2015 - Robert's adventures in the Northern Sierra Nevada - California

[Jupiter]

Hi Robert, it looks like spring is really kicking off where you are. Very interesting to see things that we know well in their natural habitat. Cercis canadensis is quite a popular ornamental here, I have one in my front garden, but it never looks as good as your 'grandmother' tree. She's a beauty and so floriferous.

I'm very interested in Erythronium multiscapoideum. It looks like it might be a good species for my garden. I"ll be adding that to my wants list and watching the seed exchanges.

Iris macrosiphon is a beautiful species. I saw it at a botanic gardens here and was very taken with it. Also on the wants list.

I'm intrigued by Clematis lasinatha. It looks very attractive but there's almost no information about it online. Perhaps it's a synonym and goes by another name?

Your pictures of Dodecatheon hendersonii are amazing. I put one in my woodland garden last weekend which I've been nursing through summer in a pot. I hope it flowers for me in the spring.

[Robert]

Hi Robert, it looks like spring is really kicking off where you are. Very interesting to see things that we know well in their natural habitat. Cercis canadensis is quite a popular ornamental here, I have one in my front garden, but it never looks as good as your 'grandmother' tree. She's a beauty and so floriferous.

I'm very interested in Erythronium multiscapoideum. It looks like it might be a good species for my garden. I"ll be adding that to my wants list and watching the seed exchanges.

Iris macrosiphon is a beautiful species. I saw it at a botanic gardens here and was very taken with it. Also on the wants list.

I'm intrigued by Clematis lasinatha. It looks very attractive but there's almost no information about it online. Perhaps it's a synonym and goes by another name?

Your pictures of Dodecatheon hendersonii are amazing. I put one in my woodland garden last weekend which I've been nursing through summer in a pot. I hope it flowers for me in the spring.

Jamus,

Clearly there are a number forumist that garden with climatic conditions that are less favorable for many of the plants discussed. This is part of my motivation regarding my postings. Perhaps my comments and experiences can be helpful.

Here are a few observations that may be of benefit to you.

Cercis occidentalis is 100% xeric. They grow with no summer rainfall and are not bothered by 40 C summertime heat. I highly recommend this species where similar climatic conditions exist. It will grow to be a multi-trunked shrub or small tree.

Erythronium multiscapoideum is another easy species where similar climatic condition exist. They do better for me without summer irrigation, however in well drained soil they can take summer irrigation and still grow and bloom well. They like filtered sun light, however enough sun to get them to bloom well. The best plants in the wild are almost always found on rock ledges where there is shade from nearby trees but no dark shade or intense root competition.

Iris macrosiphon grows in similar situations as E. multiscapoideum, however it tends to grow in a bit heavier soil. 100% xeric. I. hartwegii is highly recommended too where the climate is hot and the summers are dry. They are easy from seed and superior forms can be selected. They do not take a lot of space and selecting good plants is always fun. Also, they hybridize with other west coast Iris species. This is helpful when creating new varieties with better heat and drought tolerance.

If you have room, Clematis lasiantha is another 100% xeric plant. As with Clematis, roots in the shade, tops in the sun. I am almost 100% sure that this is a valid name.

Dodecatheon hendersonii grows on the farm here, however I do grow some in containers. They have been long lived in containers as long as I keep them 100% dry and in the shade during the summer. They put on a great show in the containers. I was going to post some pictures of them this season as they looked great, but I am still "tied-up" with stuff so many plants never were photographed.

As per our last PM, I am still 100% "on board" to help you out the best that I can. My situation is slowly improving and will not last forever. Please remember, participating helps keep my spirits up.

Very happy to here from you!

[Robert]

The colour on those "spires" of Orobanche bulbosa  (shown in the last photo of post 155) are a really grand, dark slate blue, aren't they?  In some lights they must be invisible.

Contrasted with the colour of the  bright Castilleja and its soft grey foliage,  it's even better.

Maggi,

Life can be so hectic at times. I promised I would take my elderly parents out for ice cream today. This is a real treat when one is 92 and housebound. So now I am back and can make a comment or two.

