Pipevine Swallowtail Butterflies (Battus philenor) to our garden. Blooming Manzanita species are also part of the equation: In the winter the adult butterflies feed on the nectar provided by our native Manzanita species while they mate and lay eggs on the Pipevine plants.

Last year I planted seeds of our native Asclepias cordifolia, Purple Milkweed. Most of the plants have grown well. Despite the fact that the plants were small, we were still able to attract one Western Monarch Butterfly to our garden. The Western Monarchs are near extinction. I hope to plant some of our other local native Asclepias species in our Sacramento garden. Perhaps we can create a small haven for the Monarchs before it is too late to keep the species going.

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Salvia gesneriiflora blooms all winter and is a great source of nectar for our native hummingbirds.

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The bright red flowers of Salvia gesneriiflorum are very showy.

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Salvia semiatrata is another late autumn – winter blooming species. The native hummingbirds enjoy the nectar of this species too.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on February 04, 2024, 08:13:45 PM: [attachimg=1]

I enjoy both the flowers and the texture of the foliage of Salvia semiatrata.

[Jasmin]: Right now it is 13ºC. Today is very dark with scattered rain, and increasingly intense wind with strong gusts. It hardly seems possible now that it was so warm and sunny just a couple days ago, when Robert took these pictures.
The Aristolochia plants in the front garden are just breaking dormancy, and it is too early yet to know if they will bloom. Slowly we continue to add groupings of native plants to create mini-ecosystem communities to invite the return of our native birds and butterflies.
This is a more hopeful long-term restoration than the more common effort—one I had done in the past: In my previous efforts to encourage our native species, I did not have sufficient populations that could sustain themselves through the numerous conditions they encountered in the garden. Further—as often happens—nectar/food-source plants were in the garden; yet because they were entirely non-native plant species, they did not provide the year-round food/nectar, the hiding places and habitat, to actually nurture the young to adulthood, whether nestling or caterpillar. It was a lovely garden, and it was enjoyed, but it really did not fulfill this other important goal I had. This time, we have a much more integrated garden, one we hope will be more enticing and sustaining of our native fauna. We shall see.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on August 30, 2024, 08:00:16 PM: Here in our Sacramento, California garden, after the removal of our large walnut tree in July, the ornamental component of our garden is in a state of flux and chaos. We are coping well with these changes, as well as the anomalous temperature extremes and the wild fluctuations in our weather that are taking place in our region. Jasmin and I are still pursuing our goal to create a beautiful healing garden, which integrates vegtables, grains, fruits, herbs, as well as ornamentals plant species into a harmonious composition.

We have a system that builds resiliency into our garden and helps us achieve our gardening goals. It has worked well for us for many decades. Below are some of the key components:

Seed saving.

We save seeds of our own varieties with an emphasis on maximizing genetic diversity while maintaining the purity of the variety or species. This is essential when maintaining vegetable varieties. We consider this to be equally essential when maintaining ornamental species and varieties.

Plant Trials.

We continuously conduct plant trials to find the varieties and species that perform best in our garden and have the specific characteristics we enjoy the most. We keep only the best and discard the rest. We have no time, space, or the inclination to collect plants.

Plant Breeding.

We breed and maintain many of our own varieties. For us this is a very enjoyable and creative process. Breeding toward specialized regional adaptations is one of our primary goals.

We have found these steps essential if we wish to create a resilient, productive and beautiful garden despite the rapid climatic changes taking place in our region.

[Jasmin]: Indeed, everything is in a state of flux and chaos. Usually health is not the focus of anything written regarding gardening; although a couple of years ago the ROCK GARDENER had an article by an elderly gentleman about his rock gardening after a stroke. Here, there was no stroke or overt or underlying health issue that led to my waking up one morning unable to move, the muscles weak like a six-month-old infant and great pain. No diagnosis. My bones feel like they rattle around in my flesh, as if I am a sack. Strength and mobility is gradual and slow.
I am just terribly stubborn. I personally am spiritual, and have prayed a lot. I also argue with God “If You want me, let’s just get this over, but there are some things that need to be taken care of, and my birds and husband need me or the equivalent.” I also have another prayer, “I don’t like this, but thank You for helping me get through this.” These are likely helpful; if nothing else, I am not whining and feeling sorry for myself. I have had to figure out everything from dressing to toileting, and that has been with persistence.
At one point, Mr. Ian Young discussed his reasons for gardening in his BULB LOG. It was at a time I wondered if I even was or would be a gardener. Even my hearing was affected, such that I could hear my husband’s voice without comprehending the sounds. When I watched the supplemental BULB LOG video, I recognized Mr. Young’s wonderful voice, but could not understand anything.
Thus, the garden fell into greater disarray since Robert had neither my help, and had to care for everything. There was no means to keep up with anything.
As for the walnut, it was declining these past three years. Thankfully, we made the decision to remove it completely: there was rot deep within at both the crown and stump where heartwood should have been. With the extreme heat, it was a miracle it had not collapsed entirely and suddenly.
Before the tree’s removal, I pushed myself into the garden to help Robert as much as possible. We potted up what we could of our most beloved plants. As for many others, they just were transformed into compost. So imagine a garden jungle similar to Mr. and Mrs. Young’s being radically cut down and opened up. Some plants are waiting for late autumn and early winter so we might transplant them to the front, where the shade garden will be. We removed plants there too, so that we might have room for our absolute favorites from the back.
Amazingly, the plants that were suddenly exposed to the extreme sun and heat are surviving. Yes, there has been burning, but that has happened in other sunnier areas during the same period. Much of the garden is either potted up, or waiting, and there is disarray, the organized chaos of flux. As for this body I inhabit, it too is experiencing changes; I seem to be dwelling in it a little more gracefully moment-by-moment. Mornings and nights are not the easiest, and my husband really is long overdue for sainthood.
As to whether I am a gardener, and why, my best answer is therapy. There is nothing like the passion of a garden challenge and project to lift a real gardener off and outside, to feel truly alive. I will know I am no longer a gardener when I am incapable of excitement and enjoyment of beauty. My concept of Heaven is a garden or outdoors, so I think each of us is creating our vision of Heaven while we are here on this planet Earth.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: MarcR on August 30, 2024, 08:14:31 PM: Jasmine,

I'm so sorry to hear of your sudden impairment! You will be in my prayers. Hopefully the Lord will lift this from you as quickly and suddenly as He allowed it to come on.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Jeffnz on August 30, 2024, 09:54:13 PM: Hi Jasmin
Best wishes for an improvement in your health.
Gardening for me
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on September 03, 2024, 02:59:02 PM: [Jasmin]: Thank you so much for all good thoughts and prayers.
One of the most potent healing “medicines” is a positive outlook. It never ceases to amaze me how much of a difference hope, enthusiasm, and humor make. It requires some discipline to look for the positive, when we can all be overwhelmed by the negativity in the news. Yet, there are so many blessings in our lives.
I am really looking forward to the reconfigured garden. Planning what to plant where, and envisioning this with Robert fills me with joy and excitement.
I keep doing as much as I can, and I remember to rest rather than expect myself to do things beyond my capacity—and ever so slowly it seems this capacity does grow.
The weather is changing: autumn is around the corner, although we expect some severe high temperatures in the coming weeks. It might be like a few years back, when everything roasted from Washington to California, some massive high pressure. Crazy weather is everywhere now, but we gardeners are determined to create beauty.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: ruweiss on September 03, 2024, 09:37:05 PM: Jasmin, after reading about your enormous health poblems let me wish you a quick
improvement. I think of you and wish you all the best.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on September 07, 2024, 07:46:00 PM: [attachimg=1]

Currently another string of 100 F (37.78 C) high temperature days is ending. This summer has been brutally hot. High temperature records continue to be broken. The current June through September period will likely be the warmest in our recent history. The impacts of climatic change are here now, and the pace of change is accelerating in our region. Our gardening efforts need to be adjusted to compensate for these dramatic climatic shifts.

