Quercus sadleriana Sadler’s Oak. This is a small, shrubby evergreen oak found in the Siskiyou Mts. of southern Oregon and northern California. Named after British botanist John Sadler (1837-1882), Assistant Secretary of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh.
Rhododendron williamsiana A dwarf species that has been hybridized numerous times to pass on its overall small size and hardiness. Light pink blooms add to its charm. Introduced in 1908 by the famous plant explorer Ernest ‘Chinese’ Wilson who found it growing in Sichuan, China. Named in honor of the plant breeder J.C. Williams [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Rhododendron schlippenbachii An early light pink blooming mid-sized deciduous rhododendron that is super hardy coming from Siberia, Manchuria, and Korea. Baron Alexander von Schlippenbach collected plants in Korea during an 1853-54 Russian naval expedition.
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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: [...]
Himalayan White Pine (Pinus wallichiana) Extra-long needles that end up drooping in a graceful fashion is a hallmark of this pine. It hails from the foothills of the Himalayas and is an important timber tree throughout its range. Here, it doesn’t grow too much beyond 60’ and is best suited out of a windy [...]