| David, I fear you misunderstood my comments. I absolutely intend to track down the less common dianellas you mention. they sound more interesting than those one commonly finds in the garden.
And Cathy, the Anagallis you suggested is very pretty - it reminds me of lithodora which, by the way, I have tried, as well as several of my plantsperson friends, all with little success. It lasts a year, no more. Anyone have success with it? Or suggestions?
Nan On Apr 20, 2010, at 9:25 AM, david feix wrote: Nan,
I have also been experimenting with the new foliage type Dianella species for gardens, but have yet to find any of them that also have the showy berries, and for the most part, the flowers have not been much either. I wouldn't be so quick to rule out the two Dianella species I mentioned, as the D. ensifolia really does make a dramatic foliage plant which has much of the foliage character of the Nivenia corymbosa you admired at the show, and the smaller sized pea shaped deep blue berries for a shaded situation can really attract interest in a garden. The D. intermedia is also very attractive massed in shady areas of the garden where you don't want to water much, and nothing else will grow and/or bloom. I think the smaller pea sized berries on these two species are less "artificial" looking than the for D. tasmanica, but personal taste varies, and planting design is also all about context. I get the impression you are writing these two off more from lack of familiarity with them in a garden setting, than overexposure to a plant that just doesn't please you.
Similarly, Ceratostigma species of the larger shrubby types such as C. willmottianum are much less frequently seen/used in gardens these days, yet are a great addition of soft mounding foliage with red tints to the older leaves, and will also bloom heavily in fairly deep shade with little water, and here in the SF East Bay, they easily remain in bloom until a freeze stops the show, and if it doesn't freeze, they will often stay in bloom from September into January. I particularly like using them as filler shrubs on slopes amongst other things with contrasting foliage, and have combined them with the likes of the Neomarica, which also blooms in shade here, Carex 'Sparkler', Musella lasiocarpa, Eucomis 'Sparkling Burgundy', Aechmea caudata, etc for a combination of Purples, blues, whites and yellows in dappled shade.
The Aristea species I mentioned are much shorter in bloom season,(about 4 to 6 weeks max), but the dramatic torches they send up in late April/May of deep blue in the case of Aristea major are as dramatic as any Watsonia or Wachendorfia thyrsiflora, and of similar size with 5 foot tall bloom spikes on a mature plant. The foliage is probably more similar in texture/scale to a vigorous Dianella tasmanica, or Dierama pulcherrimum. I remember seeing big clumps of Aristea major in full bloom on Table Mountain one August, as I was hiking up to the top from the Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden, and thinking I had to start using this in gardens along with the Psoralea pinnata that was also growing along with it, and is another favorite fast growing South African filler shrub/small tree for new gardens and instant effects.
--- On Tue, 4/20/10, Nan Sterman <T*@plantsoup.com> wrote:
From: Nan Sterman <T*@plantsoup.com>
Subject: Re: Source for Nivenias?
To: d*@yahoo.com
Cc: "medit plants forum" <m*@ucdavis.edu>
Date: Tuesday, April 20, 2010, 12:36 AM
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
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