Despite the extreme high temperatures our vegetable garden has been productive and lush with healthy growth. Some crops paused in production during the July through early August heat wave, however production resumed when the weather cooled in mid-August. Common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, Eggplant, Solanum melongena, and Tomato, Solanum lycopersicum are examples of crops that stopped producing during the July-August heat wave. We are currently breeding tomato varieties that will continue setting fruit during periods of extreme heat. This is one approach we are using to compensate for the climatic changes taking place. We are applying this concept to our ornamental species as well; we want our ornamental species to perform well and thrive during extreme heat too. In addition, our philosophy is that healthy soil is the genesis of healthy plants. Healthy soil and healthy plants are much more resilient to capricious weather conditions and other variables too.

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The rice harvest will start soon. My goal is to grow 95% to 99% of all our food in an eco-efficient, sustainable way. Our ornamental species need to fit into our sustainable methodology too.

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Many of the autumn blooming species are starting to bloom in our garden. Pictured are Colchicum.

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All of our Colchicum plants were grown from open-pollinated seed. Many are likely hybrids. Putting names to the plants would be misleading. All of our Colchicums are pretty and grow extremely well in our garden. They are keepers!

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Cyclamen hederifolium is coming into bloom too. In our garden they range in color from white to almost red. Their foliage is also very attractive and variable. They grow extremely well in our garden and are keepers too.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on September 07, 2024, 07:48:30 PM: [attachimg=1]

My goal is to have flowers in our garden all summer. Finding species that will bloom all summer and perform well in the extreme heat has been challenging. Many common bedding annuals grow well in the heat, however they do not look right in our garden. I still have not found what feels right for our garden.

I am working with Digitalis lutea (pictured). It is extremely heat and drought tolerant. This species will also repeat bloom during the summer. The flowering scapes tend to fall over; however selective breeding will likely solve this problem.

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Our Dahlia hybrids were hit hard during the July-August heat wave. Many were burned badly in the heat and stopped blooming. Most put out new growth when the weather cooled in mid-August, however they still have not bloomed again. A few have continued or started to bloom again. I did observe that the higher the ploidy level of the plant, the more likely the plants would continue blooming and the foliage was much more resistant to burning. This is a clear direction for future breeding with these summer blooming plants.

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Our California native perennial, Diplacus aurantiacus, is extremely heat and drought tolerant. Some forms will bloom sporadically throughout the summer. This is a characteristic that I think will respond well to selective breeding. I believe it is possible to create varieties that will bloom all summer with our climatic conditions. There are also many different color forms of Bush Monkeyflower in the nursery trade in California, so eventually summer blooming plants could be created with a range of colors.

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Salvia guaranitica blooms all summer in our garden. The species gets large for our garden, but we still have a few here and there around the garden. [Jasmin]: The big, beautiful leaves are Cucurbita moschata, Musqué De Provence Squash. Last year, we had one the size of a truck/lorry tire/tyre (Take your pick which English you want!). It is no wonder these were grown, they could provide for a large family and then some. I enjoy a thick soup with lots of vegetables, potatoes, and celery stalk, leaf and seeds. The addition of celery seeds really smooths the flavor, and leftovers are even better.

[Jasmin]: Thank you Rudi for your kind thoughts as well.
The heat has exhausted us as well, not just the plants. Every day has been so hectic, just attempting to nurture the garden and ourselves through this time, and taking care of those tasks that can only be done in this season. It always seems to come all at once. Our only asset has been the ever-shortening day length. Nights are remaining warm, hovering up and down from 15 C.
As slow as I am, amazingly things do get done, so I am very grateful for the prayers and good wishes. If I have neglected to write and thank anyone, please forgive me!
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on October 04, 2024, 07:12:59 PM: It has been a brutally hot summer this year. Many high temperature records have been broken and continue to be broken. Currently we are in the midst of yet another heat wave. The current heat wave is similar to the record-breaking, epic (once in a 100 years, clearly not any more) heat wave of 28 September to 6 October 1987 (see chart below, temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit).

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103 F (39.44 C) is the record high temperature for October (set in 1987). This monthly high temperature has been tied twice, 1 and 2 October, so far this month. The forecast is for more near record breaking high temperatures for the next few days.

Record breaking high temperatures have occurred frequently all summer and now into the autumn. The extreme and persistent high temperatures pose many challenges for our garden. For example, the flowers of the early blooming autumn Crocus and Sternbergia wither and wilt quickly.

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Even the flowers of the autumn blooming Narcissus elegans do not last long. (pictured above)

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The autumn blooming Salvia species are holding up much better (Salvia elegans pictured above).

Jasmin and I will report on the details, with photographs, in the coming weeks, but right now I need to get out and continue watering the garden.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on October 13, 2024, 05:53:34 PM: Here in our part of Northern California, climatic change is having a significant impact on both managed and unmanaged ecosystems. Many of the climatic changes taking place have been progressing for years. We are now seeing weather events that were unheard of 30 years ago. Many ornamental plants species that once thrived in our garden are now ineffective, either performing poorly or have died. Not only do we need to reassess our plant choices for our garden, but we also have to reevaluate the methods we use to cultivate our plants. We firmly believe that a satisfying and stable garden ecosystem can be created that is resilient to rapidly changing and highly variable climatic conditions now taking place. These changes may not be easy to accept or implement, but gardening can continue to be a rewarding and pleasurable activity into the future.

Below are a few charts where we have quantified some of the high temperature extremes we have been experiencing, both past and present. Many other impactful climatic changes have been taking place, however these are some of the most noteworthy to report at this time.

The recent record breaking October 2024 heat wave ended on 8 October. Below is a chart plotting the high temperatures for this event. Daily high temperatures for the record-breaking heat wave of 28 September to 8 October 1987, and the 30-year average high temperatures for this time period are also included. Temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit.

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The recent October heat wave is of a similar magnitude and duration as the October 1987 heat wave. This year, a number of daily high temperature records were broken and the record high temperature for the month of October was tied. This heat wave was preceded by the warmest June through September time period on record. Many record breaking high temperatures were broken during this time period. Below is a chart recording the number of ≥ 90 F (32.2 C) high temperatures from 1988 to 2024. There have been 103 days with ≥ 90 F (32.2 C) high temperatures so far this year. This ties the record set in 2008. Hopefully we are finished with these high temperatures for the year, however the weather has been very difficult to forecast in this regard.

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This year we set a new record for the number of days with high temperatures ≥ 100 F (37.78 C), at 50 days. This exceeds the old record of 37 days set in 2022. This new record exceeds the old record by 13 days. This is an extraordinary new record that is of great concern.

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When analyzing this record with the data recorded on the histogram pictured above, the changes taking place become more alarming. Prior to 2008 we never recorded a high temperature above 110 F (43.3 C) in the 40 plus years we have been recording weather and climate related data at our Placerville farm. Now these high temperature extremes are occurring on a near yearly basis and we are now experiencing these temperatures for more than one day most seasons.

The weather and climate are in a constant state of flux, however the trends show no sign of stabilizing or declining. Currently our data and data from around the world suggest that these trends are accelerating. To successfully garden we are hoping to stay ahead of these trends and create a satisfying garden into the future.

