Showing posts with label in the garden now. Show all posts
Showing posts with label in the garden now. Show all posts

In the Garden Now: Begonia grandis ‘Heron's Pirouette’

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Begonia grandis ‘Heron's Pirouette’ 

Story and photos by Victoria Gilleland

This easy going Hardy Begonia may be the perfect addition to a shady corner of your garden. Mine has been thriving in a container for the past 7 years. It looks great mixed in with other perennials. 

Begonia grandis ‘Heron's Pirouette’
Large shiny chartreuse leaves set off delicate looking clusters of pink flowers which are at their peak in September and October. 

If frost  hasn’t  taken the blossoms they may still be in bloom at Thanksgiving.    

What’s not to like!

(Begonia grandis ‘Heron's Pirouette’)



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In the Garden Now: Foggy, Autumn Morning

Sunday, October 17, 2021

Photo by Victoria Gilleland

Victoria's foggy, autumn morning...


 

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In the Garden Now: October Porch Garden

Thursday, October 7, 2021

October Porch Garden photo by Victoria Gilleland

A pop of color at the front door is always welcome! Annual Begonias, Fuchsias, Impatiens and Oxalis 'Plum Crazy' have delivered saturated color since the start of May on this entry porch. 

Additional shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses and groundcovers contribute rich texture and contrast.

The watering cans were put to good use during that late June "Heat Dome." Remember the incredibly high temperatures?

--Story and photo by Victoria Gilleland



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In the Garden Now: Arnold’s Promise Witch Hazel

Tuesday, September 28, 2021


Story and photo by Victoria Gilleland

Arnold’s Promise always provides fabulous fall color. This year that color arrived early!

Maybe our heat dome at the end of June and the very dry summer impacted fall color in our gardens this year.

Enjoy that glorious color when and where you find it!



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In the Garden Now: ‘Sweet Summer’ Hydrangea

Sunday, September 19, 2021


Story and photo by Victoria Gilleland

‘Sweet Summer’ Hydrangea has been blooming for months. When first in bloom the flowers were bright white. Over summer blossoms have taken on a delicate pinkish blush glow.

Like most paniculata hydrangeas this plant was unfazed by our extremely hot temperatures the end of June.

For a drought tolerant hydrangea choose a paniculata variety such as this gorgeous plant


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In the Garden Now: Medusa Ornamental Onion

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Medusa Ornamental Onion
Story and photo by Victoria Gilleland

With a name like ‘Medusa’ this purple allium just had to come home with me!

The twisty green leaves earn this plant its exotic sounding moniker. 

What a colorful, fun addition to the late summer garden.

(Allium ‘Medusa’)



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In the Garden Now: Echinacea ‘Sombrero Orange Flamenco Cone Flower’

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Echinacea ‘Sombrero Orange Flamenco Cone Flower’
Flower and photo by Victoria Gilleland

By Victoria Gilleland

This knockout perennial is one of summer’s brightest stars. The orange-red daisy like flowers are a must have for those who love hot colors! They bloom from early summer into fall. The more sun the more flowers!

Cone flowers make a great addition to mixed borders or cutting gardens. Here's a bonus: Birds love the dried flower heads so leave those spent flowers in place at the end of summer to feed our feathered friends. Every sunny garden should grow these stunning plants.

(Echinacea hybrida ‘Sombrero Flamenco Orange)



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In the Garden Now: African Lily

Sunday, August 8, 2021

African Lily photo by Leanne Gallison
By Victoria Gilleland

Known commonly as 'Lily-of-the-Nile' or 'African Lily' these bold perennials are native to South Africa. 

By mid summer large 8 inch wide, blue flower clusters are held on 3 foot high stems above strappy dark green foliage. 

Although these rich blue flowers are striking, other flower colors are available including different shades of blue, purple, pink and white.

African Lily grows well with Red Hot Poker Plant, Salvia and Eryngium.... all sun lovers. 

They make a colorful addition to summer bouquets as well. 

If you love showy summer flowers and have a sunny spot you can't go wrong with this gorgeous garden addition!

Thanks to Lake Forest Park gardener Leanne Gallison for sharing her beautiful African Lily photo.

(Botanical name: Agapanthus campanulatus)




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In the Garden Now: ‘Cleopatra’ Canna Lily is an exotic beauty

Wednesday, July 28, 2021


Story and photo by Victoria Gilleland

‘Cleopatra’ Canna Lily is an exotic beauty. She’s one of a kind… just like that femme fatale of antiquity, Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt.
 
Her striking flowers are red, butter yellow, and cream freckled in shades of red with an occasional red stripe. Leaves are a rich green with swaths of dark purple.

Picasso could have had a hand in putting together this fabulous color palette!



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In the Garden Now: Perennial Daylilies

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Story and photos by Victoria Gilleland

A plethora of daylily cultivars are available. 

If you have a sunny spot in your garden you can probably grow a clump or two of spectacular daylilies. 

Most daylily varieties need a fair amount of sun in order to thrive.  

An amazing assortment of colors and sizes awaits the gardener. 

Flower size varies from 2 inches to 9 inches. 

Plants may be compact at about 10 inches high to very large at over 6 feet tall.

There's a size for just about any garden! 

Blossom colors include white to deep shades of reddish purple and can be found in near black, purples, pinks, oranges, creams, pastels, red and citrus shades and combinations of these colors. Many choices!

Add some summer color with a daylily clump or two!
   
Thanks to Leanne and Mark Gallison for allowing me to photograph the beautiful daylilies pictured here in their Lake Forest Park garden.  



