Friday, May 17, 2013

Bloomday at the danger garden annex…

It’s been awhile since I’ve claimed the nearby Kennedy School Gardens as the danger garden annex but after walking the grounds earlier this week I was so excited by all the blooming things that I had to share…

It was a drive-by on my way home from grocery shopping that sent me back on a dog-walk, after all the Chilean Fire Bush (Embothrium coccineum) were blooming and I wanted to see them close-up.

There are two trees at the KS, one right behind their sign on Simpson and 33rd (shown above) and this one, near the northeast corner of the building (if you’re in the area and want to see them in person).

I also have two in my garden, but mine couldn’t be called trees, since they’re only about 12” tall. Maybe someday…

Another tiny plant in my garden that has achieved a much larger stature at the KS is this Fremontodendron….

Loaded with flowers!

Blooming Echium pininana (I think)…

And a bloom-spike on their Manfreda undulata 'Chocolate Chip'

Hard to see isn’t it? Here’s a close up of the business end…

This little guy has leaves and flowers like an Echium, but I have no idea what it is.

Beschorneria with a bloom-spike! (Alison if you’re reading this is what I hope you see soon from that Beschorneria I forced on you at the GB plant swap)…

At first I thought those tiny yellow flowers were coming from the sedum, but upon a closer look I see that's not the case, plus no sedum I know has ever bloomed that nicely.

I do love a greenish dogwood blossom. Doesn’t everyone?

Classic color combo.

It kills me that I couldn’t get a better shot of this! I waited and waited for the sun to go behind a cloud but no luck. I believe it’s a Eryngium proteiflorum, the eryngium with a protea like flower…

I’ve never seen one blooming “in real life,” mine died a quick death long before a flower was a possibility.

Knowing there is rarely just one of anything along this border I searched and found another…couldn’t get a good shot of it either.

One more thing…back in my garden I discovered that the KS Manfreda undulata 'Chocolate Chips' isn’t the only one in the neighborhood that’s going to bloom. Mine is too!

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

24 comments:

  1. WooHoo on your very own Manfreda bloom! Thanks for showing me what the Beschorneria looks like in flower. It's going in the gravel garden, but I haven't actually put it in the ground yet, I'm still trying to figure out what the best spot is. I want it up front so it can really show off. I was really happy to see what Embothrium looks like more grown up too. Great flowers, but not a lot of leaves. Or will it leaf out further later in the season?

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    1. There are a few more leaves on the Embothrium later in the season but they are pretty spindly plants, not lush looking.

      I love that Beschorneria so much...I hope yours is as happy in your garden.

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  2. So nice to visit the Kennedy with you again! That echium-like plant might be the 'Tajinaste' echium. Another ID I can offer is on those pale yellow flowers, which remind me of ones I've seen recently from the bulb triteleia. I like the columnar habit of that flannel bush. So much to like!

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    1. Thanks for coming along on the visit, and thank you for the ID's!

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  3. That Fremontodendron is really nice, and how tall is that Echium spike? Wow!

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    1. I'd guess the Echiums are about 5 and 8ft tall...

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  4. AnonymousMay 17, 2013

    The E. proteiflorum flower is exciting!! I've had one for several years and it just seems to be holding on, meaning I'm expecting to kill at any time, and it has never flowered. It seems to be a tricky plant to grow.

    One of my manfredas has a flower spike on it too and this will be the first for a flower outside of the greenhouse.

    Wonderful photos!

    Linda

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    1. Thanks for sharing your E. proteiflorum experience, I'm glad to know it's not just me!

      Must have been the hot/dry weather last summer that has so many manfredas in the PNW happy and blooming? (I'm always looking for a "why"...)

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    2. AnonymousMay 18, 2013

      I was trying to figure out why too. There have been hotter/drier summers and mine didn't bloom the following springs, but perhaps the plants were too small then. I was wondering if the summer-like spring weather triggered it, but perhaps the spike had already started by then - I didn't even notice it on my plant until a few days ago and it's about to flower now. I noticed another one just starting to emerge on a different manfreda yesterday. So far it's a good year for flowers - a dyckia I've had for years finally has a flower spike for the first time, which I'm very excited about!

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  5. The Danger Garden Annex is almost as wonderful as the main garden! Do you notice a lot of humming birds around the Embothrium? Folks say that the hummers love the flowers. Thanks for the fun walk!

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    1. There wasn't a single hummingbird while I was there...but OMG, they LOVE the tall echium flowers (in my garden at least) maybe it's the height that has them extra happy (safer?) but wow they are all over that thing.

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  6. Purple + Chartreuse = Awesome!

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    1. Yes sir...then again I think Chartreuse is awesome with just about everything.

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  7. I'm amazed flannel bush grows so well in Oregon. It's extremely touchy about drainage. I've lost several. Down here they thrive at the top of sun-drenched embankments.

    That embothrium is beautiful!

    Gerhard

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    1. You don't see very many of them (flannel bush) around here so I don't think they grow all that well. This part of the KS gardens has very well draining soil so that's probably why it's so happy...and maybe why mine isn't!

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  8. Linda and I both fell hard for Chilean Fire Bush when we visited Joy Creek. Wouldn't you know they had none for sale? Cistus, here we come.

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    1. Can't wait to read about what else you guys discover, because you can't leave with just what you came for when you visit Cistus.

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  9. There may not be enough real estate in the world for danger garden annexes (anneses?), but it's worth a shot. I really like that Fremontodendron, but I keep forgetting to catch one in Abq in bloom.

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    1. They are very noticeable when in bloom aren't they? Hope you catch one!

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  10. The microclimate at the danger garden annex seems so good to have all those doing so well! No meant feat! The Fremontodendron looks really good there (so is everything else).

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    1. It is a pretty nice microclimate they've got as well as excellent drainage where it's needed. I love having it close enough to wander on an (almost) daily basis.

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  11. I need to find an annex! Great tour. :0)
    David/

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    1. Good luck! The best ones are where all the work is done by others and you just get to enjoy it.

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  12. Wowzer, all gorgeous! love that Beschorneria and the Chilean Fire Bush. The hummingbirds must be all over that one.

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