March 2022 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Robert]

Erythronoim multiscapideum ‘Rubicon’ is one of my best selections of this species to date.



I will end this posting with a closer view of Erythronium multiscapideum ‘Rubicon’.

Nik,

[Jasmin]:  Thank you so much for the lovely views!  It does not matter that initially the photos were sideways:  Sometimes we do need another perspective. 

I am deeply grateful for your participation:  Everyone with a garden, please join in!  This Forum is for all of us.  Given the stress we all have, the garden and nature are comforts.  Some of us are garden meditating; everyone is welcome.

Akke,

Just as we create gardens, we choose peace: loving thoughts, words, and actions.  It sounds easier than it is.  Sometimes, life feels like a compost pile.  Some is too hot, like chicken manure, and needs time before feeding the garden.

Think of your mother as the crocus coming up through the pavement:  her good qualities you appreciate to focus on, accept and love, without change.

Compassion is cultivated, as a garden:  Think the shape of another’s life and choices.  Blame, to seek outside ourselves for our happiness or unhappiness, is tempting.  A war veteran with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome said, “Hurt people hurt people”.  PTSD is too common and ongoing:  The acute form is from one-time events: a bomb, flood, fire, volcano, etc.  The complex form is from extended, prolonged, and/or multiple situations of trauma:  physical, spiritual, emotional, and psychological violence—witnessed in person, on TV, or movies.

Trauma is so common, and most is not acknowledged or grieved:  It is both ambiguous, and disenfranchised.  People get stuck:  Situations beyond our control create chronic challenges.  The younger people are when traumas occur, the greater and deeper the wound can be.  It can be as minor as a plant affected by frost, slugs, or insects temporarily, or as serious as a tree struck by lightening or crushed by snow:  alive, but gashed or misshapen.

Ambiguous loss takes two forms, but people have combinations: 
    physically absent, but psychologically present:  missing persons—soldiers, kidnappings, war, violence, stillbirths, abortions, divorce, adoption, immigration-- loss of animals (run away, stolen, dead).
    Psychologically absent, physically present:  the body is, but the mind is not—dementia, brain trauma, addictions/work, stroke, mental illness (PTSD, etc.).

Everyone suffers and has suffered from all the above--as individuals, communities, and nations.  None of us knows how we would respond if it were our experience, plus we are all unique. 

My family’s attitude toward language and skills was the ability to go anywhere.  Recently, I was asked about my Norwegian, since my mother’s roots are Grimstad.  The adults spoke and wrote letters, but what I learned was not taught, and it was their older dialect.  I had books in German, but nothing in Norwegian.  Yet, I had/have my bunad, 17 May, Norwegian flags and foods, and other things.  I never asked questions.  Norwegian taken for granted? Gender?  Loss of my biological father?  My “fathers” were other family members:  Uncle Eugen and my beloved Papá, both of Vienna, Austria.

As my mother aged, she turned more rigid: I think she regressed to childhood, a space she perceived as safe:  before war and violence; yet, she knew she was my mother, and was upset by contradictions, afraid of losing control.

The birds are fine except when they turn into the most demanding, impatient, bossy creatures.

[ruweiss]

Robert,
Hope,that this helpful for you

[Nik]

Robert, I am so envious about your Sisyrinchium already blooming… Our local species (one of them, but the only one in our yard) doesn’t bloom until early June. I discovered Sisyrinchium angustifolium accidentally few years ago in the yard and have been propagating it since. Very easy to do, a good clump will produce at least 20 new plants. And it self seeds so easily. I planted it mostly in rock cracks, it seems to do great there. It is amazing how much moisture rock crevices hold. Here are some pictures from last summer.

[Robert]

I grew a Cashmir cypress as a houseplant for 7 years.  It was incredibly beautiful.  it seemed to do fine under normal house conditions.  The tree succumbed to a root disease, I think. 

Hello Rick,

It is amazing that you could grow Cupressus cashmeriana as a houseplant for 7 years! I would have never attempted such a strategy.

Robert,
Hope,that this helpful for you

Rudi,

Thank you for posting the photographs and information concerning Mr. Ruksans book Buried Treasures. Yes, I am sure it will be very helpful.

