The quince plant.
For the last few 60º weeks I’ve been watching the news about all the snow on the East Coast and can’t believe how lucky we’ve been to avoid another winter like 2008. I was worried during that low 20º week in early last December, but we skirted right around the whole bad weather thing. Yippee!
I’ve been wandering around my garden amazed at how much stuff is coming up early due to the warm weather. My hostas are halfway up and the daffodils are right in their way. My Paeonia Mkolosewitschii (Molly the Witch) came roaring out of the ground a month ago. At this rate, it’ll be blooming next week. I’ve even started my vegetable seeds anticipating that the ground will be warm enough sooner rather than later.
While surveying all the new life, I’ve also had the chance to survey the death and destruction of that one 20-something week. Phormiums; I’m over them. That’s two years in a row I’ve put new in plants and lost them all. Perhaps they’ll come back eventually, but who has that kind of time? I also lost two Grevillas, two Leucospermum and I’m still not sure if my Tetrapanex survived. As for the rest, I’m trying to view the loss as a new shopping opportunity. You know, the whole “glass is half full” thing.
So the question is “what do I buy and plant now?” Do I listen to the practical side of me and buy reliably hardy plants; or do I listen to the plant lust side of me that is in total zonal denial and will certainly buy something that might not make it though an average winter?
Lucky for me I spent time last month at both the Seattle Flower Show and the Portland Yard, Garden & Patio show. There were great lectures and seminars and I learned about plants I did not know existed. I wanted to share my three favorite discoveries that are finding their way into my garden this season.
My Picks for 2010
My first and favorite find is a beautiful quince plant called Chaenomeles Japonica, or “Atsuya Hamada.” I love everything about quince; the flower, the colors, and the image used in art. I already have two varieties, but when I saw this, I knew I needed one more. The flower is a dark red/maroon, almost black and is a wild collection from Pacific Northwest plantsman Roy Davidson from the slopes of Mt. Fuji. Quince is an early spring bloomer that’s hardy to zone five. I have one quince in full sun and one in bright shade with no direct sun at all. Quince takes well to pruning, which is handy as it can form a bit of a thicket. Google it and run screaming to your closest local garden center and get yourself one.
My next pick is a yellow variegated Queen Victoria Agave; Victoria-Reginae Variegata or “aureo marginata.” This is a stunningly beautiful but slow growing and tough Agave with yellow striping along the leaves that form individual rosettes to about 18 inches. It needs at least half day to full day sun with good drainage and they do really well in pots. The Queen is hardy to 20º if it is kept dry during the winter.
There are a few plant names that just feel good to say with a British accent. The plant name is Kniphophia, commonly known as Red Hot Poker Plant. Repeat after me; ny-FOE-fee-ah. Now fake a British accent and try it again. Hilarious. It rolls off the tongue and it makes you laugh. It’s important to keep a sense of humor in the garden. I had a really large Kniphofia that I was trying to move during a garden remodel and I was completely unsuccessful. Oops! So off to the nursery to purchase its replacement, Kniphofia Typhoides, “Asphodelaceae.” 
It is a beautiful variety with blue/green leaves shaped like a cattail. In late summer it puts out 30-inch tall spikes of cocoa brown flower that smell like coconut oil. It sports an offbeat flower that attracts hummingbirds or makes a great cut flower. It’s super easy to grow in full sun with little summer water and is hardy to minus 5º.
I hope you all have a wonderful spring. Here’s to dirt under your nails. Cheers!
JJ De Sousa is the owner of digs inside & out, located at 1829 NE Alberta, Portland. She can be reached at 503-460-3447 or jj@digs-pdx.com.
