Sorry Cocoa Say What?

The white forsythia [10.3.2009] and crocus are usually the first in the garden to awake in spring, announcing the beginning of a new growing season. This year there is a new addition to the early show. The Sweetbox (sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis) began blooming recently, beating the white forsythia by about a week.

While beginning my garden journey many years ago, I began scouring garden catalogs to learn as much as possible about the multitude of nursery plants available for Virginia. Many were new and strange to me after moving south 2 zones from New York. This one with the weird name sounded interesting - evergreen, shade, early, and fragrant.

Two years ago, I purchased two sarcococca (not sure of the plural) from Lower Marlboro Nursery and planted. Now in its third year, the plant began producing fragrant flowers last week, and finally began showing signs that it is ready to begin spreading.

Lower Marlboro Nursery, 60 miles away (95 km) in Maryland is another story itself. The nursery was essentially one person (Mary) who's mission was to promote and provide native species for the small gardening community who could not find them elsewhere. She propagated, grew, and sold them from her front 'yard' forest. I was a yearly customer. Last year, she decided to call it quits, since the supply and variety of natives is now more bountiful from mainstream garden suppliers - mission accomplished. (Sarcococca is not native here, but she sold it.)

This particular sarcococca is native to the Himalayas, and spreads slowly so I guess it is not at home in my 'invasives' garden. Dark, glossy evergreen leaves are only bothered by an occasional yellowing at the tips and are not harmed by any pests. The tiny flowers go almost unnoticed- resembling shards of hanging fingernails. When they came out last week, I am sure the squirrels and cardinals were amused - me on my hands and knees attempting a sniff. But yesterday, the blossoms became fragrant. They resemble lilacs to my nose. I left plenty of space to spread into a ground cover and continue to patiently wait.

For The Record:   • Heavy clay soil with occasional organic amendments   • Full shade, average water   • No pests   • No fertilizer

February 2011 Bloom Day

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day
What's blooming in the garden on the 15th of the month.

A second Strobilanthes on the window sill just flowered, but I caught the photo a day too late. The Christmas poinsettia is still impressive, and waiting patiently to be planted outdoors and to continue as a summer annual foliage plant. The hyacinths started indoors in early November are now blooming, about a month later than expected. This light blue one is 'Sky Jacket.' I can't believe the amount of roots they put out!

Find other garden bloggers' February bloom days at the blog May Dreams Gardens.

Strobilanthes dyerianus		Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)
Hyacinth 'Sky Jacket'

Tropical Surprise for Winter

Two years ago, I ran into (literally) a stand of 6-foot tall (2 m) Persian Shield [22.9.2009] (Strobilanthes dyerianus) plants at the Atlanta Arboretum. I was impressed with this hedge enough to research their use as a decorative hedge in my back yard. I soon discovered that growing this tropical plant in Virginia as an annual means a maximum height of only 3 feet (1 m) during the summer. I will guess that the arboretum used some super fertilizer or took advantage of their greenhouse.

However, in my research, I discovered that the plant is noted for easily rooting from cuttings. I started a few plants from fall cuttings, and kept the 2-inch high (5 cm) plants alive on a winter windowsill until spring let me plant them outdoors. The purple color disappears in the winter as leaves turn green, but the intense purple comes back when planted outdoors in the spring. Last summer, the two survivors grew well.

This year, I started a few more in autumn with the hope of getting them to actually grow in the winter, and to give them a healthier head start when transplanted outdoors this spring. Much to my surprise, one of them just started blooming. With the plant only 4-inches tall (10 cm), the flowers arrived. They are not fragrant or extremely large. Still, how many gardeners can actually say their strobilanthes bloomed?

The pots are on an east facing window sill receiving morning sun in a room that is not heated. I must assume the plant flowers in the winter in its native habitat, when weather is cooler and/or days are shorter. One web site states the plant blooms in spring and early summer, while another gives fall as bloom time. Maybe I should report "winter" blooming, so that all seasons are covered and really confuse the heck out of amateur gardeners like myself.

For The Record:   • Indoors: Unheated second floor room of the house   • Indoors: Full sun on windowsill for 2-3 hours   • Outdoors: Mostly shade, moist soil   • No fertilizer

N-Ice

On January 18, a misty rain began after sundown and slowly continued through the night. By morning, a glistening coat of ice christened the garden and yard. While waiting for the car to thaw out in order to leave for work, I grabbed the camera and took some shots in the front yard.

