Yuletide Plantings, Part 1

The ‘Yuletide’ Camellias outside my office are brimming with buds, and I’m anxiously awaiting the initial bloom.  It’s not unlike receiving that first present at Christmas.  Sometimes the anticipation is just as great as the gift.

Monrovia grows 'Yuletide' for nurseries around the country.
Check with them for retailers in your neck of the woods.

And to be honest, these flowers are no sure thing.  Frigid overnight temperatures and a few days of ice and sleet could reduce each bud to tawny mush.  So I wait… in apprehensive hope.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’ is my favorite camellia.  When in flower, its Christmas-red petals, surrounding a fat cluster of bright yellow stamens, remind me of Paeonia ‘Blaze’ or even the more exotic ‘Sword Dance’.

'Blaze' from Sandy's Plants in Mechanicsville, Virginia

 

'Sword Dance' from Viette Nurseries in Fishersville, Virginia

They are identifiably Japanese and yet seem right at home in Virginia’s urban gardens.  Their happy blooms are especially precious this time of year, set against an abundance of glossy, forest green leaves, miraculously delicate and tenacious, just at the start of real winter.

Camellia by Water, in style of Ogata Kenzan
hanging scroll, ink and color on paper, c.1741
from the H. O. Havemeyer Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

We live at the western edge of the Piedmont, and Camellia’s range, and so there’s always a great deal of discussion about which is hardier: sasanqua or japonica.  I’ve heard votes for both.  Camellia sasanqua can handle a little more sun than japonica and tends to be more upright and slender.

The descriptors sasanqua and japonica can be confusing.
Camellia sasanqua originates from a small region in Japan,
while varieties of japonica grow naturally in many parts of Asia.

‘Yuletide’ is particularly charming for its tidy, slightly pyramidal shape.  Some folks trim it into standard tree form and prune the bottom branches.  But the three examples at work have been allowed to grow naturally.  Now, decades old, they are almost 10’ tall but only half as round.  Quite spectacular, really.  And they got me thinking about other plants that could extend the Christmas season throughout the year.

‘Yuletide’ is petite enough for even the smallest garden and would do well in a sheltered spot either as foundation planting or in a small grove of other shade-loving ornamentals.  Too much sun and wind are its greatest enemies.  Use its rich ever-greenery as a backdrop.  Underplant with Muscari armeniacum ‘Christmas Pearl’, Muscari ‘Peppermint’

Check with Brent and Becky's Bulbs for a fresh batch of 'Peppermint' next fall.

and Liriope muscari ‘Christmas Tree’ for a blanket of strappy foliage and pale purple blooms at the very beginning and end of the growing year.

Several years ago, I noticed quaint Liriope 'Christmas Tree'
along the Woodland Walk at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

It can be difficult to find, even online and in garden catalogs.
Sandy's Plants supplies nurseries throughout the Mid-Atlantic...
or you can just buy directly from her.

Add some mossy pots of Caladium for a bit of iciness in the middle of summer.  ‘White Christmas’,

‘Peppermint’

and ‘Cranberry Star’

Classic Caladiums, in Central Florida, is a wholesale grower and breeder of Caladium.
They supply garden centers and florists around the country, but you can buy directly from them.
Just know that they usually require a minimum purchase of 10-25 bulbs.

capture the colors of ribbon candy.

Clear white and true red are difficult to breed in Daylilies; but there really isn’t a more cheerful color combination.  Can you imagine Hemerocallis ‘Christmas Wishes’ along a white picket fence?

'Christmas Wishes' from Oakes Daylilies in eastern Tennessee

Plant a swath of ‘Christmas Carol’,

'Christmas Carol' from Bluestone Perennials

‘Arctic Snow’

'Arctic Snow' from Roycroft Daylily Nursery where they only grow Daylilies...
just south of Georgetown, South Carolina

and ‘Carolina Cranberry’

'Carolina Cranberry' is also grown at Oakes.
Oakes, Roycroft and Viette's are all multi-generational, family-run businesses.

in front of Muhlenbergia capillaris ‘White Cloud’.

'White Cloud', at the United States Botanic Garden, was still a showstopper in mid-December. 

Interplant the Daylilies with Tulipa ‘Peppermint Stick’.

From Brent and Becky's Bulbs, near the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia

They all enjoy lots of sun and can handle a little drought.  Plus new growth on the Daylilies will hide Tulip foliage as it dies back.  Don’t worry… it is more subtle than it sounds.  Each species would have its moment, and if planted here in Virginia, the border would provide interest from April until December.

Hosta x ‘Christmas Tree’ and little ‘Ice Follies’ look like they have been edged in frosting.

'Christmas Tree' from Sandy's Plants

 

'Ice Follies' from Plant Delights

While each leaf of ‘Night Before Christmas’ and its sport ‘Christmas Candy’ seems filled with cream cheese or lemon custard.

'Night Before Christmas' from Sandy's Plants

 

'Christmas Candy' from Plant Delights

But Hosta ‘Stargazer’, a new introduction from Plant Delights in Raleigh, North Carolina, is perhaps the prettiest.

