Camellia sasanqua

Returned from my trip to Seattle but unfortunately no pictures because I didn't take my camera - my free time was very limited and I didn't think I would see much to photograph. I did see a couple of interesting plants which I couldn't identify. One looked like a very attractive weed with dark green leaves and purple stem with small yellow flowers on stalks.

There were also many varieties of Japanese maples starting to turn. We lived in Seattle about 10 years ago and noticed the many Japanese maples planted in peoples yard but I didn't realize there were so many varieties - I just lumped them into one "Japanese maple" category. But even with the limited exposure to the Japanese maples I had this time, I noticed several different kinds by the leaf patterns.










Anyway, I'm back at home now and the Camellia sasanqua 'Marti' is in full bloom. It started blooming sporadically about 3 weeks ago. The Camellia japonica 'Spring's Promise' is full of buds too but has not bloomed yet.



I took these photos before I went on the trip.



The Tiarella I planted in late summer bloomed for the first time. I like this plant more and more.





The Corydalis 'Blackberry Wine Red' has been blooming quite a while now and seems to be unfazed by the frosty mornings we've experienced for the past week.








Flowers of the Italian basil. I find these small flowers quite charming though they usually remain unnoticed when the larger and more colorful, decorative flowers are in their full glory.








Thai basil flowers. I think these are even more attractive than the Italian basil.

Spring in Autumn?

We bought an end of season flowering cherry in mid-summer to replace a crab apple severely affected by cedar apple rust. Since we have many more cedar trees than crab apples it was easier to eliminate two rather than a dozen trees even if one of them was the cherished tree marking the grave of our much beloved cat, Wily. We planted the cherry to replace the crab apple marking the grave. I thought our cat wouldn't mind.

Surprisingly, the tree is blooming now! I take this as a sign Wily approves of the choice.

The mild fall we've been experiencing has the plants a bit confused. Bulbs are sprouting but not flowering in our yard. But I did see some crocus blooming in someone's yard today. The Golden Chain tree is also blooming but it has done that for a couple of years now.

The cherry tree is a Prunus ‘Accolade’ a hybrid cross between P. sargentii and P. subhirtella. We bought the tree without knowing what the flowers looked like because it didn't have a picture tag but with a name like accolade, I thought we couldn't miss and I was right. It has beautiful flowers.

Of the 5 different kinds of cherries growing in our yard, Kwanzan, Yoshino, weeping Higan Cherry?, purple-leafed Kwanzan and now Accolade, I am leaning toward the Accolade as my favorite. I think the very dark green leaves make a perfect backdrop for the semi double flowers. I can hardly wait for the real Spring to see it covered with flowers.

None of the other cherries have flowers or buds.

Anemones and Tricyrtis

Two Anemones I bought a couple of years ago are finally blooming. The first photo is Anemone Japonica 'Mont Rose'. Quite a lovely tall flower. It is a mystery that not many nurseries online offer this variety for sale.

The second Anemone may be A. 'Pamina' but I can't be sure. I received a very small plant and the leaves shriveled within a month so I thought it was dead and lost the name tag. But it sprouted again late next spring but it didn't flower. I thought it died again but it produced three small flowers this year so hopefully the plant will become more robust in a few years.





Anemone Japonica 'Mont Rose'.






Anemone hupehensis var. japonica 'Pamina'






More of the Tricyrtis we bought in late summer are blooming.
** Update. Well I really botched the identification of the Tricyrtis. The first one is actually T. lasiocarpa 'Amethystina' and it really is a beauty.



Tricyrtis lasiocarpa 'Amethystina'. In my opinion, a very beautiful toad lily. I've corrected the names of the other Tricyrtis too.







Two photos of Tricyrtis formosana 'Sinome'






Tricyrtis variegata




Tricyrtis formosana 'Dark Beauty'

Wordless Wednesday? Not quite ...

Hydrangea paniculata 'Quick Fire'. Quick Fire is quick. It blooms about a month before Hydrangea paniculata floribunda or H. paniculata 'Lime Light'. I am a bit disappointed that the color isn't redder. The picture on the label was distinctly bright red. The plant has grown and filled out quite a lot, producing many more flowers as a result.







Hydrangea paniculata floribunda under mackerel skies. This is a prolific bloomer and surprisingly the flowers are a deeper dusky pink than the above H. paniculata 'Quick Fire'. Our favorite H. paniculata.







Deciduous Holly, Ilex verticillata 'Winter Gold' Winterberry.






Geranium 'Rozanne' still blooming.






Volunteer Ageratum. We planted Ageratum last year, but none this year. This one came up very late and is only blooming now. I wonder why it took so long for the seed to germinate? No other plant has appeared.






Black Cohosh.






Tricyrtis 'Togen'.






Tricyrtis formosana 'Gilt Edge'.

A Mystery Anemone and Others

This mysterious Anemone appeared as a volunteer. It doesn't resemble any of the other Anemones we have and I suspect it may be a cross between A. Tomentosa Robustissima and A. Victor Jones or perhaps a cross between the white Anemone, A. Honorine Jobert and the A. Tomentosa Robustissima. I do like the single, whitish petals outlined with pink and it bloomed the first year from seed. It is quite a nice entirely free addition to our collection of Anemones.






ANEMONE japonica Margarette






Anemone hybrida 'Party Dress' continues to exasperate. The tall thin stems are too weak to support the heavy double flowers so they fall over. The flowers are very lovely so I hope they will improve the breed to have stronger stems.







Anenome Japonica 'Whirlwind'






Anemone japonica 'Honorine Jobert'






Anemone japonica 'Max Vogel'?






Anemone Robustissima and Honorine Jobert together.






Anemone 'Honorine Jobert' grows very nicely in its favored location with afternoon sun.