It seems like the Orobanche bulbosa might stand out, but they do not. They are challenging to notice and find again. Generally, I try to use my outdoor skills to find them again, however sometimes I use the GPS. I need to keep working on my skills! Yes, they are a dark slate-blue. For a plant, a very unusual color.

Castilleja foliolosa is a fantastic plant. I will never tire of them in their natural habitat. For those living with hot dry climates, I highly recommend them. For me they have been easy to start from seed, however they want to be dry during the summer or they just rot away. They dry up and look dead during the summer. You can see how nice they look now!

You still have some gems to show Robert!

Wyethia is new to me and an exciting acquaintance.

Trond,

With our climatic conditions, the Wyethia are great. It has been easy for me to start them from seed and they have been easy to grow. Wyethia mollis is from the higher elevations and might be easier for you to grow given your conditions. The other species like summer dry, however I can get away with giving them some summer irrigation. Not much. Low elevation California conditions may be of concern as per cold hardiness, etc.

[Hoy]

Jamus,

It is Clematis lasiantha not C lasinatha (a little misprint).

Robert, I am well aware of the climatic constraints where I live! I also has a summer house where the climate is warmer and drier in summer but not much colder in winter. Some plants do better there but some plants (many in fact) are beyond consideration

[Tim Ingram]

I think the thing about gardening is that you often push the limits and grow plants that really shouldn't grow in your garden, or find ways of enabling them to grow. We do this partly because of the link between the garden and the nursery and trying to convince gardeners to be a bit more adventurous, but also to learn from making mistakes. We have a tree of Lyonothamnus now some 25ft high, Lomatium columbianum is flowering now in a deep gritty raised bed next to a wonderful specimen of Dasylirion. A few years ago two plants of Yucca whipplei flowered after about ten years in the garden - absolutely magnificent! But I never would have thought about erythroniums being quite so tolerant of xeric conditions even though I know they go down deep. And the Wyethia looks so leafy and robust as well! I'm sure gardeners in the UK have no idea of the amazing diversity of the Californian flora compared to the similar environments of South Africa for example, or even of Australia. For a place with such a high population and exploitation there still seems the opportunity for a great pioneering spirit! I met Wayne Roderick very briefly at the Edinburgh Alpine Conference in 2001 and now feel that I am only really just beginning to learn properly about the Californian flora because of following these forays into the wild. I would be very interested to know about writers on the Californian flora, having read Lester Rowntree and a little bit more. Dodecatheons in the lawn?! Now that would be great

[Robert]

Tim,

It is interesting how xeric the climatic and habitat conditions are for some of the  California Erythronium species. The habitat of E. tuolumnense is every bit as dry as that of E. multiscapoideum. I have always found this species growing on north facing slopes that are well drained and well shaded during the summer. The situation is somewhat similar with E. taylori. Some of the plants grow on rock with very little soil. The habitat of E. taylori may get a little monsoonal rain during the summer, but not much. In general it is a very dry climate.

Some time in the future, I hope to visit E. pluriflorum and E. pusaterii. Even though they grow at a higher elevation in the mountains, from my experience hiking in the Southern Sierra the climate is still very dry during the summer. Parts of the John Muir Trail can become extremely dusty, with powder dry dust, during the summer.

[Robert]

Jamus,

It is Clematis lasiantha not C lasinatha (a little misprint).

Robert, I am well aware of the climatic constraints where I live! I also has a summer house where the climate is warmer and drier in summer but not much colder in winter. Some plants do better there but some plants (many in fact) are beyond consideration

Trond and everyone else out there,

The very last thing I want to do is create trouble on our forum. I never want to come across as condescending to anyone, ever. I try my best to give generic answers that are respectful and can be useful to anyone who might be looking at this web site. I understand that there are forum members who have far more experience and knowledge than I will ever have. I also understand there might be forumist that have less experience. I want my answers and comments to be respectful, accessible, and meaningful to all who might be viewing. My comments are one of many views of looking at the world that can all be valid. Thank you, every one, for putting up with me as I attempt to impart my experiences here in California.

