Plants and Their People pt.2 – Philadelphus lewisii

Philadelphus lewisii Lewis’s Mock Orange. A nice native of this old-time favorite group, it too has fragrant white flowers in early Summer.  A native Mock Orange named in honor of Captain Meriwether Lewis as one of the explorers of Lewis and Clark fame. He collected it in 1806 on the return journey of the Corps [...]

2022-07-08T15:31:31-07:00April 26th, 2022|

Plants and Their People – Mahonia piperiana

Mahonia piperiana ‘Piper’s Oregon grape’ is found in southern Oregon and northern California. Hummingbirds visit the abundant fragrant yellow blossoms which are best produced in a sunny environment. Charles Vancouver Piper (1867-1926) was born in Victoria, B.C. but spent his youth in Seattle, then a territory, and graduated from the UW in 1885. He [...]

2022-04-26T10:14:06-07:00April 26th, 2022|

Plants and Their People pt. 2 – Lonicera henryi

Lonicera henryi An evergreen honeysuckle from China where it was brought into cultivation by Augustine Henry. Grown not for the small flowers or fruits but for the handsome foliage.  Henry served as a British customs officer and Assistant Medical Officer in central China with time to spare, which he used to botanize. He often [...]

2022-07-08T15:31:58-07:00April 26th, 2022|

Plants and Their People – Rhododendron augustinii

Rhododendron augustinii An early purple flowering rhododendron of slender shape to 6’. Named after the British-born Irish plantsman and Chinese plant explorer Augustine Henry (1857-1930). He sent back over 15,000 dry plant specimens and seeds; of the 12 plants named in his honor, the KBG garden has this example and one more. It does [...]

2022-04-26T10:14:29-07:00April 26th, 2022|

April Director’s Note

Chionodoxa forbesii 'Blue Giant' Manic weather conditions can only point to one thing; it's Spring! Oxalis oregana On April 5th, we were finally able to host our Annual Membership Meeting. A list of thank yous is in order: Thank you to our guest speaker Ian A. Nelson, for taking time from [...]

2022-04-07T07:47:44-07:00April 7th, 2022|

March Director’s Note

Rhododendron mucronulatum Man, did I jinx it last month or what? Freezing temperatures and a dusting of snow. Still, Spring is flirting with us. The amount of pollen coating my car each day as I leave the Garden is astonishing. The list of flowering trees and shrubs is growing: Corylopsis, Cornus mas, Daphne, [...]

2022-03-08T13:34:31-08:00March 8th, 2022|

Intern Spotlight – Stan Dombrowski

We were favored with two interns for the Winter quarter from Edmonds College. Stan Dombrowski hails from Spokane and has been in the Seattle area for the last five years. While working for himself in landscape maintenance, he's been a student at the Edmonds College Horticulture program. When presented with project ideas at the Garden, [...]

2022-03-08T13:50:25-08:00March 8th, 2022|

Walt’s Notes from the Garden | March 2022

WALT'S NOTES FROM THE GARDEN | MARCH 2022 Most of the plants here are hardy and time-tested even after our frozen bout last month. Art and Mareen did like to experiment like many of us so I went looking for an unusual plant they had planted from seed from South Africa. Selago corybosa is in [...]

2022-03-08T11:35:52-08:00March 8th, 2022|

Conifers – Larch

Larch (Larix) There are a number of this deciduous conifer in this grove, all of them turning gorgeous tones of yellow in late fall. They typically grow best in full sun. Note the small cones that persist on the branches; only age or fire makes them come off. Washington state has three native larches: [...]

2022-02-16T15:44:28-08:00February 16th, 2022|
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