Strawberry Tree
Since moving to Washington, I have discovered a great number of new trees. One of my favorites is the Strawberry Tree ( Arbutus unedo ). It is a four-season tree with semi-glossy evergreen leaves and lovely mahogany bark. In autumn, clusters of white flowers appear, bearing a resemblance to Lily-of-the-Valley flowers. And then there are the little fruits, which resemble strawberries that appear at the same time as the flowers. I am not sure why, but I have only seen a few fruits on ours. I don't know if birds are getting them before I see them or what happens. The fruits are said to be edible but not very tasty (to humans). This year, our tree is loaded with flowers, the most I've ever seen. Bees absolutely love it and so do the hummingbirds. The flowers usually continue to appear straight through winter, and it can be blooming even during the coldest periods of winter. Aside from the fact that I have not seen much of the colorful fruits, the major negative note is the fact tha
The pictures of your garden and the others are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWished I lived closer to partake in the tour.
If you toured my garden right now, I'd only have a hellebore in bloom, and some tiny early spring flowers. The daffodils aren't even out yet.
So glad the tour went good and the people came to see. It's hard when you do so much and they don't come to see it. I love the arum too.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on a successful day. I knew you would be blessed with good weather. The garden gods were smiling on you. Love that wisteria. I can almost smell it. Now you can get some rest as your garden is up to snuff for the season.
ReplyDeleteI bet your garden blew people away! I could have told you a garden tour is exhausting. We tell our gardeners at Garden Walk Buffalo to drink lots, don't expect to talk to everyone and take a break a few times a day. I'll get about 3,500 coming through my garden in a weekend and by the time Sunday evening rolls around, we are physically and mentally spent. But it IS fun!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Your garden has such charm. You have more in bloom than we do. Our garden is a month behind schedule due to the long winter we had here.
ReplyDeleteSo glad it went well for you and I am sure everyone enjoyed it. Take a rest, and sit and enjoy your garden while it's pretty and clean! Carol
ReplyDeleteGood job, Phillip!
ReplyDeleteGood for you Phillip! Glad the weather cooperated and how special to have Great Aunt Gertha's floral presence with you on the special day! I hope you are able to rest this week!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! They have Italian arum at the Tulsa Zoo, and I lust over it every time I see it - I have searched plant bases for its name, because I really want some, and I couldn't find any if I didn't know what to search for. I even posted a pic on Twitter to see if someone could tell me. And here it is in your beautiful garden! Many thanks!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on a successful tour! The white wisteria is stunning. Your unidentified plant reminds me of garlic mustard, an invasive weed.
ReplyDeletePhillip,
ReplyDeleteYour garden was just beautiful! I enjoyed talking to you and Michael and walking through your garden. When we left my sister said that she could tell that "real gardeners" lived there. You guys have done such a wonderful job and created a place that is very peaceful and welcoming.
Phillip, congratulations! Your garden is one of my favorites on-line. There are so many points of interest in it! I wish I could join the tour.
ReplyDeleteOh, I wish I could have toured your garden Phillip! It still looks lovely and has plenty of blooms to me. I was on a garden tour once - it was exhausting. So I completely understand. :-) Congrats on such a successful day.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the successful tour! That wisteria is gorgeous. what a lovely thing to have a plant fro your aunt, and now you will always think of her when you see it! Jeannine
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you survived the tour. Those tours are grueling. I'm supposed to have people here from my garden club in June. I'm going to need help to get there. I think woodland phlox is one of the best plants ever. I am slowly spreading it all over the garden.I've never seen white wisteria either. It is a special plant made all the more so by getting it from your aunt.~~Dee
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed all 9 gardens and took over 900 pictures from the time I left home at 9 until the last garden was finished at 6. The Fowler's were gracious to entertain those who made the long trip out to see their garden. I'm getting owners names on each and need to convert from RAW to JPEG. I'm getting off work late this week and I'm having to move Encores and natives away from the destruction around my screen porch. I'm glassing it in and putting a deck in front of it. I'll send you the sharing link soon as I can. Enjoyed it greatly. Glad I dropped back on Sunday to get a better picture of you and Michael. Some things were bloomed out better. Mary
ReplyDeleteI am glad everything went well for you, but I think you had plenty of blooms to show off. The tour coming to my garden is coming by a caravan of mini vans and is not an all day affair, thank God! My employees have informed me that I will be hosting a party after the tour is over, whether I like it or not.
ReplyDeleteOh good, I'm glad to hear that everything went well! I knew it would. You may think you didn't have many blooms, but it sure looks like you did to me!
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