Anise-hyssop (Agastache rugosa)藿香

Anise-hyssop (Agastache rugosa)藿香

Anise-hyssop (Agastache rugosa)藿香

Anise-hyssop (Agastache rugosa)藿香

Very hardy, easy growing perennial. Best growing in full sun to partial shade location. Blue flowers in summer and fall. This herb attract bees and butterflies and flowers are good for cutting. Easy to propagate the plant from seeds. Very winter hardy. USDA Zones:4-9. Mature plant size:1.5′-4′(H) x 1.5′-2′(W).

非常強健,易栽種的多年生草花. 全日照到半日照的環境為佳. 花色淺藍,花期很長,從夏季開到秋季,花頗吸引蜂蝶及蜂鳥,適合切花. 容易種子繁殖. 非常耐寒. 成熟株高為1.5-4呎高,寬約1.5-2呎.

Rose Campion(Lychnis coronaria)毛剪秋羅

Rose Campion(Lychnis coronaria)毛剪秋羅

Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria) 毛剪秋羅

Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria) 毛剪秋羅

 

 

This beautiful showy hardy perennial is very easy to grow. Fast growing, drought tolerant and good for cut flower. It is summer flowering with deep pink / red or white flowers which attract butterflies. USDA Zones: 3-9. Mature size: 2′-3′ (H) x 1′-1.5′(W). Prefers full sun to partial shade location. Sometimes need support and dead-headed to keep tidy. Often self-seeds.

石竹科剪秋羅屬的多年生草花. 強健耐旱耐寒,會自行落籽繁殖. 花色豔麗配上銀白色的莖葉很出色. 喜歡全日照到半日照的環境. 夏天開紅色,白色或粉紅色花,頗吸引蝴蝶,花可做切花. 成熟株高為2-3呎,寬為1-1.5呎. 植物瘦高有時需要支撐物和摘除謝掉的花朵讓它看起來總是最佳狀態.

Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)肯塔基州咖啡樹

Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)肯塔基州咖啡樹

Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) flowers 肯塔基州咖啡樹的花串

Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)肯塔基州咖啡樹

Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) seeds 肯塔基州咖啡樹種子

It is a large tree.  Mature tree height:60′-70’x width:40′-50′. In spring the tree blooms small, fragrant white flowers and follow the large seed pods in fall and last through winter.  The seed is hard shelled beans which can be roasted and used as a substitute as coffee beans but unroasted pods and seeds are toxic. The wood from the tree is used by cabinetmakers and carpenters because the wood is very durable and strong.  Propagate by seeds.

豆科,肥皂莢屬的大型樹. 成熟株高60-70呎,寬幅可達40-50呎. 全株有毒.  全日照.  春天開白色花串,有香味. 花謝後夏末結大果莢,種子像曼陀珠一樣大顆,種皮很厚. 豆子經烘焙研磨後可當咖啡來食用,不過生的是有毒的. 木材的材質結實耐用很受到木匠的喜愛常用於傢俱或廚具.  用種子繁殖.

Colours from inside the window窗內的顏色

Colours from inside the window窗內的顏色

These are from seed packs: Morning Glory ‘Red Picotee’ and Blue Lobelia ‘Crystal Palace’! Easy to grow in the pot but you need to grow Lobelia 1 month – 1.5 months earlier in order for them to bloom at the same time. Or you can sow seeds together but Lobelia will flower later than morning glory. Another way to sow seeds different pots, transplant them together when both are flowering. Morning glory will need support to cling on.

桃紅的朝顏/牽牛花’Red Picotee’和藍色的六倍利’Crystal Palace’都是從種子包的種子播種的. 很容易栽種但是要使它們同時開花最好是先種六倍利1-1.5個月後再播朝顏的種子. 同時播下的話也可以,只是六倍利會開的稍晚一些. 另一方法是六倍利另外種一盆,等有花後再移到同一盆種植.朝顏會需要支撐物來攀爬.

香玉簪 Fragrant Plantainlily (Hosta plantaginea）

香玉簪 Fragrant Plantainlily (Hosta plantaginea）
Hosta plantaginea, Fragrant Plantainlily is blooming in August now, as its name it is very fragrant almost like Jasmine fragrance. Very easy to grow and easy to be divided in spring or fall. Slugs love them, too…unfortunately! This type of Host prefers full sun location.

這種玉簪於八月開花,如其名有著如茉莉花般的強烈花香,芬芳怡人. 容易栽種和春秋分株繁殖. 不幸的是蛞蝓也喜歡它! 此類喜全日照.

