The structure of the garden is more evident in the winter than any other season. At Dawn Gardens the grasses don’t get cut back until February so they are very visible.   Some details in the garden are more visible such as bark, winter foliage color, fruit and branching structure. Strawberry Tree (Arbutus ‘Marina’) bark…

Guavas are plants that have edible fruit and are also beautiful landscape plants. Chilean Guava (Ugni molinae) These small fruits are delicious and taste like strawberries. 3-6′ slow growing shrub. Strawberry Guava (Psidium cattelianum ‘Red Strawberry’) These fruits taste good too but have lots of seeds. Lemon Guava (Psidium cattelianum lucidum) Pineapple Guava (Feijoa sellowiana)…

Many plants have beautiful berries usually in the fall. Here are some examples at Dawn Gardens: Variegated Porcelain Berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata ‘Elegans’) is a deciduous vine. I am not sure of the sequence of the color of the berries but I think it is: Light green, light blue, purple, pink Deciduous Holly (Ilex ‘Berry Nice’)…

Perennials are plants that live from season to season in contrast to annuals that live one year or season and then die. Technically trees and shrubs are perennials but usually the term usually refers to herbaceous plants. EVERGREEN PERENNIALS Evergreen perennials usually bloom during one season and keep their green leaves all year. Primrose (Primula…

Fall color has been 2 weeks later than normal this year. The weather has been beautiful so it has been easy to take great photos in the garden. The tall yellow trees are Fastigate Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’) Ponds and fall color Orange Rocket Barberry (Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea ‘Orange Rocket’) Good accent shrub in the…

Heuchera is the generic name for hundreds of varieties of Coral Bells. They generally bloom in the spring to early summer and have pink to white flowers. The many different colors of the foliage is the main reason they are used in the shady garden. Heuchera ‘Amber Waves’ Heuchera ‘Forever Purple’ Heuchera ‘Rose Granita’ Heuchera…

California has the largest number of endemic plants than any other state – plants that are native here and nowhere else. It has the tallest tree in the world, the oldest tree in the world and the most massive tree in the world. TREES: California Coastal Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) The tallest tree in the world…

Since my trip to Germany, Austria and Switzerland was canceled this year I decided to visit Oregon and see my brother, his family and gardens and nurseries in the Portland area. Seven Feathers rest area along Highway 5 south of Roseburg, Oregon. Conifer Kingdom Nursery in Silverton, Oregon specializes in dwarf conifers and Japanese Maples….

A place to rest and enjoy the garden. Here are some examples of benches at Dawn Gardens. 4′ teak bench on flagstone pavers in honor of my Mother who got me interested in gardening back in the 1950’s. Bench to view the upper pond and waterfall. Rocking bench to view the upper garden. Patio table…

Viburnums are a varied genus of deciduous and evergreen shrubs with beautiful flowers and blue or red fruit. DECIDUOUS VIBURNUMS Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum tomentosum ‘Mariesii’) Viburnum ‘Summer Snowflake’ Viburnum plicatum tomentosum ‘Molly Schroeder’ European Cranberry Bush (Viburnum opulus) Viburnum opulus ‘Aureum’ Viburnum dentatum Viburnum lentago Viburnum carlcephalum Viburnum rhytidophylloides ‘Allegheny’ EVERGREEN VIBURNUMS Viburnum davidii…