P is for Anemone?

Pulsatilla vulgaris formerly Anemone pulsatilla, common name Pasque Flower


This image is of the seed pod that comes out later in the Spring after the flowers have gone. The flowers themselves are as showy as the seed pods (though don't look quite as alien) and emerge as an early sign of Spring, providing the name Pasque as associated with Easter.  After doing a little research on this species, I am more inclined towards the seed bud than the actual flower itself though both are attractive. The plants themselves stay pretty low, about 6", with the seed pods reaching up to 18". 

K is for Kerria

Happy Bastille Day!

To celebrate, a plant from Japan? I know, but at least the blooms kind of resemble fireworks.

Kerria is an airy prostrate shrub of attractive habit. Once mature, the shrub will take more of an arching form.  It is deciduous, but comes back in Spring with these gorgeous little yellow blooms of about two inches in diameter.

How can you not be happy when looking at this little flower?

J is for Juncus

Juncus effusus

also known as Soft Rush or Corkscrew Grass. I was first introduced to this by my stepmother who planted it in an urn at the center of a pond. It was/is such a novel sculptural specimen.

Juncus is kind of a really cool genus, with species that thrive with wet feet and brackish water. They were definitely a plant of choice for my Ecological Restoration class. J. patens is a native to California and Oregon and is more drought tolerant than other species...it just doesn't get the crazy spiral stems.

I is for Ipomea

and I really find myself wanting to say Ipanema and be on a beach in Brazil.

 The flower belongs to I. indica and the vine leaves are I. batatas.

In particular Ipomea batatas, commonly Sweet Potato Vine, or Ipomea indica, commonly Blue Dawn Flower, but the genus has upwards of 500 species including many morning glories. The ornamental trailing vine I am writing about has leaves ranging from a vibrant chartreuse to a deep bronzy purple. Good in full sun to partial shade. I have been using these in a lot of the planters at work because of the size/shape/colors of the leaves and their tolerance of sun conditions.

H is Heuchera

These shade tolerant, evergreen clumps come in a rainbow of colors, deep greens and purples to light shades of apricot and have a characteristic wisp of a stem providing support to airy clusters of little flowers. Also known as Coral Bells, their foliage is particularly suited for bringing bright color to areas of shade.

G is for Gilia

Gilia capitata (Blue Thimble Flower)

Native to California, this flower reminds me of a firework display. Which is why it is getting the Fourth of July Spot. Last year I had made some vanilla and strawberry cupcakes (white and red) and all I needed was a little blue. I looked through much of New York and not a Bachelor Button or Thimble Flower was to be found, strange to me mainly because they are so prevalent here. This year my lack of blue was not to be repeated so I planted some blue firework flowers of my own to be my cupcake toppers. While not toxic, I do not believe these are particularly tasty or edible.

Fourth of July Cupcakes

Filling Recipe

1 cup strawberries (or other red berry), chopped into 1/2" pieces

2 Tbs Honey

1 Lemon, juiced

Mix in bowl and let macerate while preparing cake mixture.

Betty Crocker Cake Recipe (If you don't want to use a box. Boxes are fine, just add a little extra vanilla or almond extract for additional flavor)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla (I add a lot more flavor, a little St. Germain, a little anise extract and much more vanilla)
4 egg whites

Heat oven to 350. Mix everything but the eggs for about 30 seconds in mixer (if by hand, until ingredients are just combined). Add eggs and mix until batter an even/smooth consistency.

Before baking, evenly distribute cake mixture to about halfway up muffin tin. Place a spoonful of the filling in the middle of each well on top of the cake mixture. Bake for about 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and let cool.  Frost if desired with a white frosting, I prefer sour cream personally, then top with a Blue Firework bloom like a Bachelor Button (Centaurea cyanus) or Blue Thimble Flower (Gilia capitata).

Happy Fourth of July! May you enjoy many fireworks and festivities.

F is for Fig Tree

Ficus carica

Those lovely gnarled trees, the itchy leaves and those amazingly sweet and sticky fruits perfect for childhood war games. It is the equivalent of getting honey in your hair, not a pleasant experience but oh-so-fun while getting there.

Fig trees have a special place in my heart and not just because my cousins and I would torment each other with them. I grew up in a neighborhood appropriately named Old Fig Garden. There were a lot of fig trees and my grandparents house, like many in the area, was situated in what many decades ago had been a fig orchard and they still had some remnant specimens. To this day, I love that back yard and I love those fig trees. Ah, shucks.

So, enough mushiness. Ficus carica...

E is for Euphorbia

Ever since I began my current employment I have been admiring the Eurphorbia. They are just cool. Very striking, their bracts (plant parts that kind of look like flowers but are not, think Dogwoods and Hydrangea) and kind of look like something from Dr. Seuss. They are also listed to be deer and gopher resistant, drought tolerant and like full sun and heat. The downer, they also have a sap that may irritate the skin. I say just don't get it on you and enjoy its beautiful form.

D is for DAHLIA!

