Euonymus americanus (Hearts-a-Bustin’)
Euonymus americanus (Hearts-a-Bustin’)
Euonymus americanus (Hearts-a-Bustin’)
Bittersweet Family – Celastraceae
eastern United States
Photographed at North Carolina Botanical Garden, September 5, 2016
Monday at the North Carolina Botanical Garden (NCBG) my husband and I enjoyed one of our favorite plantings, a wildflower display of Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort) and Phlox divaricata (Eastern Blue Phlox). Both are eastern North American natives. He is partial to the Golden Ragwort while I prefer the phlox. Together they make a great display, much more vivid in person.
Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort) and Phlox divaricata (Eastern Blue Phlox)
A couple of Eastern Blue Phlox are blooming in my own garden. They have been difficult to establish but this year they finally seem settled.
Growing at pbmGarden: Phlox divaricata (Eastern Blue Phlox)
There were still plenty of Trillium and May-Apple, Spreading Jacob’s Ladder was fresh, sweet shrub looked and smelled delicious. At every turn was something new to admire. If you have time to linger, click an image below to start the slideshow.
Each spring I look forward to seeing Mountain Silverbell in flower at the North Carolina Botanical Garden (NCBG). Native to North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia.
Halesia tetraptera var. monticola (Mountain Silverbell)
Halesia tetraptera var. monticola (Mountain Silverbell)
Erythronium umbilicatum (Dimpled Trout-lily)
A quick scouting expedition for early spring ephemerals on Saturday, February 27 proved rewarding for my husband and me.
Nodding bud of Erythronium umbilicatum (Dimpled Trout-lily)
Native to southeastern United States, Erythronium umbilicatum (Dimpled Trout-lily) is coming into flower at the North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill.
Erythronium umbilicatum (Dimpled Trout-lily). Native to southeastern United States
Erythronium umbilicatum (Dimpled Trout-lily)
Erythronium umbilicatum (Dimpled Trout-lily)
NC Botanical Garden
On Friday, to celebrate Darwin Day, my husband and I attended a lunchtime lecture entitled “The Evolution Of Biodiversity: History or Science” at the North Carolina Botanical Garden.
Charles Darwin, circa 1871, by Oscar Gustave Rejlander (1813-1875)
There were snow flurries during the talk but by the time we walked to the car only the cold remained.
We did not take time to explore the garden that day, but as we hurried back to the parking lot, we admired the light on the grasses fronting the parking spaces.
NC Botanical Garden
NC Botanical Garden
Upon returning home I noticed a camellia on the side of the house was blooming. It has been too cold. How is that possible? Well, the days are lengthening and, before it turned cold this week, it actually had been very warm. Three flowers were open. Because of cold weather this camellia failed to bloom at all last winter. Tonight’s low is predicted to be 15°F. Who is feeling lucky?
Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’ Synonym: Camellia japonica x Camellia saluenensis
I have been taking this winter one day at a time. Even so, winter is passing by quickly. In a couple of weeks a friend and I will travel to Virginia for the hellebore festival at Pine Knot Farms. Making plans around here in February is usually a sure-fire way to invite an ice storm into town, but definitely this year we are feeling lucky that we will make it.
Looking ahead, April is promising to be a great month. I already have tickets for some Art In Bloom events at the North Carolina Museum of Art early in the month. The Chapel Hill Garden Club’s biennial spring garden tour takes place the last weekend in April, featuring seven private gardens. I am already signed up to be a garden guide at one of the gardens for the spring tour.
And, not everything special is a garden event. Also in April our daughter is coming to visit from the west coast. March will be busy but I am feeling lucky.
Great Blue Heron, Sarah P. Duke Gardens
My husband and I had the good fortune to host a quick visit from Christina and her husband this week and it was such a great experience.
The weather was more than a bit challenging, as we are in the middle of a serious heat wave. Maximum temperature records are flying out the window, including here in the Piedmont area where we live. The average temperature at this time of year is 85°F (29.4°C); however, yesterday was a sunny, hot, humid 100°F (37.7°C) day.
Our guests were real troopers as we tried to catch some of the garden highlights in this area. We started humbly with a look around pbmGarden. The meditation circle, Christina said, is what first drew her to my blog, so it was a treat to see her and her husband navigating the labyrinth.
Meditation Circle
Next up we toured Duke Gardens in Durham and though we did not cover all 55 acres, we managed to see quite a lot of the specialized gardens. Christina’s husband was quite interested in seeing North American birds and were able to spot American robin, red-bellied woodpecker, Eastern bluebird, brown thrasher, crow and blue jay, among others. An Eastern towhee was audible but never stepped out where we could spot it.
While cooling off at water’s edge we encountered a variety of ducks, watched a family of Canada geese and admired a stately Great Blue Heron. All the birds seemed eager to pose.
Great Blue Heron
Muscovy Duck and Canada Geese
Across the water in the distance we could see a focal point of the Asiatic Arboretum, a red Japanese-style arched bridge, which we later crossed.
The Red Bridge, Sarah P. Duke Gardens
The White Garden showcased beautiful hydrangeas.
White Garden, Sarah P. Duke Gardens
As time ran short we had to scrap plans for Niche Gardens, a retail nursery for native and unusual plants. But before it closed for the day we managed a brief stop at nearby North Carolina Botanical Garden, where we saw a sampling of milkweeds, ferns (including southern maidenhair), carnivorous plants and trumpet vines. We admired the enormous leaves of Magnolia macrophylla (Big-leaf Magnolia), a staff member explained to us about vining spinach that grows all summer and Christina was able to get a close-up look at a bee-covered Vitex angus-castus tree. Our bird list for the day grew to include American goldfinch and mourning dove.
There were a thousand more places I wanted to share and a thousand more things to say, but all too soon it was time to say good-bye. Thanks Christina for stopping in.
Late morning at North Carolina Botanical Garden.
Chamaelirium luteum (Fairywand)
Bunchflower Family – Melanthiaceae (formerly in Lilaceae)
eastern North America
Chamaelirium luteum (Fairywand)
Chamaelirium luteum (Fairywand)
Chamaelirium luteum (Fairywand)
Iris fulva (Copper Iris)
Iris Family – Iridaceae
eastern United States
Iris fulva (Copper Iris)
Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort) and Phlox divaricata (Eastern Blue Phlox)
Sunday we visited the North Carolina Botanical Garden (NCBG) to check one of my favorite plantings, a wildflower display of Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort) and Phlox divaricata (Eastern Blue Phlox).
Their flower show is just getting underway.
Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort)
Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort)
Phlox divaricata (Eastern Blue Phlox)
Both Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort) and Phlox divaricata (Eastern Blue Phlox) are eastern North American natives that look lovely blooming together.
Golden Ragwort and Eastern Blue Phlox are eastern North American natives.
The Botanical Garden has many other flowers blooming now also, including Mertensia virginica (Virginia bluebells), native to eastern North America. Here are several Virginia bluebells tucked in among the phlox and golden ragwort.
At right, Mertensia virginica (Virginia bluebells) blooming among the phlox and golden ragwort.
Polemonium reptans (Spreading Jacob’s Ladder) is native to eastern United States. I have not been able to establish these in my garden despite three attempts, but plan to try again.
Polemonium reptans (Spreading Jacob’s Ladder)
In the woodland gardens I was delighted to find this Hepatica acutiloba (Sharp-lobe Liverleaf). A member of the Buttercup family – ranunculaceae – it is native to eastern North America.
Hepatica acutiloba (Sharp-lobe Liverleaf)
We saw quite a lot of trillium of various kinds. I did not see a sign identifying the yellow one.
Trillium
Great White Trillium is native to eastern North America.
Trillium grandiflorum (Great White Trillium)
Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy) is native to southeastern United States.
Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy)
There are two more natives that caught my eye Sunday. The first one, Aesculus pavia (Red Buckeye), is an attention grabber at this time of year with its long panicles of coral-red-orange tubular flowers. We saw quite a few of these, growing as shrubs and as trees. They are native to the southern and eastern parts of the United States.
Aesculus pavia (Red Buckeye)
Red buckeye is native to the southern and eastern parts of the United States
Trillium stamineum (Twisted Trillium) is native to three U.S. states: Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi.
Trillium stamineum (Twisted Trillium)
Native to southeastern United States is this Fothergilla major (Witch-hazel family – Hamamelidaceae). I like its white and yellowish-green coloration, a fresh spring-like combination. It seems to be doing a happy dance.
Fothergilla major (Witch-hazel family – Hamamelidaceae)
Fothergilla major (Witch-hazel family – Hamamelidaceae)
There were many native ferns emerging and a beautiful but camera shy Halesia carolina (Carolina Silverbell). Mayapples are just beginning to bloom another visitor told us, but we did not see them. We saw many Mayapples though and will have to return to this garden soon.
Podophyllum peltatum (Mayapple) is native to eastern North America.
Two days ago the weather could not have more different from today, as Friday was sunny and mild and today is not. The temperature Friday reached the high 70s, not high enough to set a record, but warm enough to beckon everyone to get outside. On that day we took in a lunch-time stroll around the nearby Botanical Garden (NCBG).
All fall at the Botanical Garden I have admired a large planting of Ilex verticillata (Common Winterberry). The display of red berries has been very bright and long-lived.
Ilex verticillata (Common Winterberry) at NCBG
The other thing that caught my attention that day at NCBG was an eastern North American native that reminded me of my childhood when Clark’s Teaberry chewing gum was popular. The plant is Gaultheria procumbens (Eastern Teaberry). It is a low-growing evergreen with a wintergreen scent.
