Tag Archives: Colorful Foliage

Lithia Park- Japanese Garden

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Japanese Garden

Ashland’s Japanese Garden in Lithia Park is closing soon to be resigned. This project has been in the works since 2018, but the physical work starts this month (Nov 2020) and will take 2 years to complete. Ashland Parks & Recreation is working with landscape designer Toru Tanaka to create an authentic Japanese Garden. Mr. Tanaka was trained in Japan and has more than 35 years of experience creating Japanese Gardens. He is the founder and president of Portland Landscape Design and Japanese Garden Specialty. Ashland’s new garden was made possible by a generous grant from Jeff Mangin, and the Marechal family of Normandy, France, who donated all the funds for this new Japanese Garden in remembrance of Jeff’s wife, Beatrice Marechal.

Article by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Member

Photos by: Lucretia Weems, AGC member

Acer palmatum- Japanese Maple

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Botanical Name:  Acer palmatum
Common Name: Japanese maple (many named varieties are available).                                    Type: Tree
Family: Sapindaceae
Height: 10.00 to 25.00 feet
Spread: 10.00 to 25.00 feet
Bloom Time: April
Bloom Description: Reddish-purple
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Flower: Insignificant
Leaf: Good Fall
Tolerate: Rabbit, Black Walnut
Invasive: Reseeds aggressively
Native Range: Korea, Japan
USDA Zone: 5-8

NOTE: Most Japanese maples are hardy in 5- 8, but some are recommended only to Zone 6.  Acer sieboldianum will grow in Zone 4. In Zones 4 and in northern sections of Zone 5 protect J. maples from cold winds.  In Zone 8 protect J. maples from the afternoon sun.

Culture

Easily grown in moist, organically rich, slightly acidic, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Grows well in sandy loams. May be grown in full sun in the northern parts of its growing range, but prefers some part afternoon shade in the southern areas of its growing range. New foliage may scorch in full sun locations in hot summers areas, particularly if soils are not kept consistently moist. Mulch helps retain soil moisture and keep roots cool. Site in locations protected from strong winds. Avoid hot and dry sites. Fertilize in spring before leaves emerge. Pruning is best kept to a minimum, but if needed should be done in late fall to mid winter. Spring or summer pruning often results in significant bleeding.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Acer palmatum, commonly called Japanese maple, is a deciduous shrub or small tree that typically grows to 10-25′ (infrequently to 40′) tall. It is native to Japan, Korea and China. General plant form is rounded to broad-rounded, often with low branching. Each palmate green leaf (2-5″ long) has 5 or 7 but less frequently 9 pointed toothed lobes. Small reddish-purple flowers in umbels bloom in mid spring (April). The flowers are rather attractive close up, but are not particularly showy from a distance. Flowers are followed by samaras (to 3/4″ long) in pairs. Samaras ripen in September-October. Fall color includes shades of yellow, red-purple and bronze. Cultivars (often grafted) are quite variable.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Potential disease problems include stem canker, leaf spots, fusarium, verticillium wilt, botrytis, anthracnose and root rots. Potential insect pests include aphids, scale, borers and root weevils. Mites may be troublesome. Foliage tends to leaf out early in spring and is subject to damage from late spring frosts. Chlorosis may occur in high pH soils.

Garden Uses

Japanese maples are generally grown for their attractive foliage and shape. Specimen/accent or group around the home or yard or periphery of the border. Good sun-dappled understory tree. Woodland garden margins. Screen. Bonsai.

Pieris Japonica

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This is a Pieris Japonica I bought at the Jackson County Master Garden Fair in a one gallon container about 7 or 8 years ago. The new growth is always this stunning pink color. At first, when I saw it I thought it was a cross between a Pieris and an Azalea. ~ Jeanne Arago, AGC Member

Pieris Japonica

Horticulture Report: 
 
Plant Name: Pieris Japonica, Japanese Andromeda, Japanese Pieris 
Type: Broadleaf evergreen
Height: 4 -8 feet
Spread: 3 to 6 feet
Bloom Time: April
Bloom Color: White
Exposure: Full sun (in northern climates)  Part to Full Shade (elsewhere)
Water: Medium
Attributes: Showy Flowers, Colorful Foliage, Evergreen, Winter Interest
Tolerates: Deer, Heavy Shade
USDA Zone: 5 to 8
 
Best grown in organically rich, slightly acidic, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun (see above) to part or full shade. Weakened plants due to hot summer stress may cause to to succumb to a harsh winter. It grows best in locations sheltered from wind with some afternoon shade. Remove spent flowers immediately after bloom.

Garden of the Month: April 2019

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500 Parkside Drive

Since 2000, the Ashland Garden Club has been selecting Ashland gardens as Garden of the Month, from April through September.  From late fall through early spring, no gardens are chosen because most gardens don’t look very good at that time of year.  The garden at 500 Parkside Drive is the exception.  It looked good all winter, looks great right now, and is being honored as Garden of the Month for April 2019.


 This property is owned by Terry and Barbara Oldfield.  This year they spent the coldest months of the year near grandchildren in Arizona, while the Ashland house and garden were looked after by family and neighbors.  Terry usually does the garden maintenance.  The side and back yards were designed by Banyan Tree Landscape about three years ago and the front was designed by Solid Ground Landscape five years ago.

 
Mostly this garden is attractive because the plants were chosen to look good all year and/or because of their early- or late-season beauty.  Among them are hellebore, nandina, pieris, and heathers.  The colors are especially nice right now.  The plants are also situated nicely, with larger plants framing smaller plants.  In the back yard, a magnolia is blooming now, the daffodils are just finishing up, and strong shoots herald a lovely display of peonies in the coming months.  There are many comfortable spots to sit and enjoy the view.

There are surprising features in this yard which are small lawns of artificial turf both on the side and in back.  While some Garden Club members applaud its water-wise qualities, artificial turf is not without its detractors, and a garden with fake grass has never been selected as Garden of the Month before.  While air pollution caused by power tools to mow, blow, and trim real turf counter the oxygen-providing benefits of real grass, fake grass contains known allergens, potentially harmful substances that leach into the earth beneath it and into waterways from runoff, and is not, at the end of its approximately 25-year life, biodegradable.  It’s difficult to remember drought after the wet winter and early spring we have had, but it must be anticipated, and this is certainly one way to maintain an attractive green space.

Article submitted by: Ruth Sloan, AGC Garden of the Month Chairperson

Lamium maculatum ‘Pink Pewter’

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Lamium maculatum ‘Pink Pewter’Lamium maculatum Pink Pewter
Common Name: spotted deadnettle
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Lamiaceae
Height: 6 to 8 inches
Spread: 12 to 24 inches
Bloom Time: May to July
Flower:  Light pink
Foliage:  Variegated – silver with green edges
Sun: Part Sun to Full Shade
Soil: Fertile, Loamy, Well-drained
Water:  Needs Medium to moist soil
Maintenance: Low
Uses: Ground Cover, Naturalize, Perennial gardens,
Tolerate: Deer, Heavy Shade
USDA Zone: 2 to 9