Plantmad Photo Blog
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Hydrangea hirta HC970702
2019/09/21: We picked this up at a Hersonswood plant sale (where else!) a couple of years ago. From the Kii Peninsula on Honshu, originally collected 1997 we had to make a a few more!
So long & farewell
2019/09/20: Our "Giant" Chusquea gigantea flowered and died this year as did many others around the world. It took 2 of us the best part of a whole morning to chop it all down but we did save and sow a few flats of seed! If we had saved it all I think we had enough for everyone in America to have one!
The Bench Grafter's Handbook
2019/08/12: I found this lovely surprise in our mailbox this evening sent from the author Brian Humphrey. A name well known to anyone who grew up in the world of UK horticulture & Hilliers Nursery. A wealth of information I'm sure this book will become the new gold standard for those interested in and wanting to learn more about bench grafting as a method of propagation.
Stewartia cuttings
2019/08/04: A full day sticking numerous selections & species of Stewartia cuttings.
Disanthus cercidifolius 'Ena Nishiki'
2019/08/04: This chlorophyll lacking sport of 'Ena Nishiki' wont last so we will just enjoy it while it's here!
Acer kawakamii DJHT 12089
2018/08/04: A just a photo of this Kawakami Maple growning in our woodland garden from seed collected by Dan Hinkley in Taiwan in 2012.
Nothofagus antarctica 'Chillan'
2019/07/27: Making some summer cuttings of this unusual little Antarctic Southern Beech cultivar.
Stachyurus salicifolius
2019/07/24: New cuttings stuck & liners available. We find the Willow Leaf Spiketail to be the most reliable and easiest to grow, especially here in the PNW. Wonderfully clean foliage all year long and those racemes of yellow flowers in the Spring.
Stewartia x 'Scarlet Sentinel'
2019/07/22: We are slowly building up numbers of the Wonderful Stewartia and hope to have some for sale soon. Its been around a long time but is rarely available for. A suspected hybrid of Stewartia pseudocamellia and S. ovata var. grandiflora. More background on the plant can be found in this Arnoldia publication
Corylopsis spicata ‘Golden Spring’
2019/07/22: Making cuttings of Corylopsis today.
Some light Reading!
It's always a fun day when the new International Oaks Journal arrives in the mail!
Clethra barbinervis 'Jane Platt'
This is a dwarf form of Clethra barbiniervis that originates from the Jane Platt Garden in Portland Oregon. This plant is years old and is only 4' tall by about 6' wide. It has been intermittently offered for sale by Roger Gossler but not for some time. Today we took some cutting of it in the hopes that we can make it available again through Gossler Farms.
Desfontania spinosa
Our Desfontania spinosa liners are flowering, slow to grow but worth it!
Clethra barbinervis 'Takaeda Nishiki'
Our liners of the variegated Clethra 'Takaeda Nikishik' are looking good!
Hydrangea serrata 'Yae No Amacha'
2019/06/26: Another of our Japanese Hydrangeas, 'Yae No Amacha' translates to "Double Sweet Tea". (In the past the leaves of some H. serrata cultivars could be dried and cured and used as a tea sweetener). The flowers easily switch between blue and pink depending on soil pH. Our stock plant in the garden has blue flowers!
Hydrangea microphylla 'Jogasaki'
2019/06/23: A couple of years ago we started collecting some of the older Japanese Hydrangea cultivars and producing liners of them for sale for those looking for something a bit different than the latest and greatest new introduction. Discovered by Tetsu Hirasawa on the Izu Penninsula not far from where Chiyoko's family lives.
Stewartia Growing!
2019/06/22: We expect to have a good crop of our various Stewartia liners available this fall. We changed our production method slightly with the result that we are getting more growth out of them in their first year.
Sinocalycanthus chinensis
2019/06/22: Now just Calycanthus chinensis but I prefer the old name! This has been in the garden for a long time, growing in a way to shady spot under some Big Leaf Maples but it still manages to put on a good flower show every year.
Schizophragma elliptifolium
2019/06/20: The first time that we have flowers on our Schizophragma elliptifolium that we got from Dan Hinkley several years ago.
Embothriums Galore!
2019/06/20: After a few years of poor production we expect to have a good crop of seedling Embothrium this year.
Oaxaca Child
2019/06/14: A fun new plant for the Plantmad Garden this is a seedling of the largest and perhaps oldest Taxodium distichum var. mexicanum in the world. The Árbol del Tule in town of Tule Oaxaca Mexico. Who knows when it grows a bit we may even graft a few up for sale! For more info on the tree and it's origins check out this page:
https://dcreechsite.com/2016/12/25/taxodium-distichum-var-mexicanum-the-arbole-de-tule/
Winter protection!
Quickly pushed together for protection against some late winter cold weather. What can you ID!
Ready to Go!
2018/02/24: Orders depotted and ready for Shipping on Monday.
Line up please!
2018/02/18: New Wisteria grafts on the Callus Bed
Under Cover
2018/02/17: Just when we thought we were going to get through the winter without having to do this :(
Volume 66 has arrived!
Scions Galore
2018/02/03 We spent the day cutting & collecting Wisteria scion wood for our upcoming grafting marathon!
