Skip to main content

Featured

Hidcote - pt. 1

I'm just now getting around to organizing the photos from my trip to England back in May. As I've said a million times, this was the trip of a lifetime, and I had an incredible time. This was a 3-week trip organized by the HPSO (Hardy Plant Society of Oregon) during which we visited 35 different locations. Most all of these were gardens but there were also a few castles and villages thrown in, as well as the icing on the trip - the Chelsea Flower Show. This tour focused on the southeast region of England, notably the Cotswolds and Cornwall. I've watched so many programs and read so many books about England and the gardens there that I was afraid it would tarnish the image I had built up in my head. I'm pleased to say that it not disappoint. The trek from London to Bath by train was not the best first impression. However, as we gained distance from the city, the rolling green countryside gave me glimpses of things to come. After arriving in Bath and finding my hotel, I m...
Post a Comment
Read more

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 wildlife. The white and pink bell-shaped flowers are appearing now and they are popular with pollinators.




Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
Email Post

Comments

  1. Kris PetersonApril 12, 2024 at 9:36 PM

    It's too bad you Himalayan variety gave up - it was very pretty. I hope the evergreen variety proves to be more tolerant.

    ReplyDelete
  2. tz_gardenApril 15, 2024 at 9:24 AM

    It's hard to yank something when it's not doing well, but I bet it feels great to look and see your beautiful new evergreen Huckleberry thriving. Also, yum!

    ReplyDelete
  3. JH1961April 17, 2024 at 3:23 AM

    Lime bleed-off from your house's foundation may be the culprit. Azaleas often suffer the same fate when planted too close to a house.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts