I love the foliage on this bottlebrush shrub. It’s almost between a conifer and a deciduous plant, smooth and shiny green. And evergreen. I like it and I didn’t even get to see the beautiful flowers, which are crimson red and larger than other varieties. This plant is sold by Monrovia and grows in zones 8-11. It’s compact and grows eight feet high and … Continue reading New Variety—Scarlet Torch Bottlebrush
Last week the blossoms were just opening on the Snowbell tree, or Styrax japonica. The bees were humming through the air, the sun was sparkling….it was a glorious day! I was so excited to immerse myself in in the world of the snowbell tree, so I tried to capture the moment with this video. My novice video-taking skills leave much to be desired, but … Continue reading Snowbell Song
Today as I was admiring the fresh new growth on my Japanese Maple and saw something disturbing. The buds were just breaking open with our warming April weather, unfurling delicious colors that were vibrant with life. It must have been a signal to the Japanese Maple-eating pests, the dinner bell was ringing! There were little black dots all over these new leaves. Black … Continue reading Fresh New Growth—Yum!
Star magnolias are in bloom and I’m spotting them everywhere. Since we’ve moved into our new house in the backwoods of King County, we’ve started exploring the neighborhood. It’s always fun to walk around a new neighborhood and check out the plants. While my kids are staring at the dog in the driveway I can’t take my eyes off of the well-placed alpine fir. Others … Continue reading The Magnolia Walk
Rainyleaf 