Wednesday, March 27, 2024

New plants, RSBG and compost that happens...

This is going to be a bit of a long and winding road post. It all makes sense in my head, let's see if I can tell the narrative so it makes sense to you...

This is a photo of the Pseudopanax ferox in my garden back when I thought it had escaped unscathed from our winter storm. 

I was wrong.

It's dying back from the top down, leaves are falling. However, when I do the scratch test about half way down, there is still green. I am holding on to hope that at least part of it is still alive. I may be disappointed.

Because of the widespread (winter-storm caused) death and destruction in this area, I've started to reimagine the plantings. Of course that means buying plants, like this Rhododendron spinuliferum.

I first saw this unusual rhododendron at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden (RSBG), where I passed it up and had regretted it ever since. When I spotted it at Portland Nursery I didn't make that same mistake again. I can't wait to see its orange tubular flowers against the orange wall.  

Last week, when I'd formulated my plan for driving up to visit Old Goat Farm, it occurred to me that since I was going to be so close, well I might as well swing by the nursery at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden too! Truth be told I had been thinking (a lot) about plant I'd passed up when stopped there in February, and so it was. I found myself at the RSBG once again...

Rhododendron strigillosum

I didn't have time to walk the garden, but I did visit a couple of my favorite plants near the entrance, like this Rhododendron platypodum.

And Rhododendron forrestii subsp. forrestii, which despite the fact Roger Gossler has given me this plant TWICE I cannot keep alive in my garden...

Rhododendron 'Ever Red'


Okay I really have no idea what the plant is, but look at that piece of wood!

And how cute is this little guy?

I managed to check in on my longstanding fern crush, Dryopteris polylepis, still stunning even though it's knocked back and yet to flush out new growth.

When I visit this summer (with the Fling) those new fronds will be all flushed out.

Why is nobody growing this fern!?!

Illicium simonsii

Okay... I'm out of time! Time to go pay for my plants and get on the road.

My haul...

On the left Berberis triacanthophora 'Cally Rose' (the spikes and the leaves are the same size!), on the right Rhododendron williamsianum, because the one I have did just fine with our winter madness, and I love those leaves (and honestly hope it never blooms, because yes, they're pink!).

Here's the plant I was hoping they'd still have available, Rhododendron 'Warlock'. I love the purple stems (echoes of the R. spinuliferum I shared at the top of this post) and it's said to have dark, almost black, flowers. Sounds interesting!

I also grabbed another R. sinogrande. My plants did about 50/50 over this last winter nightmare, but up until then had done great. I decided to risk another—after all those big leaves are the bomb!

The next couple of shots are rhododendrons I saw at Old Goat Farm. Since I seem to be on a rhododendron kick it was nice to have validation that they're truly interesting foliage plants. Rhododendron yuefengense (I think I got that ID right).


Another Rhododendron strigillosum...

And this character is Rhododendron asterochnoum (thanks to Camille for ID!)


On Monday I ended my OGF post with a teaser about the nursery and new plants. First we must admire the compost wall (fence) that runs the length of the nursery area.


When I mentioned to Greg that it reminded me of a similar wall I saw in Oakland on a garden visit when I was part of the Pacific Horticulture board of directors... 

...he reminded me that this particular version had been in Pacific Horticulture magazine, a story he wrote...

You can read that story here, although it's a little oddly formatted. Here's a photo borrowed from PH. Greg, the nursery, and the wall are all over 10 years younger here, funny how that happens...

So the plants! I was thrilled to spot Digitalis ferruginea (rusty foxglove) available in the OGF nursery, and lucky me, Greg sent me home with a few of them.

I've had a crush on this plant (but never managed to grow it) ever since it was on the cover of a different issue of Pacific Horticulture, during my time there. 

And that my friends wraps up the story of my 324 mile one-day road trip, new plant acquisitions, and a very fine plant adventure!

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25 comments:

  1. That berberis! Maybe we'll come across another during the fling? Lots of new plant buddies is the best way to deal with a nasty winter.

