Spring ephemerals. I love this name. It makes me think of wildflowers and dragonflies. Tissue paper and birthdays. Raindrops and moonlight. The name refers to those short-lived spring flowers that make a momentary yet glorious appearance in the early spring and go dormant in the summer. Trillium is a well-known spring ephemeral, but there are many others that I was recently introduced to at the … Continue reading Spring Ephemerals
On a recent early morning outing to the Bellevue Botanical Gardens I enjoyed seeing the winter garden. The plants that really stood out for me were the grasses. Most were drying and golden brown, but the texture and shape was outstanding. While many plants drop their leaves and disappear below the frosty substrate, the grasses are standing tall. They are moving and sparkling in the … Continue reading Winter Interest Plants
I like this photograph. I took it in Canada this summer and the first few times I looked at it, I was on the verge of hitting the delete button. Fuzzy! Out of focus, there is nothing to see, I thought. Then one day it popped up on my computer and I saw it with a different eye. Suddenly the crisp and clear flowers from … Continue reading Nodding Onion
We need flowers year round. It just makes life a little bit better. Tricyrtis is a perennial that blooms for us during August, September and October and can grow in partial shade. Exciting, right? When I saw this one blooming it had an abundance of flowers that were dripping off the stem. A nice contrast to the bright, warm colors of echinacea and rudbeckia. … Continue reading Toad Lily
Wild Swan Anemone is like a graceful dancer in delicate shades of creamy white and pale lavender. With so many fall colors of vibrant orange, yellow and pink, it’s refreshing to have a performer in soft white twirl across the stage. Winner of the 2011 Plant of the Year award at the Chelsea Flower Show, Wild Swan grows in zones 6-8 in part shade to … Continue reading Wild Swan Anemone
Rainyleaf 