Photoblog
Preston (Canadian) lilacs 05.02.2012 Our website is open for everyone who loves gardening. You can be gardening enthusiasts digging in soil every weekend, or botanics keen on dendrology in moreorless theoretical way, or just nature lovers browsing the internet gathering information and pictures and discussing them with friends. Everyone will find something. Today I have some theoretical information first. The International Plant Names comitee decided to unify and simplify the name of these Canadian lilacs, first bred and introduced by Isabella Preston in Ottawa, Canada. New preferred name is just "syringa" excluding "x prestoniae" followed by variety name. Also accepted is "syringa x" showing they are hybrids, which is what we decided to use because it clearly distinguishes them from common lilacs syringa vulgaris, especially when you search for these hybrids. And now something practical. We put together a picture montage showing all varieties available in our shop for this spring season. They are all beautiful so I refrain from promoting my favourite :-) We are happy to have been able to get most of them as well established, bushy shrubs in DeLuxe category. Still, if you would like some of them in cheaper size as Hobby quality let us know and we will see what we can do. Here is the list of varieties: 1. Agnes Smith 2. James MacFarlane 3. Miss Canada 4. Minuet 5. Miss Japan 6. Redwine 7. Royalty 8. Miss Poland (new) |  |
It is alright 04.02.2012 Some of you are afraid of what to do with the garden plants in such cold weather that we are experiencing now. It was -18°C yesterday and this temparture should repeat for several nights next week, too. So what about them? Don't worry. If you chose the right plants for your zone they will be fine. They have their own means to fight cold and frost. For example rhododendrons - since their leaves have high contains of water, in order to limit evaporation in winter and consequent drying out, they curl them - this way the insolated surface is limited to minimum and the plant stays this way until it can drink water from the roots or air humidity again. It may not look best but defintely helps the plant survive. |  |
It is alright 04.02.2012 Most large-leaved evergreen plants just hangs their leaves strictly downwards which is also a good trick - the sunrays have different angle and the leaves are less prone to sunburn. This happens with plants like cherry-laurels or this evergreen elaeagnus. |  |
It is alright 04.02.2012 Another way of reducing evaporation is to withdraw chlorophyll - green colour and replacing it with another shade that is much more protective for winter. Such as red and its various shades and depths. This viburnum cane take up to 90% of all insolated leaves for reddish shades. |  |
It is alright 04.02.2012 Sometimes the colour change is so dramatic that you feel like throwing the plant away thinking it is dead (or ugly, at least). Patience is the cure. It will come back green again. For instance this is Faulkner box which for the rest of the year bears rich green and very glossy leaves. But in winter, especially if grown in pots or throws, it looses most of its chlorophyll and reveals this rusty yellowish-bronze colour. This picture represents a pot-grown plant and I must admit it does not happen so drastically in the field or with free soil-grown plants but still this is often a reason why ... (on to another picture) |  |
It is alright 04.02.2012 ... why many people prefer sempervirens box varieties because they remain dark green all year long, even on the coldest days of zones 6 and 5b. |  |
It is alright 04.02.2012 Japanese azaleas, too, can change their leaf colour - yellow, red or rusty brown, whatever they turn unless the leaves dry out over winter they change back to green in spring. |  |
It is alright 04.02.2012 Moreover, if such azalea is places sensibly next to a plant that is rich green in winter it can look fantastic with its colour change, especially on a sunny day. This is Purple Splendour variety, one of our best. |  |
It is alright 04.02.2012 Bull bay magnolia. Our most beautiful evergreen flowering tree. Even this what you can see in this picture is alright. The leaves that have larger portion of yellow and brown will be replaced by new ones during spring and early summer but the plant is not suffering. It only happens on the insolated part of the plant ... (on to another picture) |  |
