Azalea
Euphorbia
Saxifrage
Bluebell
Helleborus
Astilbe
Solomon Seal
Peony
Trillium
Viburnum
Rock Cress
***Copyright 2011 TatyanaS
U.S.A., Washington State. USDA zone 8b. Sunset climate zone 5
Shade Garden Duet
My small and relatively young shade garden is awakening. These are two of my favorites.
The species is named in honor of a Japanese botanist, Masataka Kurabayashi, who specialized in Trillium. Plants have slightly mottled leaves and robust, broad petalled, upright flowers of deep purple-red color, which are considered to be among the best of the stemless species.
I hope this plant can spread in my garden too!
Credit: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants
***Copyright 2011 TatyanaS
 | |||||
| Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' Named for the Swiss botanist Samuel Brunner (1790-1844). Common name - Siberian Bugloss. True blue flowers resemble those of Forget-me-not. This is where its other name comes from: False Forget-me-not. I find Brunnera's flowers striking. Their color reminds me of a Blue Poppy. Alternate leaves help to catch light in a shady spot. They are attractive in several regards: heart shape, silvery color, green veins. Very showy! What is interesting about them is that I can almost see them getting bigger. What attracts me to this plant: easy to grow, low maintenance, cold hardy, both shade and sun tolerant, long bloom, color of flowers is rare, both foliage and flowers are pretty, deer resistant, no pests. I hope it will spread in my garden! General information:
Credits: The New Perennial club |
 |
| Trillium kurabayashi 'Giant Red' Common name - Giant purple wakerobin |
I hope this plant can spread in my garden too!
Credit: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants
***Copyright 2011 TatyanaS
Oh-la-la!
Recently, I attended a meeting with our famous and much-loved Northwest garden guru Ciscoe Morris. There are many garden gurus of course. Ciscoe is not only knowledgeable and experienced, but very-very entertaining. We love him! Here are just several of his tips that I need to follow in my garden.
1. Dandelions - to eliminate, apply undiluted vinegar. Use only on hot sunny days. Overseed the spot when a dandelion dies (amen).
2. Tulips in containers. After flowers are wilted, remove only a spent bloom, not a stem. Let stem and foliage die, then dig out and store bulbs, replant in spring.
3. Unwanted blackberry bushes: Mow. Mow. Mow. Bushes will get exhausted, tired and die.
4. Hellebore. Don't forget to remove ugly dark leaves in winter.
5. Slugs. Use only Sluggo. Safe.
6. Euphorbia. Be careful working with it. Harmful for skin and eyes.
7. What makes a garden great? Contrast!
8. What to do with winter-exhausted, long-legged Heuchera? Cut back to an 1/8 inch above the ground. Try to plant cuttings, it can work!
9. Prune Japanese maples in June (not in spring as I did).
10. Slugs don't eat dry pellets. If it's too dry outside, wet the pellets.
There were many other subjects discussed. For example:
-How did all these snails get to the state of Washington (from France, of course!);
-What are the easiest vegetables to grow (broccoli, lettuce, etc.);
-What disease resistant helleborus to plant (try Pink Frost);
-What plant will chase a deer away (try Fritillaria imperialis);
-What shrubs does Ciscoe love? (One of his favorites - Grevillea victoriae from Australia, it blooms all winter!);
-For better pollination, plant a California lilac near a vegetable garden.
Want to know what I liked the most in Ciscoe's presentation? Attention, all the Pacific Northwest gardeners! Are you tired from the rain? Are you soaked and depressed? It 'll make you feel better! Here it is: We have a Mediterranian climate here!
I want to read his book Ask Ciscoe: Oh, la, la! Your Gardening Questions Answered , especially after he told that reading it for 15-minutes will help you to fall asleep. This is what I need!
Oh-la-la! - is Ciscoe's signature expression. He told us a hillarious story about how it became his favorite. But, I won't retell it here out of respect for his right to tell this story. So, if you are curious, attend a meeting with him if he is in your area.
*** Copyright 2011 TatyanaS
1. Dandelions - to eliminate, apply undiluted vinegar. Use only on hot sunny days. Overseed the spot when a dandelion dies (amen).
2. Tulips in containers. After flowers are wilted, remove only a spent bloom, not a stem. Let stem and foliage die, then dig out and store bulbs, replant in spring.
3. Unwanted blackberry bushes: Mow. Mow. Mow. Bushes will get exhausted, tired and die.
4. Hellebore. Don't forget to remove ugly dark leaves in winter.
5. Slugs. Use only Sluggo. Safe.
6. Euphorbia. Be careful working with it. Harmful for skin and eyes.
7. What makes a garden great? Contrast!
8. What to do with winter-exhausted, long-legged Heuchera? Cut back to an 1/8 inch above the ground. Try to plant cuttings, it can work!
9. Prune Japanese maples in June (not in spring as I did).
10. Slugs don't eat dry pellets. If it's too dry outside, wet the pellets.
There were many other subjects discussed. For example:
-How did all these snails get to the state of Washington (from France, of course!);
-What are the easiest vegetables to grow (broccoli, lettuce, etc.);
-What disease resistant helleborus to plant (try Pink Frost);
 |
| photo: Hort Printers |
 |
| Fritillaria imperialis. Photo Wikipedia, by Sir James |
 |
| Grevillea. Photo: The Desert Northwest |
 |
| Blooming California lilac in my June garden |
Oh-la-la! - is Ciscoe's signature expression. He told us a hillarious story about how it became his favorite. But, I won't retell it here out of respect for his right to tell this story. So, if you are curious, attend a meeting with him if he is in your area.
*** Copyright 2011 TatyanaS
Trees I Met at the Grand Canyon
According to the National Park Service, there are approximately 200 species of trees and shrubs in the Grand Canyon National Park. 
Some of the tree species include white fir, Engleman spruce, blue spruce, Douglas fir, corkbark fir, ponderosa pine, Utah juniper, alligator juniper, Colorado pinyon, quaking aspen, Fremont cottonwood, Gambel oak, and Arizona walnut.
All pictures can be enlarged by clicking
While the magnificent canyon itself awoke thoughts about eternity and the power of nature, its trees made me think about strength, resistence and the will to live.
*
Isn't this trunk awesome? Could it be a juniper?
Blue, blue sky...
The El Tovar Lodge, opened in 1905, is rustic and elegant: 
*
*
*
The canyon's shrubs include cliffrose, serviceberry and fernbush. Banana yucca and claretcup cactus grow in warm, sunny areas.
Sun is abundant here, on the south rim, but the plants have to cope with extremes of temperature and long periods of drought. It was weird to see patches of snow on a bright sunny day. In summer, torrential downpours are possible here.
*
The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,000 feet / 1,800 metres.
*
This bird might be a raven. We enjoyed watching this big, wise-looking creature.
*
The next image is one of my favorites:
***Copyright 2011 TatyanaS
