Gordon's Garden Diary

9 Apr '07 3:39 pm

Hello again, Liza!

Well, I just learned something from your request for information about brunneras: they're not listed in any of my garden reference books!! How about that! So, in answer to your question, I had to go to my catalogues and here's what they say:

There are several varieties of Brunneras, including "variegata", which I have and which has white edges on the leaves, "Jack Frost", which is the one in the picture that I posted, one called, "Hadspen Cream", with cream edges and which I've been lusting after but couldn't get locally, and a new one this year called, "Looking Glass", in which the entire leaf is frosted.

All of the Brunneras have cobalt blue flowers that resemble those of Forget-Me-Nots in early spring, when the leaves are still fairly small. After they bloom, the leaves on the plants increase in size a lot and become the main reason for having them in the garden.

Brunneras like a place in part shade to full shade in moist, well-drained humousy soil (perfect for a woodland garden). They don't seem to be rampant spreaders and, in my garden at least, don't seem to reseed themselves either. By the way, the leaves are somewhat fuzzy, which perhaps is the reason why my many slugs do not bother them very much.

I went out tonight into the rain and took this, rather poor picture of my variegata version. As you can see, it has the same flowers as Jack Frost, but the leaves are different. I'l try to get a better picture of it a bit later in the season, as this is its first year with me.

If you still have the address of the nursery where I ordered my new clematis this year, they will have a description and a better picture of it.

Happy Easter!

gordonf

10 Apr '07 2:27 am

Thanks to Liza for requesting more information about the Brunnera. I have often admired them in catalogues, but have never tried any because I have not had a good place for them. Most of my gardens have too much sun. However, last year we put in a shade garden under a large oak tree. Lots of hosta, ferns, hellebores, and a number of wild flowers. I think Brunnera would be a very nice addition. You have inspired me!

11 Apr '07 6:47 pm

Hi, folks!

Well, it was a really nice day today, and I organized some pictures that I took yesterday at the estuary of the Campbell River (you remember - Baikie Island, the restored industrial area?), as well as rescuing some more bulbs and a heather from a construction site that is due to be bulldozed. The plants are all now in my new front garden, and here are the pictures of the Island, as well as more info. on the bushes that I knew nothing about the other day.

These pictures were all taken very near the mouth of the river just before sunset. The one showing the barges with buildings on them is of an area we call the "freshwater marina" as there is a pleasure boat marina there and the entire place is on fresh (well, actually brackish) water from the river, as opposed to salt water at all of the other local marinas. This picture shows a floating fishing or logging camp in port for its yearly maintenance. Soon, it will be taken once more to its station further north up the coast for the summer. Lots of these come in here for upgrading and maintenance every winter. In the distance can be seen the actual mouth of the river where it enters Discovery Passage.

The other wide-angle picture shows the intertidal area of the riverbed with the tide out, facing in the opposite direction as the previous one. On the bank to the left are some of the "mystery" bushes. I've now found out that they are a plant called, "Myrica gale", or "Sweet Gale". They spread by suckers and separate plants have male and female flowers. Normally, they are just part of the landscape, but at this time of the year, and in the right light, they really shine!

There are also a couple of close-up shots of the Sweet Gale flowers.

I hope you like them!

-gordonf

12 Apr '07 11:07 am

Hi, folks!

Today has been a great day and not only did I get some gardening done, but I took Joey Dog for a long walk by the river on the trail that starts at the spawning channel and ends at Baikie Island (all reclaimed from years of industrial use). You may have noticed that some of my pictures are named "Raven 1, Raven 2, and so on. Well, here's the large carving of a raven sitting on a pole that marks the beginning of that trail. There are pictures of the spawning channel in which you can see how the new leaves are bursting forth and another view of the Campbell River itself. Also, some trilliums, some close-ups of the ribes flowers as well as some tiny wild flowers of which I have no idea what the name is!

Pictures from my garden include close-ups of Fritilaria imperialis, another gold-laced primula seedling blooming for the first time and Pulmonaria "Mrs. Moon".

I noticed that the single white tree peony that I posted a day or so ago with its flower from 2 years ago now has 3 flower buds on it! It'll be quite a while before it flowers, but I"M SO EXCITED!! Very Happy

Now I'm lusting after another tree peony species called, "Rockii" or "Joseph Rock". By the way, for anyone who can receive American P.B.S. broadcasts, there is a special about China's plant gifts to the world on Nova next Tuseday - it features Dan Hinkly, a famous American plant explorer and breeder. I've seen previews and it looks fabulous!!

All the best, everyone!!

gordonf

18 Apr '07 4:11 pm

Hi, all!

Today was my first day to myself for several, so I got a lot of housework and gardening done, then I went with a friend to a different local river to see how the trilliums were doing. The forest was full of them in full bloom, and we even found several double ones!

This river is called the Quinsam River, and it is a tributary of the Campbell River, entering it just about where I live, about a mile upstream from the ocean. The upper reaches of the Quinsam have been logged, but the part near its mouth is a park and trail, plus there is a major salmon hatchery on this river. The winter has been quite hard on the trail, with trees down over the trail and parts of it completely washed out. But Nature is already beginning to establish new growth in the raw scars.

This is the area where I collect trillium seeds to send to my acquaintance in Australia, on the island of Tasmania.

Here are the pictures that I took.

Cheers, everyone!

gordonf

18 Apr '07 6:08 pm

What fabulous photos, Gordon! And hurray for Brunnera, which I grow - and I wish it would spread! Nurseries here have sold the Jack Frost one, I bought three variegated plants mail order ages ago and one, oddly, has reverted. Lost its stripes and splodges! Thanks for reminding me to perhaps try dividing them before next spring. I'd love them to cover more ground.
Cheers.

18 Apr '07 6:56 pm

Hi, Mary,

Thanks for letting me know that Brunneras can revert! I didn't know that, so I'll have to keep an eye on mine!

Cheers! (Bedtime for me now!)

gordonf

18 Apr '07 8:02 pm

....for not thanking you for your Brunnera reply!! It was a message I had sent you hastily from Athens, and I forgot about it!

If these beauties love shade and freshness, I have to think twice , because in this garden of mine there is not much space for the moment they would love and survive..Plus, that I would love to see them blooming somewhere close, because they are SO very lovely blue little darlings!

From your lovely photos, I mostly enjoyed your ...Joey in the water, and the white beauty of the Trilliums! But, ALL the photos, even from the previous post , are really gorgeous!

19 Apr '07 2:28 am

Again you have posted the most beautiful photos of a river and the wildflowers in the surrounding forest. The trilliums are spectacular! I was especially taken with the double white one. It reminds me of a perenniel bellflower called "Hakone White" that I grew from seed. It has a very similar double white blossom.

Thanks for the addition to this wonderful post.

19 Apr '07 5:44 am

Thanks, Faith and Liza, for your comments! As for the pictures of the rivers, they are so near to where I live that I thought it would be a good idea to show everyone how close to the wild I live, even though I'm right in the city. And besides, while a few plants in my garden, like the brunnera, look good now, the rest of it is still recovering from the severe winter and isn't very photogenic! That's why I haven't been posting many pictures of it. But things are growing and, I hope, soon I'll be able to show more of the main parts of the garden and won't have to depend upon the rivers so much!

Today I have to get on the roof and look for a new leak that developed during the latest round of severe wind and rain. Then it will be back to weeding and planting summer bulbs. I got an email from one of my mail-order nurseries yesterday that my latest order is on its way. Since I can't remember what I ordered from them, I'm waiting like a little kid waiting for Christmas!! Very Happy

All the best, everyone!

gordonf

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