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What’s in Bloom

August 6, 2020 to August 13, 2020

See what’s in bloom … and enjoy the beauty of our Gardens.

Featured in the Gardens

Rose Mallow

‘Blue River II’ is a hardy, rose mallow hybrid with large flowers to 10 inches across that blooms from July to September.  These flowers, which attract hummingbirds, are pure white, where as many rose mallow flowers have a deep red center.  'Blue River II' can grow to 5 feet tall and wide and performs best in moist soils and full sun. You may associate hibiscus with tropical plants, but within the parentage of this hybrid rose mallow are species of hibiscus native to the eastern United States.



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Orchid

Cattleya Callistoglossa

Callistoglossa is an antique orchid hybrid which first flowered in 1882.  The parents of this hybrid, Cattleya warscewiczii and Cattleya purpurata are both species native to South America, and variable in flower color in nature.  What makes our plant special is that the white-flowered forms of each of the parents were used to make the cross resulting in this plant.

Hybrid Lotus

Nelumbo ′Perry’s Giant Sunburst′

Known for their beauty, the highly ornamental flowers of lotus are extremely fragrant and symbolic in many cultures.  Emerging from the murky waters into the bright clear day is how Nelumbo nucifera, also referred to as the sacred lotus, first became a symbol of enlightenment. The fact that the sacred lotus is able to emerge without any trace of the muddy depths from which it was born is how it became associated with purity.

Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea ′Raspberry Ice′

Bougainvillea, also known as paper-flower, is a tough tropical vines and vigorous grower.  They can be grown outdoors in USDA zones 9 to 10, or can make reliable house plants so long as root disturbance is kept to a minimum, and new growth is pruned to maintain size.  The beautiful flower display occurs multiple times throughout the year, and, much like poinsettias or dogwoods, the showy part of the flower is actually the leafy bracts surrounding the true flowers. 'Raspberry Ice' is a cultivar with variegated foliage.

Rose Mallow

Hibiscus ′Blue River II′

‘Blue River II’ is a hardy, rose mallow hybrid with large flowers to 10 inches across that blooms from July to September.  These flowers, which attract hummingbirds, are pure white, where as many rose mallow flowers have a deep red center.  'Blue River II' can grow to 5 feet tall and wide and performs best in moist soils and full sun. You may associate hibiscus with tropical plants, but within the parentage of this hybrid rose mallow are species of hibiscus native to the eastern United States.

Hollow Joe-Pye-weed

Eutrochium fistulosum

Joe-Pye-weed is a native plant, related to asters, that attracts butterflies and is profuse in our late summer Meadow.  It was used medicinally by Native Americans for the treatment of fevers, and was named for the Mohican leader, Joseph Shauquethqueat, who was also known as Joe Pye. 

Franklinia

Franklinia alatamaha

Franklinia, or the Franklin tree is a small deciduous tree in the camellia family. It was first discovered by the Philadelphia based botanists John and William Bartram on the banks of the Alatamaha River in Georgia in 1765. William Bartram collected seed in 1773, and successfully cultivated the plant at the Bartram gardens in Philadelphia. Bartram named the new plant Franklinia alatamaha in honor of his father’s friend Benjamin Franklin.  It is a unique tree as it is the only species in its genus, and it is now extinct in the wild.

Sweet Pepperbush

Clethra alnifolia ′Hummingbird′

‘Hummingbird’ is a dwarf selection of the deciduous shrub Clethra alnifolia that displays full-size flowers on a compact three foot plant. The flowers release a wonderful scent when the upright panicles bloom from July to August. Sweet pepperbush prefers moist soil in dappled sun but will tolerate a little less light or even full sun and is hardy from USDA zones 4 to 9.  This American native is deer resistant and is a vigorous spreader.  It also attracts butterflies.

Panicle Hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata ′Unique′

Blooming from mid summer to early fall, panicle hydrangea gets its name from its large, showy panicles of white flowers.  Leaving the dried flowerheads on the plant can add interesting forms and textures to the garden in winter.  Combined with its long bloom time, panicle hydrangea offers nearly year-round interest.