March Garden Stroll

Twitterpated birds are swooping in from everywhere and the flowers are beginning to bloom. Yes, I think Spring has hit the Pacific Northwest. My condolences (really!) to those of you still buried under snow and mud. This post isn't about bragging, but about hope.

The Cornus argentea looks like a chandelier with all of it's new foliage popping up.



Thalictrum 'Illuminator' is a great companion of Pulmonaria 'Leopard'.



Malus 'Pink Spires' is one of the first crabapples to bloom.



Flowering Current (Ribes sanguineum) brings in the Hummingbirds.



Primula vulgaris are some of my favorite primroses. This is a very old one called 'Quaker Bonnets'.



Another great primrose is Primula sieboldii. Although it looks fragile, this is a work horse. Spreads nicely.



The lilacs are budded and waiting.



Although not in their prime, the Hellebores are still quite showy.



Geranium 'Hocus Pocus' creates a dark contrast to it's golden neighbor.



One of my favorites, the checker lily (Fritillaria mealagris), makes a daring display with Pulmonaria 'Trevi Fountain'.



The Ferns still look like something from "The Little Shop of Horrors".



Anemone nemerosa 'Bracteata' are just beginning to open their ruffled blooms.


The Post of the Week is Five Mile Furrow.

Who's That?

I'd like to introduce you to some of my favorite friends in the garden.

Magnolia 'Caerhayes Belle' is the color of bubble gum and the bud is as big as a grapefruit.


Veratrum californicum is a magnificent architectural plant for the shade.


Epipactis gigantea 'Serpentine Night' is a terrestrial orchid also called a stream orchid. The species of this plant spreads quite rapidly in moist soil, but this one is better behaved.


Bletilla striata is another terrestrial orchid. I killed this twice before I found a good spot for it where it florishes now.


Bletilla striata 'Alba' is the white form of the above.


My favorite hydrangea is 'Ayesha', also called 'Silver Slippers'. The cupped petals look like a lilac, don't they.


The primroses are all blooming here now and my favorites are auriculas. I babied these in pots in the greenhouse for years until I read an old gardening book that stated they were hardy in my zone (USDA zone 8). So I tried one outside and it was very happy. Now they all grow outside and I don't do anything with them except throw a little compost at their feet.


Another Primula aricula in deep purple-blue. Sometimes you get a beautiful powdery bloom on the leaves, but if you want to keep it, they are better in pots as the irrigation washes it off.


I love Primula 'Dorothy' because her flowers are so delicate and petite.


Primula 'Linda Pope' is an unusual primrose with powdery, serrated leaves and soft purple flowers.


Meet Trillium rivale 'Purple Heart'. The whole plant is tiny, but prolific. After it blooms, the blooms turn upside down and rest themselves on the surrounding soil where they drop their seeds.


Coming out of the shade. The Tigridia pavonia is a striking flower in orange, yellow or pink. Also called Mexican Shell Flower.


Polygonum orientale is also called Kiss-Me-Over-The-Garden-Gate. This is just an annual and seeds itself nicely. It grows a towering 6-8 feet in one season. Not aggresive like other knotweeds. You can tell what it is in the spring by it's little red stems.


Nicandra is also called Shoo-Fly since flies don't care for it, although I'm not sure why since there is no fragrance to it at all. It has lovely blackish buds and the seed pods look similar. This grows about 3-4 feet and self seeds.


Erythroniums are near and dear to my heart. This is our native variety (oregonum) that grows everywhere in our woods.


Erythronium revolutum is a bit fancier.


Camellias are such versatile plants and I have many sasanqua and japonica varieties. This is 'Nuccio's Pearl'.


I love the fimbriated petals of 'Fred Sanders'


Agave parryi is striking, but not very friendly.

My blog of the week is We Three, Ginger Cat Tales. It isn't really a gardening blog, but the most wonderful blog for anyone who likes cats. Check it out here.

"Gardens of Pennsylvania" Retreat

Enjoy a relaxing garden vacation March 20th and learn about 3 great East Coast Gardens. The Village Green Resort offers “The Gardens of Pennsylvania” Retreat where it explores Longwood Gardens, Chanticleer and Morris Arboretum in a presentation by Cindee Eichengreen. We offer you your room, Dinner for 2 with a Bottle of House Wine, Full Buffet Breakfast and a guided tour of the Village Green Gardens.
This retreat price is for 2 people (bring a friend or spouse) and costs just $89 for a standard room or $109 for a Deluxe Garden room.
For Reservations, call 1-800-343-7666
The Village Green is a Garden Resort locatedd in Cottage Grove, Oregon, just 20 miles south of Eugene. To view our website, click here.


The Fern House at Morris Arboretum


The Ruin at Chanticleer


Chanticleer Pool House


Longwood Conservatory


The Famous Longwood Fountains

The Mahogany Garden

Quirky themes for gardens have always been my specialty, as well as color in the garden. I love semi-monochromatic gardens. So when I found that I was acquiring quite a few plants with foliage in hues of mahogany, purple, russet, and burgundy, I decided to give them their own garden.



Following are pictures from the beginning of the Mahogany Garden to the present.




New foliage of Acer 'Esk Sunset' (often erroneously called Eskimo Sunset, but was named after Esk Nursery)


Jon got creative with the chainsaw to avoid cutting down the stump of a fir tree.



Chocolate Cosmos with Canna 'Durban'



Pacific Coast Iris 'Buff Beauty'


Sumac 'Tiger Eyes' lends a nice contrast.











Check out my blogger of the week - Peace in the Valley - here