OT - other interesting plants in the garden
OK, I don't hear about people growing these much on here - perhaps they only like Northern CA?
Anyway, here are pictures of my corydalis (I actually also have a purple one and a pink one, but they are seedlings and not ready for portraits yet. I read that they are difficult to grow and die in the heat, but in the shade at the bottom of our front stairs they do fine. These are 4 and 5 years old respectively.
Cerinth - so interesting! The purple blooms are actually leaves. I planted one last year, and now I have 4 (I of which popped up 12 feet away in another bed).
What different and interesting plants to you have in your garden that no one every talks about on here?
Jackie
Comments (20)
mariannese
8 years agoIf your yellow corydalis is the same species as the one we have over here in Europe, (new species name Pseudofumaria lutea), it's a weed here. I don't mind it so much as it flowers the whole summer. I keep it to brighten deep shade. The blue Corydalis elata x flexuosa Craighton Blue is not the least invasive and has been difficult to grow for me. I wish it would take after the yellow one just a little.
User
8 years ago...we grow both of those over here although I don't have them... Corydalis lutea and Cerinthe major 'purpurascens' would be the two most popular... I see the Cerinthe quite a bit...
...this plant is one of my rarest, in fact I think it's quite hard to obtain right now but I love it as it survives long dry periods and needs no irrigation... I think it's a native of the Balkans and Greece...
..it goes by the long winded name of Petrorhagia illyrica subsp. heynaldiana 'Pink Starlets'...maybe that's why we don't see it much... but it used to be called Tunica so could be better known under that...
..whatever, it flowers from May to October and I love it under a rose or two.... here [ignoring the yellow viola]... under 'Octavia Hill'... it's rather like a Gypsophila ground cover...
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nikthegreek
8 years ago
fig_insanity Z7b E TN
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoMelissa Northern Italy zone 8
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoUser
8 years agoMelissa Northern Italy zone 8
8 years ago
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
8 years agonikthegreek
8 years agojacqueline9CA
8 years agoHere's another one which just comes up in my garden - lunaria. Also called money plant, because it makes seed pods in the Fall which you can rub the cover off, and the result is a dried branch covered with 1 inch diameter discs which are pretty.
Here it is today.
Alana8aSC
8 years agobluegirl_gw
8 years agoBeautiful!
Every year I'm blown away by the sheer mass of blooms the pink "primroses" put on --Oneothera speciosa. Don't throw things at me. Sure, they're invasive, but in the right spot, they're priceless. I needed them to cover slopes of caliche in full sun--and look pretty, with no water or care--& they do it in spades. Make sort of a living mulch, keeping the soil moist & cool for the roses & other things planted within them.
I tried the beautiful cerinthe, but it croaked. Seen the corydalis growing native--hmmm, that's pretty--need to put some in the beds.The regular nemophila (baby blue eyes) & 5 spot make a big show until hot weather.
This veronica persica grows all over. Tiny thing, makes shiny green mats just an inch or two high One of the first things to bloom. Sparkling blue flowers.
Not unusual, but I love this how this patch of lamb's ear shows off Archduke Charles. There's a purplish penstemon clump behind on the right.
And I got inspired to try some of the species tulips (I'm looking at you, Alana :-D--love the pic of you & your Dad). We have too short & mild a winter for the regular ones, but several of the species are supposed to be happy. The T. linifolia was particularly spectacular--weeks & weeks of brilliant color. This whole pot was eventually covered in bloomsThese little species daffs--N. bulbocodium--are tucked around various roses
Since I'm new to this zone, I throw lots of things out to see if they'll do. Larkspurs, poppies, sweet peas & the native wildflowers have done great.
I like lizard tail! Makes me smile just to see the funny possumtail blooms. Smells nice, too.
This little native *weed* is 4 nerve daisy, aka bitterweed, (hymenoxys or tetraneuris)
It literally blooms all year. Only thing it insists on is full sun. Very nice little plant for the flower garden.
Jasminerose, California, USDA 9b/Sunset 18
8 years agobluegirl_gw
8 years agoJasminerose, California, USDA 9b/Sunset 18
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
8 years agoAlana8aSC
8 years agoJasminerose, California, USDA 9b/Sunset 18
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoSheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
8 years ago
Alana8aSC