There are few evergreens blooming in late fall and early winter, and finding one which has the robust size, shape and bright clear color of a camellia is a joy indeed.

Sasanqua camellias are from the Theaceae, or tea, family. They're glossy, deep green leaved evergreen shrubs which thrive in light shade with some shelter, as do their famous spring blooming relatives.

Sasanquas require slightly acidic soil, grow to 6-8 feet and nearly as wide, and
are hardy to zero degrees. The smooth dark green slightly textured foliage
compliment the blooms which can be single, double, or almost peony-flowered.
New hybrids are bicolored and darker toned, but the most common sasanquas
are clear pale pinks.

Consider adding one to a protected pot on the sunny side of your home, if
you live in areas where winters are below freezing. You can protect it easily
by throwing cover over it when cold weather threatens.

In warmer climates, the partial shade requirements of this camellia make it
a perfect candidate for the coolest side of the home.

Few of us who have owned this beauty won't remember an early snow when
days were bleached white and tree boughs were leafless. A surge of hope
never ceases to accompany the sight of this beauty in bloom with a snowy
edge or two on a blossom.

The blossoms themselves are profuse and cover the tree in late fall to early winter.

Consider gambling on a sasanqua camellia. They're blooming in garden centers now.

gdngfool

There is something akin to a treasure hunt each spring for heuchera lovers, as the new introductions come into garden centers. This is a banner treasure year.

Terra Nova Nurseries, headed by the prolific "plant designer" Dan Heims, has brought many interesting and colorful heucheras to the market recent years. This year is no exception, with many stunning heucheras debuting throughout the country. The small-leafed coral bells of the past has become a magnet for hybridization as new crosses like tiarellas and heucherellas further change the color, shape, shade and sun requirements of this vintage perennial.

"Lime Rickey" is unique in coloration and requirements. Many of the new heucheras will grow well, if kept well watered, in plenty of sunlight. "Lime Rickey" must have plenty of shade.

It can star in a border, combined with white, blue or pale yellow bloomers or mounders, or be featured in a container planting with equal aplomb.

Lovers of the fabulous chartreuse/burgundy or maroon combinations will rejoice as "Lime Rickey" begins its cycle. Leaves emerge chartreuse, then gradually become frosty as they attain their mature hue of lemon/lime. Bright white flowers are borne on long stems in mid summer.

The bronze leafed canna, setcresea, or ornamental miscanthus "Little Bunny" would be good companions for "Lime Rickey".

Picture it in a shade garden with the Japanese shade grass in stripes with the same lime greenish hue. Maybe team it with another wonderful new heuchera, "Obsidian" which is a dark burgundy/almost black. This little charmer will certainly become a classic, because it's vigorous too.

Terra Nova is a wholesale nursery, located near Portland Oregon. Their website usually lists available retail nurseries by area, but you can also find more information on their plants by contacting them directly. More on varieties of heuchera and ratings for each at http://www.lucsperennialworld.com,/research.html

Happy gardening.

gdngfool
Photograph courtesy of http://www.terranovanurseries.com

A member of the Caprifoliaceae or elderberry family, S. n. ‘Guincho Purple’ has multiple charms. The new foliage is a dark green, maturing to purple-green. Flat-headed clusters of pink flowers bloom in June on burgundy stems. Disks of purple-black berries follow. A deciduous shrub, ‘Guincho Purple’ finishes the season with a burst of red fall foliage.

S. n. ‘Guincho Purple’ is a certainly a vigorous plant. Mine was purchased in a 4” pot three or four years ago. After a growth spurt this spring, it is now 7 feet tall. Reference sources suggest a mature height of 8 to 10 feet and a spread of perhaps 8 feet. [At least, sez I.] The new shoots from the roots are especially dark in color, so heavy pruning would promote more of the purple foliage while maintaining size. Now having a deer-alert dog on the scene to foil nibblers, I may get to experiment with prunng. It can also be grown to effect as a small tree.

