Clematis cirrhosa "Wisley Cream"

While out working in the yard today, I spotted my evergreen Clematis "Wisley Cream" that grows on the southeast corner of the garage in bloom. Pretty little four petal flowers, pale creamish yellow speckled with maroon on the inside, an inch and a half to two inches wide. Very small and delicate............but a wonderful winter flowering plant that is fragrant. A Mediterranean variety, that blooms from January to March reaching a height of 15 feet. It can also be grown in a container.

One very important lesson I was taught about growing Clematis: dig the whole deep, put the root system in, and fill the hole with potting soil, not dirt. Earthworms will take care of mixing the potting soil and dirt together. It is even possible to have clematis blooming 12 months of the year from January to December if you plant the right varieties.

USDA hardiness zone 5 to zone 9

Hellebores for the Winter Perennial

My first choice for a winter flower for the garden, whether it be a formal or cottage. The ones at Beech Street Gardens are just coming into bloom. I believe there are about ten different varieties planted thru the gardens. The variety pictured above is the oldest planting of Hellebores in the gardens.

It came from the Heronswood Nursery and is a non named variety, flowers are double pink. It has been planted under the large cherry tree in the back garden for about six years. At its prime it will be about 2.5-3 feet tall and about 4 feet wide. When the flowers start opening I will take another photo for you to see the color and the size of the plants.

The Hellebore or Helleborus comes in a very wide color selection, cream to pink, rich red, grape purple, deep burgundy and almost black. Many are freckled with spots or veined in a contrasting color, coming in singles, doubles, or semi-doubles. There are rounded petals and pointed petals, even outward facing flowers.

USDA hardiness zone 5 to zone 8.

Check out Heronswood Helleborus x hybridus for 2010: Onyx Odyssey. You will truly want this for your garden. I know I will be getting one.

One becomes two Agave Shira ito no Ohi

Check the posting from December 23 about these two Agaves. How sweet is that, they are two different plants. I separated them from each other after that posting.

Needed to make sure they were going to be fine before I posted anything new about them. Left them on the bench for a week to let the roots heal from any damage before potting them up. They have been in the pots for two weeks now, and they look great. Now I have three for my collection.