[Jasmin]: If you think these temperatures are something, let me tell you about the lows! For months, the average low temperature has been around 14 C. During many of these heat waves, the temperature around midnight was frequently around 22 C. In the past, our area was always much cooler, influenced by the nearby river, and forest which has fallen to development. We would normally have a couple of hot days, and maybe a warm night that at most would be 12 to 14 C. This would quickly dissipate, blown away by the Delta breezes. These cool, ocean breezes would come through the gap in the coast range, following the river from the Bay Area and Delta up the Sacramento Valley. When the winds were strong enough, they would cool not only our immediate vicinity, but the entire valley and reach the foothills. This year, there were no cooling Deltas. The air was incredibly still. As for the foothills, in the past cool mountain air would sink during heat waves, so if cool air did not come from a strong Delta breeze, it would come from higher up the mountain. That mountain air always carried wonderful memories, the scents of childhood camping. Since the Caldor Fire, there is nothing, and there was absolutely no cooling.
After such a dismal survey, we must choose our bright spots to nurture hope. I have managed now and then to capture some of the more miraculous survivors during this long season of upheaval:

We begin with Aristolochia californica, which had a very long bloom period this year.

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Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on October 13, 2024, 05:55:59 PM: And we remember Frankie, our beloved old Franquette walnut, my dear childhood friend. I still remember being so young and small, I had to stand on the hump of the graft zone to reach up the first limb reaching out over the garden. I have been here 54 years now, and this was my first summer without her presence. She was old when I moved in as a child, and given the rot she had, her removal was the wise choice, for she would have collapsed at any moment, especially during this summer of extreme heat.

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These lilies managed to miraculously put on a lovely show. One was dug up prior to Frankie’s removal. It bloomed beautifully despite the disruption. The second grows in a more sheltered location along our side fence. It blooms during the peak of summer, and was not too bothered during the constant heat.

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After the lilies, there was not much in the garden here, but I did manage to visit the Placerville property for the first time in a long while. My body is not completely cooperative, and I have to move with care, but I was stubborn enough to tackle the hilly, uneven terrain, and the terraces. In this image, many former growing areas are returning to their original habitat.

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Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on October 13, 2024, 05:59:47 PM: The orchard, however, is slowly being rehabilitated. Although the peach crop looked perfect, all the fruit was eaten before we ate any. Apples are in the process of ripening.

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Peach

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Apple

The lavender and Epilobium in the vegetable growing area were beautiful, brightening the landscape.

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Back in our home garden, this Dahlia started blooming as soon as it cooled a tad. It has brightened an otherwise flowerless hot season.

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Our favorite, cyclamen, always signal hope for better days: This particular tuber somehow ended up by our cinder block dry bulb garden, and has managed to thrive. Who can have the heart to relocate such a determined plant? Our other cyclamen species are blooming prolifically, whether in the ground or in containers.

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Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on October 13, 2024, 06:02:44 PM: Our fall and winter vegetables have looked a little beleaguered with the extreme heat, but the amaranth is looking lovely in its waning days.

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Amaranth

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Brussels Sprouts, Chinese cabbage

Our small rice crop is currently in but beforehand it swayed beautifully, bent with the weight of the grains.

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The Comice pears were a bit misshapen by the rains earlier this year, but their flavor has been wonderful.

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Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on November 21, 2024, 02:40:39 AM: 2024 had many challenges. In February Jasmin became ill with persistent and severe “arthritis-like” symptoms. Over time she has learned to manage the pain and ameliorate the situation, but her health has never returned to ”normal”. Then in June it became clear that our old, declining walnut tree that dominated our backyard needed to be removed. We had the tree removed in late June early July as an epic heat wave began that severely impacted our part of Northern California from July through the first 10 days of October. 2024 was, by far, the hottest summer ever recorded in our region, with record daytime high temperatures set in July and October. We did the best we could to dig plants and get them in containers where they could survive in the shade until we can replant them in the shaded front yard this fall-winter. We could not move everything. Many plants died from the many days of 40+ C daytime high temperatures. All these events have altered our gardening goals and the plants that we wish to cultivate in our garden.

Despite the setback we had many successes this season. Here are a few.

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This season I successfully introduced Diplacus kelloggii (RMB 1053, 3,385 ft. {1,032 meters}). I have wanted to do this for many years, and this turned out to be the year. Currently the F2 generation of plants has germinated.

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Another success was the reintroduction of Viola sheltonii (RMB 1062, 3.273 ft. {998 meters}). This beautiful species can be tricky to cultivate, however it appears that I have found the means to keep this perennial species happy in our Sacramento garden.

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Heuchera micrantha thrives in our garden. The foliage of this species is very attractive and quite variable. I am always looking for unusual forms in the wild and grow many from seed. I found some exceptional specimens this year and will be growing this seed on. Hopefully something good will turn up.

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Phyllodoce breweri is a high elevation species in our region. It is very difficult to please in our hot, dry low elevation Sacramento garden. Over the years I have recorded lower elevation forms of this species. Two years ago gathering seed from one of these sites became possible. The plants survived our hot summer and are growing well. Hopefully they will be a successful introduction.

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Now that our situation has stabilized Jasmin and I are planning our outings for the 2025 season. There is only so much we can accomplish and we understand our new limitations. We have chosen to focus on the Tells Peak region, the northern most peak of the Crystal Range, to survey this coming year. I will share some of the details and the species we are very likely to encounter soon.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Leucogenes on November 21, 2024, 05:57:14 AM: Hello Robert

As always, I read your reports from your garden with great interest and enthusiasm.

The viola and the other native Californians are enchanting. I am glad that you are able to grow them successfully in your garden in Sacramento. I look forward to more impressions from your garden and possibly next year again from the wilderness...because you know my fondness for the alpine flora of North America.

All the best
Thomas ✌️
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Leena on November 21, 2024, 11:09:39 AM: Robert,
I'm sorry to hear about Jasmin's health issues and the hot weather over there. I don't think I could cope with so extreme heat when even occasional +30C here seems too hot. I can see how that will change the vegetation in the nature and in the garden, but I admire your attitude and finding always some plants which will grow.
Heuchera micrantha picture is very beautiful. How good plant it is, growing in your hot climate, and almost 20 years ago I sowed H.micrantha 'Palace Purple' seeds and since then I have sown seeds from those original plants, and they all have grown well here in my garden (at the same time many bought Heuchera cultivars have died). :)
I love to see the views from the mountains in your trips.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on November 21, 2024, 03:16:33 PM: Thomas, Leena

This morning, 21 November, it is rainy and cool. Some much-needed precipitation has fallen and more is forecasted during the coming week. Today I head up to our Placerville farm to get some work done. Apples need to be picked and water lines need to be drained. Several nights of killing frost have already occurred up the hill at our farm. Picking apples in the rain is nothing new for me. The apples will help keep us fed all winter until about 1 April.

I have some specific comments for each of you, however this will have to wait until I get back from the farm.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on November 22, 2024, 07:25:20 PM: Hi Thomas,

I hope that this past growing season went well for you. As I remember some sort of Derecho or intense storm system moved northward from southern Europe through Eastern Europe. From my understanding there was widespread flooding in some areas. Hopefully your home and garden were out of this zone.

Pictured below are two Eriogonum species that I am likely to encounter during my survey of the Tells Peak region. You likely already have these species in your collection, however there are some details concerning these species that I thought you might find interesting.

[attachimg=1]

Pictured above is a superlative specimen of Eriogonum incanum growing along the route to Tells Peak. Eriogonum incanum is a very common, yet highly variable species. Most specimens of this species that I observe in the wild do not flower as profusely as this specimen. In addition, the plant habit of the pictured specimen is superb. Many plants in the wild can be scraggly; likely not very attractive in a garden setting. There is also considerable variation in the coloration of the foliage. I personally enjoy the intensely silver leaf forms of this species. In some locations, the range of Eriogonum incanum and Eriogonum marifolium var. marifolium overlap. At these sites hybrids occur. Creating hybrids in a garden setting is easy as both species are dioecious; obligate cross-pollination will occur if a male plant of one species is isolated with a female plant of the other species. I have tested this breeding technique with these two species and it works. Unfortunately, I did not find the native hybrids very interesting or with characteristics of horticultural significance. In addition to date, I have not found any natural hybrids of this cross with horticultural significance. This, of course, is high subjective, someone else might see things differently. In the future I hope recreate this cross in our garden and take the best plant to the F2 generation. Maybe they just need to be worked with in a more sustained manner.

