What is your ground cover? Leave a comment and share!
Ground cover in the Cal Poly Pomona Rose Garden
I don’t know what plant this, but it provided a nice contrast among all the blooming roses in the garden.
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What is your favorite flowering tree? Leave a comment and share!
Chinese Fringe Tree (Chionanthus retusus)
The spring flowers keep coming at Cal Poly Pomona. I found these trees adjacent to the rose garden — where I also took a bunch of pictures.
Chionanthus retusus (Chinese fringetree; Chinese: 流蘇樹 liúsūshù) is a species of Chionanthus native to eastern Asia, in eastern and central China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.[1]
It is a deciduous shrub or small to medium-sized tree growing to 20 ft in height, with thick, fissured bark. The leaves are 3–12 cm long and 2–6.5 cm broad, simple ovate to oblong-elliptic, with a hairy, 0.5–2 cm long petiole. The flowers are white, produced in panicles 3–12 cm long. The fruit is a blue-black drupe 1–1.5 cm long and 0.6–1 cm diameter.[1]
It is cultivated in Europe and North America as an ornamental tree, valued for its feathery white flowerheads.[2] — Wikipedia
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Interesting Plant: Clematis x cartmanii ‘Avalanche’ (White Evergreen Clematis)
I came across this while browsing /r/gardening on Reddit and love the look immediately. I don’t see many clematis here in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. I am guessing it is probably too hot and dry for most varieties but I would like to have this one cascading over my back wall.
From San Marcos Growers…
Clematis x cartmanii ‘Avalanche’ (White Evergreen Clematis) – An evergreen Clematis with pure white single flowers with prominent yellow stamens in the center. The unique deeply-cut, leathery, green leaves, which are a very attractive feature when the plant is in full bloom, are nearly hidden by the profusion of flowers in early to mid spring. Flowers are borne on previous season’s stems. Plant on a fence or trellis where stems can grow 12-15 feet with support ,or use as a groundcover. If used to trail over and down a slope, it can look like an avalanche of white flowers. Plant in full sun to light shade and water regularly spring through summer. Hardy to 10 to 15° F. A plant patent is applied for this plant. This is a selected seedling from a cross made at Blackthorn Nursery, England by renowned plantsman Robin White. The pollen parent was Clematis paniculata and the seed parent was Clematis marmoraria – both evergreen species from New Zealand. The name C. × cartmanii honors the respected botanist Joe Cartman who first produced this cross from C. paniculata and C. marmoraria. The original registered name for this plant is Clematis x cartmanii ‘Blaaval’. This description is based on our research and observations made of this plant as it grows in our nursery, in the nursery garden and in other gardens that we have visited. We will also incorporate comments received from others and always appreciate getting feedback of any kind from those who have some additional information about this plant, in particular if this information is contrary to what we have written or if they have additional cultural tips that would aid others in growing Clematis ‘Avalanche’.
From Monrovia…
A profusion of pure white flowers with bright gold stamens blankets the lustrous, deep green, trifoliate foliage in spring. Stunning when used to trail down embankments – like an avalanche of snow when in bloom! Train to climb a trellis, post or fence, or allow to meander unsupported through shrub borders. Evergreen.
What are your thoughts on this Interesting Plant? Drop a note in the comments!
More information on Clematis x cartmanii ‘Avalanche’ (White Evergreen Clematis):
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Interesting Plant is a series from A Gardener’s Notebook blog and podcast that highlights the most interesting plants I find in my Internet and real-world travels — Douglas
What is your favorite beneficial garden insect? Leave a comment and share!
In the native plant garden at Cal Poly Pomona
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What is your favorite type of daisy? Leave a comment and share!
Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
While on campus for another event, I spent an hour or so shooting in the Cal Poly Pomona Rose Garden and Japanese Garden.
These oxeye daisies were used for underplanting among the large roses.
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Part of a series of garden minutes from A Gardener’s Notebook
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Honeybees drink from a small rill in the new Cal Poly Pomona Native Plant Garden on a hot day.
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Fresh eggs are the most obvious benefit of keeping a small flock of backyard chickens. But the benefits of raising chickens reach farther than that—they also make excellent garden assistants. Here’s how gardening with chickens can provide year-round benefits.
Spring: Nature’s Rototillers
Spring is the perfect time of year to give chickens unrestricted access to your garden. They will be happy for the opportunity to roam freely, get some sun, and stretch their legs after being cooped up all winter. Chickens are nature’s original rototillers—they scratch in the dirt looking for seeds and bugs, and their sharp little claws gently turn and loosen the soil for you.
What is your favorite type of camellia? Leave a comment and share!
Perfect Pink Camellia at Cal Poly Pomona
I’ve been spending more time on campus lately and spotted this perfect camellia outside Building 1. It is not quite fully open but looks glorious.
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