Drycreek Blog

Hellebore Blooming

2012-04-16T21:37:06-04:00

Even with the very dry winter we've had, our Hellebore paid no attention. This one pictured was planted last year in full shade. Frost and freeze-resistant, this beautiful plant did not die back, nor did its exposed, leathery leaves suffer from cold or lack of water. The blooms began about a month ago and are continuing.

Flowers come in many colors and shapes, including green, deep purple, white, pink, lavender and multicolored. Some flowers resemble wild roses. The flower's sepals stay intact, holding the flower's shape for long periods, sometimes for months on end. Plants with cup-like flowers often hold water; wild song birds can often be seen taking a sip just after rain or watering.

Yucca Rostrata

2011-04-29T12:26:31-04:00

Sometimes called Beaked Yucca, Big Bend Yucca, Silver Yucca and Nordstrum's Yucca, Rostrata is a hardy evergreen, trunk-growing tree-like yucca that will take the dryness, the heat, the winter, the rocky soil and the occasional summer downpour. They establish themselves quickly and look spectacular reflecting light from the desert sun. Over its life span, the Rostrata can reach fifteen feet with multiple three foot wide, silver-green heads. The dead leaves remain on the plant, sheltering the trunk as it grows. The clustered white flowers, too, are stunning, emerging in late spring and early summer, reaching up to the sky on tall stems.

Rostrata roots very easily. Water regularly until established. This will help the plant extend roots deep enough to help it resist strong winds. Once established, watering should be very light. Feed the plant with an organic general purpose fertilizer in the spring.

This plant was utilized extensively by native cultures; the flowers for food, the spines for many uses including baskets, clothing and soap. The flower pedals are said to be quite tasty if harvested at the right time and great in salads. The fruit, if allowed to mature, can be used to make soups and other interesting dishes.

This spring Drycreek has a new crop of Rostrata in several sizes, as well as many other types of hardy Yucca.

Reno Tree Trash

2011-04-17T13:23:00-04:00

We've all seen it, especially after a particularly windy trash pickup day: plastic grocery bags caught high in the trees. Such a sight. Such an obnoxious nuisance. Gardeners love their trees, and in the high desert they are important for shade and peace of mind, so it's particularly disconcerting when they inadvertently snag the neighbor's trash. To be sure, trash caught in trees is an embarrassing and annoying eyesore and one that can be particularly difficult to remove. Sometimes the bags are caught so high and so inextricably that all you can do is be glad that the tree stopped the plastic from choking local water fowl. One can hope that as the leaves fill in, the bag will become hidden by the foliage. If the trash isn't too high, a long pole and a step ladder might do the trick. There are even "bag snagger" tools available that can extend reach as far as forty feet, but these tools can be quite expensive, especially since, for most of us, tree trash is only an occasional occurrence. If the trash isn't too high, tree pruning tools can be used.

Online forum suggestions include slingshots, throwing shoes and tennis balls, but you have to watch out for the neighbor's windows. Other suggestions include scaring a cat into the tree so that when the fire department arrives, you can suggest they remove the trash as well. Out of complete frustration, still others suggest reconfiguring attitudes to consider the trash a work of post-modern art, flags flying high, proclaiming the meaning of who we are as a culture. With pretense, then, when the leaves are gone and the trash is flying, we can think of it as "winter interest," especially if more than one, hopefully multicolored bags are snagged. But it's difficult to be proud when the ugliness of the trash rather than the beauty of the tree is what catches the attention. In the end, perhaps the bags will finally, over time, disintegrate from the sun and wind...

Needless to say, tree trash gives good reason to stop using plastic bags in markets and super stores all together. There are efforts to get plastic bags banned in certain locales, but probably the best solution is to simply take it upon ourselves to change our consumer habits with the use of eco-friendly canvas bags. Our trees will be more beautiful and our neighbors thankful.

The Yarrow Returns

2011-04-07T13:46:00-04:00

Yarrow is extremely easy to grow and will tolerate a variety of soil textures. Good for xeric landscaping, yarrow takes little water once established with a medium high tolerance to temporary drought conditions. All varieties like full sun and will withstand cold temperatures well below what is experienced in the basin and range environments. Soil conditions can vary, just be sure to provide a well drained space.

There are many types of yarrow, including dwarf types. The one pictured here produces yellow topped flowers on tall stems that are good for cutting and drying. Butterflies and honeybees love this plant. Other colors include white, pink, deep pink and crimson red. The foliage tends to be more fragrant than the flowers.

Yarrow works well as a ground cover in xeric landscaping and in rock gardens. The plants can be divided for propagation and will naturalize if helped along. They do very well in containers, too. Harvest the dried flower stems in late autumn for consulting the I Ching. You can leave the stems standing for catching the snow in deep winter.

'Autumn Joy' Sedum

2011-04-03T12:32:00-04:00

Early to rise out of the cold hard earth, this sedum (Hylotelephium spectabile - formerly called Sedum spectabile) will grow to about 15 inches, producing a crown of abundant purplish pink flowers for autumn color. The flowers can be left to dry on their stems for winter interest, then the entire plant cut to the ground to allow for its reemergence in early spring.

Trouble free for years and years, this plant, like most sedum, is very easy to grow. Our climate is perfect since it thrives in heat and sun, little water and average to poor soil. Just make sure its roots don't sit in water. It's easy to propagate, too. Occasionally it will reproduce itself by seed, but you can easily divide the clumps or simply break off stems and replant them. Usually the stems will root themselves before long.

Many sedum are grown for their leaves more than their flowers, but this sedum has beautiful, showy flowers that open and mature in the fall. In mid-summer the plant will begin to develop a crown of flower buds, emerging first as the same color as the foliage, but they will eventually open and change to their crimson pink. Such a delight!

Hummingbirds, honeybees and butterflies are attracted to this plant. A good choice for many of your xeric landscaping needs, gardeners often use them as border plants, but they are also well suited as a specimen plant for ornamental accent in rock and cacti gardens, and as a potted plant.

Cold Hardy Perennial Sedum

2011-03-30T14:37:00-04:00

This beautiful purple-blue sedum lives in a ceramic pot on a west facing patio deck in downtown Reno. It dies back to the ground each year and begins to emerge again, usually in early March. The color of its leaves is only one of its attention grabbing attributes. As the growing season unfolds, it grows into a think cover, stems reaching up, out and over the rim of the container, cascading down, contrasting with the color and texture of everything around it.

Perennial and annual sedum varieties are popular here in the desert. They are amazingly easy to grow, easy to propagate and a good choice for rock gardens and xeric landscapes. Many have interesting flowers that add autumn color and winter texture. Coming in many colors, shapes and sizes, common names like Autumn Joy, Chocolate Ball, Dragon's Blood and Purple Emperor gives some suggestion as to how this succulent can contribute to your garden's Western aesthetic.

Each year, Drycreek offers a wide variety of perennial sedum.

Conceptual Art

2009-12-16T17:52:00-04:00

Ok, call me crazy, most people do. I'm used to it. discovered this scene as I was wandering around the yard after my nap in the warm winter sun. (See previous blog) The petioles of the Shademaster Honey Locust had fallen after the snow and burned their way in, much as I did during my nap. The random pattern and contrasting shadows are intriguing.