Hoyt Arboretum - A destination for discovering plants

The Hoyt Arboretum is an excellent location for identifying suitable additions to your garden, particularly trees. Much of the collection is clearly marked with labels that provide the common name and the botanical name, in addition to other useful information, such as the plant's native locale and when it was planted at Hoyt. I find it helpful to know when a specimen was planted in order to gauge its rate of growth and eventual size in the landscape. For the same reason, I often encourage clients to visit Hoyt to see the trees I've recommended for their gardens. Follow this link to see an example of a label. In the pictured example, the Star Magnolia was planted in 1968, as indicated by the number in the lower right hand corner.

The Visitors' Center sells a directory of plants in the Hoyt collection for a small fee (I believe around $5). This directory is a valuable tool to help determine whether the collection includes the plant you are seeking and if so, where it can be found within the arboretum.

BloomTown Nursery: Open by appointment, year-round

I am often asked, "When are you having your next plant sale?" Until recently, I have focused my nursery business primarily on providing plant material to furnish the gardens of my design clients. I am in the constant process of acquiring plants that I know & trust to use in my client gardens and maintain an inventory of choice trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses. Next year, I will be expanding my nursery operation and will be having regularly scheduled plant sales. In the meantime, please don't hesitate to contact me to make an appointment to shop the nursery or to check availability on an item you are looking for.

FYI, for those who have previously shopped at my home garden, I have relocated my nursery operations to a site located a couple of blocks away. Please call or email for directions and to make an appointment.

Books on my shelf ... Plant This! by Ketzel Levine

Ketzel Levine's distinctive, highly entertaining, narrative makes this book an easy read in addition to providing a directory of interesting plants. Although it is not one the most recent books on my shelf (published in 2000 by Sasquatch Press) it is certainly one that I recommend frequently and return to often. Going way beyond the traditional favorites, she examines one hundred choice plants for Northwest gardens, accompanied by artful illustrations by Rene Eisenbart. As it happens, her list includes many of my favorites as well.

Adding water to the garden ... simply!

© 2005 Darcy Daniels

I'm of the belief that most every garden benefits from the addition of water. However, I also believe that even the simplest of features can achieve the desired effect within a modest budget. In this case, the reflective quality of the water is captured in a simple low bowl. The bowl pictured above is a high quality glazed container imported by AW Pottery, a wholesale supplier that I order from. You can view their product at www.awpottery.com; if you see something you would like to order please contact me for more information on costs & coordination. I find that the most garden-worthy lines in their collection are the Rustic & Red Earth lines.

Acer griseum (Paperbark Maple): a good "all-season" tree for city gardens

Acer griseum's exfoliating bark
© 2005 Darcy Daniels

Acer griseum is a striking tree with multi-season appeal to consider as an addition to your garden. The tree is especially attractive in winter with its cinnamon colored bark exfoliating in papery sheets. This tree is no slouch in fall either; contributing rich red tones to the autumn symphony.

November! and still going strong

Rex Begonia & double, pink Impatiens
© 2005 Darcy Daniels

I used Rex begonias as annuals in some of my plantings this year and have been very pleased with the results. They add so much color & drama for so little care. Once common in your grandmother's garden and long used as an indoor houseplant, they are enjoying a resurgence in popularity and consequently are available in range of colors.

Planted in May/June they have looked great all summer and will look good until first frost, at which point they will succumb (although they can be easily lifted and wintered over as houseplants). They have been a great way to add color to shady areas, preferring only indirect light. They come in a range of colors which are easy to harmonize with. In this case, with double pink impatiens which have, with regular feeding, also been blooming their hearts out all summer and do not require deadheading to keep looking good.

So moral of the story - annual foliage plants supplemented with simple flowering annuals can be an excellent means of creating a long lasting colorful scene without a lot of maintenance.