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In the Garden Now: 'Purple Lady' Giant Orienpet Lily

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

'Purple Lady' Giant Orienpet Lily
Story and photos by Victoria Gilleland

Our 'Purple Lady' Lily has been a delight to share with walkers in our neighborhood. 

She is beautiful, fragrant and a total surprise to those who discover her growing casually near the road.

Last fall I purchased 6 bulbs, planted them and hoped for the best. We have lots of critters in our garden and limited sun. 

Four plants emerged in spring and produced these fabulous 7 foot high clusters of fragrant flowers. 

I suspect that voles, shrews and/or mice devoured two of the bulbs. The good thing is they didn't eat four of them!

These handsome plants are a cross between an oriental lily and a trumpet lily thus the unusual name. 

Each plant has a cluster of five to ten very showy large flowers at the top of the stem. 

Each flower is at least 8 inches in diameter with a delightful fragrance. 

It's hard to imagine a showier more sweetly scented summer bloomer than this terrific Lily!



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In the Garden Now: Clematis 'Arabella'

Friday, July 16, 2021


Story and photo by Victoria Gilleland

I was looking for a smallish clematis to grow in a pot on a trellis. Clematis 'Arabella' came to my attention because of its smaller size and lovely mauve blue flower color. She is a 'scrambler' or 'semi climber' so she does need a little help as she clambers up the trellis.

I planted my new clematis in its permanent garden pot in late April. By the end of May fabulous blue flowers had begun to open. Right now there are at least 50 fully opened flowers on my young plant with more buds about to burst into flower. She just keeps producing more amazing blossoms! 

I've read that Arabella is a very prolific and long bloomer. I'm a believer.



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In the Garden Now: Clematis ‘Taiga’

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Photo by Victoria Gilleland
The gorgeous double flowered Clematis ‘Taiga’ is in full bloom. 

What a knockout in the garden!

It grows well in a container or in the ground. 

If you only grow one clematis make it this one!

--Victoria Gilleland



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In the Garden Now: Deutzia 'Magician'

Friday, July 9, 2021

Story and photo by Victoria Gilleland

This lovely shrub has been growing under a large evergreen tree on a slope at the back of our property in heavy shade for at least eight years.

This doesn’t sound like a particularly happy place for a shrub to set down roots, but Deutzia ‘Magician’ has done very well.

Clusters of perfect white flowers appear reliably in early summer. ‘Magician’ has proven to be a drought tolerant easy to grow shrub. 

Give this beauty a chance in your garden.



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In the Garden Now - Japanese Stewartia trees

Friday, July 2, 2021

Blossom

Story and photos by Victoria Gilleland

Japanese Stewartia trees grow beautifully in Northwest gardens. The gorgeous camellia-like flowers on this handsome tree are sweetly scented. 

Foliage

Come fall the bright green foliage takes on a full range of fall colors even in the shade. 

Reddish, peeling bark

Once leaves have dropped lovely reddish peeling bark is revealed. We have a year round performer in this one! 

(Stewartia psudocamellia)



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In the Garden Now: Meadow Rue

Saturday, June 26, 2021


Story and photo by Victoria Gilleland

Yellow Meadow Rue is a summer blooming perennial with fluffy airy looking yellow flowers. 

Bluish foliage compliments the flowers perfectly!  (Thalictrum aquilegiifolium)




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In the Garden Now: Voodoo Lily

Monday, June 21, 2021

Voodoo Lily
Story and photo 
by Victoria Gilleland

Voodoo Lily is one of the more unusual plants in our garden. 

Ours are planted near the street so many passersby stop to ask about the unusual flowers. 

The flower is made up of a spathe and a spadex and is similar in structure to a calla lily. 

The spadex is over 20 inches long in this case. The flower could easily be mistaken for a big purple leaf.

The scent is anything but sweet. On a warm day the aroma is much like that of a rotting carcass. 

Not wonderful perhaps from a human perspective but just right for attracting flies and other carrion type pollinators to this plant. 

Flowers typically last for about a week so the scent is not a problem for long.

If you look closely at my photo you’ll see a fly perched on the right side of this flower. Looks to me like he’s getting ready to do his pollinator job!

Enjoy Mother Nature’s diverse offerings in the garden.

(Dracunculus vulgaris)



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In the Garden Now: A lovely, hardy fuchsia

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Fuchsia 'Thomasina'

'Thomasina' is a lovely hardy fuchsia with an unusual flower color combination. Outstanding coral or terracotta sepals offer wonderful contrast to the reddish corollas. 

The plant typically grows to about 2' x 3'. Expect 'Thomasina' to bloom heavily from late spring until the first frost. 

Planted in the ground it should be hardy in the Northwest and bloom again the following year. We're looking forward to a summer of color this year and in years to come!

--Plant, story, and photo by Victoria Gilleland



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In the Garden Now: Rosa Lyda

Sunday, June 13, 2021

Photo by Victoria Gilleland

'Rosa Lyda' is a lovely single rose with two inch white blossoms edged in pinkish lavender. She is fragrant, disease resistant and flowers nicely in the shade!

'Lyda' has been growing happily at our place in a mid sized pot for the past several years. She's a winner in my book!  

--Victoria Gilleland



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In the Garden Now: Flowering Currant ..... A Hummingbird Magnet

Saturday, March 27, 2021

Flowering Currant
Story and photo by Victoria Gilleland

Our Native Flowering Currant adds charm and delightful color to the spring garden. 

But, best of all hummingbirds find the flowers irresistible!

This showy spring bloomer will grow equally well in woodland areas or more formal gardens. 

Flower colors range from deep reddish pink, though pale pink to white. 

Uniquely textured leaves are a lovely bonus.

You can't lose with this marvelous flowering shrub!

(Ribes Sanguineum)



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