Sorry for the enthusiasm, but these are by far my favorite flower.  These images are but a few of the multitude of varieties, and not even the most interesting (but these are my own pictures...for some super cool examples The American Dahlia Society has a treasure trove of information and images).  The Dahlia family is a Central American (primarily Mexico and Guatemala) arm of the larger Aster family. They like full sun (partial shade in really hot areas), regular water and long walks on the beach.

Tree Dahlias (Dahlia imperialis) are some of the most awe-inspiring variety of the family. As with all Dahlias, they are tuberous perennials but D. imperialis will grow up to 20 feet in a matter of months. The ones at my aunts house have reached their maximum height and are blooming in time of Thanksgiving. The flowers are beautiful, a lovely light shade of purple with a bright orange center, but it is the rapid rate of growth that is truly amazing, dying back to the ground every year.

How can you not smile when you see one of these gorgeous blooms?

C is for Cotinus coggygria

Smokebush.  Both botanical and common names are kind of awesome and it's an even more awesome plant. Still, C was a hard choice because there are many cool plant species with C names: Ceanothus, Cedrus, Cercis (any of them but occidentalis in particular), Choisya to name a few.

Cotinus coggygria is native to Austrailia but is used as an ornamental shrub in much of the United States. Very, very hardy, taking temperatures down to negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit and tolerant of abuse, acclimating to drought, heat and poor soil conditions. The smokebush has an attractive open and airy habit, reaching upwards to 20' and has wispy blooms providing for the name in late spring.

B is for Berberis thunbergii

I cannot tell a lie, the sole reason I picked this species is because I think the names is kind of funny. Yes, I am mature.

Photos: Uncredited Mississippi State University Arboretum and gardensandplants.com

Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpea', commonly Red Leaf Japanese Barberry, is as the name suggests, a hybrid from Japan. Included in many invasive species and Do Not Plant lists, particularly those from the Eastern United States, it is still commonly used as an ornamental on the West Coast where it does not appear to be as successfully dominant. As with many plants, if you decide to include this in a planting plan or garden, just be aware of its potential and keep an eye on it.

I love the wording Sunset uses to describe the shrub: "a graceful habit with slender, arching, spiny branches." It is suggested for use as an informal barrier hedge or specimen shrub for a pop of color. It is tolerant of environmental extremes for those difficult planting areas.

A is for Acanthus

Plant Alphabet: It's been done before but never with a collection of my favorite plants. This is my plant alphabet.

My first subject is Acanthus mollis (Bear's Breach)

Especially of interest at this moment as it is in bloom all over the Bay Area. It is a large, shade tolerant shrub, with attractive foliage and very cool spikes of white and dark purplish coloring. The shrub itself can get up to 4' tall and 6' wide, with the flowering stalks growing up to 8' tall.

I like the Acanthus, not only for its lovely structural value (and yes, that does sound pompous to me too), but it also fills a much needed void for large leafed, shady shrubs that are not Ferns, Rhodies or Hydrangeas. It is also Evergreen/Semi-Deciduous depending on where it is making its home.

Interesting trivia note for all you Architecture nerds: the Acanthus leaves can be found on the Corinthian Column.

Alien Flower

I don't know about you, but I saw this on a walk the other day and definitely thought aloud that this specimen could not be from this planet. A gift from Mars perhaps? Maybe Saturn? All I know is that this photo does not do justice to how incredibly blue the stamens were.

Alas, it is a Clematis but that is as far as I could find in my brief internet search. Anyone know the name of this one?

By Request: White Plants in White Blocks

My White Sage in the cinder block planter. I hadn't realized how pink the cinder blocks were until I planted the more yellowish sage. I had fun building my little planter and I think it would be super cool to do this on a larger scale at some point, I just need to find a place to do it.

There will be no pictures of this past trip to LA, not that they are not internet appropriate (of course not), it's just there were no outside shots taken.

White(ish) Plants

It might sound a bit odd, but I have been in love with white plants lately. I find myself gawking at their lovliness, in particular the bottom right corner, Canary Island White Sage (Sideritis oroteneriffae). I have been thinking that it would be cool to get some of these, mix in some white succulents and using concrete cinder blocks in various stacked forms as the planters. I think this might be truly awesome or one of those ideas that you live and learn. If I try it, I will post some pictures.

Top Left: Unidentified Succulent
Top Right: ARTICHOKE! Not only a super interesting plant but a tasty vegetable to boot. Yum.
Bottom Left: Another unidentified Succulent
Bottom Right: Canary Island White Sage

From Seattle with Love

The Spring flowers are out in force and the Star Magnolia's and Daphne's are putting on a splendid and fragrant show. There is also this shrub I have been seeing but I have no clue what it is called, all I know is that the new foliage looks like little neon winged creatures landing on the naked branches. In the woodlands they are rather striking. I love this area.

Rhodies

In honor of my heading up to the great Northwest, I am posting some pictures of some cool Rhododendrons (Washington's State Flower). These are not Washington's Coastal Rhododendrons but their giant Himalayan cousins.

 

I took these pictures a few years ago on a trip to Sikkim in Northeastern India. It was beautiful and magical and had some of the nicest people I have ever met. Well worth the multi-day train rides, buses, special travel permits and days of hiking.