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| Primula vulgaris (Common primrose) |
In Seattle, March comes in like a lion and out like a duck. The weather can be cold and rainy (like this year) or it can be
mild and rainy with occasional warm stretches - even getting up into the
70s (not like this year). It's pretty much always going to be
raining though. Luckily some sunshine has coincided with the weekend for once.
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| Edgeworthia chrysantha |
Edgeworthias have the typical fragrance and small flowers of winter bloomers, but mine doesn't bloom until early spring. It's probably a Seattle thing.
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| Arundo donax (Giant reed grass) |
The grass above,
Arundo donax, has usually died to the ground by this time of year. This is the first year it has kept at least some of its leaves on its 12-foot high stalks, which leads me to hope it will continue growing from where it left off and possibly go to seed...
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| Sophora microphylla |
Speaking of going to seed, my newly obtained
Sophora microphylla is about to bloom. I will most definitely be trying to propagate this plant. The Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle grows black locust trees around the African Savanna exhibit to mimic the acacias growing in the actual savanna, but they should be growing this tree instead!
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| Magnolia stellata |
Glowing fuzz on the flower buds of
Magnolia stellata (Star magnolia).
And finally, this
Primula vulgaris ssp. sibthorpii has been in bloom like this ever since
Far Reaches Farm shipped it to me six weeks ago.
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| Primula vulgaris ssp. sibthorpii |
A 3,000 gallon Koi pond is the focal point of the tropical area of the garden. From left, going clockwise are: Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm), the fronds of Trachycarpus fortunei, Tetrapanax papyrifer (Rice Paper Plant, mostly behind the waterfall), Cupressus sempervirens ‘Glauca’ (Blue Italian Cypress) with Liriope spicata (Lilyturf), Arundo donax (Giant Reed Grass), Agapanthus 'Orientalis', Aspidistra elatior (Cast Iron Plant), Kniphofia 'Shining Sceptre' (stunning when in flower), Nandina 'Firepower' by the pond & Copperleaf Sedge in the foreground.
