Erythronium Pagoda
One of the treasures of the Spring garden is the Erythronium Pagoda.
Erythronium Pagoda an extremely striking Spring flowering plant.
Erythronium Pagoda started flowering in the garden at the very beginning of April and was still hanging on to a number of blooms on the 22nd of May. Pagoda is a hybrid of the north American native species.
Plant this one in your garden and I guarantee you will not be disappointed. In our garden we have it in several areas. In the main part of the back garden it completely surrounds the trunk of a Rowan tree where it is extremely effective. More recently we have found a couple of positions in the round garden for it, however where Pagoda is most effective is in the woodland, where I find myself checking it out every day.
Do look out for Pagoda, its a very hardy and vigorous specimen with sulphur yellow lily like flowers and bronze mottled glossy deep green leaves. The picture above is the one which I have been most pleased of all with since using my new camera.
Erythroniums in the UK are commonly known as the dog tooth violets so called because of the shape of the bulbs/corms. The flowering habit is extremely graceful with blooms resembling small Turkscap Lilies held elegantly on fine yet sturdy stems.
The leaves of Erythronium die back completely in Summer, leaving the opportunity to place a container grown plant for the rest of the Summer period.
Hardiness – Fully hardy to minus 15 degrees
Height – 8/12 inches – 20/30 cm
Position – Plant bulbs 4 inches deep in fertile humus rich well drained soil that does not dry out in dappled or partial shade.
Flowering – Early/mid Spring, Does particularly well under a deciduous tree.
Another Erythronium in the woodland (Lilac Wonder)
The flower colour and the foliage is fine. This is only the second season Lilac Wonder has been in the woodland, however the blooms have not been as sturdy as Pagoda. For instance, the heavens can open, and Pagoda will remain totally unaffected whereas the one above will be splayed out on the ground.
Erythronium White Beauty
White beauty I don’t have at the moment, I will be on the lookout for it though. The one above I photographed whilst on a visit to Crathes Castle Gardens.
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Messing about on the computer I came across this website that allowed you to do something a little different with your photographs, Fotofuse wait a minute, now that I think about it that’s not quite the way it happened. In actual fact it was our daughter Lana who introduced me to this photo editing site. She makes individual pieces of very special jewellery using flowers, some of which are from her own garden and also from ours. Before taking a look at what I did with some of my pictures, do check out what Lana does I think you will be very impressed
The pictures below show what can be done with the editing site. I am not so sure if it is of much use for those of us who have gardening blogs, but nevertheless interesting.
This is a link to the photo editing site. It was a hit or miss as to whether the background came out black or white, although I may have missed out on something.
And finally may I show you a few pictures of the back garden taken indoors looking through the kitchen window. The whole of April and the first three weeks of May were cold, grey and miserable with the temperature very seldom going above 10c/49f even when the sun shone. May the 12th was one such day. Looking out the window my spirits were lifted by the sight which confirmed that the garden wasn’t complaining. I decided to take a few pictures from this spot, would they be any good on such a very grey day, well anyway take a look and see what you think.
On May 22nd Summer temperatures of 21c/70f finally arrived after this long cold spell.
Find your wishes on the wind With a little help from Lana
© 2012 – 2013, Alistair. All rights reserved.
Hi Alistair
What a great post!! I am caught up in your enthusiasm about dog-tooth violets (Erythronium). I am going to try to find some in our local nurseries or catalogues. I like what Fotofuze can do with pictures – so cool! Your garden looks so lovely. I am glad you finally have good weather to enjoy it. Even though in spring there’s so much to do, we gardeners have to remember to step back, sit down and enjoy what we have created.
Astrid
Astrid recently posted..May 2012 – Front Yard Reno
Yes, I do like the Erythroniums Astrid, and with the weather suddenly turning very beautiful, I am relaxing quite a lot.
Alistair – I forgot to say how much I like the new look of your blog! Very sharp!
Astrid
Astrid recently posted..May 2012 – Front Yard Reno
Thanks Astrid, I am still working on it, but I think its looking not bad.
I still see your brown carex. ha. Beautiful garden Alistair. The photos are outstanding. You say you got a new camera?
Greggo recently posted..Hort Harmony
Yes Greggo, still haven’t managed to persuade she who knows best regarding the Carex. Well when I say new camera, I have had it for a few months now, still a compact but its not bad.
