Bright Spots A SELF GUIDED WALKING TOUR August 9, 2017 Did you know…? Sometimes an extraordinarily attractive plant is handicapped with a very unattractive common name. Such is the fate of the Helenium genus, burdened with “sneezeweed”. This alarmingly descriptive name is based on the use of the plant’s dried leaves to make snuff for Regency dandies, and does not indicate any heightened allergens present in the pollen. The genus name provides a far more romantic picture. It is derived from “helenion” a Greek plant reputed to have sprung from ground watered by the tears of Helen of Troy. Missouri Botanical’s database somewhat wryly notes, “It is unclear as to the relevance of Helen of Troy to a genus of plants which are exclusively native to North and South America.” The LGBG’s Garden Explorer database lists the native Helenium autumnale (yellow blooms) and the cultivar ‘Bruno’ (crimson-mahogany blooms), but at the moment two newly added varieties are bright spots in the upper garden. Helenium x ‘Ruby Tuesday’ is just starting to bloom in front of the Four Seasons Garden wall and Helenium x ‘Mardi Gras’ is in full flower along the east side of the fountain garden. (See below.) The velvety Renaissance red, rust, bronze and mahogany tones of the blooms light up the border in the dog days of summer, and they also serve well as cut flowers. Sources: Landscaping with Perennials, E. Brown, [SB 434 .B76 1986]; Perennial All Stars, J. Cox, [SB 434 .C67 1998]; The Well-Tended Perennial Garden, T. DiSabato-Aust, [SB 434 .D37 2006]; http://www.perennials.com/plants/helenium-ruby-tuesday.html; http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c930 *Notable Plants: Several times each month, Garden Volunteers record the most dramatic seasonal displays and highlight exceptional plants in the garden and Conservatory. +Denotes Virginia Native Plant Plant Material Location CENTRAL GARDEN and CONSERVATORY LOOP FOUNTAIN TERRACE Tropical display in yellow, reds and purple include Caladium, Begonia, Bromeliad, Cordyline, Agave and Petunia Notice the four Lantana trained to a single standard in tall pots around the Fountain OUTSIDE THE GATES TURN LEFT TURN RIGHT TO ENTER GEORGE BRAGDON DAFFODIL GARDEN August 9, 2017 Page 1 Helen’s Flower, Helenium x ‘Ruby Tuesday’, mounded plant, flowers have dark Right of path maroon petals around a golden eye Leadwort, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, small bright blue flowers above masses Both sides of path of yellow-green foliage *Solanum quitoense, dramatic green leaves with purple veins studded with All urns spines; fuzzy fruits forming RETURN TO THE BRICK PATH, TURN RIGHT TO EAST and WEST TRIANGLE BEDS Summer annuals and tropicals in gold, purple and red FOUNTAIN GARDEN Upper Level Panicle Hydrangea, Hydrangea paniculata DVppinky’ Pinky Winky®, small shrub Both sides with white panicles aging to dusky pink Hibiscus, Hibiscus Summerific® 'Cranberry Crush' deep scarlet blooms on small West side behind shrub hydrangea Rudbeckia laciniata 'Herbstsonne' Autumn Sun™, tall plants with small yellow West side behind blooms just opening hydrangea Knockout Rose, Rosa ‘Sunny’, golden buds opening to pale yellow with deeper Both sides centers Abelia, ‘Little Richard’, low glossy-leaved shrub, small tubular white flowers, Both sides much visited by bees and butterflies, fragrant *Hibiscus, Hibiscus ‘Peppermint Schnapps’ Cordial™ Hibiscus, rose pink East side blooms with a red eye Helen’s Flower, Helenium x ‘Mardi Gras’ flowers with orange-red petals East side surrounding brown center cones on stiff stems CONTINUE UP THE STEPS TO THE CONSERVATORY Ornamental grass, Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’, spikes of bristly pale Grass beds outside seed heads floating above clumps of blue-green foliage the Conservatory Conservatory Ponds Mosaic Plant, Ludwigia sedioides, red and green diamond shaped leaves in Both sides rosettes float on water surface Egyptian Papyrus, Cyperus papyrus, tall straight stems with globe of green Throughout “threads” on top Victoria cruziana, large floating leaves like round trays with turned up edges Throughout CONSERVATORY Palm House Queen Sago Palm, Cycas circinalis, cone-bearing evergreen, stiff leaves with stiff Central spiral planter, narrow leaflets and strongly recurved margins. This plant is not actually a palm right side tree. East Wing ENJOY THE ABUNDANCE OF ORCHIDS Moth Orchid, Phalaenopsis, notice multiple pots of moth-shaped orchids in white, Throughout pale yellow, purple, lavender and splotched Lei Orchid, Dendrobium Jag-Hawaii ‘Unique Pearl’, numerous branches of Right side in pot on delicate, pure white single five-petaled flowers the ledge Spiral Ginger, Costus comosus, glossy green leaves spirally arranged, velvety Left side at rear undersides; red flower spikes resemble