Several elderberry species are native in the coastal Pacific Northwest, and this one grows well in very acidic “moist, but well-drained” [my favorite garden book oxymoron — now that I have it!] garden soil. On the other hand, elderberries do not require acidic conditions, and from what I’ve gleaned, also grow in neutral and alkaline conditions. I can attest that ‘Guincho Purple’ does well in the cool, dry summer climate typical of the Pacific Northwest. According to Dan Hinckley, this cultivar is hardy to USDA Zone 4; the Joy Creek catalog is more cautious with a zone 5-9 rating.

Dicentra
SW Washington, zone 8

Tree peonies bring a substantial presence to any garden. The leaves and stems vary from a pale to dark green and change to a more bronze color with the seasons. The large, serrated leaves are attractive at any time, but nothing matches the show-stopping quality of a tree peony in bloom.

The genus "paeonia" is native only to the Northern Hemisphere. Variations extend through Western Europe; from Morocco and Algiers to Asia and the Caucasus and from Lapland and North India to Western China and Japan. Subspecies are found in the US.

The Chinese word for tree peony is mudan. Mudan means either "male scarlet flower" or "emperor of flowers" The Chinese have grown and revered the tree peony, featuring it in literature and art, for thousands of years. The first tree peonies in Europe were shipped to London's Kew Gardens in the late 1700s and made their way to America less than 200 years ago.

To bloom well, tree peonies require less long cold periods than herbaceous peonies. They grow best in rich, loamy soil. Good drainage and moisture are important to sustain ample flowering. The first winter after planting all peonies should be mulched. Tree peony grafts should be planted five to six inches beneath the soil and mulched between 4 to six inches. Protection from strong winds is vital for these plants.

Planting and dividing for all peonies is suggested in the fall. Most mail order nurseries ship from March through November, however, and tree peonies can be planted at any time for early spring blooming.

Coloration is spectacular and like none found in other species: from pale moonbeam yellow to screaming pink/tangerine neon, the combinations or singular color must be seen to be appreciated. Be sure to search the Internet to see the variety of form and foliage before choosing yours.

Tree peonies are more expensive because of the time necessary to cultivate them. They require patience because many bloom only two to three years after grafting. But the wait is well worth it. There are many specialty peony nurseries. Make sure you have the space available to accommodate one…or make the space, if you can. Every garden deserves the unique presence that only a tree peony can bring it.

gdngfool

Narcissus tazetta "Paperwhites"

Forcing Paper-whites

Call them daffodils or jonquils but plant a handful of paper-white bulbs to bring gardening indoors during the winter months. Part of the Amaryllis family, the botanical name for the genus of each of these bulbs is Narcissus. The Royal Horticultural Society in England established 13 official divisions of daffodils and the paper-whites are commonly in the Tazetta (Div. 8) division.

Tazetta daffodils may produce three to as many as 20 blooms on a stem. Most flowers are fragrant and the bulbs originally grew wild where there is no cold climate. For this reason, Tazettas lend themselves well to indoor forcing. Select varieties such as 'Ziva' with pure white blooms or 'Nazareth' with creamy yellow petals and bright yellow cup. Both varieties bloom in 2-3 weeks and 'Ziva' is a nice backdrop (14"-18") to 'Nazareth' (10" to 12").

Use the top of your refrigerator to store bulbs as it is heat that is required to keep the bulb healthy. When you are ready to plant, fill a container of choice with one half to three-quarters of coarse potting soil (mix in sharp builders sand or perlite or bark). Place bulbs side by side then fill around the bulbs with pebbles to hold them in place. Instead of pebbles, try a scattering of rye grass seed around the bulbs for a more natural base.

Water the bulbs well after planting. Wait until the top of the soil surface feels dry to water again. Provide bright daylight or supplement lighting to avoid weak stems. Once the bulbs sprout, water when the soil surface feels dry which may be 2-3 times a week - not too much, not too little. There is no need to use fertilizer.

Many nurseries and garden centers carry Narcissus bulbs especially for winter forcing. Ask before you buy and when you do make a purchase, think of rotating containers to create a sequence of indoor blooms through spring.

Anne(OH)