GardenWeek Virtual Visits December 6, 2000

Editor's Journal: Stonecrop

A sunny day with blue skies and only a light breeze--bit it is cold--only 23 degrees--and it has been quite cold. The ground is frozen, the ice on the ponds is getting thicker, and there is even a dusting of snow remaining from the light snowfall of late last week. Two plants with variegated foliage, a Maple with exfoliating bark and a Viburnum that still has its clusters of bright red fruits stand out in the winter garden. Under glass, the Lachenalia and Primula auricula season has started.

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Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit plants indicated by AGM.

The ice on the ponds is getting thicker and the little hill beyond the large pond still has a dusting of snow.
Across the Pond to the Flintstone Bridge
Salix and Cercidiphyllum
Another Stonecrop classic--Looking north from the Wisteria Pavilion back to the bottom of the Cliff as it meets the ice covered pond, weeping Cercidiphyllum japonicum f. pendulum on the right and Salix alba vitellina 'Britzensis' to its left with its brilliant winter color.
Safe for the winter in its insulated box heaped high on the sides with wood chips, the "Giant of Stonecrop" sleeps until spring.
Gunnera manicata
The Flower Garden
Miss Jekyll in the distance still watches over the Flower Garden, now tidied for the winter.
It is getting colder--and the distinctive white margins on this Sasa--an excellent plant for the winter garden--are getting wider.
Sasa veitchii
Yucca 'Golden Sword'
Another excellent plant for the winter garden, the striped leaves on this Yucca in the Gravel Garden glow in the late day light.
The very exfoliating bark of Acer griseum opposite the summer location of the Justicia carnea.
Acer griseum
Viburnum trilobum 'Wentworth'
On the Himalayan Slope a group of Viburnums still hold their clusters of large red fruits.
Moving on to the Conservatory, the Lachenalia season has begun! In the dappled light by the glass this species with unique blue-green flowers is one of the most intriguing.
Lachenalia viridiflora
Cyrtanthus mackenii var. cooperi
The long pale salmon-colored tubular flowers of this Cyrtanthus create an unexpected but interesting color scheme with the Lachenalia on the left.
An unusual Mexican Senecio from the Yucca-Do Nursery blooms with clusters of small yellow flowers on stalks four feet tall.
Senecio sp.
Paphiopedilum 'Model'
A classic green, brown and white Paphiopedilum blooms in the tiny tropical house between the potting shed and Alpine House.
And across the way from the Paphiopedilum, a member of the Gesneriaceae family blooms with tubular flowers--magenta on the outside and yellow and white with magenta spots on the inside.
Smithiantha 'Castle Croft'
Primula auricula ssp. bauhinii
Members of the Primula auricula collection in both the Alpine and Pit Houses have just started to bloom including this very farinose subspecies in the Alpine House with leathery leaves and yellow flowers with a white eye.
November 28 November 17 November 7 November 2 October 26 October 20 October 11

October 4 September 28 September 13

September 8 August 30 August 24 August 15

August 2 July 28 July 18 July 12 July 5 June 21

June 14 June 7 June 1 May 24 May 17

May 10 April 25 April 25 April 11 April 4

March 21 March 7 February 22 February 14 January 10

December 6 1999 November 8 1999 October 11 1999 September 14 1999

August 9 1999 July 5 1999 May 31 1999 Last Week's Editor's Journal

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