Plants doing exceptionally well (and one that's still not)

As I've written about (at length), last winter was a nightmare, there was so much plant death. However, on the flip side, I've noticed there are a few plants in the garden that are doing exceptionally well this year. Why? I attribute their happiness to the consistent rain this spring, rain that alternated with nice warm sunny days. There wasn't too much of either, just enough of both to get plants growing. There's also increased open airy sky—aka sunlight. Plant death means increased light for the nearby plants that live.

Galium odoratum, sweet woodruff, came with me from my Spokane garden (hitchhiked with another plant), and went in the ground back in 2005. It had all but disappeared, only a leaf or two showing up, that is until this year.

I suppose rather than look at its reappearance as a good thing, I should probably be terrified that a plant can lay in wait for over a decade, and then pop up all lush and happy almost over night.

Speaking of things showing up unexpectedly, see those terracotta shards on the lower right (above). My garden has been producing terracotta bits for years. Sometimes it's when I dig, but most of the time they just show up on the surface of the soil in unexpected places.

Another green ground cover, Soleirolia soleirolii (baby's tears), is also doing fantastic.

I never would have dreamt this Zone 9 plant—that I stuck in the ground on a whim—would have lived through last winter and look so good now.

I planted these Blechnum chilense (Parablechnum cordatum, the Chilean hard fern) back in 2020 and they promptly died back, or perhaps were chomped on by rabbits, or both.

Last year I think there may have been one sickly sad little leaf from each plant.

But this year!

Wowsa, it's beginning to look like I'm going to get the Blechnum chilense planting I intended back when I planted them.

Nearby is my Rhododendron pachysanthum. The new foliage starts out white frosted...

And then slowly turns cinnamon, it's in the process in the photo below. This is one that's definitely appreciating the increased light levels.

And a plant that's appreciated the rain that's fallen further into the season, Rodgersia, I think perhaps R. rotlaub. Those big leaves are just so fabulous...

Without equal, actually.

One more happy plant surprise, I bought this NoID orchid years ago, on sale. It was budded up and I figured "why not?". When the flower faded I hung onto the plant, because the foliage was interesting. Eventually I worked the plant into the bromeliad panels I made back in 2022 (very little soil, mostly growing in moss, hanging on the fence in summer, in the basement in the winter). Not only has that orchid lived, but it's going to bloom. Pretty fabulous!

Mahonia x media 'Marvel' made a quick recovery from its winter damage.

I have three marvels and they're all looking good.

The sad plant in the mix is another mahonia, Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress', it's still not doing so well. 

I have (or rather had) five of them; three plants that are just a couple years old and had overheard protection in the form of trees, and two plants that had been planted out in garden for 10 plus years, but were in the path of extremely high (frigid) wind. The young but "protected" plants (above and below) are finally pushing out new leaves, but one of the oldies was recently tossed, it was either dead, or at least dead to me. Bye-bye.

We're going on a bit of a detour before we get to the fourth Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress', and taking a look at the Mahonia eurybracteata 'Indianola Silver'. That's it dead center of the photo below, with the beautiful flush of pearly green new growth...

This plant was knocked back just as harshly as the 'Soft Caress', but it's rebounded much quicker. My two other "silver" Mahonia eurybracteata, 'Cistus Silvers' have also pushed out new growth, proving they're better adapted to my growing conditions.

Since my fifth 'Soft Caress' was nothing but a curvy stump...

I decided to make the trip out to Cistus and buy a couple of 'Silvers' to replace it, of course when I went to dig out the stump just two days later, this is what I saw... new growth!

The timing!

I went ahead and cut back the stump to the new growth point, and then planted the three Mahonia eurybracteata, 'Cistus Silvers' I bought nearby. Since they're seed-grown they all differ greatly. Those bright green leaves belong to one of the new plants...

They should develop a bit more of a silver cast as they age.

And here are the other two. It will be interesting to see how they all grow, and what future winters hold for them all.

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