Robert, I am so envious about your Sisyrinchium already blooming… Our local species (one of them, but the only one in our yard) doesn’t bloom until early June. I discovered Sisyrinchium angustifolium accidentally few years ago in the yard and have been propagating it since. Very easy to do, a good clump will produce at least 20 new plants. And it self seeds so easily. I planted it mostly in rock cracks, it seems to do great there. It is amazing how much moisture rock crevices hold. Here are some pictures from last summer.

Nik,

I agree Sisyrinchiums can work extremely well in a garden setting. I especially liked your photograph with the Sisyrinchium combined with the blooming Sedum (?). Our three local Sisyrinchium species keep me busy. It seems that there are a number of Sisyrinchium species native to your area.

[Nik]

On a sunny but cold March afternoon, the daffodils are waking up, the mosses are doing great and Sternbergia lutea shows signs of sunburn. I think the winter sunburn is a good indication for spectacular show of flowers in the fall. I strongly believe that is the trick with Sternbergia lutea.

[Akke]

Nik, Robert

Thanks for the lovely pictures, espacially the combinations of plants are inspiring, Enscholzia lobbii/ Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia and Sisyrinchium angustofolium/ sedum (?) look good together. I’ll be keeping a better eye on the Japanese maple unofficialy (but very well composed) planted in the park, apparantely ignoring colour perspective.

Robert

Your previous picture and explanation of Cercis occidentalis in the container, is another point of inspiration. Tonight I brought Quercus inside my neighbours place and it was really fun, he knows about pruning and adores Quercus. Thanks.

Jasmin

There’s so much reassurance and consolation in your words, I’ll read them again and think of them now. For this moment I’m just thankful that my mother seems to get more understanding.

Nik

Another thanks, yout spring seems to be around. the picture with the moon is really special.

[Nik]

Akke and Robert

The Sedum is S. sarmentosum. It always blooms at the same time as the Sisyrinchium.

Robert

We have 5 species of Sisyrinchium in Connecticut: angustifolium, atlanticum, fuscatum, montanum and mucronatum.

Akke

That is the sun, not the moon.

[Robert]

Nik,

Do you grow any of the other Sisyrinchiums species that are native to Connecticut or your region?

The mosses in your garden are very beautiful. There are not many mosses in our Sacramento, California garden. It is so dry during the summer. There was a time when they were more common.

Spring must not be very far away now that the Narcissus are beginning to emerge from the earth.

[Jasmin]:  The pictures of the Sysyrinchiums growing through the rocks, the close-ups of the emerging Narcissus and the moss were exquisite.  The moss really transformed into this golden universe.  Absolutely lovely!

I attempted to photograph a favorite rock, and some recently emerging blooms and flower spikes.







Lupinus albifrons var. albifrons getting ready to bloom.


Akke,

I enjoy container gardening. There is plenty of room for many small plants in our garden. I also like the close inspection and care of small plants that a container provides, plus I like moving containers around when something special is blooming.  We re-situate current blooms to our most-frequented paths.

We only received a trace of rain from the last storm. The record number of days without measurable precipitation continues. The continuing dry weather has a major impact on our native flora, especially vernally moist ecosystems such as vernal pools and seasonally moist seeps. Species such as Limnanthes alba and Limnanthes douglasii ssp. rosea (both native to our area) are dependent on these wetland ecosystems. During the Medieval Warm Period there were major prolonged droughts in California. Modern land development and land use practices did not exist during this time period, so during these warm and dry periods many plant species could migrate to new and more suitable locations. Modern land development and land use practices has so fragmented many ecosystems and plant populations, that species become stranded in habitats that can no longer support them. I think it is easy to see the connection between climate change, land development/land use practices, and the impacts to horticulture. Gathering seeds from threatened populations (for example even a common species such as Limnanthes) has its challenges. For me, a collection of a single individual plant of any species has very limited possibilities. In my horticultural world, a diverse population or land race has unlimited possibilities. I appreciate your comments on Limnanthes. This species would very likely be very amendable to container culture in many different climatic zones. I will continue my in depth study of this Genus and the wetland ecosystems they inhabit. Limnanthes has now moved up on my priority list. Thank you for bringing up this topic!

[ruweiss]

Now flowering in the garden and the Alpine house:
Callianthemum farreri grows well with me in the open garden, but this rooted
cutting from last year already shows the interesting flowers in this unusual color.

[Leucogenes]

Absolutely fantastic pictures...Rudi. Apparently you and your plants are doing well...perfect.

