All The January Issues
Once I say All of the Issues, I imply the gorgeous and the ugly, equal measure. One full month into 2024 and it has been a doozy, weatherwise. Right here at Chickadee Gardens we have recorded over 10″ of rain, that is not together with precipitation from the snow and ice as FM moved the rain gauge out of the firing line for per week as a result of final 12 months it froze and broke throughout an analogous occasion. Lesson realized. I am estimating we had extra alongside the traces of 12″ of precipitation. There have been almost two weeks of very chilly (for us) temps at 15 levels (at its coldest) with about 6″ of snow adopted by freezing rain. I imply a coating of 1 / 4 inch or extra on every part. We had a document low “excessive” temperature of 21 levels. Having mentioned all that, we fared a lot better than our Portland associates did as a result of the frigid east winds by no means got here this far. We did not cowl many crops, only a couple newly planted agaves and I’m happy that general, the backyard did okay. We have been by way of this sufficient occasions that the slimmed down model of the backyard has a tricky exterior, largely.Right here then is the month of January, warts and all. First up, the gorgeous bits:An unglamourous have a look at the berm backyard – that’s to say dangerous lighting in January – however I suppose the purpose is that I nonetheless have a backyard. Regardless of this being a tough spot to backyard, what’s listed here are survivors.A pricey good friend moved from her four-acre backyard just lately and gave me so many treasures, this amongst them. A bear/cat/otter creature coated in lichen that now lives close to our entrance door.A couple of berries on Viburnum opulus are colourful on a chilly January day.The compulsory Hamamelis ‘Jelena’ January {photograph}. Joking apart, it’s so great to see even a peep of orange in winter. Schefflera delavayi continues to shock and impress me with its resilience, particularly in these snow and ice occasions. I’ve 4 of those within the shade backyard, every of which is unscathed by snow, ice and really low temperatures.Schefflera taiwaniana, though in my backyard solely since autumn 2022, has additionally been very resilient.Carex conica ‘Snowline’ paired with Trachelospermum jasminoides ‘Variegatum’ in a nook of my shade backyard.Euphorbia rigida blooming, a vivid spot within the gravel backyard.Erica × darleyensis ‘Kramer’s Rote’, a colourful splash for a January backyard. When you can develop heath, it’s, as I’ve noticed, well-visited by bumble bees in winter. An early supply of sustenance for bees is cause sufficient to develop it for me, however I additionally just like the punch of colour.Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Imbric Weeping’ I’ve had for a number of years. It was given to me at a backyard blogger’s swap and was not very tall, at present it’s about 10′ or so in top and understandably tough to {photograph} with its beautiful whispy nature.Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald Gaiety’, one I featured in my final put up seems to be cheerful in a somewhat darkish nook of the shade backyard.Viburnum tinus ‘Variegatum’ within the shade backyard provides a little bit of sparkle. This hasn’t been notably quick rising, but it surely’s wholesome and holds its personal.Gaultheria shallon, our widespread salal that was on the property once we moved right here has been inspired and is flourishing all through the woodland and shade gardens. Particularly this time of the 12 months it’s a pleasure to see, a inexperienced pause amongst a lot brown.A wider have a look at the sting of our property, the Himalayan mounds are on the left, fully coated in Ceanothus gloriosus and different evergreen shrubs. The mulched space on the appropriate is a reasonably new space planted in a few levels over the past 9 months.Some fabulous lichen that fell from tree branches above. As with most snow or ice storms many branches fall round right here. I have a tendency to gather them and place them across the backyard to decompose on website.Winter foliage colour of Penstemon cardwellii, a favourite native penstemon. It’s evergreen, low rising, stunning purple flowers in Might and straightforward if given the appropriate situations, that are glorious drainage and an open side with full solar to half shade. It grows regionally in volcanic soils of Mount Saint Helens and the area in addition to the Coastal Mountain Vary.Lupinus albifrons, silver bush lupine within the labyrinth backyard. It is a seedling, certainly one of a number of, {that a} good friend gave me final spring. It appears to have weathered the storms and appears fairly good. Fingers crossed it establishes itself.Now for a little bit of winter injury. Grevillea lanigera ‘Coastal Gem’, a low spreading shrub, has a bit of harm to its higher branches and leaves. I believe that it’ll bounce again, because it has so typically up to now, and I’ll prune out the useless bits when the climate warms.Phormium tenax ‘Atropurpureum’ does this factor in actually chilly temps the leaves curl as much as a fraction of their regular width (this picture is way after the storm, so again to regular). I do know then that the chilly climate has arrived. It seems to be a bit tattered but it surely at all times comes again. It can get an annual clear up in spring and be simply nice.My new Salvia ‘Celestial Blue’ did this; I’m heartbroken, however I’m hopeful it may regenerate from the roots as there’s a little bit of inexperienced on the base and it was fairly established, being within the floor properly over a 12 months.Sure, the Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Donard Gold’ has some damaged branches, although not as many as I had feared. This was from the heavy moist snow that hit our backyard exhausting earlier than the tremendous chilly arrived, in any other case it is extremely chilly hardy.My poor Arctostaphylos glauca, given to me by my boss Sean Hogan at Cistus Nursery, does not look excellent. This may increasingly have extra to do with the moist than the chilly and snow.Rhamnus alaternus ‘Variegata’ did it once more, it flopped outward because it tends to in heavy snow. It has truly righted itself considerably since this picture was taken however I’ve realized to prune down the tallest branches to maintain it barely extra compact.I had excessive hopes the Melianthus main would sail by way of what was, up till mid-month, a very delicate winter. It was to not be. It at all times grows again, although, so though I am not frightened about its destiny I do not take pleasure in taking a look at this all winter. A pair hebes took a tough hit. These had been throw aways (no labels) from Pleasure Creek Nursery a couple of years in the past, so my greatest guess is that is H. diosmifoliaAnother one, I believe that is Hebe ‘Nice Orme’. The hebes I develop and take cuttings of are very hardy – these two are varieties I’ve not promoted as being hardy as I am unclear of who they’re. The blackening of their foliage was sort if stunning as they’ve finished properly for the previous three years. Nonetheless, having mentioned that there’s a excessive probability they may regrow so I plan on leaving them for a number of months to find out their destiny. In the event that they die, they die. Nothing I can do about it.Additionally I observed some blackening on my Acca sellowiana, pineapple guava. It fully defoliated that horrible winter of 2016/2017 as a model new plant in my backyard, however to my delight regrew new leaves later in spring. In different phrases, hardy to some extent and I’ve little question this similar plant will rebound as soon as extra. Hardiness improves with age. There’s additionally injury on certainly one of two Mahonia ‘Comfortable Caress’ although it’s minimal. I perceive many gardeners in Portland have very dangerous injury on this specific plant.Absolutely extra broken crops are on the market, some will shock me with their injury and others with their resilience. This has solely strengthened my resolve to develop and promote crops that sail by way of extremes similar to we simply skilled together with our more and more longer dry summer season season. In winter extremes it’s primarily broadleaved evergreens that see probably the most injury, in summer season the thirsty crops actually take a success. I hope to continue learning, observing and sharing by way of all of it.That is a wrap for this week at Chickadee Gardens, as at all times thanks a lot for studying and commenting, we do love listening to from you and what your gardens are as much as. Completely happy gardening.
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Once I say All of the Issues, I imply the gorgeous and the ugly, equal measure. One full month into 2024 and it has been a doozy, weatherwise. Right here at Chickadee Gardens we have recorded over 10″ of rain, that is not together with precipitation from the snow and…