October 2009 Plant Profile: Eryngium leavenworthii

October 1st, 2009 by Soest Gardener, Riz Reyes

Photo by Jennifer Youngman

Recommended by our own restoration ecologist, Kern Ewing, who saw this species at a restoration site in Texas, seed was obtained and sown as an experiment and transplanted into Bed 6 of the Soest Garden where it has thrived and looked absolutely spectacular as it began to do its thing. Considered an annual or short lived perennial; this striking sea holly flowers very late in the season producing a profusion of thistle-like silvery blooms that mature to a fluorescent violet pink. It is set off beautifully with the changing warm colors of autumn. It seems to have thrived in the heat of full sun, excellent drainage and minor competition amongst other perennials in the bed. Somewhat straggly in habit; this indicates that it’s growing in too rich of a soil.

Common Name: Leavenworth Eryngo
Location: Bed 6
Family:Apiaceae
Origin: South Central USA
Height: 15-30″
Spread: 15-20″
Bloom Time: Late Summer-Fall
Bloom Type/Color: Silver – violet/pink
Exposure: Full Sun
Water/Soil: Dryish soils , well drained in lean soil without too much organic matter.

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September 2009 Plant Profile: Tricyrtis ‘Taipei Silk’

September 1st, 2009 by Soest Gardener, Riz Reyes

Probably because of the common name of “Toad Lily”, Tricyrtis is a genus that is still highly underutilized in the fall landscape. They are adaptable, easy to grow and just require moist shade and protection from slugs. While some selections tend to be somewhat floppy and unattractive, ‘Taipei Silk’ stays relatively tidy and in late summer into early fall, it is absolutely loaded with deep purple buds and lovely 1″ blooms that burst open to reveal a lovely blend of violet pink, blending to white in the center with a hint of blue at the tips. It is just an outstanding transitional summer-fall flowering perennial.

Common Name: Taipei Silk Toad Lily
Location: Bed 1 and the Miller Library Beds
Family: Liliaceae
Origin: Garden Origin
Height: 15-30″
Spread: 20-25″
Bloom Time: Late Summer-Fall
Bloom Type/Color: Violet pink with white
Exposure: Part – Full Shade
Water/Soil: Well drained, but consistently moist.

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August 2009 Plant Profile: Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’

August 1st, 2009 by Soest Gardener, Riz Reyes

If there was a so called “workhorse” perennial in the late summer into fall garden, it would have to be the Perennial Plant Association’s 1999 Perennial Plant of the Year Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’. Beginning in late August, these so-called Black-Eyed Susans, begin to burst into bloom atop stiff, upright stems that are perfect for cutting or leaving on the plant as the dried stems and remaining seedheads are not only striking to look at in the winter landscape, they provide food to various birds and other wildlife. They are hardy, disease and pest resistant, and so very easy to grow! A full sun garden in incomplete without this dependable perennial.

Location: Bed 8 and South Slope
Family: Asteraceae
Origin: Eastern North America
Height: 2.5-3 ft.
Spread: 3 ft.
Bloom Time: August-September
Bloom Color: Deep Yellow
Sun: Full Sun
Water: Medium-Low moisture. Various soil conditions.

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July 2009 Plant Profile: Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora ‘Coleton Fishacre’

July 1st, 2009 by Soest Gardener, Riz Reyes

Crocosmia Coleton Fishacre

Much sought after for its cool grey green bronzy foliage and warm sunny flowers; it fits into just about any perennial border scheme. This prolific bloomer is a bit early this year due to the extreme heat wave we’re enduring, but what a show it’s putting on in Bed 5 surrounded by pink tickseed (Coreopsis rosea) and set off beautifully with Giant Feather Grass (Stipa gigantea) and blue balloon flowers (Platycodon grandiflorum) in the back. Monbretias are wonderful summertime “fillers” in the landscape. Growing from underground corms (very similar to a gladiola) they are valuable in adding texture and a riot of warm colors where needed. ‘Coleton Fishacre’ has been one of the more reliably hardy cultivars with more tidy growth habit and flowering stems that don’t require staking unlike it’s more popular and readily available relative ‘Lucifer’.

Common Name: Montbretia
Location: Bed 5
Family: Iridaceae
Origin: Garden Origin (species originate from S. Africa)
Height: Plant can reach about 18-24 inches
Spread: Can form clumps 1-3ft. wide depending on how thickly you plant the corms.
Bloom Time: Mid-Summer
Bloom Type/Color: Arching racemes of yellow-orange flowers.
Exposure: Full Sun
Water/Soil: Well drained, moderately moist.

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June 2009 Plant Profile: Datisca cannabina

June 1st, 2009 by Soest Gardener, Riz Reyes

A stately new plant for plant collectors in the Pacific Northwest, this very elegant perennial is marginally hardy for some, but it has survived our harsh winter with flying colors as the plant (a one gallon specimen only a year ago) towering near 10ft with the most incredible pendulous racemes. It was probably best planted in the middle of the bed or used behind a border, but it’s quite enchanting to walk through the massive stalks and elegant flowers that sway in the gentle breezes. A plant to certainly look out for (if you’ve got the room for it, of course!)

Common Name: False Hemp
Location: Bed 4
Family: Datiscaceae
Origin: S. Europe to Western Asia
Height: Plant can reach about 8-10 ft. tall
Spread: 5-10 ft wide.
Bloom Time: Early Summer
Bloom Type/Color: Insignificant individual white flowers on very long (12 inches) pendulous racemes. Flowers are dioecious
Exposure: Full Sun – Part Shade
Water/Soil: Well drained, moderately moist.

