Month: May 2020

Polygonatum x hybridum ‘Striatum’

Posted on by Christopher Lindsey



I bought this last spring from Edelweiss Perennials and planted it at the base of a dark, weathered whiskey barrel surrounded by Brunnera macrophylla. I’d admired it from afar for years, but somehow never managed to order one for myself until then.

It’s supposed to reach 24-30″ (60-75cm), but mine must not be old enough yet — it’s maybe 12″ (30cm) tall.

I hope it gets bigger, because if it doesn’t I’ll have to move it. It’s supposed to arch up and over the plants around it, not be smothered underneath!

Anyhow, I really like the brightness of the foliage. As you can see, the flowers aren’t even that noticeable with all of that variegation, and the pattern really lights up a dark corner.

This is one that I’ll have to get more of.


Polygonatum hirtum

Posted on by Christopher Lindsey

I bought this little guy in 2002 in a 4″ band pot from Heronswood Nursery for $15.  It’s been worth every penny!

I really like the dark glossy leaves and relatively short height, and I really like seeing those bright white flowers almost glowing in the spring.

Originally it was probably a little too dark in the corner where I planted it, but the neighbor cut down a bunch of evergreens two years ago which provided a lot more late afternoon light. They’ve really taken off since then (although they’re also slightly threatened by an also-invigorated Geranium macrorrhizum).

It has spread to a sizable clump (about 5′ x 5′) and is a great backdrop for short plants with liighter or duskier leaves.

Plant of the Day (mostly)

Posted on by Christopher Lindsey

Since we’re stuck at home, it seems like the perfect time to share some photos of the garden. It also forces me to go outside and appreciate the garden instead of only seeing the flaws. But don’t worry, I’ll share some of the flaws too.

I originally started this on my personal Facebook feed, but I’m going to migrate my posts here. You’ll see several show up at a time for a while until I catch up, at which point there will usually only be one per day.

I look forward to sharing the garden with all of you!

Rhododendron ‘Sherwoodii’

Posted on by Christopher Lindsey

When the Sherwood Orchid azalea is blooming, I know spring has really arrived.

This was a Walmart purchase back in 1996. I bought three of these in gallon pots for $2.97 each, and for the most part they’ve done very well (one had some damage from a falling oak limb, but that’s hardly its fault).

This particular plant is my favorite of the three; it’s prominently placed in the backyard just left of the walkway, visible from every north-facing window in the house. It’s about six feet high and eight feet wide, and every spring it’s reliably covered in lavender-pink blooms.