[attachimg=2]

Eriogonum lobbii is another common species in our region. This species, too, can exhibit a good degree of genetic variability. I enjoy the intensely silver leaf forms of this species as pictured above. In our region, this species is found primarily at the highest elevations of the Crystal Range. I have found populations at lower elevations. The low elevation populations of this species may possess horticultural significant characteristics. It will be worth my effort to investigate these low elevation populations in greater detail.

[attachimg=3]

Off the topic of Eriogonum…..

Penstemon heterodoxus var. cephalophorus is a species I am likely to encounter in the Tells Peak region. This high elevation species performs surprisingly well in our low elevation Sacramento garden. Past accessions of this species have bloomed reliably each season and the intensity of the flower pigmentation is maintained reasonably well in our hot, low elevation garden. I believe there is considerable room for improvement with this species. It is an attractive species worthy of use in a garden setting.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on November 22, 2024, 07:27:42 PM: Hi Leena,

Both Primula (Dodecatheon) jeffreyi and Primula (Dodecatheon) tetrandra can be found in the Tells Peak region. Both species have been extremely difficult to please in our hot Sacramento garden. Our native low elevation species, Primula (Dodecatheon) clevelandii and P. hendersonii, are extremely easy to please in our Sacramento garden. I am working with both species intensely to bring out their best horticultural characteristics. I have grown other Primula (Dodecatheon) species, however with our new circumstances I will now remain focused on our local native species. Despite the challenges I will continue trialing new accessions of Primula (Dodecatheon) jeffreyi and P. tetrandra. Something workable might turn up if I continue the effort.

[attachimg=1]

Pictured is Primula (Dodecatheon) jeffreyi growing near the Tells Peak region. It is such a beautiful species. As I remember, you grow this species in your garden. If you ever feel inclined to share your progress with this species, I would greatly enjoy learning about your continued experiences with this species.

[attachimg=2]

Pictured is Primula (Dodecatheon) tetradra growing in its native habitat in the Crystal Range of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I have always found this species growing with “wet feet” (their roots in the water – a very hydric environment). Despite the hydric conditions, the soil is very gritty with excellent aeration. In addition, the organic content of the soil is also generally, both not always, very high.

[attachimg=3]

Pictured is Highland Lake from the summit of Tells Peak. Hydric environments near and surrounding the lake are prime habitats for Primula (Dodecatheon) tetrandra. I have a good amount of climatic data for this area. Summers are relatively dry and the daytime temperatures cool. Frost can occur during the summer months. Winters are long and snow can persists from October to early July. Needless to say, the growing season is very short. This might be similar to what you experience in Southern Finland.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Leucogenes on November 23, 2024, 09:31:54 AM: Hello Robert

Thank you very much for your detailed reply.

We had relatively pleasant weather this year. The spring brought sufficient rainfall... a blessing for the water table.
We have been spared flooding...especially as my house and garden are on a small hill. Other regions in Europe have been badly affected.

The two Eriogonum species shown are not part of my collection, which is smaller than you assume...;-)

Eriogonum lobbii in particular is really a little beauty that I've never heard of before... great. Of course, the name "lobbii" immediately sets my alarm bells ringing, because I immediately remember one of the most magical small plants I love...Lupinus lepidus var lobbii. Apparently "lobbii" is an indication of particularly beautiful species.

It's amazing that the genus Eriogonum produces seed in your garden and even hybrids. There are only a few fans of these species here...and everyone I know reports that they have never been able to harvest seeds. The same is true of the genus Acantholimon, for example...almost never seeds in captivity. A mystery of botany that is both fascinating and frustrating.

I may receive some seeds of Eriogonum flavum from BG Cheyenne/WY soon and hope to establish another species in my garden.🤞

The Penstemon is also wonderful.
So I look forward to further reports on your upcoming excursions in the mountains and experiments in the garden.

All the best for Jasmin and you
Thomas
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Leena on November 23, 2024, 12:39:12 PM: Quote from: Robert on November 22, 2024, 07:27:42 PM
Pictured is Primula (Dodecatheon) tetradra growing in its native habitat in the Crystal Range of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I have always found this species growing with “wet feet” (their roots in the water – a very hydric environment). Despite the hydric conditions, the soil is very gritty with excellent aeration. In addition, the organic content of the soil is also generally, both not always, very high.

Pictured is Highland Lake from the summit of Tells Peak. Hydric environments near and surrounding the lake are prime habitats for Primula (Dodecatheon) tetrandra. I have a good amount of climatic data for this area. Summers are relatively dry and the daytime temperatures cool. Frost can occur during the summer months. Winters are long and snow can persists from October to early July. Needless to say, the growing season is very short. This might be similar to what you experience in Southern Finland.

Hi Robert,
thank you for the pictures. D.tetrandra does sound like it could do well here also and it looks lovely. I especially like how you show the natural environment for the plants. :)
About D.jeffrey, you remembered correctly that I had sown it and are growing it, but unfortunately I sowed D.meadia the same year, and the seedlings got mixed up, and I don't know which one is which. I have tried to read the descriptions to identify them with no success. Couple years ago I sowed D.meadea again, and now these new plants are growing in a different place and when they flower, I can compare to my older plants and hopefully then identify which one is D.jeffreyi.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on November 23, 2024, 07:05:32 PM: [attachimg=1]

Hi Thomas,

I will email you with some information that I think will interest you in the near future. In the mean time, here are a few more photographs that you might enjoy.

Pictured is Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii. I took this photograph at an elevation of ~ 9,000 ft. (2,743 meters) near the summit of the Red Peak Stock Trail (central portion of the Crystal Range, south of Tells Peak). I almost always encounter this species at very high elevations. Sonora Pass is another location where I encounter this species, however it is a fairly common species in the Sierra Nevada Mountains at very high elevations. I have never had success cultivating this species. It seems to be very demanding, but of what? I will continue to attempt to grow this species. Unfortunately, gathering seed is challenging. This species produces plenty of viable seed, however the ripe seeds quickly dehisce and are scattered. Timing has to be perfect which is not always possible.

[attachimg=2]

Pictured is Lupinus lepidus var. sellulus. This photograph was also taken on the Red Peak Stock Trail, however at a much lower elevation. This variety is very common in summertime-dry meadows throughout the Crystal Range. A number of years ago I grew this variety to blooming age at our Placerville farm. After the single specimen bloomed, the plant went into decline and never bloomed again. Eventually, the specimen died. So far, it has been impossible to grow in our Sacramento garden. In Sacramento, the air and water are full of xenobiotics making the cultivation of many species very difficult.

[attachimg=3]

Calochortus minimus is another species frequently seen in the Crystal Range. Here it is growing with Micranthes bryophora. This photograph was also taken on the Red Peak Stock Trail. In our region Calochortus minimus can be found growing over a wide altitude range. Although tricky to please, this tiny species is well worth the effort to cultivate. I have much more success with the low elevation forms of this species in our Sacramento garden.

[attachimg=4]

I enjoy growing daisy-like plants in our Sacramento garden. Erigeron coulteri is a species I hope to encounter in the Tells Peak Region. This photograph was taken on the Red Peak Stock Trail.

[attachimg=5]

Juniperus grandis along the Red Peak Stock Trail. If I gardened in the mountains it would be nice to have a specimen like this in the garden. This is definitely a daydream. Despite all the gardening challenges, I enjoy our Sacramento garden immensely.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Mariette on November 24, 2024, 04:55:09 PM: Robert, the native annuals You grow are really enchanting! Having a soft spot for plants of character, I especially like the monkeyflowers. Many of Your Californian annuals should do well in Europe if only they would be better known. The mediterranean climate should suit them especially well.

