Fragrance in Wild Western Gardens: Irises

In California, the best smelling wild irises are to be discovered from around San Jose northward to Laytonville (in Mendocino County), or Garberville or Zenia (in southern Humboldt County). The best smelling irises flower almost flat on the ground. Some of these irises are assignable to Iris macrosiphon, but some in that species completely lack any noticeable fragrance.

  • Lessons from the NPA Borders: Spring Tasks

    Early spring is a good time for a stroll around the Northwest Perennial Alliance Borders at the Bellevue Botanical Garden. A visit will not only offer a variety of interesting ideas but may inspire yo…

  • Clematis for Small Spaces

    The subtitle of Raymond Evison’s latest book, “150 High-performance Plants for Patios, Decks, Balconies and Borders,” will no doubt lure those relatively uninitiated to clematis……

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    One of the most important garden books I’ve ever read was Peter Thompson’s The Looking Glass Garden: Plants and Gardens of the Southern Hemisphere (Timber……

  • From the Board President

    Each year in the April issue, we thank those who have made contributions to the Friends of Pacific Horticulture over the past year…

  • Laboratory Report

    Energy from Switch Grass As early settlers moved west from the eastern forests, they encountered a head-high sea of grasses. The soils were high in……