Thanks for sharing your flowers. As well as really liking the two plants/combos Claire mentioned, I love the composition of the photos themselves: the oak-leaf hydrangea and the last two are particularly striking.

I don't think I've ever seen Clerodendron trichotomum - what a fun plant. Maybe it isn't hardy here.

Hi everyone. Thanks for the nice comments.

NHBabs,
The Clerodendron has great fragrance, attracts a lot of butterflies, blooms in summer when most other shrubs have finished and continues with the bracts and berries into fall, but unfortunately it wouldn't make it where you live. It's at its limit here. The winter jasmine is also at it's hardiness limit here.

Yeah, I was eying that Clerodendron trichotomum too. What? Not hardy??! (Picture me here stamping my little foot like Veruca Salt) But... I WANT it! I know, I'll just get one and overwinter down in the basement it right next to my Lantanas! Bwah ha ha! ...oops - no basement this year! Rats - no Clerodendron trichotomum either I guess. ...and what the heck am I going to do with all my previous basement inhabitants this winter??? ...sigh...

Hi Bill,

You responded to my question about ornamental trees and forwarded me here. Wow, such beautiful photos, thanks for the morning smile.

I'm jealous. Where I live, deer rule so most of these are out! (until we finally get that deer fence we've been talking about forever). Thanks again for all your input. Cindi

To Cindi:
Actually the Magnolia is generally listed as deer resistant. Maybe they don't like the fuzzy undersides of the leaves.

To Cloud9:
Your post shows you as z6 CT, so you should be able to grow the Clerodendron there. I am in zone 6 in RI. My earlier reply was to NHBabs and she shows zone 4a-5b up in New Hampshire. Too cold for her to try it but you should give it a try for sure.

Bill,
Lovely flowers thanks for sharing. I do feel compelled to mention that Magnolia g. 'Brackens Brown Beauty' won't survive in Cindi's zone. Katy

Katy, all the references online and the local nurseries here rate this magnolia as hardy for sure in zone 6 and some even show zone 5. According to the USDA hardiness zone map, Cindi (Westborough, MA) is zone 6. Arbor Day map also shows it as zone 6. Hopefully this cultivar has extended the range of these beautiful trees!
Thanks for your compliments on my photos!

Bill - I am actually in zone 5 since I moved recently. I just hadn't updated my profile - thanks for reminding me. In doing a bit of research it seems to be listed most places as zone 7 with 6 pushing it and experiencing some winter die-back. Have you had it long and have you had any die-back any years?
Deb

deb,
Clerodendron trichotomum has become a problem for me I thought I could control it by moving it/disturbing its roots at the end of each winter, but I missed a year and I am now paying the price. If you would like a few plants to play around with I have plenty....Be careful what you wish for.
Bill,
Magnolia grandifloria is by my observation border line coastal CT, MA and even given that I barley recognized a leafless M. 'Edith Brogue' growing this past winter as a 7-8yr old tree at Avant Gardens in SE coastal zone 6 MA. Do you have photos of what yours looks like during the winter? I would strongly suggest that Cindi check with her local nursery or take a drive around her community in search of a Magnolia grandifloria and should she find a specimen keep an eye on it through the 4 seasons to determine for herself. Katy

Deb,
No basement? Send a Clerodendron my way.
Just kidding, there is no more space in a yard for such things. :-)
Bill, I'm surprised that no one yet praised you for your camellias. How big and how old they are?
How to keep them alive I already learned, but how to make spring bloomers to bloom, not. Winter bloomers are OK here, in a protected spots, of course.

Made my night! How beautiful, truly. The Lord Baltimore is on my list for next year. I have, however, seen it advertised in some places as a rose red and I must have the true tomato red you have. Fantastic!

Also, I have that same unknown old iris. I have lots and lots and lots of it. Nobody knows what it is. One day I hope a poster is able to identify it. I've even seen somebody post a picture of it on the iris forum and the only answer was that it was a "historic" iris.

Bill, I also am particularly enamored of that euphorbia/ajuga combo. BRILLIANT! Do send a jpeg to Fine Gardening.

I have posted a separate thread about my gropwiong clerodendron here in z.5.