The white forsythia buds (Abeliophyllum distichum) were still snug in their wrappings and undamaged awaiting spring. A closeup of blades on the front lawn provides evidence that crackling and crunching sounds on grass were made while walking. I believe the light foggy mist that fell created the ice.
   

Holiday Plants On The Door

The first Nandina (Nandina domestica) was picked up from a neighbor at a plant swap, but died in the winter (the plant, not the neighbor.) Next year, not wanting to be known as a failure, I picked up another and planted. This one survived and this summer produced two small clusters of berries for the first time. The berries started out white and gradually ripened to red in early December.

After years of using holly for holiday decoration, I was anxious to try out the Nandina berries. Holly berries always seem fall off their display onto the floor, roll around to a place you cannot find them, and eventually get squashed. I have not seen Nandina used at Christmas, so was expecting problems.

The two clusters were placed on the front door wreath which ended up more staid and less exuberant this year. The outdoor location exposed the berries to the cold, potentially preserving them longer; and any berries falling off would most likely end up outdoors and not inside on oak floors.

Three weeks later, I am happy to report that the all berries are still together. Other than slightly shrinking a bit, the berries retained their color and attachment. For holiday color, they have the added benefit of numbers over holly berries which are not so numerous.

The other wreath material consists of Fraser fir branches and "pigmy" pine cones. These were picked up decades ago in my upstate New York hometown and brushed with 'White Out' for the snow effect.

Nandina is a poisonous plant, but birds are not affected by the berries. It is also considered a non-native invasive. As a result of underground runners, I now have two new plants waiting for the next plant swap.

Blooming After The Frost

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day
What's blooming in the garden on the 15th of the month.

The frost came on Tuesday morning of this week. There was no warning - the temperature forecast was for lows above freezing, but upon waking in the morning, there was frost on the grass and on the cars. This was not heavy, and plants near the house and in the backyard with a bit of tree cover were not harmed. Still, it was time to continue with the fall cleanup.

There are a few hardy souls still blooming and loving the cool weather. Rudbeckia with its large blossoms makes great cut flowers for indoors at this time, and punctuates the barren side yard where annuals have left.

Nicotiana is now on its third blooming cycle (or is it fourth) in the back. The plants are now enormous with leaves large enough to resemble real tobacco. I would not be surprised to find them there come spring if we have a mild winter. This has happened in the past.

The Coconut Lime echinacea, I am happy to report, has bloomed consistently throughout the summer after being deadheaded. The foliage is none too pretty in late fall, but new blooms still appear, albeit smaller. The plant ends up shorter than its native parent, at only about 1-foot tall (30 cm), but the blooms extend above the plant well.

Last, and certainly enjoying the coolness as always, is the calendula. This roughneck will stay blooming into December. Frost doesn't affect it, although a hard freeze will. As with the nicotiana, the plants will sometimes overwinter and fully bloom in early spring. Otherwise, new spring seedlings germinate and begin to bloom in later spring.

Overall the fall has been mild and dry, but not hot. The cool temperatures are coming gradually.

Just A Cheap Throw Away Plant

It was a cold and snowy December when I purchased an average size, over-fertilized holiday poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) for $4.99 at a local discount store. It lived for two months, providing some indoor color past the holidays into the winter. After it began to lose its lower leaves in February, it was placed inside the east-facing french doors. Most experts consider this as a throw away after the holidays, but it was still alive and my conscience would not let me toss out a living plant.

In April, I began to place the plant outdoors during days along with the spring seedlings that were hardening off. I remembered seeing a hedge of blooming poinsettias years ago while in Hawaii, and wondered if it would grow outdoors here in Virginia, even through I never heard of treating the plant as an outdoor annual.

In May, I decided to try getting another season's enjoyment (and of course more than my money's worth) out of a throw-away plant, and planted it in the south facing side yard garden. I was up for a challenge.

It liked its new location, and thrived through the first half of summer. Then, the castor plants took off and overshadowed the poor poinsettia, stopping its growth. But, it continued to enjoy the hot humid summer, although in shade. Now with the castor bean plants taken out by a strong wind weeks ago, the poinsettia is again prominent.