Look at your new site design. So different I was compelled to explore. You know I love this flower in its native form, as we call it Trout Lily. The leaves of yours are much bigger and showier but I do love the colors they come in. It is a gorgeous plant!! Mine is rather short lived here. I am amazed at how your garden grew even in adverse conditions. My natives fared the best in my garden when we had all this cold weather in April. Now we are having weeks of hot weather. I will have to check out the photo site…I always like to explore.
Donna@Gardens Eye View recently posted..Simply The Best-May
Hi Donna, I have had a lot of tinkering about with the new design. Probably I will be pleased with it for a while and knowing me, I will revert back to the original. The weather finally changed and we have been getting glorious 70/72f
Hi Alistair…. the woods about my childhood home in Vermont were filled with erythroniums and I loved them… don’t have a single one here in the gardens though… a situation that probably should be rectified.
I find it amazing how much you so perfectly fit into your gardens… these photos are stunning! Larry
Thanks Larry, The Erythroniums are a very special Spring plant.
Hi Alistair! You switched to wordpress, that’s good. I loved your Erythroniums, Pagoda in particular but the white one is very pretty too! I’ll look for some of them next autumn!
The stuff your daughter makes looks impressive! I like spending some time browsing Etsy sometimes, it’s amazing watching what ‘common’ people could do with almost nothing!
I think your back garden looks fantastic, all this rain makes good to the plants but it’s a shame we can’t enjoy the garden only watching it from the window… Let’s hope for some better days!
alberto recently posted..May (it) work?
Hi Alberto, I was already with wordpress, just decided to change the theme.
Lana’s jewelry is so beautiful. I am in awe. I love having a bit of a real flower encased in the jewelry. She is to talented, as are her parents!
Your gardens, even on a grey day, are show-stoppers (but then you knew that already!).
Thanks for telling about the Fotofuz… very interesting.
Rebecca Crowell recently posted..Going on the Low Iodine Diet, Oh My…
What stunning images of the erythronium, Alistair, especially the one with the drops of water. Very atmospheric. Your garden looked super during the cold spell. Could you get any more plants in Alistair?
Our sandy soil has completely dried out again with the warmer weather. Lucky we don’t have a hose pipe ban…
Janet at Planticru Notes recently posted..Hosta munchies…
Hi Janet, What a treat it is to have some warm weather. The forecast has said that Aberdeen has been 15c for the last few days when it has actually been 21/23c
I see you’ve been busy decorating (your blog that is…very nice!)
The view from your kitchen would lift anyones spirits on the most miserable of days…simply put…STUNNING!! x
Thanks Jane, trying to think of a better use for the r/h, oh forgot what you call it, the thingymijig where you place your about us and stuff like that.
Hello Alistair,
Those Erythroniums are lovely.
Your garden is so full of life and I love the new look of your blog.
Thanks Lily, Summer has at last made an appearance.
I was admiring erythroniums in a specialist nursery a few weeks ago, must introduce them in the garden as the blooms are gorgeous. Like the new look of your blog btw!
Mark and Gaz recently posted..Chelsea 2012: Show Gardens
M&G pleased you like the new look, had to google btw, lol
Wow! New look. I like it. Same color scheme and design in our TV room. We both have good taste, eh?
I don’t tire of looking at your garden pictures.
Good luck on your plant chase for the White Beauty. I’m sure she would make a wonderful addition to your garden.
Enjoy your summer days as I look forward to the end of mine. My summer heat has been a (plant) killer.
Bom recently posted..View of My Front Garden
Yes, I just knew you would have good taste Bom. Weather has been a steady 21/22c this past week, honestly that feels like a heatwave to us.
What a gorgeous garden you have. I can tell it is truly an all season garden. Lovely.
Mary Pellerito recently posted..Natural Transitions
Yes Mary, we try to think of it as all seasons, although it can look pretty grim in January.
That Pagoda is gorgeous. Dies down in summer. Hmmm, will have to give that some thought. Lovely, though. Your garden is looking FABULOUS!!!! So many textures, and beautiful colors. I’ll say it again – FABULOUS! Your daughter’s jewelry is beautiful. I wish her much success.