Thanks much for the photos. So great to see photos of some more unusual plants, and so well grown!

best,
Mindy

Deb,
Zone 5 could be a problem. My Clerodendron is about 20 years old. It has only had dieback in the severe winter of 2003-2004 when it died back to 2 1/2 inch wood. By June it had begun to sprout back but only had a few blooms that year. Otherwise it's been fine.

Katy and Deb,
This is only the second year for the Magnolia. I'm not sure how long this type has been around, but I believe it's newer than "Edith Bogue" and a bit hardier, according to some web sites. I suppose this will be one of those expreriments!

Katy,
What are you trying to do by moving the Clerodendron when you say it's a problem? Not sure I know what you mean. It does seed easily but in the lawn mowing kills them off and in the beds I just pull them with all the "usual" weeds.

ego45,

The camellias are about ten years old. Snow Flurry is rock hardy even in the 2003-2004 horrific winter it was fine. The "April Remembered" died back to 2" wood but came back by the following June. That one does suffer bud kill if it's really cold, especially late in winter when the buds are starting to swell. It's a gamble some years but so worth it!

Deanna,
It is a really deep red for sure! Thanks for your nice comments! If I find the name of that iris I'll let you know.

Mindy,
Thanks for the comments! I have replied to your other post. I have to admit that Ajuga/Euphorbia combo turned out even better than I expected! The Euphorbia can be invasive, but regular weeding can control it. I've found that gloves are necessary as the milky sap can be irritating to your skin!

Bill,
Fellow insomniac should have been clearer I have two Clerodendron trichotomum one is eight+ years old the other three years, both have been trained as standards. The older glory bower I have growing in the back of a mixed garden and the younger in a cast iron planter that to my surprise did well this year and flowered in full shade.

By nature Clerodendron tichotomum wants to become a large shrub and from its base it sends up sprouts and suckers (the larger the base the more sprouts and suckers). In my experience if I move the standard Clerodendron t. annually it disturbs the sprout and suckers enough as well as they are too young to survive without the mother plant. When given an extra growing season these sprout/suckers happily settle in and will spread just beyond the drip line of the plant; this of course translates into the larger the standard the larger the problem. These are not easily weeded from the garden and present quite a problem.

Here is a link that might be useful: Clerodendron trichotomum

Hi Katy,
Well seedlings are numerous but as I said fairly easy to control. But I haven't really had an issue with suckering. My lilac is WAY worse for that but I cut them back a couple of times a year. But so far, I haven't had suckers on the Clerodendron. The positives are many though, and may make up for any problems. I like that it blooms when most other shrubs have had it, the shape tends to be wide rather than high for a change, and the fragrance permeates the whole yard! I get lots of butterflies, and the seeds and calyces color on into autumn. It is a bit dead looking in winter and leafs out a little late, but overall so far at least well worth keeping.

On a separate note, it was nice to see that my posting at least got some activity here! Unfortunately, so far, nobody else has contributed any photos.

Hope you sleep well!

OK, I'll post a few recent photos of plants you haven't shown.

Hemerocallis American Revolution

H. Frans Hals

Lillium Showboat and Adenophora

Miscanthus Malepartus seedheads

Platycodon and phlox

Rose Zepherine Drouhin

Rose Arch and phlox in July

Rose Arch, sedums, asters pokeberries, hoses etc. in September

Claire

Thanks for those beautiful photos Bill and Claire!
I have ajuga, and I have euphorbia. Why aren't they together?!? I'm going to get right on that, and I hope you don't mind a copycat!

Claire, very nice! I like the H. Frans Hals, and I love that rose arch!

Pondlily, as they say, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." I think that sharing and inspiring is what gardeners and their gardens do best! That's why I like these forums.