劍蘭Glaiolus (Gladiolus hybrid)

劍蘭Glaiolus (Gladiolus hybrid)
All these are saved bulbs from last year. Easy to grow and beautiful! A lot of them are growing seeds now… Yes, you can grow from seeds as well but it is going to take few years to be able to flower!
這些都是去年秋天收藏室內過冬的球根. 容易種,美麗又容易繁殖. 很多花謝後都在結籽中…是的,也可用種子繁殖只不過要種好幾年才能開花. 這種球根喜熱不喜冷.

劍蘭Glaiolus (Gladiolus hybrid)

劍蘭Glaiolus (Gladiolus hybrid)

Just like Dahlia, they are tender perennials, summer bulbs. They like to grow in the full sun location. After flowering period, the main bulb will grow small bulbs or seeds, you have to store the bulbs away before frost. They are good cut flowers. Plants with flower stems are usually tall, will need to stake the flower stems.

屬於鳶尾科唐菖蒲屬的球根花卉. 喜歡全日照土壤排水須良好. 植株耐熱不耐寒. 繁殖以分球為主,母球會著生木子(小球),木子種植短約1年即可開花. 另可用種子繁殖出雜交新品種. 長出花莖後植株較高,需要支撐植株避免強風豪雨折斷.

我僅以盆植約2個月便開花結子,表示非常容易種植和繁殖! 當然以地植為最佳.

花色多種可以挑選,適合做切花材料.

This is how to grow Clematis from seeds.如何孵鐵線蓮種子.

This is how to grow Clematis from seeds.如何孵鐵線蓮種子.

So, this is easy but will take long time (months) to germinate but it is worthy.

You will need small re-sealable bags and some clematis seeds which already removed shells. Fill with clean water with seeds inside the re-sealable bags, water doesn’t have to fill full. Keep these bags in a plastic container with lid (because they don’t like light to germinate) and place this container somewhere warm (warmer is good for seeds to germinate). Then wait. Check them once a week.

Once you find seeds sprout, pick them from water bag and place them on top of soil, keep soil moist, now they need light. Place them by window if it is indoor growing condition. Then water them and wait couple months, you will have young plants which are ready to climb, plant them outdoor.

鐵線蓮種子去殼後用夾鍊袋裝好泡清水,置於黑暗溫暖處讓它們發芽. 一週檢查一次. 有發芽的種子就撿出放在盆土土表,半日照處,要保持土壤濕度,種子會自己生長. 等本葉長到4-6片就可以種到戶外全日照處,

Dahlia Planting 大理花球根包種植

Dahlia Planting 大理花球根包種植

Dahlia is one of my favorite flowering bulbs! It is so easy to grow them and propagate them (from seeds, young shoots and divide the tuberous roots). There are so many flower colors to pick from at a good price! Long blooming seasons and they are good for cut flowers!

In end of fall I will cut my Dahlias down to remove anything above ground and dig the root out for indoor storage through winter. I have been saving the roots many years. I often divide the roots in early spring then give some away to my clients and friends.

Bees and butterflies love them, I haven’t noticed humming birds go to them though. The flowering season is from mid/late spring to frost! Great value!

Here are some pictures that I took in my garden and the new bulbs that I have planted in big pots.

大理花是我喜愛的球根花卉之一,因為它容易栽種和繁殖(種子,新芽扦插和球根分株). 開花期很長又花色繁多. 而且價格低又可當切花花材.

我種的大理花常常一年比一年多,都是在初春球根分株得來,有多的就送給客戶或朋友. 秋末要在霜降前去掉土表以上部份挖出球根貯存室內過冬. 它的超長開花期從春末到霜降,真是物超所值的花!

照片上是我園裡種植的和新買剛盆植下的球根花色.

樺木Birch （Betula）

樺木Birch （Betula）

樺木屬Betula是中大型的落葉喬木. 一般常用於庭園的有兩種. 這兩種的照片我都貼了(兩家不同的鄰居種的). 它們都需全日照至少也半日照,容易栽種,生長快速,都很耐看. 秋天葉片由綠轉金黃色,煞是好看. 用種子繁殖.

There are two kinds of birch trees has been planted the most for the garden.  They are all beautiful with their interesting bark, branches, trunk and tree shape.  (These trees are from 2 different neighbores’ garden.)

One is: Betula nigra (Red Birch, River Birch).  The other one is:  Betula pendula. Also Betula verrucosa ( European birch, European white birch, Silver Birch).