Size: 24” x 30” Care: Light to Part shade in well drained, alkaline soil. Do not crowd with other plants, roots prefer no competition. Fertilize regularly for dramatic growth. Prune in early spring. Unlike English boxwood this can be pruned back hard. One of a few shade tolerant evergreens and deer resistant too. Also the most hardy Boxwood.
Introduced from Asia to American and European gardens around 1900 by Ernest Henry “Chinese” Wilson (1876-1930) who scoured Asia for plants.
Clematis texensis ‘Gravetye Beauty’ Z 5-9
Small crimson-red bells dangle from July to September
Small crimson-red bells dangle from July to September
Size: 8’ x 3’ Care: Sun in humusy, fertile, moist well-drained soil. Mulch around the base. Flowers on current year’s stems so cut back to 6-9” in late winter or early spring.
The genus Clematis was named by Dioscordes, physician in Nero’s army, from “klema” meaning climbing plant. The species 1st collected by the “Father of Texas botany,” Ferdinand Lindheimer in 1830’s. Max Leichtin of the Baden Garden sent Clematis texensis to Kew Botanic Garden near London in 1880’s. French nurseryman Francisque Morel sent this selection to William Robinson who named it for his English nursery at Gravetye Manor in 1914.
Lathyrus vernus Spring vetchling, Spring pea, Spring vetch Z 4-9
Bushy plants bear showy, red-purple pea-like blooms age to rich purple in March-June. Spring gem.
Bushy plants bear showy, red-purple pea-like blooms age to rich purple in March-June. Spring gem.
Size: 10” x 10” Care: sun in north to shade in south, moist well-drained soil. Drought tolerant once established Native: No. Europe - Siberia Awards: Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit, Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden Great Plant Picks
Introduced to gardens before 1629 when herbalist John Parkinson (1567-1650) called it “Blew Everlasting Pease.”
Tanacetum niveum Silver tansy, Snow tansy Z 5-9
Profusion of small classic daisies May-July atop fragrant silver foliage. Cut back for rebloom. Let the seeds drop for more plants next year. If you cut them back after the 1st flowering they will rebloom for most of the summer and fall.
Profusion of small classic daisies May-July atop fragrant silver foliage. Cut back for rebloom. Let the seeds drop for more plants next year. If you cut them back after the 1st flowering they will rebloom for most of the summer and fall.
Size: 2’ x 3’ Care: sun in moist well drained soil Native: central & southern Europe