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Swapping Huckleberries

Himalayan Honeysuckle ( Vaccinium glauco album)  Himalayan Honeysuckle ( Vaccinium glauco album) has been an attractive feature along our north-facing foundation since I planted it in 2016. You will have to take my word for it since I cannot locate a photo although I know one exists somewhere in the realm of the Internet or floating on a cloud somewhere.  I did locate a photo of how it looked when it was first planted - It took a few years to fill out but it did so nicely to an attractive mound about 2 feet high by 3 feet wide.  Last year, it started to look bad.  I cut it back but it had not improved and this is how it looked a few weeks ago - I decided to rip it out and plant another huckleberry - this time Vaccinium ovatum , more commonly known as the "Evergreen Huckleberry".  This is a plant that I've wanted for ages and kept putting off getting one because I could not find a good place for it. By most accounts, this is an amazing plant, a native one and excellent for
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Mary Livingston Ripley Garden



The last garden that I want to share from my Washington D.C. trip is the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden, part of the Smithsonian Gardens. This tiny garden, located in an alley between the Mall and the neighboring street, exudes charm. It was packed with perennials, annuals, shrubs and trees and each plant was labeled.











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  1. LostRosesAugust 18, 2007 at 4:29 PM

    Some alley! That's quite the little jewelbox of a garden. I'd say you had a very successful trip to D.C.

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  2. chuck b.August 20, 2007 at 6:31 PM

    Another wonderful garden. The hardscape makes this one very different. But it's lovely. What's that thorny-leafed plant? A solanum?

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  3. chuck b.August 20, 2007 at 6:32 PM

    And are those gigantic castor beans?

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  4. chuck b.August 20, 2007 at 6:32 PM

    I mean, castor bean plants.

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  5. AnonymousAugust 22, 2007 at 6:06 PM

    Chuck, I don't know what the thorny plant is. It was labeled but I didn't make a note of it. Those are indeed castor bean plants. Isn't that color wonderful?

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  6. AnonymousAugust 23, 2007 at 1:33 PM

    The Ripley Garden is a(mainly) undiscovered gem in D.C. Whenever I'm in the city (3-4 times a yr.) I make it a point to get there. The chief gardener is a delightful, dedicated woman who loves to fill the place with unique plants. She gives tours some afternoons. It's filled with color, unique plants, many fanciful birdhouses, a great fountain, and a place to linger. Great photos.

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  7. Deviant Deziner, aka MichelleAugust 28, 2007 at 11:39 AM

    That is some beautiful garden but the Garden Photography is even more stunning !

    Beautiful photography !

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  8. janetDecember 17, 2007 at 6:58 AM

    thanks for the wonderful images of the Ripley Garden. I am so glad you enjoyed the garden. I have had the pleasure of planting and maintaining the garden for the past 10 years. Yes, the thorny plant is a Solanum -- bonus points to Chuck b. It is Solanum quitoense, otherwise known as Lu-Lu Fruit or Naranjillo. easy to grow from seed -- gets quite massive (and dangerous) in one season.
    all the best - janet draper

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  9. Sweet Home and Garden CarolinaJanuary 11, 2008 at 3:19 PM

    That is one beautiful garden, Phillip. It is so much better than the one on our street because it has a lot of bold foliage, shrubs and textures.

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