Weird Weather of '09!! ....... #3

I bookmarked it, too, so I can peruse it later. I know there's been considerable controversy about maintaining the cat population - some for, some against. It sounds like they're finding a middle ground . . .

This message was edited Jan 31, 2009 1:29 PM

I am so excited!!! My crocus bulbs are coming up! I planted bulbs for the first time last fall and I wasn't sure they would actually grow. There are others coming up as well but I forget which kind I put where. This is gardening first for me! i am going to but champagne today and drink it when they all start to bloom.

Champagne and Crocus what a wonderful combo!

Congratulations Portland!!! My crocus are coming up as well, along with the daffodils. Spring will actually get here before too long.

The sun is shining today, the sky is blue. Of course this is only one of those teasers we get this time of year. Just when you think it's getting warmer......another cold spell hits. But then, this is PNW and such is life.

Katie...thanks for the Hemingway site, always fun to see how the cats are doing. Glad they're letting some of them breed. I think a lot Maine Coon cats are polydactyls too.

This is a pic of a shrub in my backyard - does anyone know what it is?

Yes it is Witch Hazel. Beautiful color. Someone with more knowledge will come along and tell you the name.

well, the most common orange one, which still isn't all that common... is a WH called Jelena. However, the petals are a little short for Jelena. So, it's either a lesser known orange... which will take me a while to think of the names of, or it's not fully open yet.

I think it's not fully open yet. So I went directly to my A - Z and looked at the WH. Now I know at least one of my plants! When others start looking like something besides bare branches I will post them and you guys can id them. Cool! Thank you.

Looks like my Jelena . . . Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena'. The intermedia crosses are between Chinese witchhazel (Hamamelis mollis) and Japanese witchhazel (Hamamelis japonica). They do well up here.

It's supposed to be fragrant. My is only lightly fragrant when the sun hits it. Mine started out pretty dark orange (blooms earlier than my others) when it first bloomed in early January, but is getting a little yellower as time goes on.

http://www.mobot.org/GARDENINGHELP/PLANTFINDER/Plant.asp?code=C167

Does it smell good? I'm looking at one from Fairweather Gardens, as well as a JM. - Thanks redchic!!!

Sure thing. I think that they smell great. They are stronger at certain times of the day, and when the sun hits. But, I never remember whether it's morning or afternoon that they're most fragrant. It's not a really strong fragrance, but it's a sweet, soft, fragrance.

Mine is definitely soft. I saw a H. 'Pallida' at Wells Medina the other day - it's a more delicate-looking shrub and the blossom is yellow. It was all I could do not to pull out my pocketbook. I recommend 'Jelena' highly, though, as it's earlier than the others and just seems a little tougher to me.

I found another in my front yard. The blooms are similar except that they are more pinkish-red. Neither have fragrance but maybe when there is more sun.....
They were really beautiful in the fall.

The sun was out for about 30 minutes today but it was very cold. I tried to sit on the porch to read the newspaper but it was too cold. But then, it is only the beginning of February.

It might be H. x intermedia 'Diane'.

The sun is very tempting isn't Portland, I have a swing on my deck that I keep trying to use, just too chilly yet. You're going to have such fun, seeing what comes up in your yard. I went nuts the first spring we were here. I just left everything until I could see what we had. Then changed it to suit me.

That is what I will do - see what comes up and then evaluate. The only thing I did was stick in a whole bunch of bulbs and plant tomatoes and cukes last spring while the contractor was still working on the house.
I love my front porch and look forward to spending a lot of time there.

I love your porch Portland! So inviting and comfy looking.


Here's a pic of Jelena and a Diane Witch hazels from yesterday. The Jelena usually looks a little more orange than this, but the backlighting makes it look a little lighter.

Diane and Jelena look so nice sharing a space together. Kind of like me and portland1 sitting on her porch, when I come to visit my son. ( psst - she doesn't know it yet, so don't tell her - I'll spring it on her later) :) That porch looks so inviting! I have porch envy. LOL

They are actually thinking about making a trip east this summer. That would be great, since we're going to be doing the kitchen. The boys and their dad are going to do another canoe trip, so it would be great if Charles could be a part of that, too. Then me and the DIL's and all the grandkids could have our own get-together.

Jelena on the right and Diana on the left? Wow - two mature trees - what a combo. How old are they - do you know?

Jan, what a great plan. I think it's always excited to meet people you talk with online.

Jan, I agree completely. Definitely inviting!