What a cool, sugary respite for your summer shade garden.

Varieties of Heuchera have been inspired by so many Christmas flavors, including the almost-indestructible Heuchera x brizoides ‘Plum Pudding’,

Check out Bluestone Perennials, based near the southern shore of Lake Erie, for a good selection of Heuchera.

marbled x americana ‘Peppermint Spice’,

From Sandy's Plants

villosa ‘Caramel’ with hints of peach and bronze and green,

You can order 'Caramel' for spring planting from White Flower Farm.

deeply-lobed ‘Chocolate Ruffles’,

and unusual ‘Mocha’ and ‘Ginger Ale’.

'Mocha' actually emerges in copper and then darkens to almost black.
The Missouri Botanical Garden has a lovely display of Heuchera, including 'Chocolate Ruffles' and 'Mocha'.

But Heuchera sanguinea ‘Snow Angel’ is my absolute favorite for its frilly leaves, speckled in grass green and ivory, and wispy rose-pink “coral bells”.

'Ginger Ale' and 'Snow Angel' are both available from Bluestone Perennials.

Polystichum acrostichoides is commonly known as Christmas Fern, probably because it remains green even in winter.  I’ve also seen gardeners include its slightly-olive fronds, sometimes dotted with brown sori, in wreaths and garlands.  Native to most of the eastern United States, leathery Christmas Fern lacks the lushness and rambunctiousness of other ferns.  But its mild temperament makes it a great addition to small gardens.  Waterlogged roots seem to be its main enemy.  Otherwise, Christmas Fern thrives in moist, well-drained or dry shade, even on rocky or wooded slopes, often snatching a spot beneath trees and large shrubs where little else will grow.

These Christmas Ferns were snapped at the Missouri Botanical Garden.
But I purchased mine through Monticello, where they are grown "in-house",
at the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants.

Gaultheria procumbens or Wintergreen is another “Christmas” plant native to the acidic forests of eastern North America.  Usually found among the groundcovers at nurseries and in plant catalogs, Wintergreen is a minute shrub that will eventually reach 6-8” tall and 2-3’ around.  I absolutely love Wintergreen for its sturdy, thumbprint leaves, in shades from bottle green to bronze, pinkish-white tinkerbell flowers throughout the summer and red, red fruits, like souped-up cranberries, in the fall and winter.

Wayside Gardens stocks Wintergreen year after year, but don't wait too long...

This all-around-great plant always sells out quickly in our area, so don’t hesitate if you find a healthy example at your local garden center.  Gaultheria procumbens enjoys partial shade but needs a little sun, preferably in the morning, to bloom best.  And yes, oil extracted from its glossy foliage is the original source of wintergreen flavoring!

For an interesting tapestry of foliage, plant a corner of bright shade with Christmas Fern, Wintergreen and Tiarella 'Sugar and Spice' and stay tuned for more yuletide plantings!

Think Pink

Most of the autumnal golds and tangerines have faded to paper-bag-brown.  And neighbors are starting to hang their boxwood wreaths.  But I can’t stop thinking about pink!

I think Benjamin Moore's Minstrel Heart (1297) is one of the prettiest pinks known to man.

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to visit two amazing exhibits: Maharaja: The Splendors of India’s Great Kings at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and Worlds Within Worlds: Imperial Painting from India and Iran at the Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.  In fact, I visited them several times each.

The two exhibitions focused on royal patronage of the arts in India.  For hundreds of years, art, ritual and pageantry were interwoven with the identity, both personal and imperial, of India’s rulers and those close to them.  Paintings chronicled and idealized.  Beautifully-crafted and bejeweled artifacts legitimized regal authority.

Maharaja: The Splendors of India’s Great Kings was organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum, from their huge Southeast Asian collection, and broadly addressed the changing roles of maharajas, through shifts in power of India’s political and ethnic dynasties and, of course, British rule, from the early-18^th century until India’s independence in 1947.  By embracing tradition, and innovation, these last kings encouraged the creation of stunning paintings, textiles, metal goods and jewelry.

Detail of Allegorical Representation of Emperor Jahangir and Shah Abbas of Persia
(from the St. Petersburg Album), ca. 1618
Decorative margins, not seen in this detail, were added later in 1747-48.
Opaque watercolor, ink, silver and gold on paper
from the Smithsonian's Freer and Arthur M. Sackler Galleries

Worlds Within Worlds: Imperial Painting from India and Iran dealt with portraits, manuscripts and historical paintings of the Mughal Empire.  Mughal rulers controlled most of southwest Asia, India and the rest of the subcontinent, from the 16^th until the mid-19^th century, and recognized the power of art to reinforce their sovereignty, both home and abroad, justify their political ambitions, build alliances and foster a sense of oneness within their vast empire.

At the height of their influence, emperors Akbar (1556-1605), Jahangir (1605-1627), and Shah Jahan (1627-1658) sponsored literary and academic endeavors, supported ateliers and commissioned monumental buildings, including the Taj Mahal, as advocates for a consciously new and identifiable Mughal style.

