| That's a big list of plants to check out, David, thanks for the suggestions. Dianellas never do much for me (from an aesthetic perspective), though I am testing out several of the newer varieties that have come onto the market in the last couple of years. Their foliage is very nice but I don't care for the flowers and the berries look totally fake to me. To each their own, I suppose.
You did mention one of my all time favorites, Neomarica caerulea. The huge, evergreen iris fans topped with almost obscenely blue/leopard spotted flowers are simply a knockout. I seem to put it into just about every garden I design and have it growing in my own - maybe the best thing to do is to move a clump into the spot I have in mind.
Ceratostigma is not one of my favorites, though other people do love it. It just looks weedy to me. I'll have to look into the other Aristeas.
And of course the ceanothus! If only the flowers lasted longer, they would be perfect. Alas, this is a spot right along the patio so I need a softer and longer show.
That said, I agree wholeheartedly about this year's floral display. And in my entire life here in California, I don't ever remember rain into April. We even expect 1/2 to an inch here in San Diego this week! Unheard of!!!
Nan On Apr 19, 2010, at 3:03 PM, david feix wrote: Nan,
It really wasn't any effort on my part, just googling Nivenia, and up popped the results. I did already know that Martin Grantham had been trialing these for some time, and have also seen several species of Nivenia in bloom in the Western Cape, so I know why they would be so seductive. Martin's Nivenia have probably been exhibited as a new plant pick in the SF Landscape Show/Cal Hort Exhibit for at least the past 5 years, so they aren't exactly new, but not any more available either They seem to do well enough in the landscape here in the SF Bay Area, where there is a lovely clump growing in the Harmon Garden here in the Berkeley Hills, as featured in an article on landscape designer Brandon Tyson in Garden Design Magazine in the July/August 2009 issue.
There are plenty of other South African plants with deep blue flowers that ARE easy to grow in southern California conditions; I'd suggest exploring the various Aristea species beyond the boring and predictable Aristea ecklonii. Aristea major is a personal favorite, along with A. inaequalis for the equally interesting foliage color, and both are dead easy to grow and more tolerant of dry conditions, as well as having vividly deep blue flowers that are drop dead gorgeous. These are just coming into bloom now here in my garden.
Other deep blue accents for the garden should necessarily include the various Dianella species beyond the predictable D. tasmanica. Dianella ensifolia has many of the foliage characteristics of Nivenia corymbosa, with tufts of fan shaped foliage on tall stalks, also looking somewhat like a mini-bamboo, with rather non-descript washed out blue flowers, but deep blue pea sized berries that last for months, and also can decorate the plant for more than half a year, as flowering period is quite staggered. This one also does exceeding well in deep shade or containers. Dianella intermedia is another more grassy foliaged plant with an incredible show of deep blue berries in summer.
Other deep blue flowers for the California garden should include Neomarica caerulea, and the various species of Ceratostigma, with C. willmottianum another personal favorite.
Of course, who could neglect the various Babiana color selections for brilliant blues and purples this time of year. I was walking through African Hill at the UCBBG yesterday, and the display this year is just stunning. The various Ceanothus in full bloom at the moment would be the envy of any other Mediterranean Climate gardener this time of year as well, and we have dozens if not hundreds of selections to choose from.
It is turning out to be a pretty spectacularly floral spring this year with all the continued late rains, hope everyone is able to get out into the wilds, or visit the local botanical gardens to see the displays!
--- On Mon, 4/19/10, Nan Sterman <T*@plantsoup.com> wrote:
From: Nan Sterman <T*@plantsoup.com>
Subject: Re: Source for Nivenias?
To: "david feix" <d*@yahoo.com>
Cc: "medit plants forum" <m*@ucdavis.edu>
Date: Monday, April 19, 2010, 11:48 AM
Hi David
Thanks for your hard work searching out Nivenias. I was amused that you mentioned Pattersonia since I picked up a trio of them at Suncrest in the fall of 08, and just planted them amidst the Carex praegracilis in my new meadow. They are just starting to bloom and they are such a beautiful, deep purple!
