Do you want to grow gunnera but your climate is too cold? Then Astilboides tabularis is a good alternative. It has some of the largest leaves you can grow in colder climates and it makes a strong statement in any garden. Most people who visit my garden are unfamiliar with the plant and find it very exotic. Its leaves are an odd round shape that reminds one of an umbrella or table top. They easily reach 60-90 cm (2-3 feet) in diameter.
I walked outside a few days ago and immediately spotted my monster foxglove. It is a cream yellow, growing in a fairly shady spot where the color just glows. But what made it really stand out is the large uncharacteristic flower at the top of the inflorescence (flower stem).
After a bit of work on the computer, I learned that this is a rare peloric mutation.
Origanum ‘Kent Beauty’ is a wonderful little plant for the rock garden. It is not a show stopper, nor does it have big flashy flowers, but it does have a very unique look that gets people talking. It requires almost no care and has few pests.
The last plant to start flowering in my zone 5 garden is Allium thunbergii ‘Ozawa’, the Japanese onion. As I write this it is October 26, 2014 and we have not had a real hard frost yet which is very unusual. Most common fall flowering plants like mums are finished flowering but the Japanese onion is still going strong. It is not bothered by early frost or snow.
Dictamnus albus, the gas plant, always makes a big splash in the garden when it is flowering and even when it is not flowering it is a very interesting plant with good leaf structure. Even the star-shaped seed heads are interesting. So why is this plant not seen more in gardens? It is very slow growing and I think it costs nurseries too much to get it to a saleable size. Fashions have also changed and this fantastic plant has been left behind in favor of more modern plants. That is a real shame since few garden plants will match the presence of a mature Dictamnus.
Planting perennials may seem easy but there is more to it than you realize. Planting correctly will ensure larger and healthier plants in the long term.
Yucca glauca, an agave, is the hardiest yucca growing from Alberta, Canada all the way to Texas. You will either love or hate this plant depending on your appetite for desert-like plants. I love them for their spiky leaves and fantastic flowers. They are extremely drought tolerant and easy to grow.
Water lilies (Nymphaea species) are extremely valuable to the pond. They not only look great and flower well, but the floating leaves provide shade, eliminating the light needed by algae. They also provide a hiding place for fish and other water creatures. Water lilies should cover half of the open water space to help maintain a balanced ecosystem. They do best in quiet water, so keep them away from fountains and waterfalls.
It is late June in the shady garden and out of nowhere appears a spotted finger sticking out of the ground. It grows quickly unfolding a huge tripartite shinny leaf. Each lobe is almost as large as my hand. But the real treasure is hidden below the leaf – a striped cobra that needs to be seen to be believed.
Aconitum x cammarum ‘Bicolor’ is a special summer blooming monkshood. In zone 5, it blooms mid to late August at a time when other plants are slowing down. It can grow in full sun or heavy shade making it ideal for almost any garden.
An unusual clematis that forms a low bush of very fragrant flowers. Clematis mandshurica makes a great addition to your garden.
Hylomecon japonica is a fairly rare plant that is miss-identified frequently on the internet and in seed exchanges. The AGS seedex has been sending out the wrong seeds for a number of year and discussions on their forum make it clear that getting seed from the right plant has been a global problem (ref 1).
Instead of receiving Hylomecon japonica seed, it is common to get seed from one of the other wood poppies. Since I grow Hylomecon japonica and it’s 3 imposters I decided to prepare a complete review of the plants, and provide a list of features that will allow people to clearly identify their plants.
All of the details are based on my plants which represents a limited set of clones. If your findings disagree with mine, please let me know by leaving a comment.