Not sure which post I should be putting my 2 cents on but Mindy my Clerodendron trichotoum looks exactly like Bill's. Actually the leaf color in your photo looks a little off to me (too gray/blue rather than yellow/green). I am wondering if yours might be in too much shade. What color were your berries? Katy

Nice to look at gardens in bloom while waiting out the winter. It does get you itching to start gardening though. :-)

Bill, you have a lovely garden! Crazy about that ajuga and Euphorbia combo. Wondering which variety of ajuga it is, the flower spikes seem tall to me. I love Camassia. I had a small patch of it that just didn't come back one spring. I am going to try it again at some point. I am happy to see a photo of the whole 'Snow Flurry' shrub. Very attractive foliage and habit. 'Nelly Moser' is one of my favorite clematis. I am adding clematis where I can. Right now I have one established, 'Duchess of Edinburg' and a couple more that are still small and iffy. The panicles on the Golden Chain tree are so long, wow. I do enjoy that tree and you don't see it often. Magnolia 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' is the one I was trying to remember the name of. It's a beauty!

Your post certainly did stir up some activity. :-)

PM2,
Thanks for the nice comments. It's nice to see photos of the successes, but I could probably have as many pics of the failures! Of course they'd all look the same............just different shades of brown! LOL!

Bill

Bill, you'd have a lot of company on that thread. [g] For instance, I have tried to grow ajuga for the past three years. I've tried the 'Burgundy Glow', 'Chocolate Chip' and 'Black Scallop' and it just keeps dying out on me. Now who can't grow ajuga?! lol. I put in another 'Black Scallop' last year, so we'll see. My pictures wouldn't be brown, they would be invisible. Empty spaces where they were supposed to be. [g] And of course, what you want to fail, won't! I'm still trying to smother what I think is something like 'Ladybells' that was here when I moved in over 30 years ago. :-)

Oh and Claire, I could look at that rose arbor all day! What is the name of the rose you are growing on it? It is such a vibrant shade of pink and such abundant bloom!

pm2: I used to love looking at the rose arch too, but it's no more (sob). It blew down in a fierce windstorm, detailed on
this thread.

I haven't decided exactly what I'm going to do with the roses, assuming they survive the winter, but it won't be another arch. The rose is just too vigorous and the winds are just too strong to allow another structure there. The name of the rose is probably Dorothy Perkins, a rambler that was very popular years ago but has fallen out of fashion.

Claire

Claire,
What about a small pergola? Maybe something with columns to contrast the informal paths and beds? Or stone pillars? That would compliment your walkways too.
Just my ramblings regarding your roses!
Bill

Bill: I like the idea of stone pillars, or stone somethings. Maybe a couple of foo dogs? Is there such a thing as foo seals? or would they look too much like foo slugs....

On another note, I was looking for something else and found some cheerful, hopeful photos. All of these were taken in the end of April or beginning of May in the last few years. They're not blockbuster, in-your-face flowers, but I like them.

Forsythia and daffodils with hosta sprouts.

Epimedium Warleyense

Epimediums sulphureum and roseum

Epigaea repens AKA Mayflower, the state flower of MA

Claire

I love your photos Claire. I add Epimediums every chance I get, I love them. Yours are very pretty. I've always thought I should try that Epigaea. Since it is the state flower, but I have the impression it is fussy. Nice photos!

Claire,

Maybe foo whales or porpoises to reflect the maritime location?

I really like your photos, and especially liked the forsythia composition. Yellow is my favorite color anyway.

And I like the Epimedium Warleyense a lot. I've never grown them. Are they good in dry shade under a conifer?

Bill

Bill:

Or maybe a couple of foo octupuses (octopi?). I could use the arms to support the roses.

I was trying to tone down the yellow of the forsythia (an old inherited one) and I decided to plant Narcissus Lemon Glow, which is one of my favorite daffodils. It's a lovely pale yellow. Somewhere in GW there's a thread I started to discuss daffodils and forsythia - I just couldn't find it right now (I didn't try too hard).

All of my epimediums are planted in a strip between a big old white pine and the road. They're not too close to the pine trunk, but they're under the boughs and it's definitely dry shade. I also have hostas there and Geranium macrorrhyzum along with other stuff.

Claire

Claire,

I may try some Epimediums under that tree. Thanks! What's there now is English ivy, but the roots are outside the drip line of the tree, so the stems are crawling and covering the dry soil. But I'd like something to break up the green.

