i just moved into a new house in Seattle and don't know so many plants around the yard.. I'm from the east coast and have never seen some of these I'd greatly appreciate any help ;o) I've attached pictures, the vine has leaves with five points and small white flowers it looks like a Virginia creeper a bit but with smoother leaves. I see the other plant all over it's like a bunch of green bristle brushes clumped together.
Erica, Ron B is one of this Forum's champion horticulturalists! Just to mention that the Euphorbias are used in this region a lot, do well in shady gardens I've seen, creating structural interest where it's hard to find that for the shade, and would, I think, even do well in some planter pots [I am going to try, anyway]. I think I've seen them with whitish "flower" clusters, too... not like flowers one is used to, though. Yes, I went through the "from the East coast" thing out here and have just become acclimatized to all the different plants. The plant on my posting name, I think they call it an "avatar" in computerspeak, is a Pieris called 'Valley Valentine', supposed to be quite dwarf and the blooms which are now out in full on my still 2-ft high plant are a delicious red, they look deep pink in the photo but they are really quite red, while most Pieris blooms are white or a paler pink... you will enjoy Pieris, these are evergreen too and produce an interesting full-leaved evergreen shrub for winter, and though very commonly used are nice, I've been happy with them.
The euphorbia looks well with red tulips or maybe a good definitely red flowering quince, evoking avocado and ketchup. 'Valley Valentine' is probably my favorite Pieris japonica cultivar, something about making the flowers strongly colored improves the appeal considerably (whereas with Camellia japonica and Fuchsia magellanica, escallonias ... the opposite is the case). Don't think it's a dwarf, plants I see look like the other non-dwarf cultivars.
Thank you guys so much I really appreciate your help. The Euphorbia is looking a little shabby on the bottom any ideas on how it should be cared for or pruned?
After flowering spent stems are cut out at the base, leaving the new ones for that year to come up and mature.
That's interesting re the Pieris 'Valley Valentine' not being dwarf -- I'd be happy if it wasn't, for sure, owing to the red flower colour - the nursery near here where I purchased it may have led me astray on that one, or mentioned it was small instead and I misunderstood... it was quite a little thing when I bought it, but I have the strange feeling it's stunted or very slow-growing height-wise for some reason and that they had it potted there for a while too. It's in-ground with me, of course... I had to agree with Ron B there regarding the Camellia japonica, since one of mine is blooming vigorously at the moment but the red blobs of flowers all over it always remind me of a child's illustration of a rose bush or something, there is a kind of artificialness about it -- while someone else's lovely pale pink camellia with interestingly-shaped firm flesh pink structured flowers looks more delicate and lovely...