It is alright 04.02.2012 ... whereas the other side with no sunlight in winter is beautifully green. Yes, though it may look unbelievable, this is the same magnolia, shot the same day, the same hour. |  |
It is alright 04.02.2012 Everything said so far holds good for plants belonging to the USDA zone you live in. Still, human nature is exploring and a little bit of challenge is what brings us excitement and joy from something new. And talking of plants it is obvious that we MUST give it a try growing something that belongs to the zone one level higher than ours if the plant is so gorgeous such as blueblossom. |  |
"Victoria" blueblossom 04.02.2012 Hey, won't you admit that this beauty is worth the 10 minute job overwrapping it with 2 layers of white woven before siginificant frosts? |  |
It is alright 04.02.2012 Experiments bring fruit. Not edible, of course, you know what I mean. E.g. this yucca rostrata proved to be hardy for our zone (6) without any winter protection, just sharply draining soil and that is it. Probably the hardiest yucca with a stem. |  |
It is alright 04.02.2012 You may also find out that Corsican hellebore withstands deep frosts better that other "hardier" hybrid hellebore as far as leaves are concerned. |  |
It is alright 04.02.2012 Or on the other hand you can experience a little bit of dissappointment finding out that daphne odora, that sweetly scented little shrub which you bought last spring in a supermarket for a ridiculous price but with no label that would tell you "don't buy me unless you live in zone 7", does not take our winter conditions, and shows significant foliage burn. And if the frost goes deeper than -20°C the flower buds are damaged, too, so gone is that sweet perfume you have been waiting for. But on a positive note with the last image today: The plant itself will most certainly survive but will have to be pruned and will take some time to regenrate, but it will be beautiful again. |  |
It is alright 04.02.2012 Yer but no but yer but no but ... I mean I forgot about another important ginger beauty - "Globosa Nana" Japanese cedar. Gorgeously green in summer and foxy ginger in winter. But not in all locations - I sometimes get pictures from you evidencing it remains green in your gardens. Lucky you!! |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... "PINKY WINKY"® hydrangea 01.02.2012 Got a little time again so here is another portion of last year's photos. Vanille Fraise® hydrangea is so beautiful that we always show a lot of pictures of it. Still, this one looks so nice to me, so natural and charming at the same time that I could not resist uploading it now that it is some -14°C outside :-) |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... "HEAVENLY BLUE"® bluebeard 01.02.2012 Heavenly blue? Shouldn't that be divine blue? |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... "TIGER EYES"® sumac 01.02.2012 |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... "PINK DAWN" chitalpa 01.02.2012 Now, let's be honest - have we any grounds for complaints about the climate of our country if such beauties can grow and bloom here?N O ! |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... grasses 01.02.2012 |  |
reconstruction 01.02.2012 Sometimes we are asked to help with a small area in our customers' gardens. This time it was an overgrown herbaceaus border which got out of hand a bit. The customers wanted something clean, decent and long-flowering. Like roses, lavender and gauras. Here they are ... |  |
Graffiti 22.01.2012 Everyone knows these days that there is a difference between a dull sprayer, who buys a tin and sprays everything around him with rude words and stupid icons, and a true graffiti artist, who chooses blank spaces on old and usightly walls, fences, or factory facades which he improves with his painting. We came across one such painting in German town Oldenburg right in the middle of the town where an old and ugly gate just called for improvement :-) And look at that - roses! Exactly what we can appreciate ... |  |
Azaleas for 2012 22.01.2012 Last night arrived great news from North Italy from our grower of azaleas. Thanks to warm winter they managed to prepare all items we ordered for this spring so as soon as the new season begins in a month or so there will be a lot to choose from. |  |