Katie, Jalena (orange) is on the left and Diane (red) is on the right. I believe that they are around 25-30yr. old.

:-P Yeah. Right. I was thinking somehow about one of the yellows - Arnolds Promise, maybe - and the Jelena does look yellower. I guess I'll blame it on a brain cramp brought on by estrogen depletion. :-)

My Jelena is getting less orange as the blossoms mature, too.

Wow. 25 years old. That's pretty cool.

Thanks, Shelley.

Jan you are very welcome to come and sit on my porch! There is a swing on the other end so you can enjoy that as well! Where is your son in school?



The Jelena last November - I'm so thrilled that I actually know what it is!

Sure thing, those and hellebores. Two of my favorites. You don't have to pull teeth to get me to talk about those two :-p
Who knows Katie!.....we can't keep track of every single cultivar out there can we? There is a variety, that I can't think of right now, that opens a reddish orange and turns to yellow. Maybe that's the one that you're thinking of?
I just went over there on my break and took "whole tree" pictures of them, and since the sun isn't shining on the Jelena, it looks more orange. But, you're right. It is fading. I really hadn't noticed how much they do that.

Portland, it's beautiful!! I love it. Is your brain overloaded yet with reading all the plants in A-Z???

For you Katie!!!! . I don't do very well with getting things at an intermediate distance to focus as clearly as I'd normally like. Then the overcast sky made the colors dull and blend when taken at a distance. sooo.....know that I wouldn't normally post a picture this unclear!!!

This pic is of most of the WH Diane (had to crop off a little of the top and sides so we could see the blooms). Jelena is in the background.

Ruby Glow

I accidentally deleted the pic of the whole Jelena plant

Nice. They're huge!!!! Now, help me out here. Is this your place or the place you landscape? I can hardly wait until mine grow up. :-) Thank you.

Ok, lets see if I can get these names right.

yellow = Sunburst orange = winter beauty red= hiltenbury

It's neither! Sorry. It's a display garden in Eugene.

H.'Pallida' - likes to keep some of her leaves on throughout winter!
(Not a very good shot - light was waning, and too big/wide to get the whole plant in the picture)

flower detail. FYI: Pallida is very fragrant.

Very pretty Katye!

Weather today. Overcast, but quite chipper!!

I'm so hoping that these buds didn't open up too soon and then freeze off---which happened last year.

Love those WH.

Portland, my son's family lives in Beaverton. So you can be sure that when we come out, I'll be on your porch., thank you. Recently got word that they are planning on coming east this summer, so our visit west is pushed back.

Currently 34 and sunny.

Ohhh I can hardly wait for my WHs to grow larger. Love the Pallida blooms! Yes, my brain is getting overloaded with info from A - Z. I've never paid attention to plant names and now that is making a little more sense. however, it will be a long time before I remember those names!

Has anyone been to the rhododendron garden in Portland? It's so beautiful - I went in early fall last year and I look forward to going during peak blooming time this year. I have 2 in my yard and they are full of big fat buds but no blooming yet.

Shelly - that's so funny. I was wondering how it came to be that you had such a broad range of Hamamelis. Heh heh. Still, it's so neat that there's a winter display garden with such a selection.

I decided against Pallida when I saw it a couple weeks ago at Wells Medina. But I've checked Dragonfly Farms' plant list and Heidi lists it there, so I'm hoping I can get it when I head over in a couple of weeks.

Portland - it's associations like this that make plant names stick in your head. And then, for years after, a certain name or topic or time of hear will make you think of that plant.

Brrrr, Jan. It's sunny and relatively warm here today - just beautiful. Sadly, though, it's supposed to rain over the weekend. Usually in February we get a week or two or warm, dry weather and then it's back to the soggy spring for another month or so. Last year didn't quite work like that, but this year looks to be more of our standard fare.

It actually got up to low 50's today. It was gorgeous. But supposed to go back down tonight, but nice again on Sat.

Beautiful here today. I deep cleaned my kitchen. Ugh!

One thing to consider with Pallida is that it tends to grow wider and less upright than the others. Or so I was told! But mine is w i d e: bowl shaped instead of vase shaped.

I got to check out WH, don't have one of those but love the flowers.
Was really nice here, sun and 59
Have more helle babies sprouting.

Hey Katie, when can we hook up?? Are you coming to Heidi's on the 16th?? Can't wait to get your teenagers and Jessies song. What do I have you would like?? I'm back to the early shifts this week can meet you at Whites nursery on 196th let me know.