August 2022 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Robert]

Akke,

I was very pleased to see your recent posting. I enjoy the unique differences in regional horticulture/agriculture. For me, it is incredibly fascinating to see and learn about the tremendous diversity of plants that gardeners grow in their respective regions. How their gardens and plants adapt and respond to the climate and differing cultivation methods is very enlightening.

I understand getting busy. The most important thing is that you, your garden, and what is important to you are okay! I have been very busy working in our Sacramento garden and at the Placerville property. I have many ongoing and new breeding projects in various stages of development. It is all very exciting! There is so much to share both now and into the future.




Our Sacramento garden is lush and in full production.



The old standby summer perennials are at their peak, as well the common annual species such as Zinnia elegans and Tithonia rotundifolia.



I have a number of ongoing breeding projects with many of our California native species. Here it is 1 August and this line of Aquilegia formosa is still flowering with more flower buds waiting to open.



This line of Gila capitata is still flowering and has lush green rosettes of basal foliage. In a cool climate this might not be a big deal, however in our extremely hot, dry climate this is not the usual growth or flowering pattern for this species. This is one example of the regional plant evolution and development I enjoy greatly.



I have a number of long-term tomato breeding projects that I am working on. There are thousands of tomato varieties, however climate and other variables are changing. New, highly regional varieties that are well adjusted to the changing circumstances are primary goals. This applies to ornamental species too, at least in our garden.

[Robert]

In our area, commercial strawberries taste terrible and are crunchy like a carrot. I am breeding strawberries that taste great, are tender, juicy, and thrive in our garden.



New apple varieties need to be developed that taste great, store well, yet thrive with fewer chilling hours. Lack of winter chilling is now impacting commercial fruit production in the Central Valley of California. Pistachios, Apricots, and Peaches are just some of the fruit types that are being impacted.



Creative breeding of new Citrus varieties also has great potential in the world of sustainable, regional, micro-agriculture.

As you can see, I have many diverse breeding projects in the works, including many that involve ornamental species.

Later this week I will be visiting the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I am hoping this will be a productive and fascinating trip.

Currently another surge of subtropical moisture has moved into our region. The skies are overcast with an occasional drop of rain. Not enough to wet anything, but we can always hope for more. It is also fairly hot and humid. Traditionally we can get monsoonal moisture this time of the year, so this is not completely unusual.

Well, this is the current news from our California garden.

[Herman Mylemans]

Echinacea 'Butterfly Kisses'

[Herman Mylemans]

Helenium autumnale MARIACHI 'Salsa' PBR

[Herman Mylemans]

Achillea ptarmica 'Xana' and Bergenia ciliata

[Herman Mylemans]

Helenium 'Fuego' PBR

[shelagh]

What a beautiful Echinacea Herman, I must look out for that one.

[Akke]

Combining bulbs and  annuals seems a good idea in the big containers for now.

After nearly three years, Allium beesianum is flowering (got them as bulbs) and enjoying evening sun.


Nearby very late-sown Eschscholzia caespitosa  is keeping it company.


Like most of Europe, the wheather is hot and dry, 30C and no precipitation, at the moment. In my area fresh water is still available but in other parts of the Netherlands, water shortage is a serious problem.

[Robert]

Akke,

Thank you for sharing the photographs. The Allium is quite beautiful. Are you sure about the Eschscholzia caespitosa? Eschscholzia caespitosa almost always has cauline leaves. In our garden, I have never had Eschscholzia caespitosa cross with E. lobbii, however hybrids with E. californica have been reported. In addition, The Jepson Manual lists 10 species of Eschscholzia that are native to California. Then there can be undesirable genetic drift or genetic contamination if seed lines are not maintained well. Sometimes it seems difficult to put a correct name to a plant. I have this challenge often enough. Maybe this is part of what makes gardening fun and interesting.

I know that you are very busy, however I am hoping that other Forumists can share their observations and insights into how drought and high temperatures are impacting gardens and (especially) agriculture in Europe. Drought is currently impacting parts of the corn (maize) belt in the U.S.A. I am attempting to understand how climatic change is impacting agriculture.

[Stefan B.]

It bloomed for the first time from seeds brought from Japan in 2019 

Lilium leichtlinii var. maximowiczii

[Rick R.]

It looks like the Lilium leichtlinii var. maximowiczii that is in commerce.  I don't think it is the real botanical species, though.

[Leena]

Herman, 'Fuego' and 'Salsa' are looking very nice and compact.

Here Heleniums are also starting to flower. The earliest are already flowering but the later ones are still in bud.
My 'Siesta' is taller this year than earlier. We got a lot of rain in July (76mm in my garden) so that is maybe why they grow taller.
Also other perennials are looking good now.
I have an old Rudbeckia laciniata which seeds around and grows 2,5m tall. Is it the same species which Robert grows?
Aconitum orientale is also a tall variety flowering right now in part shade.

[Leena]

Plants are looking good also in shade beds, though it is almost +30 also here, much too hot to me when I am not used to these kinds of temperatures.
Last picture is Deinanthe caerulea which surprisingly survived last winter when many plants died around it.

[Stefan B.]

It looks like the Lilium leichtlinii var. maximowiczii that is in commerce.  I don't think it is the real botanical species, though.

You are wrong, I got the seeds from a botanical garden in Japan when they were visiting there...

[Herman Mylemans]

Herman, 'Fuego' and 'Salsa' are looking very nice and compact.

Here Heleniums are also starting to flower. The earliest are already flowering but the later ones are still in bud.
My 'Siesta' is taller this year than earlier. We got a lot of rain in July (76mm in my garden) so that is maybe why they grow taller.
Also other perennials are looking good now.
I have an old Rudbeckia laciniata which seeds around and grows 2,5m tall. Is it the same species which Robert grows?
Aconitum orientale is also a tall variety flowering right now in part shade.

Yes Leena, I like the Mariachi group of Helenium, they stay very compact (lower than 50cm).
You are lucky to have had regular rain. Your garden looks great!