Oh look...

I'm sure you all know the feeling. You're drawn into the garden because the light has hit *something* just right and caused you to pause. Last night it was the Rodgersia 'Bronze Peacock' bloom spikes (and let's be honest, the foliage too)...

But while admiring the rodgersia my eyes traveled to the Paris polyphylla...

Wow!

Turning to head back inside (dinner needed to be made) I paused to appreciate the Callistemon viridiflorus. It really is torture to have to be anywhere but in the garden this time of year...

All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Rodgersia 'Bronze Peacock' is my favorite plant in the garden this week…

While it’s true I’ve never met a Rodgersia that I don’t love Rodgersia 'Bronze Peacock' is extra special. Why you might ask? Because it continues to amaze with the color of its new foliage, even in July, when most all of my others have gone green…

I’ve got two plants, both with colorful new growth, and you might notice both tasty to leaf munchers...

I was going to feature this plant in mid June, however since it’s new in my garden this year I thought I’d hold off and see how it handled the heat. It’s a little less colorful than before but still has plenty of dark tones to keep me happy. The photo above was taken June 26th and below on July 6th (after enduring heat topping out at a sunny 97 degrees)…

Another before…

And after…

This particular Rodgersia is still pretty hard to find, Terra Nova lists is as "new for 2013" and I’ve only seen it in 3 nurseries, so grab it when you see it! Here’s their lust inducing description: "The darkest foliage of any Rodgersia. The leaves are thick, glossy, indented and make a great sculptural addition to your woodland garden. Pink flowers emerge in late spring above the mound. In spring, the huge bronze leaves emerge like a peacock's tail! An improvement of an underused, easy to grow perennial. Deep, bronze brown leaves feel like they were hammered out of an ancient metal alloy, so thick and glossy they can't be ignored. Large trusses of tiny pink flowers are a bonus in the spring. Equally dark and dramatic seed heads are long lasting and showy. Compact habit stays within bounds of container or garden. Very choice!"

The stats…

• Clumping perennial in the Saxifragaceae family
• USDA hardiness zones: 5-8 (colder climate gardeners rejoice!)
• Eventual size: 22” tall, 28” wide
• Prefers: rich, moist, well drained soil in a part shade location
• Note: Rodgersia resent drought, but will tolerate dry conditions with some shade (according to the folks at Terra Nova)…

I can add, based on personal experience, any Rodgersia will let you know when they’re thirsty by getting all droopy. And if you've put them in too much sun their leaves will not hesitate to crisp up.

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

Schefflera-land, all planted up…

When last I posted about Schefflera-land it had just earned the name after having been planted up with both S. delavayi and S. taiwaniana. Since then I’ve been busy adding to the plantings and I’m happy to say things are filling in nicely…

My only frustration is the plants on either end are so much larger than those in the middle, having been in place long before the hydrangea was removed. Hopefully the new hostas and ferns will catch up (maybe next season?) and the prized Schefflera delavayi will attain its rightful status as king of the border sooner rather than later. The S. taiwaniana has a couple of years on it though...

You might remember when the hydrangea was first removed I was unhappy with the fact I could see all the way to the patio from the backdoor and entrance to the garden. It's not quite so bad anymore…

Of course the fact that Clifford (the Magnolia macrophylla) has leafed out helps too.

Here’s a close up look at the entire planting border starting at the east side as you enter the garden and walking towards the patio. I’ll try to name as many plants as possible. (L-R) Fatsia polycarpa ‘Needhams’s Lace,’ Solomon’s Seal working its way through Disporum cantoniense 'Night Heron,' a couple of hostas whose names I don't know, and up against the garage and rusted metal trellis is the Schefflera delavayi (S. taiwaniana peeking through on the far right).

I love the blue hostas! Unfortuantely so do the slugs and other critters.

The S. delavayi has pushed out several new leaves…

Notice the leaf stems of the older growth have turned red. I love the way this looks and it never occurred to me that it could be a problem until just now when I tried to find the proper plant term for the leaf stems. I found several cannabis forums addressing red leaf stems and evidently it’s a sign of nutrient deficiency. Anyone care to share their thoughts on the red stems, should I be concerned??

I’m very happy with the placement of the Impatiens omeiana peeking out from under the Schefflera.

There are also a few Alchemilla mollis tucked in here and there. These were divisions from my mom’s plant. I wonder did the small hosta come from her garden or somehow from mine?

Here’s the middle, where the smaller plants start; Rodgersia ‘Bronze Peacock,' next to it a painted fern (Athyrium niponicum, not sure which one), planted at the base of the trellis and just starting to grow up is a 'Cardinal Climber' Ipomoea multifida, and Epimedium wushanense in the lower center of the photo.

That same area but with the camera pulled back a bit.

I repeated the Rodgersia (here it’s R. podophylla ‘Bronze Form’) and painted fern combo a few times.

I moved my (long abused) Metapanax delavayi here where it can finally get a little more light and be better appreciated, lots of new bright green growth!

At its feet another Rodgersia ‘Bronze Peacock’ with Pyrrosia hastata (on the left).

In the middle between the two trellis are a Disporopsis pernyi fronted by Ligularia 'Osiris Cafe Noir.'

Paris polyphylla (Heronswood form), which was a gift from a garden visitor last summer (thank you Sutter!), it's come back even bigger this year...

The far west side of this border is made up of established plants, with the exception of a few hosta and a couple painted ferns…

...and this Peltoboykinia watanabei which is tucked in at the base of one of the trellis.

I hope I don’t fall out of love with painted ferns anytime soon. As you can see I included quite a few of them.