And now I will upset about 80% of the world's temperate zone gardeners. I HATE hostas! Oh sure they're beautiful when those incredibly marked and textured leaves are lush in summer. And no doubt those first spring shoots look so good. But at first real frost they are a mass of mush, and provide no winter interest at all. But the real problem is that I have tried to grow at least 20 different kinds, all expensive big nursery plants, and not one has thrived. Same soil, water etc. as tons of other things. They just don't like me! I do have on plain old green one that my grandfather gave me 50 years ago, and it's huge and thriving. It figures that the plainest, dullest kind is the only one I can grow! I find it boring but don't have the heart to rip it out, partly for sentimental reasons, and partly because I respect how it's survived so long.

Bill

Bill:

You certainly do have a compatibility problem with hostas! Maybe you're trying the wrong kind. Forget about the floozies, go for the stalwart reliable types.

I have a lot of hostas, they do well here, including many, many inherited plain, common ones (the old saw - I have both kinds of hostas, the green ones and the variegated ones).

People always gush over the lush, textured leaves and ignore, or even cut off the flowers. I love the flowers! They attract hummingbirds and some of them even smell good. I particularly like the hostas that bloom in late summer or early fall, such as:

Hosta Royal Standard (probably), lighting up the woods on August 26, 2009.

Hosta Aphrodte with white wood aster on September 3, 2009.

Hosta Red October with goldenrod on September 24, 2008. It smells like Grape Koolaid. You gotta love a hosta that blooms in late September, with goldenrod, yet.

Does your grandfather's hosta bloom? Some of my inherited hostas are so big I think of them as shrubs.

Claire

Claire,
The one hosta that I have does bloom. I have tried several variegated kinds as well as several of the large leaved, bluish puckered ones. They die. That's pretty much my experience with them. They were planted in partial shade, which is to say protected from the most intense sun of the day. Amazingly, the one old one that I have is in full sun and it doesn't mind at all!
But it's OK. There are so many other plants for me to use. I'll leave the hostas to the better gardeners of the world! LOL!

Bill

Bill:

Maybe you (or your plants, that is) have a hosta virus, like Hosta Virus X, that came in on a nursery-grown hosta and spread with abandon.

Depressing thought.
Claire

Bill and Claire, I bought some epimedium for my mother's garden about 15 years ago and inherited hers when she moved. I learned how bullet proof these plants are one year, when I had dug a large one and divided it and left one of the divisions without water for so long that it appeared to be dead as a stick. I tossed it on the top of the compost pile in mid summer and the next spring it started growing in the compost pile. I look for new varieties at every opportunity. Claire, I am putting that Warleyense on my shopping list. It's so different looking. They are one of the few things that grow under my maple trees. There are Silver Maples in my neighbor's yard just the other side of my fence. Four of them that suck the moisture out of the soil. Here is one of my favorites, 'Bandit'. I've posted it before on GW, so sorry if you've already seen it....

I have very few hostas. I don't always enjoy the blooms, so I try to choose hostas that I do like the blooms. I have Guacamole that blooms in August and has very pretty large fragrant flowers. I bought two more the year before last, 'June' which is a variegated and 'Fire Island' which is a golden color with red stems. And that is the extent of my hosta collection. [g] That 'Royal Standard' has pretty flowers, Claire. 'Aphodite' looks like a very large flower. And I had not heard of 'Red October' That really is late for a Hosta.

Claire, I keep hemming and hawing about adding a little goldenrod. I don't want something that is going to become a nuisance but I have seen a variety I like called 'Little Lemon' and I'm tempted to try it. I only have part shade though. How has your experience been with it?

PM2: Thanks for reminding me about the Epimedium Bandit - I remember seeing the photo and back then I checked Plant Delights to see if they had it. I think it was sold out at that time, but they have it now. I don't want to order in this weather, but I'll check again when it gets a little warmer (it will get a little warmer sometime).

I actually bought some goldenrod and planted them a few years ago, but most of my goldenrod have showed up unannounced. I have a lot of different volunteer varieties, most in part shade. I don't mind their vigor - they go well with the volunteer asters that I love. I enjoy letting Mother Nature help with the garden, but I live in a rural area where the volunteers are usually native (except for oriental bittersweet which is not welcome).