Azaleas for 2012 22.01.2012 And so that you what will be available there is a list of Japanese and hybrid azaleas you can order already now. There are plenty of sizes - from the smallest in hobby quality to extra size specimen shrubs.1. Aladdin Scout 2. Amoena 3. Arabesk 4. Blue Danube 5. Aladdin Scout 6. Conversation Piece 7. Dorothy Hayden 8. Favorite 9. Fridoline 10. Girard’s Rose 11. Girard’s Fuchsia 12. Johanna 13. Kermesina Rosé (K.Variegata) 14. Martha Hitchcock 15. Nuccio’s Wild Cherry 16. Nuccio’s Lucky Charm 17. Orchidea Empress 18. Perla del Verbano 19. Purple Splendor 20. Royal Pink 21. Silvester 22. Snow 23. Shoka 24. Stewartstonian 25. Summer Sun 26. Marinja 27. Maruschka 28. Melina 29. Peppina 30. Schneeperle |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... "PUPRUREA" Indian bean tree 21.01.2012 One of the most beautiful and profuse flowering trees of July. Dark purple leaves when they emerge and profusion of flowers. |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... spike winterhazel 21.01.2012 As Czech winter is long(ish) anmd looking out of the window now it can get quite unpredictable, too, we like winter flowering plants as well. This spike winterhazel is one of them. Already in early March its flower buds begin to swell and keep opening for as long as one month. This picture was take in first half April when it was in full bloom and the flowers were not fading yet. |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... bearded iris 21.01.2012 I always considered it quite thoughtful that the English langauge enabled giving girls flower names - Iris, Rose, Violet, Daisy, Hyacinth and even Holly. Well, knowing how fond of flowers and plants the Brits are it is no wonder that gardening in Britain was upgraded to a royal hobby for which even the Queen gives awards. And having RHS (The Royal Horticultural Society) to tell what is quality and what isn't just proves the fact. And coming back to those girls flower names, do you remember one of the most successful comedies of the 80's Keeping up appearances where almost aristocratic Hyacinth and her three very non-aristocratic sisters with a little help of their families impersonate the English nature in the most explicit way that makes you not only laugh out loud, but also feel a little ashamed in the corner of your head admitting that it is all true :-) |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... "FOREST FLAME" lily-of-the-valley shrub 21.01.2012 You know well that not only flowers bring splash of colours to your gardens. Many plants have coloured foliage and some of them even change their leaf colours during growth. Like pieris (lily-of-the-valley shrubs). It makes bright carmine red new leaves in April, then they change to honey yellow and coppery orange before they mature to deep green while new leaves keep emerging in their bright red colour. |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... REVE DE PAPILLON BLUE" butterfly bush 21.01.2012 Among novelties of 2011 there was also this butterfly bush from the French line "Réve". This one was blue ... |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... REVE DE PAPILLON PINK" butterfly bush 21.01.2012 ... and this one pink. They flowered tirelessly until mid autumn. |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... "ZAGREB" thread-leaf tickseed 21.01.2012 One of the most diligent perennial - flowering from early summer until mid autumn. |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... "FLAMENCO" trumpet creeper 21.01.2012 Trumpet creepers are a must-have in not only my garden. They flower all summer long and nothing can substitute them. |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... "ALBA" silk tree 21.01.2012 Every cloud has a silver lining. Or white flowers in this case. What happened: last year we were running short of red flowering silk tree called "OMBRELLA". These trees are usually from Italy and we always go there to select the trees ourselves to make sure we choose the best plants. This time, it was high season and we could not afford being a single day away. So we ordered the trees over the phone. To our surprise, a few days after their arrival two of them started flowering but not red, they came out completely white. I could not believe my eyes because this meant we received quite a rare variety of silk tree named ALBA. I told my supplier, not that I wanted to claim them, obviously, I wanted more :-) But the poor chap was so unhappy because he had only a few plants he was growing for further reproduction, and one of his irresponsible workers just sent two of his precious plants to us. He had no more to sell. As soon as our customers found out before we even realized what happened they were sold. Gone. Lost. Forever :-) Anyway, hope they are happy wherever they are now :-) Isn't it lovely, just look at it! |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... magnólie velkokvětá "GOLIATH" 21.01.2012 Every year I make loads of pictures of this bullbay magnolia even though I already have tonnes of it from previous years. I just cannot help mysel. It is like a magnolia obsession (I have to seek help ...). The thing is that this flower last only for 1-3 days and every hour during the first day it is different and I keep persuading myself that I don't have this very phase photographed yet. Of course I do but who cares :-) So this shot was made at 10,53 a.m. and believe me that an hour later the flower looked entirely different. The stamens detached from the stigma and another hour later they fell into the bowl made of petals and bees starts bathing in. |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... "ENDLESS SUMMER"® hydrangea 21.01.2012 This hydrangea is the last of today's set of last year's photos. It is Endless Summer® variety in blue colour i.e. modern type which is very hardy and flowers also on new growths. |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... "RED ROBIN" photinia 16.01.2012 Well, now I have a little time again to show pictures from season 2011. There is still a lot of them so let's get on with it. This photina is becoming more and more popular here. Though its hardiness was yet some 10 years ago rated as tender for our climate, now we know it is reasonably hardy if planted in free draining soil. And Czechs love red colour. More than any other. Unlike me - I love rich yellow and orange. Funnily enough a customer of mine once said "Milan, I am most surprised to hear that you like orange - this colour represetns fickle people or even unfaithful but I don't see you like that". Well, at least she made the addition ... you can see - the colour is just a colour, it won't tell you enough about one's character. So pick the one you love and forget about what the others think. You know what people say: Don't worry about what they think about you - they are too busy worrying about what you think about them! :-))) |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... "BLACKBERRY CANDY" daylily 16.01.2012 This a colour I love. Bright golden-yellow. It shines no matter what the weather is like. It can be sunny or miserable, it still shines. Do you that the mobile producer has to pay royalties for using the same name as this daylily?... |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... "TIGGER" daylily 16.01.2012 And here is my other favourite colour. Even in my most popular colour combination: orange+violet. |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... "DEEP BLUE CLIPS" harebell 16.01.2012 And here the bells alone. |  |
Inventory of last year's snapshots ... "NIGHT EMBERS" daylily 16.01.2012 This daylily was one of our 2011 novelties. Fantastic flower. |  |
Winter colours ... "ALASKA CREAM" holly 04.01.2012 Beginning of this year was fantastic as far as weather. It was sunny and quite warm for January (5-9°C) and supposedly temperatures above zero should remain for the whole months, let's see. Obviouslt it couldn't resist taking my camera for a little walk around the garden and neighbourhood. Have you noticed I refer to it sometimes as if I had a dog who needs walking ? :-) Anyway, this time I concentrated of items that are great looking in winter thanks to thei colour(s). |  |
Winter colours ... "VALLEY VALENTINE" lily-of-the-valley shrub 04.01.2012 Lily-of-the-valley shrubs start making their flower buds already from the year before flowering. This varitey makes red flowers as well as flower buds which prolongs the time of its attractivity. |  |
Winter colours ... "LIMELIGHT" elaeagnus 04.01.2012 I am very pleased to see that this elaeagnus (Russian olive) is gaining more an more customers in our country. It is a tough, hardy, and vigorous plant which bears coloured leaves with no spines like hollies for example. On top of that they produce abundance of flowers in autumn which are hard to see but have a strong, sweet fragrance. |  |
Winter colours ... "LIMELIGHT" elaeagnus 04.01.2012 Would you believe that it is still flowering? When there is no wind and the sun is out you can even smell its sweet scent. |  |
Winter colours ... "JENS JÖRGEN SÖRENSEN" rhododendron 04.01.2012 Interesting leaves, what do you think? Steel blue, narrow and long. And what a name! :-) |  |
Winter colours ... "WHITE CREAM" holly 04.01.2012 |  |
