Maytenus boaria after the cold

This Maytenus boaria was undamaged by the recent cold. This is an as yet unnamed clonal form that may be getting a name in the future!

A Christmas Poncirus!

Almost time to take the Christmas decorations off the traditional Christmas Poncirus trifoliata :^)

Two Helwingia after the cold

Helwingia chinensis DJHC 965 (Left) & Helwingia chinensis Norrow Leaf Form (Right)

These observations were also duplicated on plants growing in the garden but these unprotected greenhouse liners show the comparison more clearly. On the left is Helwingia chinensis DJHC 965, it's hardly damaged by the cold. On the right is the Heronswood narrow leaf form showing significantly more cold damage to the foliage.

Tough as old boots!

Nolina sp. La Siberica

This Nolina has been growing in our garden for about 10 years now. This past freeze was it's biggest test to date but it sailed through with no damage! Not believed to be a true cultivar but a collected seedling strain of an unidentified species collected at over 8000' in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon near the town of La Siberica.

The Wonders of Frost Blankets!

Fuchsia magellanica RCH402

Even though I have been using them for years I'm still often surprised by the near magic cold protection to plants given by something as simple as a frost blanket. These late rooted Fuchsia cuttings were still actively growing when the cold weather hit & were covered in tender new growth. The only extra protection they were given in our unheated poly tunnel was being covered with 2 layers of 1.5oz frost blanket. The air temperature above the blankets in the house dropped to 12F but the new foliage underneath was barely damaged!

Grevillea australis - Lookin' good after the Big Freeze!

Grevillea australis

We planted about a dozen different Greavillea into the garden last year as a growing trial to see which ones were hardy & which ones were not! After "The Big Freeze" this one was a bit of a surprise, we expected to see damage on Grevillea australis but it looks completely undamaged. Grevillea rosmarinifolia on the other hand is not looking nearly so good which was also a surprise!

Grevillea rosmarinifolia

The Stats!

The temperature highs & lows from our recent cold spell, if not the coldest then certainly in the top 3 for the last 25 years. Now we keep our fingers crossed & hope for the best!

The Big Cover Up Continues!

We dropped below freezing on 12/04/13 & are still stuck there 5 days  later. It looks like we have at least 2 or three more days to go before the temperature will get above Freezing day or night. Sunday morning temperatures in Western Oregon dropped to their coldest for 20 to 30 years! In our area it was only the second time since I moved here in 1985 that the temperature dropped to 10F (-12C).
We are waiting for warmth!

It's Bloody Cold out there....

Our sulking Schefflera delavayi 

2013/12/08: As I write this at 6:30am on a Sunday morning many of us are waking up to our coldest temps in 20 to 30 years! It's 12.4F (-10.8C) & still dropping! This will be the biggest test yet for many of the plants in the Plantmad Garden including our Schefflera delavayi  which was definitely sulking yesterday morning at 16F.

The Big Cover Up!

We are forecast to have our coldest temps in 3 or 4 years over the next week. Just in case all the frost blankets are out & ready to go!

Calm before the storm!

A couple of years ago we picked up about 10 to 12 Grevillea selections from Ian Barclay at Desert Northwest, we planted them out this year to see how they will do. With the coldest weather in about 4 years forecast to hit this week it looks like we are about to find out!