Description
Tall, graceful ivory spires bloom from mid to late summer
Tall, graceful ivory spires
Tall, graceful ivory spires bloom from mid to late summer
Balloon shaped buds opening to white bells in mid to late summer
Size: 24" x 12"
Care: Full sun to part shade in moist well-drained to well-drained soil.
Native: Eastern Asia
Awards: England's Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit.
Platycodon is Greek from platys meaning “broad” and kodon meaning “bell”, referring to the shape of the flower. Planthunter Robert Fortune found the white form in a nursery near Shanghai and sent it to England in 1845.
Outfacing, white, waxy cup-shaped flowers resembling single roses in late winter, evergreen leaves.
Size: 12-20” x 12”
Care: part shade in moist well-drained soil Native: rocky places in Europe
Awards: Received Royal Horticultural Society Award of Merit.
The name Helleborus is Greek from hellein meaning “to kill” and bora meaning “food” referring to the plant’s poisonous qualities if placed in food. This species is ancient – known as long ago as 300 BC in Greece where it “purged and cured the mad or melancholicke daughters of Praetus with the roots thereof.” (Parkinson, 1629) Grown in the Eichstätt Garden, the garden of Johann Konrad von Gemmingen, prince bishop of Eichstätt in Bavaria, c. 1600. In Middle Ages petals thrown on floor to drive out evil and ward off power of witches. Gerard recommended it for curing poisoned animals. Sorcerers made themselves invisible by tossing the powdered plant in the air. The German name of Schneerose (snow rose) is perhaps more appropriate.
Violet racemes all summer July to September
Size: 36” x 12”
Care: Sun, well-drained soil
Native: Southern Europe
Both the Latin and common names are related to flax. Linaria comes from “linum” which is Greek for “flax” and toadflax includes the word “flax.” The leaves of Linaria purpurea resemble flax leaves. According to 17th century English herbalist, John Parkinson, the plant “causes one to make water.” Grown by Tradescant the Elder, 1634. American garden cultivation since 1800’s.
Profusion of small classic daisies May-July atop fragrant silver foliage
Size: 2’ x 3’
Care: sun in moist well drained soil
Named by Carl Heinrich Schultz (1805-1867)