[Maggi Young]

Dear Robert, please do not worry - you are offending no-one - Trond was being ironic    There are occasions when it is hard to discern  the tone of a remark read at great distance - but , trust me, all is well.  I believe your wonderful posts are as good as they are because you are addressing all manner of experience- we can all learn - and enjoy - you r posts, and I am confident that we are doing just that! thank you! 

[Jupiter]

Thanks trond, I found the clematis with the right spelling. I like it but I'm not sure I have a spot for it. That one might have to wait for the next garden. We have a plan to move into a cooler and slightly wetter part of the adelaide hills, hopefully in five years when my daughter finishes primary school.

[Robert]

Maggi,

Everyone seems very nice. I do not want to "step on anyone's feet" accidentally because I do not understand the culture. I do not even understand the U.S.A. At times things go on here that I can not even begin to understand and feel like a stranger from a different world. Such is life!    Thank you for a reality check.

[Hoy]

Hi Robert,

Seems I have been unlucky and formulated me in an unfortunate way. Please forgive me! You shall know I do my best trying to write in English but it isn't my language and I often do make mistakes!

I appreciate very much what you write and enjoy every bit of it.

When I mentioned my climate it was meant as a frustration because I see all the interesting plants growing around you and knowing I can't grow most of them

You have not stepped on anybody's feet but I may have and I am sorry for that.

[Robert]

Hi Robert,

Seems I have been unlucky and formulated me in an unfortunate way. Please forgive me! You shall know I do my best trying to write in English but it isn't my language and I often do make mistakes!

I appreciate very much what you write and enjoy every bit of it.

When I mentioned my climate it was meant as a frustration because I see all the interesting plants growing around you and knowing I can't grow most of them

You have not stepped on anybody's feet but I may have and I am sorry for that.

Trond,

What an unfortunate mix up. I apologize. 

I felt that I may have been coming across as condescending and that is the last thing I wanted. I have never been offended by anything that you have said or done. I apologize for my mistake and any harm that may have come to your reputation in any way. You are completely undeserving of any harm that may have come from any of my comments and I hope that everything can be straightened out.

I want you to know that I hold you in the highest regard. For me this is not an idle statement. Sometimes I think about Mr. Gandhi and his comment and caution about being expedient - "what ever short term gain there is, is temporary, the long term damage is permanent." I hope this does not turn out to be the case and everything can be set straight. Whatever consequences there are should be mine.

Again I apologize.

[Tim Ingram]

Robert, I can only speak from seeing pictures of Trond's expeditions into various wild places around the world - and his generosity just as yours - but there seems little difference between the wonder that anyone finds when they travel, or read about the travels of others, or simply gain an understanding of plants, and most of all just breathe the mountain air! These threads for me are just the stimulation the mind needs, especially where we live in a very crowded and busy south-east of England with really no fully wild places to explore. I think condescension is to do with not sharing experiences openly and fairly and there is no sense of that at all!

[Maggi Young]

Quite so, Tim.  Any perceived difficulty is simply a mixup from having to interpret words  on a page , without any eye to eye contact which shows us the twinkle of a  jokey or ironic comment or the gasp of astonishment and wonder at seeing marvelous things and places.   The delightful politeness shown by both Robert and Trond  show that  these are  fine people. 
It  has often been said that the Brits and the Americans are people "divided by a common language" and how easy it is for this to be the case with those folks who have it as a second, third  or fourth language! 
It is one of the reasons that our little "emoticons" - those  small pictures depicting  faces, are so useful in letting others know what mood we are expressing   

[Robert]

Sedella pumila from the serpentine barrens down the road from the farm. An interesting little California native annual. This small annual will cover its self with many tiny yellow flowers a bit later in the spring. I have not used it in the rock garden yet, however it seems very appropriate.

This coming week I hope to visit the Traverse Creek - Bear Creek area further up the mountain or back to the Buckeye Flat trail to Nevada Point. Not sure yet. The Traverse Creek area has plenty of serpentine. Some plants of interest are: a number of Violas species, Lewisias rediviva (they should be blooming soon), and many bulb species. The Buckeye Flat - Nevada Point area needs to be explored in a complete way. There is still much to find there.