Holleygarden recently posted..The Dream Sequence
Hi Holley. I know what you mean regarding the Erythronium dying back in Summer.
hello Alistair, just been catching up with your blog posts, as always you have lots blooming and lots of interest in your garden, I bought a pagoda erythronium not long after I move here and it only grew that one season, now I know a little more about plants and my soil I think it was/is my peaty not very fertile soil, it’s a slow learning process, so sad about your beautiful rowan, I like the long shots of your backgarden it looks like it goes uphill and where is your woodland I always imagined it at the bottom(top) of your back garden, your trio of shrubs all flowering in the previous post is beautiful and that fothergilla is lovely I can see why you would like one, can hardly believe the current weather, so nice, Frances
Island Threads recently posted..Temples
Thanks for the visit Frances. The woodland area is at the bottom of the garden entered through a wooden gate. I do use the term woodland loosely as it covers a small area, 30ft x 50ft
Glad you stopped in, Alistair. I did reply to your comment and made a suggestion for you. I like your previous look on your blog a bit better. The small white text on blue is hard to read, and your images a very good and do not present as well on this blue background. I know by the comments, I am in the minority. It is a snappy look, but does not seem to fit your content.
Donna recently posted..Is Garden Blogging Dead?
Hi Donna, Thanks for your opinion on my new look. I honestly cant make up my own mind about it. There is something about it which I really like and then I think will that be short lived. The text is showing up very clear and quite large on my monitor, just as well as my eyesight is rather poor. Now, you have got me wondering if everyone else is now seeing my text as being tiny, I would not be happy with this as I visit blogs and have even commented that I can hardly read their blog because of the small print. Please if anyone else can see the print on my blog as being very small do let me know.
It looks different again… I think this looks more you! Text is bigger too.
Donna recently posted..My May Garden – Testing a Flinging Theory
Yes Donna, as soon as I read your comment I was convinced. I do like the current theme although the text which seems a bit old worldly may not be to everyone’s liking.
Hi Alistair. I agree with Donna as it happens. Largely because I don’t think the design in the side panels fits well with your garden, but also because the slate grey does not do justice to your photographs. Text, I have no problem with. I am definitely smitten with the white dog’s tooth. I have grown ‘pagoda’ for many years, and it’s ultra reliable. Can you divide it? I would like to spread it around.
kininvie recently posted..Flash floods and other watery diversions
Hi Kininvie, I think I am done experimenting, I couldn’t really quite make up my own mind about it. I have certainly moved the erythroniums around but haven’t as yet divided them.
Hi Alistair, I wasn’t sure I’d got the right site at first, I didn’t recognize it! I like the flower side borders, and the navigation bar, but I am with Donna on the white on blue issue, the text appears slightly blurred to me. Fun trying out a new look though. Your erythronium photographs are wonderful, it is such a lovely plant, definitely one I want in my new garden, and you have some wonderful examples.
Janet/Plantaliscious recently posted..Between Gardens
Thanks Janet, I was going to ask the opinion of a few others, you were on my list. It seems I have been viewing it in an enlarged format where the text looks fine, ah well back to the drawing board.
Your garden is looking lovely. The spring weather seems to have done it no harm.
I like how you say look out for Erythronium Pagoda. I didn’t when I was digging a hole for a rose last autumn. Yes, the bulbs do look like a dog’s tooth. Soon realised what I had done. Anyway I took the opportunity to divide them. Well I’d actually already divided them. I just planted them in different places. Didn’t get many flowers this year but at least they all survived.
Crystal recently posted..A Little Bit Corny
This is the problem with that die back completely Crystal.
It is a very beautiful flower indeed. The lilac coloured Erithronium dens-canis grows in Croatia in woods in Spring. it is protected species.
Vesna recently posted..Silver, Pink and Violet
I am not surprised that it is protected Vesna
Hi Alistair
I’ve been looking at new blog themes too but I haven’t gone forward with any. I think you must have switched twice based on the comments, since I don’t see any blue or gray. I think this green that I do see is quite nice with your images, and evokes the spring and gardening in general. Regarding type size, the monitors I work with all allow increase in the size of the view by holding down the ctrl key and typing +.
I love the lilies, which we call fawn lilies here. Our native ones are very like Pagoda, less yellow maybe. Here they seed themselves and will cover whole pastures, so pretty. I have a few and cherish them. And I found an item on Lana’s site that I will order from her, perfect for an August birthday gift, so thanks for the link!
linniew recently posted..When Windmill Palms go bad
Hi Linnie, Yes it is the second new look within a few days. It doesn’t take much to get me all panicky. I have to increase the print size of nearly everything which I read on the computer in the manner which you suggest, owing to my relatively poor eyesight. The theme which some had difficulty with I found did have very small print when viewed in its standard format, glad it was drawn to my attention. Lana will be so happy that someone has come to her via her dads website, I am pretty well chuffed myself, thank you very much.