I was expecting the plant to be gone by now, done in by shade or frost, but with abnormally warm temperatures this fall, the plant is still going. In fact, the new leaves are small and light green (with slight red tinge) in color, and red veining is appearing in the older leaves. Could the plant be getting ready to bloom because of the shorter days? Could I set it in a pot and bring it indoors if it blooms again? If the fall frost stays at bay, Virginia may soon see red poinsettias like Hawaii.

For The Record:   • Heavy clay soil amended with peat and humus   • Full sun   • No major pests or disease   • Small amount of fertilizer Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: cosmos, canna, nasturtium, mexican zinnia, salvia, zinnia, rudbeckia, calendula

More From Dallas

Fall has been on the warm side, with no killing frost yet as we head into the last weeks of October. This year I am getting a jump start on the fall cleanup, busy pulling out dead material, planting and moving newcomers, and preparing beds for spring. In past years, I was known to be outside in December doing this, rather than preparing for the holidays.

So without much new to show at the moment, a few more photos of items I found interesting at the Dallas Arboretum are posted. Pictured above are rain lilies (Zephyranthes candida) growing along some of the paths. Below are some of those paths prepared for halloween and the fall season.

Being used to gazebos with a Victorian or Colonial style, a northerner found the southwestern style with its clay tile roof very different and appropriate for Dallas.

The Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) was identified after I got back home and sent the photo to the arboretum for help.

How many people would stick something in the middle of this place, making you concentrate on the something? Instead, the space is the focus. A contemplative space.

Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: cosmos, canna, nasturtium, mexican zinnia, zinnia, rudbeckia, calendula, aster   • Harvested: 1 Anaheim pepper

Discoveries at Dallas Arboretum

While in Dallas Texas last month for a convention, I took a side trip to the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. After a bicycle rental and 9+ mile (14 km) ride around nearby White Rock Lake, I spent a hot afternoon strolling through the later summer gardens. Here are some of the things I found interesting.

Tucked into the corners of the paths were Cat's Whiskers (Orthosiphon stamineus). Although they can grow up to two feet high (60 cm), these were found only half that. Unfortunately, these are not a zone 7 plant, but maybe they can be considered an annual here.

Crape myrtles do not easily grow into monster trees in my town. The arboretum's crape myrtle allee was impressive for the size of the shrubs, probably due to the weather, age, and lack of heavy snowfall.

The formal allee lead to the playful frog sculpture fountain.

There were several trial gardens. Have you ever seen so many sweet potato vines in so many colors? There are eight varieties in this shot alone.

This was a trial garden for potted plants. With growing interest in small space and container gardening, I am glad someone recognizes that these tests are important. Notice the castor bean plant that refuses to conform to its neighbors.

Another plant that caught my eye was the Golden Shrimp plant (Pachystachys lutea). Another one that does not grow in zone 7, but maybe I can try by treating it as an annual.

Looks like the potato vines sprouted pumpkins in time for Halloween at the cottage's 'cottage' garden.

Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: cosmos, canna, mexican zinnia, aster, acidanthera, rudbeckia   • Harvested: 2 Anaheim pepper, 2 tomato

Duh…That's A Datura

Two years ago, a friend was proud and excited about her "Angel Trumpet" (Datura metel) blooming with a heavenly fragrance at night. My research indicates a nickname as Devil's Trumpet. It is known for containing toxic hallucinogens, and has a long history of use for causing delirious states and death. It was well known as an essential ingredient of love potions and witches' brews.

I read that Datura has the interesting property of being able to change size of plant, size of leaf, and size of flowers, all depending on location. The same species, when growing in a half-shady damp location can develop into a magnificent flowering bush half as tall as a person, but when growing in a very dry location will only grow into a thin little plant just higher than your ankles, with tiny flowers and a few miniature leaves.

My friend gave me some of its seeds to start my own plant indoors last spring. They were planted along with the other spring seeds. After three weeks, nothing was growing in the Datura pots, so I reused them to start some additional pepper plants.

Once sprouted, I gave away some of these pepper seedlings at the plant swap, to my Dad, and to my landscape architect friends. Dad started asking what variety they were. He said they were growing but not producing any peppers. I attributed this to his upstate New York climate.

