Hard at work....

Chiyoko was hard at work all day pulling grafted Wisteria orders for Spring Shipments.

More signs of Spring...

This weeks signs of Spring in the garden are our favorite Cornus mas cultivar 'Spring Glow'

 

Also Sycopsis sinensis the "Fig Hazel" this China Native of the Witch Hazel Family doesn't have the show stopping flowers of the Hamamelis but they are certainly worth a second look & the plant is reliably evergreen down to zone 7.

Sarcococa

You kind of have to get down on your knees to enjoy the winter flowers on Sweetbox. But it worth making the effort! We picked up this unnamed species from Woodlanders Nursery back in 2002 and it's been growing happily under our Doug Firs ever since.

Time to get back to work!

 Helleborus nigercors 'Honeyhill Joy'

Well after a long winter break, it's time to get back to work! We have finally finished cleaning up the garden of all the winter debris & its beginning to show signs of life again!

Almost too late!

Our cold spring & cool Summer have meant that some of our plants that crave warmer temperatures are only just getting around to flowering!

Grevillea victoriae

Musa basjoo

(Not holding my breath for any bananas!)

Windcliff Garden

 

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to visit Windcliff the garden of Daniel J. Hinkley & Robert Jones. Walking around the garden with Dan & looking at all his wild collected plants from around the world is a plant nuts dream!

 

The Eucryphia

The Eucryphia are in full flower this week, there are about 7 species of this small tree from Southern hemisphere most are from Australasia but a couple come from the Andes of Chile & Argentina. They are well suited to the mild zone 8 climate of the UK, Coastal BC & Washington state. Our Oregon garden is 100 miles away from the coast & though officially zone 8 only 1 species thrives here, Eucryphia glutinosa which is a reliable zone 7 plant.

      Eucryphia glutinosa

Several other species grow in our garden including the English classic Eucryphia x nymansensis 'Nymansay' from Nyman's Garden Sussex. While it still flowers profusely it has a much harder time than the more robust E. glutinosa in our climate.

Eucryphia x nymansensis 'Nymansay'