Winter colours ... shrubby ivy 04.01.2012 Shrubby ivy is less common in our gadens and in my view it is a pity because it is a superb and hardy plant. |  |
Winter colours ... "MARBLED WHITE" cherry laurel 04.01.2012 One of the few cherry laurels with variegated leaves. |  |
Winter colours ... "HARPUNE" holly 04.01.2012 Berries. What would a winter be without colourful berries of hollies. |  |
Winter colours ... "AMBER" holly 04.01.2012 This is a novelty holly in our 2012 catalogue. It had almost entire, spineless leaves and orange-red berries. Beautiful plant. |  |
Winter colours ... Japanese holly 04.01.2012 Even black is a colour. And this Japanese holly has black fruit. They are not said to be poisonous, however, not edible either. If a large number is eated they may cause one of the following three conditions: stupor (as if drinking alcohol or smoking hay), vomitting or diarrhoea. I think that all three are somehow connected so I would not suggest eating them in a sundae with cream. |  |
Winter colours ... "GOLDEN GIRL" blue holly 04.01.2012 This holly has bright yellow or sometimes even orange berries. |  |
Winter colours ... David's photinia 04.01.2012 Absolutely hardy photinia species with various shades and depths of red colour in winter. |  |
Winter colours ... "GLAUCA GLOBOSA" dwarf silver spruce 04.01.2012 |  |
Winter colours ... "GOLDEN GLOW" dwarf pine 04.01.2012 This dwarf pine turns golden yellow in winter. In spring the needles change back to green |  |
Winter colours ... David's viburnum 04.01.2012 This viburnum is deep green in the season but takes on red hues in winter. |  |
Winter colours ... "BRAVO" Japanese spindle 04.01.2012 According to our experience this is the hardiest of large-leaved Japanese spindle trees we have tested so far. Bravo! Good name, isn't it? :-) |  |
Winter colours ... magnólie velkokvětá "BBB" 04.01.2012 And talking of large leaves bull bay magnolia is also one with large leaves. In the picture is one of many hardy varieties called Bracken's Brown Beauty. |  |
Winter colours ... "SULPHUR HEART" ivy 04.01.2012 Another species with large leaves is Persian ivy. The leaves are commonly larger than adult man's palms. By the way, see the green leaves at the top in the middle? One sucker reveres back to its natural colour with no variegation. I think I like that one most :-)) |  |
Winter colours ... "CROTONIFOLIA" aucuba 04.01.2012 The last large-leaved plant in this set is this Japanese aucuba with irregularly blotched leaves. Surprisingly also very hardy here (no problem down to -23°C), |  |
Winter colours ... "CAROLINA" azalea 04.01.2012 Evergreen azaleas, too, can change their foliage colour in winter while still keeping them. Carolina is such azalea. On top of that it has another great feature - it flowers for the second time in autumn. You may have noticed a few months ago if you visit our website frequently. |  |
Winter colours ... "ANGUSTIFOLIA" Portugal laurel 04.01.2012 Portugal laurel also gain an extra colour for winter months - its stalks and young branches are bright purple-red. |  |
Winter colours ... "BLATTGOLD" rhododendron 04.01.2012 |  |
Winter colours ... leatherleaf mahonia 04.01.2012 Since this winter is quite warm and sunny this mahoni is maturing in flower buds, getting ready to open in late winter into bright sulphur yellow flowers. |  |
Winter colours 04.01.2012 This is the last of today's colours. This bellflower was a big suprise for me to see on the last day of December. If you find something extraordinary on your trips why don't you share a picture with us, we will be pleased to see it :-) |  |
New Year 01.01.2012 My New Year's wish will be much shorter that our president's, I promise. For the beginning I borrow words of a philosopher Martin Heidegger: "Technology conquered every distance but offered no closeness." So if you want to wish someone you love happy new year why don't you forget text messages, skype, e-mail or facebook and just go to see him or her. Show him/her that you care and that you always have time for a visit. Whatever we think the Mayan Calendar was trying to tell us about the end of the world, try to return to the basics, to being humans the way we were ment to be. And I confirm I can see that happening for quite some time now and believe me those are the best moments of my life. I think we still have enough time to do so. And that we were all born with good hearts. So let's use them. And since there are too many of you for me to visit in person allow me to use tochnology - internet to wish you only the good things in 2012 :-) Be happy! |  |