Douglas Justice is still pretty fired up by all the colourful shenanigans in the garden - his July 2021 in the Garden - UBC Botanical Garden blog hits all the hot spots. Literally. I was looking forward to a nice shady stroll through the Asian Garden, but no, every plant mentioned is in the sun somewhere. Surprisingly, though, in light of the recent record-breaking high temperatures, it was delightful - a perfect summer day (it IS the July blog, so that was fitting), with a lovely breeze everywhere, and even a bench in the shade at the end. The blog has the usual set of good photos. The Alcea rosea, hollyhocks, at the entrance gate are putting on a good show. The purple lupine pods provided a nice contrast. The Cephalaria gigantea on the Entrance Plaza still looks impressive. Here are a few landscape photos. The Physic Garden, the meadow and entrance to the Physic Garden, the European section of the Alpine Garden. Contemporary Garden Here's a bit of Africa - Berkheya purpurea and Berkheya cirsifolia. Note in the last photo how thoughtfully far from the plant the label is. I'll end tonight with Kniphofia triangularis subsp. obtusiloba.
So, the new planting outside the Roseline Sturdy Amphitheatre. This one section looks already quite well-developed, but across the path there is another area around the same size that is very new. From the blog: Tanacetum balsamita Achillea clypeolata Catananche caerulea The Balkan yarrow (Achillea) and Cupid's dart (Catananche) with Dianthus giganteus (that is one over-hyped flower name): I have never heard the term "cotton lavender", but I found in this area a Santolina not in the blog with the common name rosemary-leaved lavender cotton: Santolina pinnata subsp. neapolitana 'Edward Bowles'. Such a fancy name, but the flowers, though small, live up to it. Another favourite find was Sideris syriaca. And Ruta graveolens. There is already a little shade from the Stewartia hybrid.
Linda Layne's Food Garden was not included in the blog, though it was certainly hot enough there. I was amused by the chard and asparagus that were left to go to seed. The asparagus fruits should turn red, but I thought the green looked quite jewel-like. I have the name on this one: Asparagus officinalis 'Guelph Millennium'. I ran into Linda in the shade in the Contemporary Garden where she was recuperating from the heat, and she suggested I check out the Phacelia tanacetifolia, with what look like fingers formed by the spent flowers. It was right next to the chard and asparagus, and I'd totally missed it.