It´s interesting to see Heuchera micrantha growing in situ - now I don´t wonder anymore why so many heucheras refuse to grow under the conditions in my garden. I sowed Heuchera pulchella several times, but never successfully. Do heuchera need to be sown from fresh seed?

I hope Jasmin´s health will allow for the intended trips next year! Seeing plants growing in nature is my favourite pastime, and there is so much to be learnt by seeing under which conditions they grow there!
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on November 24, 2024, 07:05:14 PM: Mariette,

I have had mixed results with old Heuchera seed. I some instances I have had reasonable germination, in other instances no germination at all. Fresh seed (less than a year old) kept dry and refrigerated has given me excellent germination. The tiny seeds seem to need light for germination. I surface sow the seeds, however I do cover the seeds with pumice grit. With this light covering of grit adequate light seems to reach the seeds for germination. The grit also seems to keep the young germinating seeds from being washed around by heavy rain or watering, thus they avoid unnecessary damage. I have never stratified the seeds – I just sow the seeds in the autumn and leave the seed pans out all winter. They germinate when they are ready in the spring.

It has been a long time since Jasmin has accompanied me on an outing to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. These days I am blessed that she can keep the plants watered and the garden looked after while I am off on an outing. It can be a fair amount of work and responsibility, especially during hot, dry weather and there are young seedlings that need critical attention. Except for Jasmin, I prefer to do my botanical fieldwork by myself. It is much easier to remain focused and move at my own pace – this can be extremely fast or extremely slow depending on the situation.

Jasmin and I are in the process of responding to your last message. You will hear from us soon.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on November 30, 2024, 07:24:44 PM: [attachimg=1]

As I plan for my summer survey of the Tells Peak region, winter is a good time to review the flora of the region and prioritize my objectives. From a botanical perspective, the whole Tells Peak region is quite interesting. Pictured is Lake No. 3 and Red Peak. Red Peak is a few miles south of Tells Peak and part of the chain of peaks that make up the Crystal Range.

[attachimg=2]

The summit ridge of the Crystal Range appears desolate and devoid of much plant life. Although this area is difficult to traverse, these high alpine slopes are habitat for many unique plant species.

[attachimg=3]

The Leland Lakes Basin is rarely visited and rarely explored botanically. Many exceptional plant species are found in this basin.

[attachimg=4]

I am especially interested in our native Viola species. Viola macloskeyi is found throughout North America, however regional ecotypes possess adaptive characteristics useful for horticulture in our part of California.

[attachimg=5]

Viola bakeri is a commonly found Viola species on the western slope of the Crystal Range. This species is found in coniferous forests over a fairly broad altitude range in our region. Low altitude forms of this species are fairly easy to cultivate in our low elevation Sacramento Valley garden.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on January 12, 2025, 06:34:26 PM: [attachimg=1]

Much of December was foggy, overcast and rainy. 117% of average precipitation for the month was very welcome. Unfortunately, the weather pattern abruptly changed after the last rain event on 3 January. Since then a strong blocking pattern has developed. There has been no precipitation since then and at times temperatures have spiked to record high levels. I have seen this pattern too many times over the past decades. I am extremely worried about the return of drought conditions. Anything can happen with the weather, however the current pattern can be very stable and persistent.

Despite the cool and overcast conditions during December our Narcissus romieuxii types started to bloom right on schedule, with the first flowers opening on the last day of December.

[attachimg=2]

Now that the weather has turned relatively warm and very dry I have been busy, most days, working in our garden. Cleaning up the garden from the storms of December is an important task. In addition now that our shade bearing walnut trees is gone, moving dormant plants to their new locations is a priority.

Our earliest Galanthus are now beginning to bloom. We only have three “types” in our garden.

[attachimg=3]

A few Galanthus work well in our garden, however I need to stay focused on plant species that will thrive in our garden given our climate and other environmental conditions. I am very excited that this new batch of Primula clevelandii var. insularis seedlings have developed well and will likely bloom this spring. Both Primula clevelandii and Primula hendersonii thrive in our garden.

As a substitute for Galanthus, I am working on establishing our California native Cardamine californica in our garden. This species is always the earliest species to bloom in our region. Finding plants in the wild blooming 1 January is not unusual. The flowers are generally white, to white flushed pink, however pink forms can be found. This species is 100% drought tolerant, making it perfect for our garden. Getting this species established in our garden has been a bit of a challenge, but then challenging projects can be very stimulating and enjoyable to work on.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Jeffnz on January 12, 2025, 08:20:19 PM: Hi Folks
I am interested in the varieties of galanthus that you grow. Our climate is characterized by wet winter's, no snow, and hot summers, although this year we were promised an El Nino summer but this has not occurred, more like La Nina.
Thanks to kind forum people who have sent me seed I plan to evaluate which plants will survive in the garden. The seed was from OP flowers so the outcomes will be great to see.
Wishing the best for all those who have suffered a loss due to the California fires.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on January 13, 2025, 06:32:21 PM: Hi Jeff,

We currently have three different Galanthus “types” that we grow in our Sacramento garden. The first “type” I grew from seed I acquired about 40 years ago from the NARGS Seed Exchange. The seeds were labeled G. elwesii, however the plants turned out to be hybrids. Galanthus elwesii is clearly one parent, however the other parent is unknown. The second “type” that we grow is Galanthus nivalis. These were acquired from a local nursery about ~ 10-15 years ago. They appear to be true to the species. The third Galanthus turned up as a surprise in the mail a few years ago. It too appears to be a hybrid of unknown parentage. Galanthus elwesii might be one parent. All three “types” have done well in our Sacramento garden. Most years they produce some viable seed. All three are fertile in both directions and are self-fertile too.

Have you viewed ielaba2011, Jaime, Central Portugal, Zone 9 recent postings in the Galanthus 2025 thread? It appears that you could have very similar goals. For a warm climate region his postings seem very interesting.

As for ENSO (El Niño – La Niña) I thought that you might find the following charts interesting.

[attachimg=1]

The first chart plots the weekly SST (Surface Sea Temperatures) for Niño Zone 3.4 for the 2022-23, 2023-24, and current 2024-25 seasons. Currently in the U.S.A. Niño Zone 3.4 is used to partly determine El Niño, La Niña, or neutral conditions. The thresholds for El Niño, La Niña are also plotted on this chart.

[attachimg=2]

This second chart plots the ONI (Oceanic Niño Index) and RONI (Relative Oceanic Index) from December-February 2023 through October-December 2024. The RONI gives a different perspective that can prove helpful when analyzing the current atmospheric response in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.

I know relatively little about how the ENSO impacts you folks in New Zealand. Here in California the current atmospheric response in the equatorial Pacific Ocean has some similarities to the conditions during the 2014-15 season. We measured 8.75” of precipitation during December of 2014. January 2015 had no precipitation! The 2014-2015 precipitation season ended with 20.82”, the second lowest total during the current 40 year time period. This season seems like a déjà vu, with very similar atmospheric conditions and events occurring. I seem to always be worried about drought. The current situation does not help. Hopefully our weather pattern will change to a much more rainy pattern soon.

As a side note: Snow totals in the Crystal Range are currently about average for this time of year. What is worrisome is the lack of low elevation snow. Currently there is no snow at 5,000 feet. There has been only a trace of snow at 4,000 feet and no snow below this elevation. Over the last 50 years snow levels have been slowly rising. How this is impacting our native plant communities and ecosystems is under ongoing evaluation.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Jeffnz on January 13, 2025, 06:44:56 PM: Robert, thanks for the detailed data.
Between 1982 and 2023: sea-surface temperatures increased on average: between 0.16 and 0.26 degrees Celsius per decade across the four oceanic regions (Chatham Rise, Tasman Sea, Subtropical, and Subantarctic waters) between 0.19 and 0.34 degrees Celsius per decade across the nine coastal regions.
The increasing sea temperastures is a significant determinant of our weasther.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on January 15, 2025, 05:12:05 PM: Hi Jeff,

Hurricane Helene is an example of where above average SST in the Gulf of Mexico intensified the strength of this hurricane. Increasing SST must be having a serious impact on the climate of New Zealand? How are these increasing SST impacting your region and the plants you grow in your garden?