Hi Alistair – I was a bit surprised when I clicked on your refreshed blog, but now that I’ve read to the bottom I’ve forgotten what the old version looked like. Jade green is perfect for the summer! If you want constructive criticism – the font that you’ve chosen for the main text plays with my eyes a bit.
I like the photo of the dogtooth violets in the habitat that you’ve created for them around the tree.
A supportive dad who helps make his children’s dreams come true is to be treasured.
b-a-g recently posted..London Plane Tree (26 MAY 2012)
Hi b-a-g, always pleased to get constructive criticism. My wordpress blog doesn’t give the option to choose which fonts to use. It does have an option to use (paragraph text) which is what should be used, problem is with the current new theme I am using the text comes up as normal Ariel print but very tiny. So what I have done is used the option that is normally for use as the header of the post. This makes it large enough to read but comes up with what looks like some sort of medieval print. This is my second new look in three days, if any wordpress user knows how to make paragraph text larger, please get in touch.
Thanks everyone for all the kind comments:)
and thanks of course also to my lovely lovely parents, Mum pressing the beautiful flowers for me and Dad blogging about them:))
x
Lana recently posted..Real Blue Daisy Flower Earrings – Botanical – BLUE DAISY by WishesontheWind
well, you know how proud we are of you Lana xxx
Lana your handiwork is amazing!
Rosie@leavesnbloom recently posted..Primula japonica Millers crimson :Candelabra Primulas
Alistair, I love ‘Pagoda’ and now have it seeding around my garden. I also have good luck with E. dens-canis but don’t get a lot of flowers. Your new site is gorgeous and your photgraphs look great. And here you are venturing off into advanced photo editing. Who said you can’t teach an…..? Carolyn
Carolyn @ Carolyn’s Shade Gardens recently posted..Large Hostas Get the Spotlight
Hi Carolyn, this old dog is so glad you dropped by.
Hi Alistair, I always thought that Erythroniums liked moist boggy soil, but then I have noticed native Erythronium growing in a dry shaded patch in a vacant lot behind the house. That gives me some hope that I might be able to grow them. They are certainly beautiful little flowers.
Jennifer@threedogsinagarden recently posted..Which of these Garden Ornaments is the most Tacky?
Worth giving them a try Jennifer.
Hello Alistair, you had a new make-up! I envy your temps at 21C and sometimes lower, if you can only blow some air my way. Your garden is always awesome at whatever angle you take the shot, always looking well-manicured and made up!
Andrea recently posted..Our Dry Season Scenes
See what I can do Andrea.
I wish I thought I could carve box into perfect balls on sticks.
Lucy Corrander recently posted..TREE IN A DRAIN
You could always try Lucy.
Best of all in partial shade.
Love your new theme Alistair and depite the grey days of most of May the garden still was looking beautiful with those pockets of colour and the lovely textures and shapes. I’ve got pagoda in my garden though not as established as yours. It’s a winner in my garden aswell.
Rosie@leavesnbloom recently posted..Primula japonica Millers crimson :Candelabra Primulas
Thanks Rosie, I find Erythronium improving each year in the garden.
Your garden looks amazing – lush and beautiful, thank you for the pictures. Your photography experiments came out well – you must have had fun changing the pictures around.
Masha recently posted..Weekend Wildflowers
Yes Masha, it was good fun, not something I will be interested in doing again though.
I’m with you Alistair – Erythroniums are worth all the attention you give them. The Pagodas are upstandingly impressive.
Looks like you’ve been having fun with photo manipulation. Hey ho, here comes summer to your amazing garden
Laura@PatioPatch recently posted..Sea change
Hi Laura, yes here comes Summer, just finished bedding up the front garden.
Alistair, the pagodas are lovely! I don’t know that I have ever seen one of these before, but I am thrilled to be introduced to them. I’m definitely going to see if I can find them here in our garden center. I am guessing they prefer shade?
Cathy and Steve recently posted..Memorial Day, 2012: Honoring Black Hawk #517