Snowy Flowers to Cool Late Season Summers

For those folks who have spent the last couple of days cursing the sun and its hot, hot rays, this post I dedicate to you.  To temper the heat, cool your jets with these white blooming natives.  Feel that icy chill as you witness the massive snowball otherwise known as Eriogonum giganteum 'St. Catherine's Lace'.  Growing to 10 feet wide in one year (from a 5 gallon container, but still!), this beauty covers herself with layers of snowflakes for the longer months of the summer. 

 

If you manage not to cut all the flowers for arrangements (looks so pretty with roses), the blooms age gradually to a pinkish rust.  Despite the aging flowers, the bees continue their frantic visits.

Can't even deal with being in the sun?  This shady lady will give you the shivers.  Walk towards the Clematis ligusticifolia in bloom and the sweet scent hits about 10 feet away.  Standing next to it, the fragrance is intoxicating.  Oh, heavenly!

The sweet little flowers have a magical look close up- as if they'll spin in circles and fly away!  Stand back, and you're in for a breathtaking view.  Take a snip of one and keep it by the bed in a small vase.  Sigh.  Inhale the scent.  Repeat.  I'd love a mixologist to design a cocktail based on this flower.

So for all you foggy folks out there hiding out until our Summer (finally, Summer!) retreats into cooler Autumn days, I hope I've offered a little solace for a blazing afternoon.

Happiness Is...

Happiness is Clematis ligusticifolia sweetly blooming in honor of your birthday.  So lovely!

Plant of the Week: Western Clematis

While leaves are dropping and greenery becomes scarce this time of year, Clematis ligusticifolia keeps on truckin'.  Sure, she's not dripping with lovely white flowers right now.  Ok, so her octopus-like seed heads are getting a liitle rough around the edges.  An evergreen vine refreshes the eyes after a yellow and brown overload.

The clematis vine at Larner Seeds had conquered a small fence and looked like it was ready for world domination.  It's seed heads were worn like medals of courage, interspersed up and down its tendrils.

Soil:  Clematis prefers cool roots, so mulch generously if she'll be in sun.  Otherwise, well-drained to light clay should do nicely.

Sun:  The one pictured at the top sits in mostly-shade.  The one at Larner Seeds had part to full sun.  Go figure.

Plant:  Anytime!  Be careful with transplanting, though.  Vines typically have very sensitive roots that don't like the hustle and bustle of a transplant.  (Bougainvillea are notorious for this kind of behavior, by the way)

Buy it:  Annie's carries it and has a lovely photo of one in full bloom, Oaktown Natives seems to have one in stock, and if you're into the propagation thing, Larner's carries seeds.

Good for:  Greenery when you're blue, gorgeous white flowers, space-age seedheads, a vine for shade and to scramble up trees, a trellis adornment.