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Garden Bloggers Bloomday March 2025

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   I admit I am cold-weary. I will include the zone 9 weather wimp disclaimer - I'm just not accustomed to daytime temps in the 40's in March. That's a January thing, and frankly not that usual in January either. I'm hoping the mid to high 20 degree mornings are over- I have 3 flats of warm season seedlings under lights in my dining room that would enjoy being outside. But, with a few exceptions the garden plants seem to be powering through the weather just fine and season to date rainfall of  about 25 inches (close to season normal) has been beneficial. For the most part the intervals between rain events have been long enough to facilitate spring weed control.   This March has been a transition month so far-the Hellebores hang on and the Daffs haven't blown out fast as can be the case if we have too many days north of 65.   This Daffodil is 'Teal'. I order it from Scheepers every year and plant it in 5 containers that I keep 'offstage' until they bu...
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Cramscape Admiration -Garden Fling 2024

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 I admit I love a well done cramscape and the Berk-Kessler garden in Seattle is a great addition to my Cramscape Hall of Fame. In case you are wondering about previous entries to the CHOF , well there aren't any because I have only recently (i.e. yesterday) invented it. I fancy myself to be a cramscaper but have come to the realization in the last year that I am a Cramscape Imposter particularly when it comes to the edges of my garden. The Berk Kessler garden exposed my tepid attempts at packing the plants in. It wasn't long after returning from Puget Sound Fling that I started acquiring, dividing, and moving plants to correct my cramscape failures. Lets take a look at what inspired me in this abundant PNW garden.    I've visited a fair number of gardens public and private in the US. It took me many years to realize that some plants -though perfectly cold hardy-just don't care for my summers here in Northern California wine country. We can grow Cabernet all day but many...
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Leaf Appreciation at Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden-Garden Fing 2024

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 Garden Fling 2024 Puget Sound has wrapped up and  after spending a few days on post trip garden clean up and watering I have started to work though the hundreds of photos I took visiting the lineup of splendid gardens into which we were welcomed. My posts here on the blog will appear in no particular order and reflect no hierarchy of preference.  Day two of the Fling began with a visit to Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden in Federal Way Washington. This garden was founded in 1974 on 27 acres of property donated to the RSF by Weyerhauser Company. Currently the garden comprises 22 acres in a classic PNW forested woodland and boasts the largest collection of Rhododendron species worldwide.   The Rhodies flowering is long past-in my area of Northern California it's an April/May event depending on the location and proximity to the coast and the Redwood forests. But if you are in the right climate, up in the PNW the foliage gifts us another season.  I can't ...
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