Then, my landscape architect friends started. They were not happy. Three of the seedlings turned out not to be bell peppers - but looked like Datura. These plants were taking over their vegetable garden, and were going to see some serious violence unless I wanted them for transplant. I dug up a 3-foot high (1 m) plant ("come and get them yourself"), transplanted, and after three weeks of transplant shock, enjoyed a month of the summer blooms.

Apparently, the Datura seeds took more than three weeks to start growing. After I lost any hope of their germination, they sprouted at the same time as the peppers that were later planted in the same pots. Pepper and Datura seedlings it ends up look alike.

This past year, I started the Datura seeds saved from last summer's plant, and true, they took almost a month to germinate. I kept two plants, and both are now blooming, although they are not as tall and robust as last year. This is probably due to the late start the seedlings got this spring due to my vacation at normal indoor planting time.

Note: the Gold Standard hosta and spiderwort have started blooming again! Is this a screwy year or what!

For The Record:   • Heavy clay soil   • Full sun   • Mystery pests making small holes in leaves   • Small amount of fertilizer Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: cosmos, canna, nasturtium, mexican zinnia, salvia, zinnia, rudbeckia, calendula,     hosta, spiderwort, sunflowers, calendula, aster   • Harvested: 3 tomatoes

Critters' Annual Labor Day Picnic

Like last year, I spent Labor Day weekend laboring in the gardens, preparing them for fall. This year as last, weather was perfect for working outdoors clearing out dying vegetables past their prime, cutting back flowers fried by the summer, coaxing remaining plants into a few more weeks of bloom, and transplanting to fulfill the grand master plan. (Really, there is no master plan.) Also like years past, a few critters stopped in for their own Labor Day picnic.

The praying mantis arrived in the early morning and waited for a meal to happen by on the foundation wall. Bumblebees preferred to dine at the sunflowers and cosmos at the picnic, delaying my maintenance work on the cosmos to the evening.

Butterflies prefer zinnias. Your highness the monarch arrived and joined several yellow swallowtails and one black swallowtail chowing down. One yellow swallowtail looked like its wings had been chow.

A summer cicada tried his trapeze act on my deck cable railing. Newcomers noshed on the Mexican Zinnias. Several of these brown butterflies (or moths?) never before seen had six eyeballs tattooed onto its wings. An internet search revealed it as a Junonia coenia or common buckeye. You can't hide from the internet!

Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: pink cosmos, canna, nasturtium, mexican zinnia, zinnia, sunflower, rose, rudbeckia, spiderwort, cleome, salvia   • Harvested: 2 peppers, 2 tomatoes, 1 cucumber   • Planted: lettuce, spinach, radish

Late Recommended

Every year, dwarf sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are planted in the front display garden along the walk to the front door. This is one of the sunniest spots on the property, the soil is fine, and sunflowers have always been happy here. And, every year I try out a new dwarf sunflower, evaluating them in this blog. Since they are planted in the same spot with the same conditions, the comparison is 'apples to apples'.

This year's guinea pig is 'Waooh.' I don't know how to pronounce this one - (one syllable, two syllables, accent on the first or second?) First, they were planted late. I was sowing them on the Fourth of July weekend this year, after spending weeks on other parts of the yard. Wouldn't ya know - they are a late bloomer to begin with, so planting them late did not help.

Second, it was a hot summer, and watering was saved for those plants that really cried out for it. The sunflowers did not, so hot dry conditions might have contributed even more to their late blooming.

I am happy to report that this is one variety I can recommend. The plants are compact and erect; and flowers and plants are uniform in size. The one stalk plants are 3-feet tall (1 m), form many side shoots holding 5-8 side flowers, comparable to the main 6-inch bloom (15 cm). This photo represents all seven plants, yet shows over 30 blooms on them.

Sunflowers turn out to have the same history as rudbeckia, listed in the previous post. They are native to North America, were grown by native Americans, exported to Europe by explorers, cultivated in Europe (Russia for their oil), then found their way back to US and Canada.

Previous Dwarf Sunflower Evaluation

For The Record:   • Average soil   • Full sun   • Small amount of organic fertilizer Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: pink cosmos, canna, nasturtium, mexican zinnia, red/yellow cosmos, salvia, cleome, zinnia,     green coneflower, rudbeckia, sunflower   • Harvested: 1 tomato   • Pulled out cucumber plants