Blog entries http://www.gardenshorts.com Sun, 20 May 2012 14:02:13 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/last-daisy-of-the-year-farfugium-japonicum.html I'd grow this plant—and many of its kin too—just for its name alone: Farfugium japonicum. "Far-FOO-gee-um ja-PON-ick-um."<br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/farfugium japonicum aureomaculatum coming into bud overall 102110.jpg" border="0" src="http://www.louistheplantgeek.com/images/stories/plants/farfugium%20japonicum%20aureomaculatum%20coming%20into%20bud%20overall%20102110.jpg" /><br /><br/><br /><br/>Then again, it has so many startling and hardworking qualities... Louis Raymond Wed, 18 May 2011 13:00:00 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/thorny-thrills-rosa-pteracantha.html Thorny thrills.&nbsp; I know: A first this sounds like a lisping double entendre.&nbsp; But no, truly, this is about thorns that thrill.&nbsp; No really.<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/rosa pterecantha ssp omeiensis showing larger thorns on one stem and smaller on another older one 103110.jpg" border="0" src="http://www.louistheplantgeek.com/images/stories/plants/rosa%20pterecantha%20ssp%20omeiensis%20showing%20larger%20thorns%20on%20one%20stem%20an... Louis Raymond Wed, 18 May 2011 13:00:00 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/gottaget-a-tropical-hardy-foliage-two-fer.html The last few wild days before the first real frost.&nbsp; The Fall foliage of all the hardy stuff has revved up even as the tropicals are singing the last chorus of their bodacious Summer strut-and-preen.&nbsp; Freakishly, gloriously, defiantly, one last collision of color washes over the landscape.<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/ricinus carmencita colocasia esculent black magic shade tree in fall foliage which overall 102910.jpg" border="0" src... Louis Raymond Wed, 18 May 2011 13:00:00 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/more-plants-more-dirt-wwwlouistheplantgeekcom.html Hello dear readers: &nbsp;We've been beavering away low this Winter at the new phase of "Dirt": &nbsp;www.LouisThePlantGeek.com. &nbsp;It opens this month. &nbsp;(The Launch Party in New York City is May 2, so we're dead-line driven.)<br /><br/><img border="0" height="307" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nVV6mF7p-uA/TapQEp9gpiI/AAAAAAAAFI0/O47j1CKxVy0/s400/LouisThePlantGeek%252C+Save+The+Date.jpg" width="400" /><br /><br/>Please come visit www.LouisThePlantGeek.com for even more incredible plants, my tri... Louis Raymond Sun, 17 Apr 2011 13:00:07 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/honoring-the-center-the-quartet-of-conduit-pots.html The Quartet of Conduit Pots<br /><br/>The shock of Fall, when the garden that looks like this in July....<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/ConduitPots/F2010TakeDown/solanum_quitoense_four_pots_073010.jpg" alt="solanum_quitoense_four_pots_073010" height="488" src="http://www.louistheplantgeek.com/images/stories/plants/ConduitPots/F2010TakeDown/solanum_quitoense_four_pots_073010.jpg" width="650" /><br /><br/><img _mce_src="plugins/editors/jce/tiny_mce/plugins/a... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:13 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/honoring-the-center-the-quartet-of-conduit-pots-884.html The Quartet of Conduit Pots<br /><br/>The shock of Fall, when the garden that looks like this in July....<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/ConduitPots/F2010TakeDown/solanum_quitoense_four_pots_073010.jpg" alt="solanum_quitoense_four_pots_073010" height="488" src="http://www.louistheplantgeek.com/images/stories/plants/ConduitPots/F2010TakeDown/solanum_quitoense_four_pots_073010.jpg" width="650" /><br /><br/><img _mce_src="plugins/editors/jce/tiny_mce/plugins/a... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:13 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/honoring-the-center-the-quartet-of-conduit-pots-883.html The Quartet of Conduit Pots<br /><br/>The shock of Fall, when the garden that looks like this in July....