Johann's Garden

The following three variegated forms of comfrey all have this in common; the portions of their leaves lacking in chlorophyll are sensitive to sunburn if they do not have constant access to moisture during the summer and so will likely be best grown in very moist soil or in a location sheltered from direct mid-day sun during summer.  Additionally, none of these selections appear to have virally induced variegation, but rather appear to be a chimera variegation in that they contain a mix of both normal and albino tissue variously distributed through their above ground parts. Symphytum × uplandicum 'Axminster Gold'  I'm not sure the origin of this clone, but appears to be the only available variegated clone of Russian comfrey at this time.  The green portions of the foliage have a slight haze giving them an attractively silvery haze.  I don't see this in green leaf forms of comfrey so I suspect it may be possible that the surface cell layer is lacking chlorophyll even...

 If it's one thing I know, horticulturists love to hybridize plants to create uniquely new and never before seen genetic combinations.  Que the "Mukgenia", a relatively new plant developed by hybridizing Mukdenia with Bergenia .  At first glance this being an intergeneric hybrid makes it rather impressive as these crosses between very distantly related plants are often not easily made.  The developer has also not publicly provided many details regarding how they were able to achieve this cross.  They did however leave some clues such as indicating this was made with good old fashioned cross pollination (no laboratory needed) and the single "Mukgenia" hybrid clone which they have released for sale was not the result of their first cross.  This indicates they may have repeated the same cross multiple times while searching for the "perfect" (according to their goals) plant, or this plant may have originated from back crossing or otherwise line breeding o...

I've been eyeing a feral apple pippin for the past few years.  It *had been growing on the edge of a small grove of trees bordering an on-ramp to I-5 a little south of Seattle, WA.  While I've long noticed the plethora of feral apples/crabapples growing along the roads here, this one caught my eye for a few reasons: It appeared to be a natural dwarf with a single short main trunk with all branches emerging rather lax and semi-droopy.  As it grew on a slope some of the branches ended up being lower in elevation than the lowest point where the trunk touches the ground! All fruit can therefore be picked from the ground without a ladder or pole picker.  No reaching up either!  This is a very utilitarian habit as it would allow this tree to be grown on its own roots in gardens where there is not space for a larger tree (own root apples have a reputation for living longer than trees grafted to dwarf rootstocks).   It was growing in a very dry location; a mou...