Claire

Claire, I have bought most of my epimediums from a Massachusetts grower, Darrell Probst. His company is called Garden Vision Epimediums and the link is below. He specializes and I have been happy with everything I bought from him, including the above mentioned 'Bandit'. They have an Open House day also when the epimediums are in bloom so you can see them in person. They are well rated at Garden Watchdog and are not well known enough.

I am just itching to try that Little Lemon Goldenrod and I did want to grow it with Chocolate Eupatorium and asters. I might go for it. Maybe the dry part shade will slow it down and what's the worst that could happen? [g] I would LOVE to have natives volunteer! None here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Vision Epimediums

Claire,
If it's a virus it must live for several years because I have tried those many hostas over a period of perhaps 8 years before I gave up. In any case, now I'm looking at the Epimediums!

PM2,
You and Claire have inspired me! There are so many more kinds of Epimediums than I thought. May I ask where you buy yours? Claire the same question. I have never seen many at any local nurseries, and the catlalogs (paper or online) don't list that many.

Bill

PM2: I didn't know about Garden Vision Epimediums. I've heard of Darrell Probst, but I associate daylilies with him. And he's in MA!

Bill: The local nurseries here sometimes carry them, but I usually buy from Plant Delights. Cheap they are not, but they carry wonderful plants, and the descriptions are often funny.

Claire

Bill: I just realized that the E. Warleyense photo is deceptive because it just shows the epimedium flowers on a background of Geranium leaves. The Warleyense leaves look something like these - I didn't label this photo so I'm not sure which epimedium it is, maybe rubrum. Some of them have purplish leaves.

Generic epimedium leaves:

I have a few different Geraniums (Macrorrhyzum Ingwersen's Variety, Biokovo) in that bed with the epimediums.

Claire

Here is an article from the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and I notice that one of the three sources they recommend is Darrell Probst. I have received his paper catalog that has color photos and although brief, I found it more helpful than the website. He has made trips to China to bring new varieties back and propagates new ones. Or he did. I seem to remember reading that he was specializing in something else now too, not sure. I have also called and asked questions and they are very knowledgeable and helpful. I am making my list. I try to purchase 3 new ones every year. Last year I found two marked down in the fall at a local nursery. Lilafee and Niveum.

Here is a link that might be useful: Elegant Epimedium ~ Brooklyn Botanical Garden

Thanks for explaining that Claire, I was wondering if that was a new cultivar with a different leaf. [g] I have one more photo, it is of the very common rubrum variety taken at the end of April just as the flowers were about to open....

I'll check out the sources that you both suggested. Thanks!

Claire, I did recognize the Geranium leaves, but it was the reddish flowers that I liked.

Bill

An exhaustive, almost exhausting, treatise on epimediums written by Tony Avent. It arrived in my email today and shows bloom times for many epimediums.

Claire

Claire, that is a comprehensive link for sure. I am going to enjoy looking it over, thanks for posting it. I do want to increase the period of time when I have them in bloom and that bloom time schedule will help.

Bill, your Prickly Pear Cactus had me looking up cactus and succulents the other day. I know it's not exactly what you are aiming for, having something that is hardy enough in your zone to grow outdoors, but I thought you might enjoy some pics of some beauties I found the other day. I hope to grow them in pots and take them in for the winter....

Bill, it's that time of day, I didn't mean to submit the post at that point....[g]

The name of the above plant is Crassula tecta, seen on Highland Succulents website. Another from their site is Echeveria 'Afterglow' below....

And from Absolutely Cactus.....Agave Victoria Reginae

And....noto-leninghausii

I'm finding a sudden interest in growing these and excited to try them.

PM2,
They are excellent houseplants and can go outdoors in warm weather. And for hardy kinds for an outdoor planting there are many more kinds than you might think. Lot's of the Opuntia family (Prickly Pears) some with various sizes, colors, shapes etc of the pads as well as flowers, and the O. imbricata, with cylindrical stems that branch and grow to 4 feet or higher. Then there are several of the round types that form small to medium clumps. Check out Echinocereus triglochidata "White Sands". Then there are several kinds of yuccas, sempervivums (resembling the Echeverias), sedums, ice plants and even hardy agaves. The key is good drainage especially in winter. If these die it's almost always the wetness in winter that kills them, not the cold temps. It is fascinating.