If I understand correctly, you are trialing different Galanthus species in your garden and evaluating their performance in your summertime hot, dry climate? Maybe you are trialing other plant species too? Any results? If you feel inclined to write about your results to date, it might be interesting. I would certainly be interested.

May you have very good luck with your endeavor.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Jeffnz on January 15, 2025, 08:22:52 PM: Over recent years there has been an increasing number of heavy rainfall events that have seen severe flooding in areas, mostly coastal. We have lived here here nearly 20 years and the main change has been the absence of regular winter frosts, rainfall not so affected, our region has a long history of hot dry summers.
We mainly grown hydrangeas (paniculata), roses, camellias, and of course my passion, hellebores. Our soil is well draining so winter rain does not really cause any issues for plants. Snow drops are a new adventure, only time will tell if it will be successful. They are successfully grown in the south island of NZ which receives winter snow and has conditions more aligned with their natural habitat.
To date we have not had to make planting changes, we are on local council water reticulation so if needed we can always water but due to rainfall changes our council has now significantly reduced the volume of water that we have as part of our local rates. Apply a thick layer of mulch every second year to add with moisture retention.
We don't grow annuals or perennials as these 'do not fit in with' my wifes garden design principles, yes the designer and the hired help scenario. At each season we have plants that are showing their wares.
Gardening appears to be on the way down with younger home owners, most likely due to time and a home footprint. Natives remain popular but they really only offer structure with foliage color sometimes being present. Have not heard of any radical climate induced gardening changes that have occurred but within the commercial fruit growing industry there are concerns that some of the traditional fruit growing areas may in time become non viable. A major export earner for NZ is wine, which I must say we do extremely good job, our maim export wine is Sauvignon Blanc but due to climate change our markets for reds is expanding, mainly Pinot Noir. We still struggle to match Australian Syrah though.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on January 17, 2025, 05:35:59 PM: Hi Jeff,

There have been some very dramatic climatic shifts here in California over the last 50 years. I remember hearing reports of snow falling in Los Angeles during the 1960's. This was rare; however, it would occur during a cold air outbreak during the wintertime. During the 1970's it would still snow at times here in Sacramento. I remember walking across the snow-covered lawn on the college campus between classes sometime around 1975. These weather phenomena never occur now.

Climate change is now impacting some of the fruit growing regions in the southern San Juaquin Valley. Some winters do not provide adequate chilling hours for commercial pistachio and apricot orchards. During these seasons there is no fruit set/crop. There are so many other dramatic climatic changes taking place here in California; they are too numerous to mention.

What is most alarming is that the rate of change appears to be accelerating. A simple histogram of high temperatures extremes can illustrate this point well. Doing the math is interesting. Some of the recent high temperature extremes work out to be a once every 6,000-year event. It was only a few years ago that a high temperature extreme was only a once every 100-year event. Also, analyzing the average annual temperature on calendar year basis vs. July through June basis (the old precipitation season method) highlights either the summer or winter season. The 2014-15 season was the warmest to date at all altitudes in our region using the July through June method. This was a major drought year too. Vapor pressure deficit values in all areas were extreme. This is the same climate change driven process that has vastly intensified the recent Los Angeles fires. Needless-to-say the data indicates that climate change is having a major impact on our region including gardening.

Hellebores seem to be very popular. They are even sold in great numbers at our local nurseries. We do not grow any in our Sacramento garden, we cannot grow everything, however I did grow a few up at our El Dorado County farm many years ago. They seemed very drought tolerant and grew well.

Your project with Galanthus is interesting. I will be very curious to see how this progresses for you. As I have already written, we grow only a few Galanthus in our Sacramento garden. I enjoy them; however, I need to stay focused on other creative gardening projects. I might be growing other plant species however I am interested in what other gardeners a doing or growing. It appears you are making good progress.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on February 13, 2025, 10:12:12 PM: [attachimg=1]

Stormy weather returned to our part of Northern California at the beginning of February. There have been a few pauses in the precipitation. This provided an opportunity to finish most of the winter pruning in the garden. The pruning might be finished, however the garden is a mess with most of the prunings still scattered under the fruit trees and maples. The soil is too soggy to deal with the weeds. For us, a messy late winter/early spring garden is just part of the yearly rhythm/cycle. With warmer and drier weather the garden will get cleaned up and put in order.

[attachimg=2]

I have been training our Acer rubescens ‘Silver Cardinal’ in a niwaki-type style. I can’t say that I know what I am doing, however it is slowly taking shape and I am pleased with the results.

[attachimg=3]

When our mature walnut tree was removed in early July 2024, the west side of our Acer rubescens became severely burned. At first I thought that this might be ugly, however now I have second thoughts and believe the burn scar could be turned into an asset. I hope the scar will eventually give the tree character, something like an ancient tree that has survived a lighting strike and other adversities. It will be interesting to see what develops over the years. Over the next few years I will grow pole beans, sunflowers, or Tithonia on the west side of the tree so the burning does not kill the remaining part of the tree trunk. This is a good excuse to grow some common plant species that I enjoy a great deal.

[Jasmin]: Actually, we planted a couple of fruit trees to buffer the plants we did not move to the front. The fruit trees we will espalier, to maximize our space and the shade screen they form. Around each tree, we created water basins of the soil, to maximize water for the plants we desire, and to diminish weeds. Seasonally within these basins we will plant various annuals, either early spring and spring-blooming California natives, and perhaps some sweet common violas. Interspersed between the fruit trees, we will set the containers of pole beans, sunflowers, and Tithonia in alternating cycles for shade until the fruit trees grow a bit more. I need no excuses. The satisfaction of gardening isn’t all about challenging, difficult, and rare. It is inclusion, for what does well, and what we enjoy. Ultimately, if it does not bring us joy, if we do not deem it beautiful, then what is the point?

[attachimg=4]

Our Aristolochia californica is in full bloom now. It is an early late winter bloomer.

[attachimg=5]

Carex multicaulis is one of my favorite California native Carex species. This species remains reasonably small and has showy white flowers. It is a clumping species so I do not have to worry about it running all over the garden. [Jasmin]: Grass skippers apparently enjoy it, as they do Tithonia.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on February 13, 2025, 10:15:22 PM: [attachimg=1]

I had a clump of Crocus biflorus ssp. isauricus that was hidden behind taller growing species. I moved them this winter to a site where they can be seen and appreciated.

[attachimg=2]

This is another stand of Crocus biflorus ssp. isauricus in our cinder block garden. I enjoy the color pattern on the petals when the flowers are closed. I bought the corms at one of our local garden centers a number of years ago. In our region, Crocuses are generally sold as generic blue, yellow, and occasionally white. I feel fortunate that I found these for sale. I have never seen them for sale locally since then.

[attachimg=3]

Our Ranunculus occidentalis hybrids seed freely around our garden and produced stems with many small bright yellow flowers in the spring. I let the plants cross freely with each other and now we have a variety of plants with a whole range of different characteristics.

[attachimg=4]

Our early Deer Valley form of Erythronium multiscapideum is showing flower buds. This selection consistently blooms much earlier than our other forms of this species. Superficially this species appears fairly uniform, however we have found this species very diverse, possessing many desirable horticultural characteristics.

[attachimg=5]

Primula hendersonii is establishing in the open garden. I have planted fertile seed lines in the garden and hope that they will begin to seed freely in our garden. Our breeding stock in containers are well budded and will bloom soon. Each season has a crop of new hybrids to evaluate for desirable horticultural characteristics.

