Growing Under The Sun: A Botanical Expedition

Inflorescence of Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'  The genus Calamagrostis consists of 250 species found throughout the northern hemisphere in a variety of  environments, with 12 species being natives of North America. This wide distribution has resulted in the genus duel-ability and thus its recommendation for some of the toughest of garden conditions. Members of the genus can be found in riparian  glades, forest, and grasslands.The majority of this genus prefer full sun to part shade and are evergreen to semi evergreen in nature. This makes them low maintenance but also a source of refugee for overwintering invertebrates. The flowering stalks emerge late in the growing season and come in a variety of tans to more pinkish hues, overall shape however is very reminiscent to a more skinnier opener pampas grass in structure. The majority of these grasses are considered to be cool season grasses, which means majority of growth is done when cooler frost free temp...

    Bog gardens don't often come to mind when one thinks of the desert city of El Paso, yet in this humble clay pot that's exactly what is being created. A bit of back history on this planting. In its initial design it was home to a native honeysuckle which had died due to water logging and subsequent root rot. The remains of the honeysuckle remained for almost a year before being removed. During this time however the idea for the bog pot came into being.     This clay pot has one drainage hole has long since been plugged. It takes about 20 minutes or more for water to level out with the top layers of the soil and another 20 before any starts to drip from the bottom of the pot. This makes it ideal for those plants which thrive in those muddy conditions, conditions that are currently found nowhere else in the garden (more on that later). The soil is a rich humus which when dug into feels like puddling at its wettest moments and cool and airy when dry. It these kin...

    Ferns are often thought as creature that thrive in the wet and moist muck of the world. Often pictured lurking in the tropics, underneath towering trees, within the shadows. This is but a narrow range of the habitats that ferns dwell in. Found in nearly every ecosystem there is a fern for every garden. I first drove into the world of ferns with two species,  Cyrtomium falcatum and Athyrium niponicum. An  Evergreen Fern for the Winter Garden: Cyrtomium falcatum      Native throughout China and southern Asia. This fern is often used as a specimen plant, having the structure and form to stand well alone. In my own garden it finds itself rather dejected, but its form gives it some perks and warrants attention from the onlooker. My own plant was one of many random plant purchases from the local big box store. The overall habit and form of the plant is rather unique as it does not have the looseness that many other ferns have, its foliage bein...

      Verbena  is a genus of mostly American origins. It has become much more popular over the past several years, particularly in regard to the breeding of bedding material. A genus renowned for its drought tolerance and love of xeric conditions it's found itself center stage as the new poster boy for summer bedding plants alongside classics such as petunias and zinnias. Texas heat certainty is a killer, summers can range from hot and dry too hot and humid, conditions that cause many more traditional bedding plants to turn up the ghost. Verbenas, however, relish such hellish arrangements. Verbena x hybrida , is the most familiar of the genus, being the one of bedding fame. A mat forming plant, older cultivars had some grace and still held a loose naturalistic look weariest newer varieties have become rather blocky and are artificial in appearance. This gardener thinks not and retches at the site of these cubes.  Recent years have seen a new player enter the bed...

Many think of that far off city of El Paso Texas, as simply a desert. A desert landscape which is predominated by the stereotypical cactus and tumble weed but that couldn't be further from the truth and the reality of growing conditions is quite extraordinary. The fact is that in a the simplest of plots one can create a myriad of environments ranging from the tropical equator, temperate woodlands, spiny xeriscapes, and pollinator filled cottage beds. What I just described is my own humble little plot...my own botanical garden. Welcome to growing under the sun!