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Coleus..some are Solenostemon, and apparently some are Plectranthus. I can't keep up.

I have never attempted to grow  Echiums here in my own garden, assuming they would be doomed to failure..I never see them in Napa, and they have always seemed decidedly coastal to me. The coast may only be an hour away, but in terms of micro climate it is in another world altogether, no frost and very little heat. This afternoon I went on a garden tour -'Bay Friendly Gardens' and on the route to one of the venues I happened upon this terraced home with Echium 'wildpretii' not more than two miles from my own garden. It was pure drama.  

 In the small orbit of my garden , instability of variegated plants sends what passes for design on a downward spiral.  When I  noticed the green branch parading shamelessly, vigorously,  from the base of my Caryopteris  'Summer Sorbet' (my beloved Summer Sorbet I might add) I was indignant and crestfallen,  for this was not the only plant  to decide it preferred to be green.   I did some research on the topic , and the opinions( from blogs to forums to university web sites) seemed to be unanimous: Variegated plants have less chlorophyll to photo synthesize , and thus upon occasion they just stomp their feet and decide to produce more green. The solution : remove the green shoots as soon as you see them.  My track record on this is not impressive.  Eryngium 'Jade Frost' .  Former Eryngium 'Jade Frost' The offending green shoot on Caryopteris 'Summer Sorbet' since removed. This Silene was entirely variegated l...

Purchased from Robin Parer several years ago at the San Francisco Garden Show, this rizome-y rooted Pelargoniums'  brief bloom cycle is anxiously awaited here each summer. Allegedly night-scented , I have never detected a fragrance.

 Several years ago I innocently wandered on to the Daylily forum on GardenWeb, never suspecting that I was about to be sucked into the vortex of High Maintenance. Ironic I know- for I am a high maintenance gardener --I would rather deadhead and water containers than dust and vacuum any day. But there is a limit-a high limit mind you, but a limit none the less.  The GardenWeb Daylily people are extraordinarily dedicated , and much to my detriment, they post a lot of photos. I learned about the best mail order nurseries, learned about tetraploids and diploids,  proliffs and fans. I also learned about the Daylily Auction. Uh-oh. Very tempting that Daylily Auction. And so I was off. Boxes full of double and triple fans arriving weekly , thrilled to find that freebies are common, shocked to learn what some serious collectors might  pay  for newer hybrids. Even in the peak of my rose collection mania , I never forked out 200 bucks for a bare root rose. How happy ...

 Ordered in late March and planted in April , 'Symphytum 'Axminister Gold' has already made a statement in the mid spring garden. Though the blooms are not the main attraction here , they are an appreciated bonus. How clever I am to have had the presence of mind to buy two of them. If there are any left (doubtful) when I pay an in-person visit to Digging Dog for the first ever Garden Conservancy Mendocino County Open Garden Day next weekend , I will surely buy another one.  Seen here with with Achellia 'Moonshine' , Phygelius Croftway Purple Prince' and yet to bloom Trachelium .

 Garden Design 101. Was there ever a seminar, book, lecture or magazine article by garden designer that did not emphasize the importance of repeated elements ? A challenge for the plant collector--one of everything plunges you into design hell. Does the budget allow for 3, 5 or even better  a drift of every plant we need-see-want ? Not to mention the ever present issue of space. There is simply not enough space. If I had an acre, I'd want two . Realistically however, I am a lone-ranger gardener with a 50 hour a week job. My  garden is probably just the right size for me no matter how much I whine about lack of real estate. When I embraced repetition, I improved my garden. Alot. Achellia 'Moonshine' has stepped up to the plate . It has cool silver foliage, yellow flowers (love yellow flowers)  attracts beneficials and has a really long bloom season. I've put them all over the place.  Salvia 'May Night' ..it's only fault is the place of honor on the s...

The annual bloom from this Robin Parer selection is always anxiously awaited. It lives modestly in it's pot all year, and the bloom may go unnoticed by those who prefer the big , brilliant and gaudy. And look...more coming !

 Sometimes business travel lands me near a garden. Who can resist ? Not me - I ended the chores of commerce on Friday and spent the rest of the weekend traveling from garden to garden in New England. Base camp was the garden of my friend Deanne , an artist by trade and a gardener of extraordinary talent. Deanne loves her containers; for her each one is a garden. Her masterful use of color and texture , both within the individual container and it's position relative to the containers around it has created a tapestry that cloaks her entire garden, moving from one colorway to another seamlessly , with no sour notes. Everything you see here is in a pot... ...including this robust Brugmansia In the driveway garden containers combine with plants in the ground. And even more containers line up on the opposite side. Lets move to the back yard.. This one is as tall as me. Hey look, theres stuff in the ground too ! How about this window box ? Ever...

 I needed this Clematis after seeing it in a friends garden in New Hampshire and a Clematis collectors' garden in New York.  I always worry a bit about installing a plant I've seen in New England-will it be an exercise in futility ? God knows I've had plenty of failures with plants commonly grown right here in Northern California. You will see photos of Arabella that look quite blue , and they aren't entirely bogus (for a change) as her color moderates with temperature , maturity of flower and sun exposure. She has in fact been blue here in my garden, but  more often the violet-ish shade you see in this photo. Arabella is small of stature, growing to 6 feet or so, and does not cling. And does she bloom ? Without question the longest blooming Clematis in my garden. I am very likely to still have flowers in August.   I purchased her from the excellent Joy Creek Nursery via mail order.

Here in Wine Land , the restaurants stack up. Block after block, highways and back roads-I've visited major cities that don't come close to the dining choices here in our small valley. And many of them have gardens. What could be better ? This morning I dropped by 'Go Fish' in St Helena, 7:30am, hours before opening with the morning sunshine streaking through the plants.  The al fresco area can just be seen here, the chairs upended for the night.