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    1. Perhaps! I may also be there at the end of May, I'll take a look then.

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  2. I absolutely love that compost fence the guys built. It is so perfect in every way. I am happy to follow you. Thanks for sharing!

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  3. The foliage of Rhododendron spinuliferum brought kangaroo paws (the plant, not the animal) to mind but maybe I'm just fixated at the moment...I'm glad you were able to satisfy your Rhododendron crush so effectively and that you found your Digitalis ferruginea too. I grew the latter in my former tiny garden and loved it but it's not something I ever see in local garden centers. I've come across seeds for sale on occasion but I'm lazy...

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    1. Hmmm, I think you're fixated, not that that's a bad thing. Greg did mention to me that Digitalis ferruginea is easy from seeds, but in such a cramscaped garden as mine it's hard for seeds to find a foothold.

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  4. Thank you for posting all of those Rhododendrons, they are very cool. I think that some of them are available in the UK, but not all of them, maybe in a few year's time!

    I am pleased to see that you bought a 'Cally Rose'. I have a few small ones out in my front garden. I am looking forward to them getting bigger.

    Talking about big 'Cally Rose' plants, when I was down at Cally Gardens last summer or the summer before I bumped into the Mother plant, well at least that is what the owner said.

    It had originally been collected by Michael Wickenden and planted out in his garden. The current owner, Kevin Hughes, thinks it is the original one. I will send you a video via Instagram. When I saw it, it was covered in bees and other flying insects :)

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    1. I am a little terrified of just how big that plant appears to be Adam! I will definitely be in trouble if mine ever approaches that size.

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  5. I also check out favorites at the RSBG and it always includes a stop at Rhododendron 'Ever Red'. Mine is a painfully slow grower and I can only wonder how long before it's going to looks like theirs.
    Rhododendron spinuliferum is lovely and orange blooms will be amazing with the garage wall. My R. williamsianum also survived winter with flying colors too (thankfully, the blooms don't last very long).
    You picked many tough evergreens so next winter shouldn't be as devastating.
    Chavli

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    1. I'm glad you have one! (ever red) I finally scored on last spring but it died before I could even get it in the ground. I figure with my tough new plant additions next winter will probably warm...

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  6. I think that I have an idea about the plant on the cool piece of wood. It may be Heloniopsis tubiflora ‘Temple Blue’ BSWJ#956. It is in the Spring catalog for RSBG. I might buy one in the future but my budget for this catalog has already been blown. Thanks for the great post!

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    1. I think you are probably right, it's so easy to blow your budget at the RSBG!

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  7. Nurseries, botanical gardens, and plant buying. Can't find fault with that combination.

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  8. You know how to travel! From garden to nursery to another nursery.

    Pink flowers, really? You can always do like Morticia Addams does, and cut them off.

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  9. I had literally never grown Digitalis in a garden (intentionally;-)) in over 40 years of gardening. last week I planted two: D. grandiflora 'Carillon' and D. obscura!
    -artinnature

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  10. So many different varieties of rhodo. I grew up with the usual big shrubs in gaudy colours and never really liked them. However, the foliage on some of these other species is pretty cool. Just remember plant death equates with being able to put in new plants. Helps heal the wounds.

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    1. Me too! We had two of those big hideous monsters when we moved in here. It took me awhile to appreciate what rhododendrons could be.

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  11. Love the road trip and all the purchases. Now for the fun part! Planting!

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    1. I am looking forward to that part... soon... (one more big plant sale to get through first).

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  12. I've studiously ignored rhodies for probably decades. Not really in love with the basic types. I have 2 bog-standard ones arborized and reworked regularly. I could use some new shrubs and these are making me rethink them. I do like sturdy harder to kill things as a background. And I NEEED that tiny one, pink flowers or not!

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  13. A perfect day, really! I hope your Pseudopanax ferox survives. Gorgeous rhododendron leaves.

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  14. Well, there are rhodies...and then there are rhodies!!! I'm on a quest for tomentum, myself.
    -artinnature

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