If you want pads of Opuntia, they are all over my driveway and soon I will sweep them away. Let me know. There are a couple of dozen at least and you merely lay them on the soil and they root.

I think you are right, Bill, there are more than I imagined. I did look up that Echincereus and I see that High Country Gardens has a few cold hardy cactus. The 'White Sands' is a little too spiny to me but I did find one that was more to my liking that was called 'Purple Candle', linked below.

Drainage is a problem for me. I've had trouble growing salvias, agastaches, lavender, creeping thymes, etc due to my clay soil. It motivated me to create some raised beds and that does help some. I do have limited space with good drainage and full sun, since my garden is more part sun than anything else, but I may figure a way to include a few of these. Thanks.

Here is a link that might be useful: Echinocereus caespitosus

PM,

If you build a mound starting with rocks and even concrete rubble, bricks, cinderblock etc. then a layer of medium stones, then gravel and finally a nice sandy loam, you'll have a great start. This could be a feature of your garden or even used as a berm for interest. (I think multiple levels in a garden make it much more interesting than a flat site.)

I mentioned "White Sands" because of the intense red flowers. I am hoping to create a dedicated cactus and succulent garden soon, now that I'm retired. Well placed rocks will create the backbone, but they MUST be to scale. Small ones just look wrong in my opinion. I'd rather have a few large ones placed with the striations going in the same direction, as you see them out west in natural rock outcroppings. NO WAY would I place small round rocks painted white! Yeccch!
For accent, I envision spiky yucca and agave, with mounds of prickly pear and echinocereus here and there most likely placed against a rock. Between them and the rocks, I would fill in with sempervivums, sedums and ice plants. There are also a lot of xerophytic plants that have a very soft look and would contrast the spikiness of the other plant material. Portulacas are good annuals, as are gazania and most of the mediterranean herbs too, like hardy rosemary and thmye.
It's a different kind of gardening but can be very beautiful too. You don't really need full sun all day for most of these to do OK. Just because they CAN tolerate sun all day doesn't necessarily mean that they have to have it. I've seen plenty of cactus out west doing just fine in the shadows of huge cliffs or among pine trees where they get dappled light part of the day.
Would you like some prickly pear pads? They will tolerate our wetter soils better than other types. Basically you can throw them on the ground where you want them to root and walk away! Of course you can give them a little more attention by rooting in sandy soil in a pot for a few weeks.

Bill

Bill, I would like to try some of those prickly pear pads. I hate to put you to any trouble though. I know I won't be able to do a whole bed as you've described, I've unfortunately started getting really interested in roses and trying like mad to find space for them. That's why I keep trying to do some different things in pots, and I thought that would be perfect for some succulents and cactus this year.

I love the sound of the bed you are planning. You have it thought through. I have a very flat, level lot with no elevation changes and I miss that. So I really like berms too. And Rocks! Although I've used mine to outline and raise beds, I especially like large ones well placed in the landscape and you are so right, they have to be in scale. I have grown a lot of portulacas around the edge of my sunniest bed and they reseed nicely. I have some plans to grow some gazania this year too.

So are you just starting this spring to work on this new bed? I will be very interested to see how it goes.

I love your camellias, I sooo miss them from my yard in Virginia! They had such beautiful blooms and year round gorgeous leaves! I doubt any would grow here in NH but must admit that I really haven't researched them.
I do love Hostas though, and grow as many different ones as I have shade for in my yard. I only have room for the shade only tolerant ones under one pine tree (they survive, but don't thrive well), but the common ones do well in almost full sun here.
I too love the contrast of the Ajuga and Euphorbia and wouldn't have thought of it myself.

I guess saying that I hate hostas wasn't quite right. They are beautiful. It's the growing of them that I hate. They just do not survive except for the huge old plant (plain, common type of unknown variety that my grandpa gave me ages ago.) It's in full sun and it thrives without any care whatsoever. The fact that I've tried and failed with quite a few others must mean that I would like to grow them, but just don't seem to have luck with them. Other plants in the same location do fine. It's one of those mysteries I suppose.

PM it's not a problem to send a few pads to you. E-mail me at cactuspads@cox.net.

Bill