I emailed Randy Baldwin at San Marcos Growers to ask about Nivenias. According to him "they were a major pain to grow and keep nice in the container. I am sure we could have marketed them as an interesting container plant if we could have figured how to keep them looking good but after several years of unsuccessfully trying to figure out a protocol to do this, we discontinued production. They are reputed to like well drained acid soils so perhaps typical SoCal conditions are not appropriate for them. We were giving them these conditions here at the nursery, but still it didn't seem to matter and if a plant is so fussy that I can't grow it, I don't think it very good to promote it to our customers."
Sigh....
I guess Nivenia is another plant to chalk up to my zone envy - along with meconopsis. What is it about those amazing blue flowering plants that make them so difficult to grow in Southern California?
Nan
On Apr 16, 2010, at 3:20 PM, david feix wrote: I did a little more research by googling "Nivenia", and found out that Martin Grantham wrote a nice article about the various Nivenia species he has been trialing,(that can be found on the web), and that San Marcos Growers no longer sells/grows Nivenia corymbosa at their nursery. I also discovered that the Australian genus Pattersonia is related to Nivenia, and I can highly recommend P. drummondii as an interesting irid with delightful lavender flowers as something to seek out if you've never grown it. Suncrest Nursery has been growing several Pattersonia species for years, and they are very easy to grow, except that they seem to resent dividing as much as Dierama pulcherrimum does. That SMG has stopped production of N. corymbosa would seem to support my conclusions that it is not the easiest plant to grow under California conditions, or maybe it was just too slow as a nursery crop to be a viable plant for San Marcos Growers. Also, it does prefer moister soil conditions in summer, which doesn't exactly make it a good candidate for a dry garden.
--- On Fri, 4/9/10, david feix <davidfeix@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: david feix <davidfeix@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Source for Nivenias?
To: "medit plants forum" <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>, TalkingPoints@plantsoup.com
Date: Friday, April 9, 2010, 7:38 AM
As far as I know, Martin Grantham, who was the grower of the Nivenias exhibited, is probably the best and only source for the majority of the species shown, they aren't in the trade yet, except for Nivenia corymbosa, which is listed in San Marcos Growers current catalog. Martin lives here in nearby Emeryville, and currently works at San Francisco City College. He has been searching out and growing various rarer South African plants, including Nivenia species and Restios, amongst others, and also has/had quite a collection of Magnolia species and their vining relatives as well as various rarer tree ferns. I'd suggest you contact him if you just have to have some.
It might be worth mentioning that southern California poor water quality may be a major issue in getting them to grow for you, and they are mostly very slow growing and perhaps a bit gawky looking when not blooming.
--- On Thu, 4/8/10, Nan Sterman <TalkingPoints@plantsoup.com> wrote:
From: Nan Sterman <TalkingPoints@plantsoup.com>
Subject: Source for Nivenias?
To: "medit plants forum" <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
Date: Thursday, April 8, 2010, 9:21 PM
At the San Francisco Flower Show last month, I was totally captivated by the Nivenias. These are blue-flowering iris relatives that are out of this world! I'm wondering if anyone knows of a wholesale source for them (or retail for that matter) in California.
Hope you can help!
Nan ***************************************** Nan Sterman Plant Soup, Inc. TM PO Box 231034 Encinitas, CA 92023
Author of Waterwise Plants for the Southwest and California Gardener's Guide vol II, the only book about drought tolerant and Mediterranean climate gardening written specifically for California gardens. Purchase personalized copies today at www.PlantSoup.ComHost of A Growing Passion TV show. View video segments on • starting plants from seed • raised bed gardening • school gardens • planting containers • and more at http://www.plantsoup.com/tv-radio.php
|
|
|
|