Both exhibitions confirmed that so many Indian rulers of the past, whether they actually ruled or not, were extremely savvy patrons of the arts.  Through the centuries, they understood the role of art as propaganda – to define and promote ideals of beauty and piety and kingliness – and to acknowledge India’s diversity of cultures and religions.  It was also a way to develop local economies and make sense of new customs that were continually being introduced through travel and trade.  They appreciated fine craftsmanship and were genuinely fascinated with artistic styles from other places, including Europe.

But what was the most prevalent aspect of each exhibit?  Pink, of course!

Despite the dimmed lighting and hushed crowds, the museum galleries seemed to glow pink, like the inside of a conch shell… a pink cocoon, warm and joyful.  The paintings, in particular, whether majestic

Portrait of Maharana Amar Singh
ca. 1700
Opaque watercolor on cotton cloth
from the Victoria and Albert Museum

or intimate

Raja Bhup Singh with a Rani Under a Quilt
ca. 1800
Opaque watercolor on paper
from the Victoria and Albert Museum

or epic,

Umar Disguised as the Surgeon Mazmahil Arrives before the Castle of Antali
(from a Hamzanama)
ca. 1570
Opaque watercolor, ink and gold on cotton cloth
from the Smithsonian's Freer and Arthur M. Sackler Galleries

appeared to be illuminated from within with so many different shades of pink.

I’ve always been drawn to these coral-y, melon-y, sunshine-y pinks.

Opal (891) and

Ambrosia (893) are barely pink but stand out in the evening sky when tinged with a bit of

Polka Dot Pink (004).
These three pink paints, and the others following, are all from Benjamin Moore as well.

I wear a lot of pink: pale pink instead of white, ballet pink instead of yellow and even hot pink instead of true red, simply because pink is more flattering on me.  But I tended to think of pink as a rather “decorated”, almost superfluous color until I experienced Maharaja and Worlds Within Worlds.

Now, I look for pink everywhere, especially in hues I could add to my home.  Have you ever noticed?  Pink is the color of autumn flowers.

A bed of blooming Gaura looks like dozens of butterflies in...

Authentic Pink (2006-60),

Hydrangea Flowers (2008-40),

Pink Buff  (1285)

and Soft White (2170-70).

These fall roses are a kaleidoscope of pink.

Sweet Taffy (2086-60)

Florida Pink (1320)

Cactus Flower (1335)

Drop Dead Gorgeous (1329)

Mardi Gras (1342)

Milano Red (1313)

Abelia x 'Mardi Gras' sports

Confetti (1311) on its blossoms

and Old World (2011-40) on its leaves.

A pair of rambunctious Chrysanthemum x grandiflorum, 'Hillside Pink Sheffield, I think,
just finished up blooming after two months.  Don't adjust your television set!
The variations in color are natural.

Antique Coral (1198)

Bridal Pink (2013-70)

The umbels of Sedum x 'Frosty Morn'

Country Pink (2001-60)

Whispy Pink (2005-70)

and 'Autumn Joy', pincushions of pink when in full glory,
have now aged to rosy tan and brown, respectively.

Glamour Pink (2006-40)

Secret Garden (1284)

Butterfly Kisses (902)

Firenze (AF-225)

Even now, in this almost-winter, I can find pink in little doses of abundance.

My blueberry shrubs are ablaze with leaves of ruby-pink.
Even the sprout of new growth shimmers a nearly-blue pink.

Aniline Red (1350)

Pink Begonia (2078-50)

Charming Pink (2075-70) highlights

wispy remains of Muhly Grass.

My Japanese Maple, which smoldered bright orange just a few weeks ago,
is a fringed parasol of faded corals.

Blanched Coral (886)

Conch Shell (052)

Fruit Shake (2088-60)

I discovered Razzle Dazzle (1348)

and Hot Lips (2077-30)

in the stems and veins of Hypericum androsaemum 'Albury Purple'.

While Bayberry (2080-50)

and Peony (2079-30)

capture the velvety remnants of Echinacea purpurea

and hint at the spring to come.

But the leaves of Azalea x 'Christie Lyn' may be my favorite.
Normally creamy butter and grass green, they are currently flushed pink,
as if wearing a little rouge for a Christmas party.

Heartbeat (1319)



Some folks will tell you that pink is passé.  Don’t believe them!  Pink feels safe and a little off-beat; feminine and powerful.  It speaks of exotic places and charming garden walks.  But most of all, pink is inherent to light and living things.  So it can never go out of style.

Doesn't this Magnolia pod look like it's been dipped in the appropriately named

Spring Blossom (2172-70)

and Autumn Red (2087-40)?

If you happened to miss Maharaja: The Splendors of India’s Great Kings and Worlds Within Worlds: Imperial Painting from India and Iran, check out the permanent Asian galleries at the Victoria and Albert Museum or Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for a gorgeous selection of Indian paintings and textiles.  The Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries house some of the finest examples of Mughal painting in the world.  So visit often for rotating displays.

And in the meantime, add a bit of pink to your life.  It will make you happy.