<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/ConduitPots/F2010TakeDown/solanum_quitoense_four_pots_073010.jpg" alt="solanum_quitoense_four_pots_073010" height="488" src="http://www.louistheplantgeek.com/images/stories/plants/ConduitPots/F2010TakeDown/solanum_quitoense_four_pots_073010.jpg" width="650" /><br /><br/><img _mce_src="plugins/editors/jce/tiny_mce/plugins/a... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:13 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/honoring-the-center-the-quartet-of-conduit-pots-882.html The Quartet of Conduit Pots<br /><br/>The shock of Fall, when the garden that looks like this in July....<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/ConduitPots/F2010TakeDown/solanum_quitoense_four_pots_073010.jpg" alt="solanum_quitoense_four_pots_073010" height="488" src="http://www.louistheplantgeek.com/images/stories/plants/ConduitPots/F2010TakeDown/solanum_quitoense_four_pots_073010.jpg" width="650" /><br /><br/><img _mce_src="plugins/editors/jce/tiny_mce/plugins/a... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:13 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/arnold-all-the-way-the-wooly-mulleins.html Wooly Mullein<br /><br/>With temps in the low Twenties even during the day, the puzzle is why any plant that isn't obviously a deep-woods-Winter-loving holly or pine tree would stick around.&nbsp; Like this patch of young mullein rosettes.<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/Verbascum/verbascum_thapsiforme_rosette_colony_121410.jpg" alt="verbascum_thapsiforme_rosette_colony_121410" height="488" src="http://www.louistheplantgeek.com/images/stories/plants/Ve... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:13 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/arnold-all-the-way-the-wooly-mulleins-880.html Wooly Mullein<br /><br/>With temps in the low Twenties even during the day, the puzzle is why any plant that isn't obviously a deep-woods-Winter-loving holly or pine tree would stick around.&nbsp; Like this patch of young mullein rosettes.<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/Verbascum/verbascum_thapsiforme_rosette_colony_121410.jpg" alt="verbascum_thapsiforme_rosette_colony_121410" height="488" src="http://www.louistheplantgeek.com/images/stories/plants/Ve... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:13 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/5-2011-01-06-23-00-12-.html Prostrate Plum Yew<br /><br/>At the base of my contorted beech—held aloft into a canopy only because of lally columns—is a single, prostrate "plum" yew, sprawling outward with great enthusiasm in any direction as long as it isn't up.&nbsp; "Plum" yew?&nbsp; Oh yes, it's a cousin of the yew cousin, plummy indeed, and so definitely from the quirk-laden branch of the tree.&nbsp; Its marvelous sprawl—lower and wider and more flexibly flouncy than any true yew would admit without serious blush—is a... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:12 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/1-2011-01-06-23-00-12-.html Prostrate Plum Yew<br /><br/>At the base of my contorted beech—held aloft into a canopy only because of lally columns—is a single, prostrate "plum" yew, sprawling outward with great enthusiasm in any direction as long as it isn't up.&nbsp; "Plum" yew?&nbsp; Oh yes, it's a cousin of the yew cousin, plummy indeed, and so definitely from the quirk-laden branch of the tree.&nbsp; Its marvelous sprawl—lower and wider and more flexibly flouncy than any true yew would admit without serious blush—is a... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:12 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/he-plays-jack-sprat-to-the-mrs-.html Vertical Plum Yew<br /><br/>If the ever-widening prostrate plum yew is Mrs. Sprat, the vertical plum yew would want to be Jack himself, only interested in the tall and narrow.<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/Cephalotaxus/cephalotaxus_harringtonia_fastigiata_overall_121310.jpg" alt="cephalotaxus_harringtonia_fastigiata_overall_121310" height="785" src="http://www.louistheplantgeek.com/images/stories/plants/Cephalotaxus/cephalotaxus_harringtonia_fastigia... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:12 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/he-plays-jack-sprat-to-the-mrs--876.html Vertical Plum Yew<br /><br/>If the ever-widening prostrate plum yew is Mrs. Sprat, the vertical plum yew would want to be Jack himself, only interested in the tall and narrow.