Callianthemum farreri is in my eyes the most spectacular species of this genus. As it is much colder here than with you, there is nowhere near this growth at this time of year. A small disadvantage in spring...but a "blessing" in summer when cultivating alpines.

Callianthemum farreri is so valuable to me that I do not dare to use parts of it for the
for propagation. At present I can see five buds on my specimen in the rock garden. The current temperatures will probably require a little more patience from me. 🤞

Best wishes and health

[Nik]

On a dark and rainy morning, here is our side yard, the view from our living room. Jasmin and Robert, thanks for the wonderful comments. Robert, I have not encountered the other Sisyrinchium species in our yard. Sorry for the empty Cymbidium benches, the plants are still indoors in bloom. They will be out as soon as there is no chance of frost.

[ruweiss]

Thomas,
thank you for your friendly comment. A single plant of Callianthemum farreri with
5 flowers is sensational and a sign for an optimal situation, I have never seen such
a plant before. These plants form underground runners which can be detached for
propagation.

[ruweiss]

Forgot to mention a Czech rockgardener who lives in a similar cold region,
he reported, that C. farreri became weedy in his garden and generously
gave away pieces of these plants during a conference. In Gansu and
Sichuan they grow at 3500-400m, so I can be glad, that they grow at all
in my climate.

[Akke]

And more pictures to enjoy, thanks.

Nik

Your picture of the sun is incredible, something worth a try. Great view in your side yard, thanks,

Sorry for the empty Cymbidium benches, the plants are still indoors in bloom. They will be out as soon as there is no chance of frost.

‘IJsheiligen’ (last chance of frost) here is around 15th of may, do you have something like that?

Rudi

More spring coming, your plants look great, Callianthemum farreri stole the show.

Robert

It’s an honour to give you some inspiration as you and Jasmin are continually inspiring me, in return your remark about Limnanthes made me think about our eco systems and urbanization, more of a longterm project.
Limnanthes douglasii, called yellow-white swampflower and easily available here, is likely to do fine. I understand your story about limited versus unlimited possibilities as we destroyed so many species in this country, over here I’m not sure if agricultural activities haven’t been equally important. We have something called ‘ nature’ , mostly isolated patches of special circumstances, still climate change never seems to be worrying enough to most people to actually do something.   
I love your rocks and plants surrounding it, first one seems smaller than the second one. Our new moss garden is still not watered while we’re having a period of of dry weather, not unusual or worrying as there’s so much reserve from previous weather, same time temperatures are more normal at the moment but probably higher in a couple of days.


Crocus angustofolius and biflorus are still there, Scilla bifolia ‘rosea’ and Chionodoxa luciliae flowering, Tulipa violacea and polychroma are waiting for higher temperatures I think, first one has shown promising buds for 10/14 days.
Second container at my neighbours’ is already very springlike, it might be overcrowded.


The apple tree in the ‘Heemtuin’ (part of the city park) is delightful to see, though I missed the buzzing today.


Cornus mas (park), the big one, full of flowers. First smaller ones started about a month ago.

Container gardening is really enjoyable, moving them is one great part,  the close inspection and observing might be even better. Things you wouldn’t notice in a garden situation are magnified, it’s an enriching experience.
Studying the ‘given’ oak and deciding which parts to prune has intensified this, neighbour and I have been looking at it thoroughly, before repotting and pruning. We’ve been very busy in a meditave way.

I just wish you’ll finally get some rain.

Rudi

Interesting extra information on C. Farreri

[Leucogenes]

Rudi

Thank you for the helpful information regarding the runners in Callianthemum farreri. In fact, in the last two years I have spotted some leaves at about 20 to 30 centimetres. As soon as the ground is no longer frozen and the temperatures remain permanently above 10 Celsius, I will try to carefully dig up a stolon. My only specimen so far is now 6 years old. It is in close proximity to Leontopodium andersonii, a few remaining representatives of the New Zealand alpine flora and other Asian jewels that require similar conditions.

It is indeed a small miracle that it grows so well in your area...because I suspect that in your region you will soon be able to start mining lemons...😏

With Callianthemum farreri I especially like the time when the flowers are not yet fully open. Then you can see the majestic blue colouring particularly well... like in this photo from the past.

Nik

What a great view into your garden. In my eyes a priceless privilege to have natural rock formations in the garden. Just my taste...for there is no better designer than nature.