Friday, January 7, 2011

Pictures from the Lan Su Garden

I made a visit to the Lan Su Garden on Tuesday afternoon, when it was a chilly 34 degrees outside. Taking pictures with your gloves on is not an easy thing to do…and I might as well have taken them off because my fingers had gone numb anyway. But the visit was well worth it, this place has tons of inspiration for adding winter interest to your garden. Case in point this white Camellia blooming just outside the entrance.
They had several plants wrapped to protect from the cold (we’ve had several nights in the low 20’s recently). They looked like lumpy clouds descended upon the landscape.
Have you ever seen such elegant Musa Basjoo wrapping?
My “tour guide” Ryan (of the blog gnomicscience and winner of my recent book give-away…who kindly agreed to meet me here for book hand-over) pointed out that the cool weather may have amplified the color on this Daphniphyllum humile, which would explain why I’ve never noticed it before.
Can you tell the pond was frozen?
They had several bamboo sticks placed around the garden to mark plants that had gone underground for the winter. The tip of what may be a Podophyllum peltatum tip was just emerging behind one.
Another shot of the frozen pond with Winter Jasmine gracefully arching over the water.
Mahonia lomariifolia.
More clouds in a courtyard.
I am always excited to see a Poncirus trifoliata 'Flying Dragon'
I failed to get a good shot of these sweet smelling yellow flowers.
Lysimachia Paridiformis F. Stenophylla, a crush from my last visit to the garden.
This plant (sorry I can’t recall its name) does nothing for me but I love the orange berries.
Can anyone identify this striking “shrub” (such a clumsy word for an elegant plant)?
Here is a close up of the leaves.
These are such impossibly tiny little buds on this Camellia transnokoensis.
Someday I will have a big leaved Rhododendron like this.
I have no name for this other than to call it “curly" and I like it.
More Lysimachia, it looks a little deflated right now but still gorgeous...
plant lust indeed.
I am beginning to understand the appeal of the Edgeworthia.
Here it is again on the left, a bit out of frame, sorry about that. I was just so mesmerized by the sculptural ladder and vine.
Both this Bergenia…
And these Rhododendron leaves were showing the effects of the cold temperatures.
I thought this "multi-level" planting of the bamboo was very well done.
Walking back to my car I spotted this thorned beast.
Which judging by the shape and hint of color to the thorns must be a Wingthorn Rose (Rosa sericea omeiensis f. pteracantha)? I had no idea my plant might get this big!
One last flower before I leave, a scarlet Camellia.
Which was only outdone by this fabulous Yucca.

11 comments:

  1. Visiting the garden with you was lots of fun, and I loved having the chance to point out some of my favorite plants.

    The sweet smelling yellow flowers are Chimonanthus praecox, commonly known as Wintersweet.

    The vine on the ladder was Schizophragma integrifolium, Chinese Climbing Hydragea. It's very striking in early summer with it's pure white sepals, before they start to wither a bit in the sun.

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  2. What a nice outing. I believe every part of the country has been bit to some extreme already this winter. Should make for an interesting gardening season.

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  3. The Lan Su Chinese Garden looks like it's still kickin despite the chilly temps. That M lomariifolia looks quite happy...and one of my faves out in the garden. Still think we need to get one. If I saw right, looks like they are doing some free admission days yet through the weekend. Matti

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  4. Did you go on one of the days when there was no admission? I thought about it, but the last time the art museum did that it was a mob scene. Your virtual tour is the next-best thing.

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  5. Nice post! Even in the middle of winter there's so much of interest at Portland's Chinese Garden.

    I believe the first shrub in question is Metapanax delavayi, and "Curly" is Pittosporum undulatum.

    I hope this helps.

    -Jim

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  6. Great tour! Makes me specially look forward to my tour with Ryan next week. That scarlet camellia with the golden anthers is probably C. sasanqua 'Yuletide'. Sasanquas are wonderful this time of year.

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  7. Ryan, thank you for taking the time!

    Darla, you said it. And I just read one prediction that we (Portland) could get a foot of snow next week. A FOOT! The mind spins.

    Matti, yep...through the weekend. If you guys start driving now you'll make it! (Just be sure to head home in time to miss the snow next week).

    ricki, yes...and it wasn't bad. I think the cold was keeping some away.

    anon/Jim, it's true. I was quite amazed and hope to learn from the visit. Thank you for the i.d.'s!

    Jane, I see you've planned your visit for a similarly cool day. Wear 2 pairs of socks!

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  8. Thanks for taking us along. That ladder planting would not be as pretty if the leaves were on.

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  9. This plant you can’t recall its name is Rohdea japonica.

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  10. I like the look of the wrapped up plants, and you're right that the bamboo is done especially well. There's something pleasing about winterized plants, somehow it makes the gardener's presence stronger and makes it feel more nurturing or something.

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  11. I am way late to the party, but confirmation on the plant ID for Metapanax delavayi, aka Nothopanax delavayi, or Delavay False Ginsing.

    I don't know the variety but I think the orange berries are a Rohdea of some sort. Good for dark shade, I have it on good authority (Mr. Hogan) that they'd be good potted plants in a dark bar. Which of course sold me on the plant and then I got one, with some slight variegation. Mine doesn't look as floppy as the one you captured, that might have been a cold weather behavior.

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