I also found room for a few more Adiantum venustum (Himalayan Maidenhair Fern).

Established hostas (I don’t know why but I’ve never managed to hang onto their tags and learn their names), Podophyllum peltatum, and Syneilesis aconitifolia.

And finally a shot of the Clematis tibetana var. vernayi on one of the trellis.

Make that two shots, that last one was kind of hard to see.

I hope you enjoyed your visit to Schefflera-land! (which I probably should be calling Araliaceae-land with the Metapanax delavayi and Fatsia polycarpa in there too but that just doesn’t have the same ring does it?) I can honestly say I don’t miss that hydrangea one bit…

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

What the %@&# happened here!?...

Last Friday I shared a picture of an oh so perfect little leaf on my Rodgersia aesculifolia.

Over the weekend I decided to poke around and see if there were signs of other leaves, one is fine and dandy but I was hoping for a few more. What the?

That single leaf wasn’t so perfect anymore! Lucky for me the culprit was still hanging out on the stem…

Looks like a cutworm, I had trouble with them last year too. Even though I’ve read they are primarily a danger to seedlings (eating through their tender stems and “cutting” them down) they seem to have no trouble munching on any and all foliage in my garden. Does anyone have a method of “eliminating” them? I’d love to hear about it if you do. Luckily I did find another leaf, and it was unharmed.

Since I’m on the topic of Rodgersia I need to right a wrong I made last week when I identified this…

As Rodgersia ‘Chocolate Wings’ it’s actually Rodgersia podophylla 'Rotlaub.’

And this is R. ‘Chocolate wings’…

With its dark leaves still folded and resembling velvet.

Other new foliage in the garden (thankfully unharmed by anything, yet?) the slowly opening leaves of Darmera peltata.

The huge leaves of Astilboides tabularis…

With my thumb for scale…

I should have lugged these three containers somewhere with a more photogenic background but I was feeling lazy. This is where they spent the winter, cozied up against the neighbor’s fence, sheltered a bit by over hanging trees. Now that they’re showing signs of life I need to move them to their summer home.

Finally, the unfurling fronds of Osmunda cinnamomea (Cinnamon Fern). This one is so late I was beginning to worry.

There is a stretch of dry and even sunny weather coming up over the weekend and into next week, I’m looking forward to much time spent in the garden “working.” Hope you get a chance to do the same!

Late April blooms in the garden...

With our recent “heat wave” (3 days of above normal temperatures) there are many blooms at their peak (or about to be) in my garden. Silly things! Don’t they know Garden Bloggers Bloomday isn’t for almost 3 weeks? The Echiums aren’t blooming yet, but every day brings growth and exciting changes. This one grew at least a foot in one week…

And the buds on the beefy stalk are swelling, larger and larger.

My second Echium x wildprettii 'Rocket' (also identified as Echium pininana).

And the Echium wildprettii.

Not wanting to be left out the hardy (zone 7) Echium russicum is also fixing to bloom.

At this point I am so enthralled with the progress of all of the Echium I could be posting about them 5 days a week, but I don’t want to bore you. Also exciting the Asphodeline lutea is stretching up it’s whirling stalk and getting ready to bloom.

Pulsatilla vulgaris var. rubra…

So glad I bought this plant! And it’s only going to get better as the blooms fade. Trust me.

Grevillea juniperina ‘Molonglo’ loaded with about-to-open buds!

All of the Ceonothus are exploding right now; this one is Ceonothus 'Pt Reyes'…

Although it’s a low grower you can still see electric blue as you drive by. And speaking of electric…wow. I am in love with Cerinthe major 'Purpurascens'…

Beschorneria decosteriana

How can you not stop and stare at a bright pink stalk emerging from simple green foliage?

Clematis Montana (inherited, so that’s as specific as I can get)

2012 is the year of the floppy Euphorbia characias wulfenii, not just one plant…

But two! Why can’t these stems stand up?

Euphorbia polychroma in a sea of Galium odoratum

Euphorbia griffithii ‘Fireglow’

Surprisingly I managed to photograph a spider too…

Dyckia choristaminea 'Frazzle Dazzle'

I’ve already purchased my Kangaroo Paw for the season. While last year’s model seems to have lived through the winter I’m not so sure it’s feeling up to blooming.

Here’s an oddity, the tiny flowers of Hymenanthera alpina, with a cloudy white sky back-drop.

This is a plant my friend Megan (and plant lust founder) introduced me to, Disporum cantoniense 'Night Heron'…

The foliage is beautiful but the blooms are AMAZING!

This one is Disporum cantoniense 'Green Giant' as you might have guessed greener, less black.

Flowers aren’t the only thing happening right now…is there anything cuter than new little Ginkgo leaves? I’m praying their variegation shows up as they get larger.

My little patch of Lily of the Valley is starting to bloom.

And really, it’s not so little anymore…

I bought a random Rodgersia last summer and planted it somewhere near the Saxifraga x urbium 'Aureopunctata' (London Pride). I keep hunting for its leaves…afraid it’s not going to show up. All my other Rodgersias have made an appearance. It wasn’t until I was trying to photograph the flowers of the Saxifraga…

…that I noticed this, one little leaf, hiding in plain sight! Rodgersia aesculifolia...

I think it’s because I was irrationally expecting brown foliage that I didn’t see it, like on the Rodgersia pinnata ‘Chocolate Wings’ Rodgersia podophylla 'Rotlaub’ (which I clearly need more of because it is HOT!)

Stachyurus salicifolius, love it!

And finally… Sonchus canariensis.

Sure you might think it just looks like a Dandelion…but oh what I would give to have a forest of these growing in my lawn.