cones, small yellow flowers August 9, 2017 Page 2 North Wing BUTTERFLIES LIVE! IS OPEN West Wing Calamondin orange, x Citrofortunella mitis, abundant miniature orange fruit on In pot, right side near small tree in pot the entrance Persian Shield, Strobilanthes dyerianus, iridescent, colorful leaves of purple, Throughout green and silver OUTSIDE WEST WING Traveler’s Palm, Ravenala madagascariensis, related to the Bird of Paradise, Outside in large pot nine tall green leaves in a fan-like arrangement Spanish Thyme, Plectranthus coleoides ‘Cerveza ‘n Lime’®, very fragrant, soft In pot with the thick green fleshy leaves, ultimate textural statement for containers Traveler’s Palm Yesterday-today-and-tomorrow, Brunfelsia pauciflora, tropical evergreen shrub, Small pot in front of flowers open deep violet, turn light violet and finish white, all in three days Traveler’s Palm FROM CONSERVATORY PROCEED DOWN STEPS TO FOUNTAIN GARDEN Newly planted summer annuals TURN LEFT ALONG TRIANGLE BEDS FOUNTAIN GARDEN Lower Level Crape Myrtle, Lagerstroemia 'Lipan', bright lavender blooms above mottled silver Throughout trunks AT INTERSECTION TURN RIGHT TOWARD EDUCATION CENTER, THEN LEFT TO ENTER MEDITATION GARDEN RIGHT OF PATH Bromeliads, Cannas, Petunias, Begonias, and grasses. Center beds + Wild Senna, Senna marilandica, shrubby perennial with feathery fern-like Right bed foliage, yellow flower clusters and bean-like seed pods *Ruby Grass, Melinis nerviglumis ‘Pink Crystals’, dusky rose seed heads Throughout aging to buff on arching stems over grassy foliage *South African Foxglove, Ceratotheca triloba, not a true foxglove but flowers Center bed are similarly shaped and hang in clusters. White and pink flowers with pale violet stripes highlighting the inner throats. Bees love it! MEDICINAL GARDEN LEFT OF PATH *Ornamental Pepper, Capsicum annum ‘Black Pearl’, clusters of black berries Center rear bed above dark purple foliage, tiny lavender flowers WALK STRAIGHT INTO FOUR SEASONS GARDEN Reed Grass, Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' , ornamental grass with Throughout erect clumps of narrow, flattened, green leaves, tall feather plumes Yellow Patrinia, Patrinia scabiosifolia, umbels of chrome yellow above ferny Right bed foliage RETURN TO THE VISITOR CENTER OR ADD August 9, 2017 Page 3 ASIAN VALLEY LOOP TAKE NOTE OF THE VARIETY OF FOLIAGE COLORS AND TEXTURES CHARACTERISTIC OF AN ASIAN GARDEN AT THE INTERSECTION, TURN LEFT WALKING ALONG LAKE. Weeping Katsura Tree, Cercidiphyllum japonicum f. pendulum, small tree with Right of path heart-shaped blue-green leaves aging to peach AT THE INTERSECTION TURN RIGHT THEN TURN LEFT DOWN THE WINDING PATH *Joe Pye Weed, Eutrochium fistulosum, tall stalks topped with flat Pond edge across clusters of mauve flowers the intersection AT THE INTERSECTION, TURN LEFT THEN RIGHT ONTO BOARDWALK TO ENTER WEST ISLAND GARDEN A WETLAND ECOSYSTEM +Fringe Tree, Chionanthus virginicus, small tree bearing green olive-like drupes Left of boardwalk at aging to black entrance Joe Pye Weed, Eutrochium dubium ‘Little Joe’, (formerly Eupatorium) buds Along walkway opening to clusters of flat mauve flowers on sturdy stems +Ironweed, Vernonia noveboracensis, tall upright plant with fluffy deep purple Left of boardwalk flowers +Meadow Beauty, Rhexia virginica, erect perennial with rose-pink blooms, large Central bed yellow anthers AT THE END OF THE BOARDWALK, TURN LEFT THEN TURN LEFT ON THE BRICK PATH TO ENTER Joan Van Arnam Memorial Walk Windflower, Anemone japonica ‘Queen Charlotte’, pale pink flowers with striking Left of path yellow centers on long graceful stems AT THE INTERSECTION, BEAR RIGHT TO ENTER FLAGER PERENNIAL GARDEN LOOP BEAR RIGHT ONTO BRICK PATH Hostas and Ferns mingle with a wonderful variety of textures and colors. Throughout Coral Bells, Heuchera x villosa ‘Frosted Violet’, velvety purple leaves with darker Right of path and veins, dainty pearl-like flowers on wiry stems throughout Look Left across the Stream, Note the Variety of Forms and Textures in the Emerging Grass Garden on the Berm Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’, gold-colored, daisy-like flowers on tall stems. Left of path *Japanese Forest Grass, Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’, neon yellow-green Left of path arching foliage Cup plant, Silphium perfoliatum, large stand of tall plants with bright yellow Right of path blooms, emerging seed pods TURN LEFT AT THE WOODLAND WALK SIGN, LOOK TOWARDS ROAD Windflower, Anemone hupehensis, pale lavender flower with yellow center on Left of path at long wiry stems intersection TURN LEFT AT THE WOODLAND WALK SIGN, TURN LEFT DOWN THE STAIRS Ostrich Fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris, green fronds with vase-shaped growth, Right of path inner leaves resemble ostrich feathers