Earlier Friday, I had ventured out in my own garden with the camera looking for flowers. I found very little blooming but I did notice the last vestiges of the pass-along Chrysanthemums. How can it be that this flower could begin in November sporting yellow centers with pale white petals, yet as always, end up pink.
Nov 1, 2013
Dec 6, 2013
I have obviously sited the Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ (Lil’ Ruby dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea) in the wrong place. Trying to give it shade, it is tucked in so close to the fence between gardenias and behind a large spirea that it is mostly invisible until I happen right up on it. Maybe that is not so bad to have a nice surprise. This little Ruby Slippers seems to be growing well and lives up to its promise of colorful foliage.
Last winter I ordered several kinds of Anemone coronaria and they were very late shipping. It was already very hot by their arrival time. Soon after I planted the bulbs I resigned myself they had all died, but I came across a few survivors Friday. Planted here are ‘The Bride’ and ‘Mr. Fokker’ and it will be exciting to see them bloom next spring (if in fact that’s what these are).
There was a chance of frozen rain today but we seemed to have missed it, with the temperature hovering at 34-35°F. The rain portion of the prediction was accurate.
Most of the day I have been sipping coffee and watching birds take turns at the feeders through the cold drizzle. There was so much activity at early morning that I took advantage of a momentary break in the rainfall to top off the seeds in the feeders.
Colorful red cardinals are equally beautiful against the green of junipers or against the brown stems of spirea or gray branches of dogwood. At mid-morning a pair of Eastern Bluebirds join in. A couple of Blue Jays showed up for a while, but did not dominate the feeders as I had expected.
Finding an opening, White-breasted Nuthatches, Carolina Chickadees, Black-capped Chickadees, and Dark-eyed Juncos flit in to quickly grab a seed. Northern Flickers and Towhees peck through the underbrush of browned stalks and stems—remnants of perennials left around for winter.
Their pace has not slowed all day.
Clematis ‘Jackmanii’
Yesterday was Garden Bloggers Foliage Day (GBFD) over at Christina’s which always highlights some interesting leaf, texture and color combinations that can carry the garden year-round. Busy with Thanksgiving and finding my own foliage pretty unremarkable this month, I did not prepare a GBFD entry this time, but today during a morning walk that included a visit to Coker Arboretum, I had a second chance to concentrate on autumn foliage.
Coker Arboretum
Just five and a half miles away, Coker Arboretum is a five-acre treasure on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (my alma mater). It dates back to 1903 when UNC’s first Botany professor, Dr. William Coker, began creating an outdoor lab to study native trees and shrubs. During the 1920s through the 1940s Dr. Coker extended the scope of the garden to include East Asian species, which correspond closely to many plants in North Carolina.
In spring there are beautiful displays of daffodils, in early fall, red spider lilies. Today the majestic trees dominated the landscape, including numerous conifers and magnolias, American beech, Northern catalpa, American Elm, Japanese Maple, pond-cypress and bald-cypress.
Taxodium distichum (Bald Cypress)
This morning a pair of Ginkgos were especially colorful.
Ginkgos At Coker Arboretum
Fallen leaves from the Ginkgos covered the lawn, pathway and the bench too. When school is in session someone is nearly always sitting and reading on the teak benches that are scattered throughout the arboretum.
Carpet of Ginkgo Leaves
The slender tree in front in the picture above is a western Florida native, Magnolia ashei (Ashe’s Magnolia).The USDA plants profile lists this deciduous magnolia as endangered.
Magnolia ashei (Ashe’s Magnolia)-western Florida
Firmiana simplex (Chinese Parasol-tree) is fascinating in any season, but today the white bark seemed very stark.
Firmiana simplex (Chinese Parasol-tree)
Chinese Parasol leaves form dense shade in the summer. This tree is listed as invasive in some states, but not here as far as I could determine. Coker Arboretum now is now under the management of the North Carolina Botanical Garden (NCBG), whose staff is well qualified to evaluate this and all the plantings here.
Huge leaves of Firmiana simplex (Chinese Parasol-tree)
Coker Arboretum’s collection is extensive and there are many more interesting trees and shrubs to share. This final scene for today shows the bright red blossoms of Camellia sasanqua.
Camellia sasanqua
What a great place to spend an afternoon! The nearby North Carolina Botanical Garden (NCBG) is a lovely public garden, a conservation garden full of native plants. Many wildflowers were blooming today throughout the habitat gardens. Especially beautiful were the paths lined with Eastern Blue Phlox and Golden Ragwort.
Phlox divaricata (Eastern Blue Phlox) and Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort)
The restored cabin of playwright Paul Green and a storytelling area are features that add to the garden’s charm. From trilliums in the Mountain Habitat to the Christmas fern against a mossy rock and cedar knees rising out of water in the Coastal Plain and Sandhills Habitats, the garden was full of interesting vignettes.
pbmGarden 