So my friends have often pointed out that my gardening philosophies (yes plural), seem to be in a constant state of contradiction. And while they may be right, I'd like to think it is only natural that some of my views change as I evolve as gardener and all around plant obsessed person, but ultimately, if we're being honest, gardening in itself is sort of a contradiction. For me at least, gardening has always existed in the foggy tension between "the cultivated" aka subjugation and "the wild" aka freedom, (see above illustration)..... Lean too far in one direction and its easy to become, well, let's say unbalanced.
Lately, I feel like I have been doing a bit too much rolling around in the weeds and am a pair of oversized cargo shorts away from having a bit too much in common with the lady on the left (but just to be clear I'd much rather have more in common with the woman on the left then the man on the right). As much as I still think its important to appreciate the plants that already grow in your own backyard, the simple truth is that part of the joy of gardening, and general plant appreciation, is discovering new and exotic things. So, for my own gardening sanity and life balance (and at least partially in the spirit of indulgence) I give you some of the cooler plants I have come across in the last few years that are (at least in my area) not well known. In my defense the discovery of some of the these plants came out of necessity in trying to combat deer, clay, and waterlogged soil, all of which seem to be in excess where ever I decide to garden.
Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis Synonym: H. caroliniana - Northern Spider LilyZones 5-?(the literature is all over the place with this one, have seen 8,9, and 10)
Purchase from: Missouri Wildflower Nursery, Munchkin Nursery, Niche Gardens, Sunshine Farm and Gardens
Out of all the plants I've come across in the last few years I am most excited about this one....excited is actually a bit of an understatement, elated.... or ecstatic maybe?, whatever the word I can't wait to try out this native-ish (lower Mississippi watershed) semi-aquatic plant. The flowers look like they belong in some exotic fairy tail, and the foliage looks very much like an amaryllis on steroids, which is actually quit apt considering it's in the amaryllis family. But, in short, a very tropical looking plant. This, coupled with and awesome adaptability to light, its tolerance of waterlogged soil, and its potential to be hardy through ZONE 5, and you have, by all appearance, the perfect plant. I'm a little worried it might fall into the "bit too good to be true" category, because if it is all its cracked up to be, why isn't everyone growing it?
SIDE NOTE: there seems to be some pretty extensive blurring between the various species of Hymenocallis (H. rotata, H. occidentalis, H. liriosme, and H. coronaria) and as far as I can tell they may all be one in the same, as flower and foliage seem to vary widely within each species, particularly in H. occidentalis. With that said, H. coronaria seems to be the easiest to identify among the group, being more robust in foliage and flower, but also an obligate aquatic and doesn't appear to be shade tolerant. However, it may be hardy to at least zone 6 and may be worth a try for northerns if you have a some shallow water with lots of sun.
Iris virginica 'Contraband Girl' - Contraband Girl Southern Blue Flag
Zones 5-9 (although came across a few zone 4s)
Purchase from: Niche Gardens, Plant Delights, Secret Garden Growers
So there's zero excuse to keep using Iris psuedoacorus now. This selection of our "native" iris, (using the word a bit loosely now) should be able to hold its own easily with the introduced Yellow Flag, and topping out at 6' with enough moisture, just as imposing. And why settle for yellow when you can have blue, well pink-violet at least. Just planted in the garden this year, fingers crossed I won't be a let down.
Sabal minor 'McCurtain'- McCurtain Dwarf Palmetto
Zones 5b-10 (possibly solid zone 5 once established)
Purchase from: Brian's Botanicals, Plant Delights Nursery, Alligator Alley
So this evergreen dwarf palm species is fairly typical of mixed hardwood swamps in the southeast, and while the generic species is only hardy to zone 7, a vigorous seed strain grown from the northern most population in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, has been known to withstand temperatures down to -24 degrees F . This strain may give the official cold hardiest palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix, aka Needle Palm) a run for its money. Supposedly very adaptable to extremes in moisture and light, although when you push a plant's cold hardiness sometimes this adaptability is tempered. Hope to give this guy a try soon, but it's recommended to either spring plant or keep it in a pot for a year or two inside before leaving it outside year round; as in most plants, age increases cold hardiness. Its best to find a permanent place for this plant when you do plant it outside as the subterranean trunk makes it pretty damn difficult to transplant.
Salvia darcyi 'Vermilion Bluffs', Synonym: S. darcyi 'Pscarl'- Vermilion Bluffs Mexican Sage
Zones 5b-10
Purchase from: Flowers By The Sea, Nature Hills Nursery, Plant Delights Nursery, Sooner Plant Farm
I've always been a bit of a sucker for the stereotypical hummingbird plant, yet most of the hummingbird attracting salvias (S. greggii, S. microphylla, S. coccinea, and S. splendens) are not hardy here in a wet zone 6a. While this flaming red salvia certainly meets the cold hardy qualification, I'm a bit worried its one of those plants that tolerates the cold so long as the winter is dry. There are plenty of plants that do find in Denver, that will never make it here on the east coast. Hopefully this salvia doesn't fall into this category.
Napaea dioica - Glade Mallow
Zone: 3a-8b
Purchase from: Annie's Annuals, Everwilde Farms, Plant Delights Nursery, Prairie Moon
It's a Ligularia!, it's Macleaya!, it's a Saxifrage!..... it's a Napaea? For some reason this Great Lakes/Mid-Atlantic native has flown under the mainstream garden radar for the most part, and considering the only real demand that it has consistent moisture, I can't really figure out why its not more widely planted. A few of the images I've seen hint at a slug susceptibility, but if you're looking for an otherwise knockout foliage plant that doesn't demand much, look no further. While you wouldn't guess it to look, it's actually in the mallow family, and if you look closely at the end of the HUGE flowering stalk it sends up around early summer you can see the family resemblance.
Ribes x gordonianum (R. odoratum x R. sanguineum) - ?(Hybrid Flowering Currant)
Zone: 4-8
Purchase from: Digging Dog Nursery, Forest Farm Nursery, Dancing Oaks Nursery, Joy Creek Nursery
The truth is that anyone east of the Mississippi should be wary of planting any Ribes species given that its a primary host to White Pine Blister Rust. But given that the tough as nails R. odoratum, is one of the parents of R. x gordonianum and native throughout much of the east and provided you don't have any White Pines nearby (and its legal, in some states Ribes have been restricted or banned all together) this is the perfect native-ish shrub to break the onslaught of Forsythia, Quince, and Azalea that assaults our eyes come spring time. And, as a bonus, it provides an early nectar source for premature Hummers.
And in case this didn't satisfy your unusual plant appetite for the month check out this post from Green Sparrow Gardens.