[Jasmin]: So far it seems we relocated everything we could find that had been under the walnut tree; yet we suspect there are still treasures to unearth—It was an area we had densely planted. There are still some plants to relocate, things we had put in containers and such. Today the rain is a welcome pause, and there are some puddles that will recharge the soil with much needed moisture.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on February 13, 2025, 10:16:47 PM: [attachimg=1]

Our earliest blooming Hoop-petticoat Narcissus are nearly finished blooming. The next batch is now in full bloom. Our late blooming Hoop petticoats are budded and will be blooming in about 3-4 weeks depending on the weather.

This year many of my next generation miniature Narcissus hybrids will be blooming. There should be a new crop of hybrids each season now as I have been crossing and sowing new hybrids each year now. I am looking forward to the results as the flower buds begin to open.

[Jasmin]: It makes the garden cheery to have at least a couple containers that are easily moved about for display. Each season, the latest blooms are situated in prominent positions along our main paths, spreading the color about.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on February 16, 2025, 06:54:32 PM: [attachimg=1]

Primula hendersonii RMB 820 has started blooming at our Sacramento home. They are the earliest blooming Primula hendersonii in our breeding stock. I obtained this accession during an outing in 2017 from the foothills of the Inner Coast Range in Colusa County, California at an elevation of 1,634 feet (498 meters).

[attachimg=2]

Primula hendersonii RMB 820 and other accessions of this species from Colusa County are fertile and have been used extensively in our breeding work with this species.

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Pictured are F2 Primula hendersonii hybrids. The scape on the left has extremely deep magenta flower buds. Yes, it is difficult to determine from the photograph! We are hoping the deep pigmentation continues to express itself as the flowers open. F3 generation hybrids with interesting characteristics are also coming along. Some of our breeding goals are to create strong plants that perform well in the open garden, an extended blooming season, and a range of attractive flower color forms.

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Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’ is an early blooming species in our garden. It is the only reticulata type Iris that has persisted in our garden without a great deal of effort.

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After growing for many years in our garden, Crocus tommasinianus is now setting seed consistently and has started to seed around our garden. Thanks to the kindness of a Forum member we now have a genetically diverse batch of seedlings coming along that can eventually be incorporated into our breeding work with this species. Without this infusion of diverse genes breeding would be very problematic.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on February 16, 2025, 06:56:32 PM: [attachimg=1]

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.

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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.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on February 19, 2025, 06:22:05 PM: [attachimg=1]

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.

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Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’ is the most prominent species blooming in this part of the garden at this time.

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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.

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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.

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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.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on February 19, 2025, 06:23:50 PM: [attachimg=1]

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.

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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.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on March 02, 2025, 06:09:23 PM: [attachimg=1]

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.

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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).

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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.

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Cyclamen coum blooming in our front yard.

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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.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on March 02, 2025, 06:16:30 PM: [attachimg=1]

The remaining parts of our ornamental garden in our back yard are looking fairly good.

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I am pleased with the composition and evolution of the remaining portion of our back yard ornamental garden.

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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.

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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.

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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.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on March 02, 2025, 06:19:07 PM: [attachimg=1]

We grow our breeding stock of Primula hendersonii in containers. Pictured is Primula hendersonii RMB 820 from Colusa County, California. One of our primary breeding goals is to create a race of plants that thrives in our open garden. Maybe this photograph is a preview of the future for this species in the open garden. Progress is being made in this regard, however it is a slow process with a number of obstacles that need to be overcome. Breeding plants that are tolerant of summertime moisture when dormant is the primary obstacle.

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Many of our California native annuals are beginning to bloom in our garden. A few species were planted out late and may not develop fully. Pictured is Nemophila menziesii var. menziesii.

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Our Diplacus douglasii were planted out early and are just starting to bloom now, 2 March.

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Diplacus douglasii is an annual species. It is also a tiny plant. Currently we always plant them in containers however there might be situations where they might look good in the open garden. Despite their tiny size they are extremely showy plants when in bloom.

[Jasmin]: With the warmer weather (20ºC range), growth and color seem to be exploding throughout the garden. As I suspected, more plants have surfaced, and may continue to surface in the back garden that now is in full sun. We had intended the area to be thickly planted, and for many plants to naturalize. In that sense, it has been a rousing success. On the other hand, we had not anticipated that the walnut would need to be removed for quite a number of years.
In the end, the timing has been perfect: We know what our physical capabilities are now, but tomorrow is always unknown. Tomorrows are never known or guaranteed. While I am much more capable than I was a year ago, I still have challenges, and there is nothing like health issues to humble the spirit. I have been humbled by my health, and take even less for granted. I think I feel more deeply grateful. I certainly thank all of you who have wished me well, and prayed for me. I hold you in my heart as well. I am more in awe, and appreciative each day. The garden—both front and back—are evolving into areas more gorgeous than before. I stepped out this morning, uplifted by the beauty of the world and life. The news is terrible, an embarrassment to me as a human being. The beauty and wonder of the sky, the clouds floating, the numerous songbirds flittering and announcing their domains, the emerging growth, buds, and blooms—these are life, and joy, the reality we can embrace. I know those choices are mine; I decide what to fill my mind with. Gardening teaches us to persist and persist in hope and joy.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on March 12, 2025, 07:44:09 PM: [attachimg=1]

We are currently experiencing typical “spring” weather for our part of Northern California. Periods of rain are followed by periods with warm, dry weather, then the rain returns. The succession of spring blooming plants continues.

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The blue flowers of Flax, Linum usitatissumum, are quite attractive. We grow flax for its nutritious seeds. The blue flowers are a bonus in our spring garden.

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Magnolia stellata Rubra is now a focal point of our back yard ornamental garden. This variety remains relatively small and grows well in our garden. [Jasmin]: Its lovely scent permeates the surrounding air, a joyful delight.

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Now that our walnut tree is gone, most of our back yard is devoted to agriculture – a mini farm that increasingly provides the bulk of the food we eat. As with flax, many agricultural crops can be very attractive when in bloom. Our peaches and nectarines are blooming now. The flowers are beautiful. In addition, the blooms fill the air with a delightful light fragrance, which is a delight to the senses on a warm spring day.

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Our Flavor King Pluot is also in bloom. We also grow Flavor Queen Pluots, which bloom about 10 days earlier in the season. Both Pluots produce clouds of softly fragrant white flowers that are greatly appreciated in the early spring.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on March 12, 2025, 07:46:58 PM: [attachimg=1]

We grow tubs of seasonal annuals and perennials that we move into prominent focal points in our garden when they are in their prime. Pictured is a tub with Cyclamen persicum that I grew from seed.

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This tub full of Narcissus bulbocodium is just past its prime, however it is still looking good.

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Zephyranthes generally bloom during the late summer and autumn in our region. This one decided to bloom prolifically this spring.

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Our Ranunculus occidentalis hybrids produce myriads of shiny, bright yellow flowers during the early spring. Due to the metallic sheen of the petals, they are very difficult for me to photograph, however this photograph looks fairly good. These hybrids are perfect for our garden. They are perennial, drought tolerant and seed about freely in our garden. Continued breeding with other related California native species offer more possibilities and variety for our garden.

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Pulmonaria bloom early and are easy to please. For the most part we let them seed about in our garden. The seedlings produce plants with a variety of flower colors and leaf patterns.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on March 12, 2025, 07:49:49 PM: [attachimg=1]

California native annuals are an essential part of our garden. They harmonize perfectly in our garden environment. Pictured is Eschscholzia lobbii.

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The California native annual Eschscholzia caesitosa has seeded around our garden for many years now. They come up everywhere. With few exceptions, I let them grow, bloom, and seed out wherever they happen to sprout and grow.

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Diplacus douglasii is coming into peak bloom. I continually select seeds from the best plants (minimum 10 to 15 “good” plants) with characteristics that I enjoy. The overall quality of the plants improves each season.

