Fritillaria imperialis
Spring always brings surprises. Leaves that are normally green unfurl red, tight buds open to a flurry of petals and leaves, that which was hidden suddenly smiles at the sun. This is such a plant. This fritillaria seems almost tropical and out of place in our Northern land of daffodils and tulips. It reminds me of a pineapple or a palm tree. A disturber of … Continue reading Fritillaria imperialis
Rhododendrons Uncovered
A quick trip to the nursery last week led to an exciting discovery. I usually pass right on by the rhododendron displays because we have so many of them here in the Northwest. Hundreds and hundreds….thousands…millions…there are a lot of rhodies around here! But these drew my attention immediately because of their striking differences. The Makinoi rhododendron has beautiful lanceolate, almost linear, leaves. They … Continue reading Rhododendrons Uncovered
Fresh New Growth—Yum!
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!
Spring Flowers
A walk around the LWIT Arboretum showed off these beautiful spring flowers. Today I decided there is so much work to do in spring that it should be spread out over the year. What if we put April in August and March in November? Maybe I could get everything done. But we have to leave May in May because it’s the center of spring. Spring … Continue reading Spring Flowers
The Magnolia Walk
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 