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
Small crimson-red bells dangle from July to September
Size: 8’ x 3’
Care: Full sun in humusy, fertile, moist well-drained soil. Mulch around the base. Flowers on current year’s stems so cut back to 6-8” 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 Leichtlin of the Baden Botanic Garden sent C. texensis to Kew in 1880. French nurseryman Francisque Morel sent this selection to William Robinson. Robinson named it for his English nursery at Gravetye Manor in 1914
Rosettes of succulent leaves
Size: 4” x 4”
Care: sun in well-drained to moist well-drained soil
Native: Alps & Pyrenees Mountains
Grown in gardens for thousands of years. Sempervivum means “live forever.” Romans planted Hens and chicks on their roofs to ward off lightning. As a succulent it holds water and is probably more difficult to catch fire. “This practice was preserved for historians when Charlemagne (720-814), first Holy Roman Emperor and unifier of a large part of northern Europe, ordered that all villagers within his crown lands plant houseleeks on their roofs, presumably as a safety measure. He decreed: Et ille hortulanus habeat super domum suam Iovis barbam. (And the gardener shall have house-leeks growing on his house. Capitulare de villis, about 795, LXX.)”
OUT OF STOCK
Cluster of crimson, star-shaped florets atop 2’ stems bloom their heads of ALL summer.
Size: 24-36”x 36”
Care: Sun in well-drained alkaline soil
Native: Mediterranean
Wildlife Value: attracts butterflies
Centranthus is from the Greek meaning “spurred flower.” According to Culpepper, an English herbalist from the early 1600’s, this plant comforts the heart and stirs up lust. Parkinson, in 1629 describes it “of a fine red colour, very pleasant to behold.”
Lavender-Pink outside and white inside funnels in June
Size: 20-30” x 12-24”
Care: sun in well-drained soil
Native: northeast North America
Wildlife Value: attracts Baltimore butterfly
Penstemon is named for its five stamens, penta meaning “five” and stemon meaning “stamen” in Greek. Penstemons are “handsome and deserving,” Bailey. P. hirsutus sent from America to England in 1758.