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May 2009 Plant Profile: Beschorneria septentrionalis

May 1st, 2009 by Soest Gardener, Riz Reyes

Dubbed as the “False Red Agave”, this Mexican native is slowly making a presence as a architectural, hardy perennial plant for the Pacific Northwest. We received this as a donation from Far Reaches Farms (www.farreachesfarm.com) and decided to grow it in a container. Fearing that it didn’t survive our exceptionally cold and wet winter, it came through just fine in a sheltered location. I moved it out into the Soest garden up against the hedge where it benefits from the radiated heat from the path and gravel to produce several stalks of bright red-pink with campanulate red flowers with a greenish tip. It is becoming more and more readily available; a hybrid selection called ‘Ding Dong’ is quite prominent. This is definitely a conversation starter!

Location: Container in the Soest Garden
Family: Agavaceae
Origin: Mexico
Height: Plant is about 1.5 ft. tall and the flower stalks reach 4-5 ft.
Spread: Forms a clump to 1 meter wide after several years
Bloom Time: Early Summer
Bloom Color: Pale read with green shades
Exposure: Full Sun
Water/Soil: Require little water when established, but can take moist rich soil as long as drainage is optimal.

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April 2009 Plant Profile: Muscari armeniacum

April 1st, 2009 by Soest Gardener, Riz Reyes

A somewhat rampant, but stunningly beautiful spring bloomer when planted in mass, this grape hyacinth creates a stunning drift of blue and once established in the garden, it is relatively care free and comes back reliably each year. In the South Slope of the Soest Garden , it has spread happily and looks absolutely smashing with the dried foliage of Japanese Blood Grass (Imperata cylindrica ‘Red Baron’) as shown.

Location: South Slope (behind bench underneath Nandina domestica (Heavenly bamboo))
Family: Hyacinthaceae
Origin: Southeastern Europe
Height: 4-7”
Spread: 2-3 inches per bulb. Naturalizes easily
Bloom Time: Spring
Bloom Color: Pale-Medium Blue/Purple
Sun: Part Sun
Water/Soil: Medium moisture and amended soil with organic matter. Fairly drought tolerant and carefree once established.

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March 2009 Plant Profile: Omphalodes verna

March 1st, 2009 by Soest Gardener, Riz Reyes

A charming, but rarely utilized spring ephemeral puts on a show in late March and well into May. This creeping member of the borage family thrives in a wide variety of soil types and prefers part-full shade to dappled light. The straight species is an ethereal blue, while the white form brings frothy frosty white flowers in profusion. It has been an outstanding perennial for dry shade with its shallow root system and it thrives growing under trees. O. verna is best used as a mass verses a specimen planting. The result is far more dramatic especially if interplanted with spring flowering bulbs.

Location: Bed 7 and Dry Shade Garden under large Oak.
Family: Boraginaceae
Origin: Central- Southeast Europe
Height: 4-6”
Spread: Can spread indefinitely, but moist clumps stay around 2-3ft. wide
Bloom Time: Early Spring
Bloom Color: Blue form and white form
Sun: Part Sun – Full Shade
Water/Soil: Medium moisture and amended soil with organic matter. Fairly drought tolerant and carefree once established.

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February 2009 Plant Profile: Euphorbia ‘Glacier Blue’

February 1st, 2009 by Soest Gardener, Riz Reyes

Of all the variegated selections of Euphorbia charcias, ‘Glacier Blue’ is the best among all of them because of its tidy habit and its reliability as an evergreen perennial in the landscape; other cultivars just aren’t as long lived. It flowers in early spring with the typical chartreuse bracts that seemingly get lost in the grayish-blue foliage frosted in icy white. It looks stunning by itself or combined with other evergreen perennials such as black mondo grass, Heucheras, heathers, and is simply smashing with bright reds and other contrasting colors. ‘Glacier Blue’ does exceptionally well in containers as well.

Common Name: Mediterranean Spurge
Location: Soest Garden-Bed 6
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Origin: Garden Origin
Height: 15-18″
Spread: 18-20″
Bloom Time: Spring
Bloom Type/Color: Campanulate yellow-green bracts
Exposure: Full Sun
Water/Soil: Well drained with moderate moisture. Very drought tolerant once established.

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January 2009 Plant Profile: Helleborus niger ‘Josef Lemper’

January 1st, 2009 by Soest Gardener, Riz Reyes

Probably one of the most popular plants to grace each winter display at every retail nursery at this time of year has to be Helleborus niger ‘Josef Lemper’. This plant was a donation to us from Skagit Gardens and T & L Nusery, who

both seemed to highly recommend it last season hence the double donation, and now here it is at its peak. The first blossoms opened well before Christmas and now in January, it continues to form buds and show off its pristine pure white flowers and bright yellow stamens. To set them off, the foliage is evergreen and highly attractive on this hardy and vigorous plant. When it’s not putting on this tremendous winter show, it simply hangs out amongst other perennials that seem to grow over it throughout the spring and summer, but as their companions lose their tops of the winter, “Josef” perks up and is right on queue! A definite “must have” for the winter garden or container!

Common Name: Christmas Rose
Location: Soest Garden – Bed 2
Family: Ranunculaceae
Origin: Garden Origin
Height: 8-11″
Spread: 12-15″
Bloom Time: Winter
Bloom Type/Color: Pure white with bright yellow stamens, fades to pink/green
Exposure: Part Shade
Water/Soil: Well drained with moderate moisture.

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