<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/Cephalotaxus/cephalotaxus_harringtonia_fastigiata_overall_121310.jpg" alt="cephalotaxus_harringtonia_fastigiata_overall_121310" height="785" src="http://www.louistheplantgeek.com/images/stories/plants/Cephalotaxus/cephalotaxus_harringtonia_fastigia... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:12 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/the-canny-country-cousin-.html Chinese Plum Yew<br /><br/>The prostrate and vertical plum yews are both sophisticated Japanese cultivars who wear their eccentricity on their sleeves.&nbsp; Quirks ever at the fore, they are anything but background material. <br /><br/><br /><br/>This is their country cousin from China, with simple but substantial charm and, yes, even a quirk of its own.<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/Cephalotaxus/sinensis/cephalotaxus_sinensis_overall_102110.jpg" alt="ceph... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:12 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/the-canny-country-cousin--874.html Chinese Plum Yew<br /><br/>The prostrate and vertical plum yews are both sophisticated Japanese cultivars who wear their eccentricity on their sleeves.&nbsp; Quirks ever at the fore, they are anything but background material. <br /><br/><br /><br/>This is their country cousin from China, with simple but substantial charm and, yes, even a quirk of its own.<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/Cephalotaxus/sinensis/cephalotaxus_sinensis_overall_102110.jpg" alt="ceph... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:12 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/plummy-indeed-.html Cephalotaxus Fruit<br /><br/>OK, "plum" yew? Yup: Take a look.<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/Cephalotaxus/cephalotaxus_koreana_fruit.jpg" alt="cephalotaxus_koreana_fruit" height="364" src="http://www.louistheplantgeek.com/images/stories/plants/Cephalotaxus/cephalotaxus_koreana_fruit.jpg" width="590" /><br /><br/><img _mce_src="plugins/editors/jce/tiny_mce/plugins/article/img/trans.gif" _mce_type="system-readmore" alt="Read More" class="mceItemReadMore" id... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:12 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/plummy-indeed--872.html Cephalotaxus Fruit<br /><br/>OK, "plum" yew? Yup: Take a look.<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/Cephalotaxus/cephalotaxus_koreana_fruit.jpg" alt="cephalotaxus_koreana_fruit" height="364" src="http://www.louistheplantgeek.com/images/stories/plants/Cephalotaxus/cephalotaxus_koreana_fruit.jpg" width="590" /><br /><br/><img _mce_src="plugins/editors/jce/tiny_mce/plugins/article/img/trans.gif" _mce_type="system-readmore" alt="Read More" class="mceItemReadMore" id... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:11 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/the-tale-end-of-the-plum-yews-.html Last quirk of the plum-yew series:&nbsp; One commonly-given common name for plum yews is...Cow's-Tail Pines.&nbsp; But no one ever explains the likeness.<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/Cephalotaxus/cow-tail-for-cows-tail-pine.jpg" alt="cow-tail-for-cows-tail-pine" height="488" src="http://www.louistheplantgeek.com/images/stories/plants/Cephalotaxus/cow-tail-for-cows-tail-pine.jpg" width="650" /><br /><br/><img _mce_src="plugins/editors/jce/tiny_mce/pl... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:11 +0100 http://www.gardenshorts.com/blog/the-tale-end-of-the-plum-yews--870.html Last quirk of the plum-yew series:&nbsp; One commonly-given common name for plum yews is...Cow's-Tail Pines.&nbsp; But no one ever explains the likeness.<br /><br/><br /><br/><img _mce_src="http://www.gardenshorts.com/images/stories/plants/Cephalotaxus/cow-tail-for-cows-tail-pine.jpg" alt="cow-tail-for-cows-tail-pine" height="488" src="http://www.louistheplantgeek.com/images/stories/plants/Cephalotaxus/cow-tail-for-cows-tail-pine.jpg" width="650" /><br /><br/><img _mce_src="plugins/editors/jce/tiny_mce/pl... Louis Raymond Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:00:11 +0100