Today we're going back to late-June, when I drove up to Vancouver, BC, Canada, for the
Vancouver Hardy Plant Group Study Weekend event. Out of town Study Weekend attendees were able to book dorm pod accommodations on the
University of British Columbia campus, offered at a very reasonable rate. Since I would only be in my room to sleep I figured why not—back to my college years! The view from the tiny balcony off the dorm room kitchen—where I ate take-out dinner my first night in town—was an unexpected bonus.
See the moon? This was the only night I enjoyed a meal on the balcony as the rest of the long weekend was go, go, go...
Both Saturday and Sunday mornings of the event were scheduled full with lectures on the UBC campus. Normally I look forward to plant people talks, but I decided to skip out on them and instead visit a couple of local botanic gardens that were not on the tour schedule. The first,
UBC Botanical Garden, will be the focus of the next three Monday's blog posts.
Just inside the entrance was this stunner of a tree, Carpinus fangiana (monkeytail hornbeam)
When visiting a botanical garden I usually pay attention to how the areas are laid out, and attempt to put up my photos following that same order. Not this time. I wandered up and down the various pathways and mixed everything up. I looked for plant names, but wasn't always successful. I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed wandering...
Paris polyphylla
Couldn't find any ID on this iris but loved the dark purple color.
The rodgersia were still looking lush, it was only June after all.
Magnolia globosa.
Since the flower points down I lifted a branch to get a better look, and surprise! There were critters on the undersides of the leaves.
They look like the
cottony cushion scale I found on my cornus (also in June).
This gorgeous guy is Rhododendron thayerianum.
I had to laugh, I Googled the name to make sure I had it right and what did they show? Flowers. Always with the flowers when you're looking up a rhody, what about that foliage!?!
Critters here too, there are even a couple critters busy making more critters.
Rhododendron calophytum var. calophytum
No name that I could find on this beauty.
Arisaema some-somebody.
Such a fabulous bloom.
Looking oh so much like a daphniphyllum, but is it?
I want to say no, as the texture of the leaves and petioles is so different from the daphniphyllum I know.
NoID
Selaginella? Nope.
Thujopsis dolabrata, commonly known as Hiba arborvitae. Scale is everything and so hard to tell in a photo.
I think this is a magnolia, but haven't a clue which one.
A NoID rhody, such great detail.
Tropaeolum speciosum
And off there in the distant middle, a daphniphyllum for sure, I think maybe the very first I ever saw. Andrew and I visited
here back in 2010 and I fell for it then.
Daphniphyllum macropodum
It's a good one! Come back for more
UBC Botanical Garden goodness next Monday!
All material © 2009-2023 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
This brings back fond memories of a road trip with the whole family. We also stayed in an apartment on campus. The UBC was a personal highlight. So many plants I'd never seen in real life! Looking forward to the next installment.
ReplyDeleteI love Vancouver, so many great memories from time spent there over the years, it was great to be back!
Deletewe were roommates at UBC...until we weren't ; ) I have that Carpinus fangiana in a container...it's maybe 2 1/2 feet tall. Hoping to plant it in the ground this fall. I found it at Keeping it Green Nursery....they often come to the Heronswood plant sales or order online.
ReplyDeleteI too obtained one of those Carpinus spring of 22, it didn’t bloom in the container this spring. I planted it out about a week ago. 🤞🤞 Mary Palmer
DeleteIt was fun seeing you throughout the weekend, even though we didn't end up being dorm pod-mates!
DeleteMary—I hope it is covered in blooms next year!
I for one am glad you skipped the talks to spend time in this marvelous garden. I love that monkeytail hornbeam, a tree I don't think I've ever seen before. I laughed at your commentary on the Rhododendron thayerianum - your complaint is so you but I do appreciate the reason for your annoyance.
ReplyDeleteAs to your rental dorm room, a balcony however tiny sounds remarkable to me. I vaguely remember that my dorm room had one small window but, as my undergraduate alma mater was recently considering a multistory dorm with NO windows in any of the student quarters. I think that plan's been abandoned following a serious onslaught of criticism, at least I hope so.
My favorite dorm room had a huge window looking west and was the tallest building for miles, it was amazing. I can't imagine a dorm building without windows, that's just wrong.
DeleteGreat selection of foliage plants and Rhododendrons, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI hear what you are saying about Google, websites and just showing Rhododendron flowers. It's such a pain.
I am a fan of Daphniphyllum macropodum, they are very cool looking large shrubs/small trees.
Unfortunately my Daphniphyllum macropodum var humile gave up the ghost a couple of weeks. I am not sure what happened to it really. It did give me the chance to put a new shrub in it's place though, well one that I bought from Pan Global Plants last year. I have replaced it with a Viburnum oliganthum 'Kyo Kanzashi'. There isn't much on the internet about them, but it must be pretty tough because it survived -14C whilst in a pot last winter.
So sorry to hear of your Daphniphyllum macropodum demise, glad you've got another plant lined up for the spot.
DeleteSome of my gazillion Canadian relatives went to UBC. They certainly had a beautiful BG to visit. Enjoyed seeing all those to-me exotics. Would be fun to visit as I'd be unfamiliar with just about all the plants. It would all be new.
ReplyDeleteDid there happen to be an Agave? :) I'd assume so!
Yes thank goodness, there was an agave. You'll see it in the third installment.
Deletecan you identify the tall large leaved plant lining the path on the left...6th pic up from the last pic?
ReplyDeleteMight be Petasites japonicus.
Deletelooks like a possibility at least...thanks!
DeleteLoved this garden when I visited many years ago. Fun to get an update.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good one!
DeleteIt's funny how your interests change. I went to UBC for two years and never once set foot in the Botanical or Asian gardens. No interest. Now I am kicking myself for not having visited. They do some wonderful things at the Botanic Garden. Used to religiously watch Canadian Gardening with David Tarrant who was the head honcho at the gardens in the 90's. Nice to see the tradition of great planting lives on.
ReplyDeleteYes! I know what you mean. I lived in Seattle during Heronswood's heyday and made many trips over to the area but never visited. It just wasn't on my radar.
DeleteUsing a dorm pod accommodation is a fun idea, reconnection with your youth, maybe, and oh what a view!
ReplyDeleteI'd skip a few lectures too for a walk in a green paradise that is the UBC botanical garden. With no map, you were free to explore as the spirit and memories moved you.
Arisaema bloom has no rivals!
Looking forward to post parts 2 and 3.
Chavli
Oh I had a map, I just didn't use it! I'm still sunned by arisaema every time I see it.
DeleteThe Rhododendron photo search drives me nuts as well. The flowers pics are nice but geez the plant is just foliage most of the year. I do appreciate your attempts at IDs. Mary Palmer
ReplyDeleteThank you! It's good to know I'm not alone. I understand that people want to see what the flowers look like, but as far as ID it's really the leaves that show what plant you're looking at.
Delete