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Phacelia campanularia grows well in our garden. A small percentage of the plants we grow produce pale lavender-blue flowers. I rogue-out these plants and gather seeds from only the best plants.

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The earliest forms of Dipterostemon capitatus ssp. capitatus are now starting to bloom. They tend to start blooming about 15 to 20 days before our other forms of this species commence blooming
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: ian mcdonald on March 12, 2025, 10:23:09 PM: Robert and Jasmin, your spring garden is a delight to see. Our weather is un-predictable. The past week-end was so warm that I sat in the garden with a drink. Now it has turned cold, with light snow on the near-by hills.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on March 14, 2025, 04:27:19 PM: Thank you Ian. Jasmin and I enjoy our garden too. Given our climatic conditions, we have found it helpful to approach gardening in a way that is as harmonious and complementary as possible given all the variables we have to contend with. Our method of gardening is working well for us. I hope some of our postings are at least interesting to others and perhaps even helpful.

Yesterday, 13 March, I was up at our El Dorado County farm, elevation 1,500 feet (457 meters). The temperature was 38 F (3.3 C). A combination of rain and snow was falling. On 10 March the high temperature at our farm was 75 F (23.9 C). In Pollock Pines, elevation 4,000 feet (1,219 meters), there is now 15.95 inches of snow (40.5 cm). There was no snow on 10 March. There is a saying around here that it always “snows on the dogwoods”. The native dogwoods are not blooming yet. This type of warm-cold/stormy weather is very typical during the spring in our area. Despite climatic changes in our region, it will likely “snow on the dogwood” this year.

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Erythronium oregonum is beginning to bloom in our garden.

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Pictured: Erythronium oregonum

Many Erythronium species thrive in our garden. We have been working with them for many years now. There have been some set backs, however we currently have a pipeline of new species and our own hybrids at various stages of development. A number of species grow in our general region, so we have a large gene pool to work with to develop new varieties that thrive in our garden.

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I enjoy growing breeding my own violas and pansies varieties. I learn a great deal breeding these plants that extends beyond common bedding type violas and pansies…..

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Pictured is Viola sheltonii RMB1059. This species and most of our local California native Viola species have proven to be extremely difficult to maintain. To date, cultivation in the open garden has not been possible. However from observations and knowledge gained from growing and breeding simple, common violas and pansies a great deal of progress is been made finding and creating forms of California native Viola species that thrive in our garden. It might seem hard to believe, but the Viola pictured represents a major step forward with Viola sheltonii. This specimen returns consistently each season and sets viable seed. The next step is to create a whole genetically variable breeding population to work with.

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This Narcissus Jetfire hybrid has flaws and is much larger than what I would like, however it also has many attributes that I enjoy. A much smaller version, without the flaws, would be an asset to our garden. Progress with this project has been slow. In the mean time, I enjoy all these plants.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on March 25, 2025, 05:01:53 PM: [attachimg=1]

In general, I am pleased with the overall evolution and composition of our back yard garden, however my impression and intuitive feeling is that there are still missing elements throughout the seasons. Each season I experiment with different plants or alter how I incorporate California native annuals. This year I have used Nemophila menziesii var. menziesii differently, scattered about rather than congested together in groups. I am pleased with the results, however additional elements still need to be added to the garden.

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Cardamine californica is an early blooming California native perennial species. In the Sierra Nevada Mountain foothills I have observed this species blooming as early as 1 January. The flowers are generally white, to white flushed with pink, however I have observed pink forms in their native habitat. My intent is to eventually incorporate this species into our garden. A number of cultural challenges need to be overcome before this species can be successfully included into our garden. I enjoy challenging projects. For me the whole process, start to finish, will be fulfilling even with many setbacks.

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Our Sweetwater Creek strain of Erythronium multiscapideum is our latest blooming form of this species. It spreads abundantly and vigorously, however it tends to be shy flowering. New inter and intra specific hybrids are in various stages of development and evaluation.

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Erythronium oregonum is still blooming in our garden.

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Some forms of this species have very attractive mottled foliage. Breeding Erythronium species with attractive foliage is another goal with this group of plants.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on April 05, 2025, 06:30:00 PM: [attachimg=1]

Parts of our Sacramento garden are still looking good as it moves into its next phase of blooming plants. The blue flowering racemes of Camassia leichtlinii ssp. suksdorfii are the focal point of this part of the garden at this time.

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Our local native annual Foothill Poppy, Eschscholzia caespitosa, seeds itself around the garden abundantly each season without help on my part. This species blooms for many weeks each spring season.

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Parts of our cinder block garden are looking good. Eschscholzia caespitosa comes into bloom, as the Narcissus species are finishing. The evergreen perennial Silver Bush Lupine, Lupinus albifrons var. albifrons, is an anchor for this part of the garden. The silvery foliage looks great all year and the species is extremely drought tolerant, needing no irrigation during the hot summer months. The flowers of this species are very showy.

Dipterostemon capitatus ssp. capitatus and Triteleia laxa are also blooming at this time. The South African species, Moraea aristata, works well in this landscape scheme too.

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I have been working Heuchera rubescens into our back yard garden scheme too. This accession, RMB 1012, is a relatively low elevation form, found at an elevation of 5,617 ft. The relatively small foliage and clouds of white and pink flowers fit perfectly with their garden companions.

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Other than a few Cabbage White butterflies, this Sylvan Hairstreak is the first butterfly to show up in our garden this season.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on April 06, 2025, 07:30:07 PM: [attachimg=1]

Silver Bush Lupine, Lupinus albifrons var. albifrons, has a large range throughout California and Southern Oregon. The large and numerous inflorescences consist of many pea-shaped lavender-blue flowers with a yellow or white spot on the banner. Most forms of this species are very attractive, however good forms are exceptional in both overall plant habit as well as the quality of the inflorescence. There are 8 recognized botanical varieties of this species in California. One variety, Lupinus albifrons var. collinus is a noteworthy prostrate form of this species. Lupinus albifrons thrives in our Sacramento garden. It is completely drought tolerant and unaffected by the extreme heat of our long hot summers.

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We grow a number of California native Iris species in our garden. I prefer the wild Iris species to the hybrids. This is highly subjective, however the wild native Iris species “look right” in our garden. Pictured is Iris macrosiphon.

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Iris marcosiphon is highly variable throughout its range. This form came from El Dorado County, California. We also grow inky-blue flowering forms of this species from Colusa County, California. These needed to be moved this past year and will likely start blooming again next year.

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Pictured is an exceptional form of Iris bracteata from the Siskiyou Mountains of Northwestern California.

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Pictured is Primula hendersonii RMB 941. This seed accession was acquired in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in El Dorado County, California, at an elevation of 5,105 feet (1,556 meters). This form of Primula hendersonii is compact in growth compared to the lower elevation forms of this species. They consistently bloom 45 to 60 days later in the season than our early blooming Colusa County forms of this species. This extends the blooming season of this species greatly in our garden. This high elevation population is likely much more cold hardy than lower elevation forms of this species. Much more research needs to be done in this regard. This population fits they type species, however it is also quite different in a number of horticulturally significant characteristics. It is definitely a unique ecotype.
Title: Re: Robert's and Jasmin's Garden Paradise
Post by: Robert on April 18, 2025, 06:38:35 PM: Our busy planting season has started (Agricultural crops). The Sacramento ornamental garden is still looking good and many wildflowers are blooming in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Below are a few photographs. A review and up-to-date photographs will have to wait until planting season is finished.

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California native annuals – Diplacus kelloggii, Erythranthe bicolor, Eschscholzia lobbii, Layia gaillardioides, and Phacelia campanularia.

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Erythranthe guttata

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Layia gaillardioides

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Calochortus monophyllus

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Calochortus albus