I don’t remember where I got the cuttings for this Mexican Orange Blossom shrub, but I know that I started it myself about fifteen or more years ago. We planted it against the fence in the woodland garden and we’ve been able to prune it close to the fence. It blooms nicely every spring and the flowers have a nice scent. The leaves have an odor that is unpleasant to me, but it isn’t strong and I only notice it when I brush up against them or have my nose right in the middle of the plant.

Here is what the plant looks like today:

For 2020, we’ll just keep this plant trimmed and fed adn enjoy it as a backdrop to the koi pond.

Purchased from Raintree Nursery about seven years ago, this interesting tree hasn’t lived up to its potential. I think the main problem is sunlight. I have it in the darkest corner of the orchard garden and it was sunny when I first planted it there, but now there are taller trees in front of it and also extra tall vehicles in the driveway. The tree sets a few fruit each year, but they never seem to ripen fully and/or some varmint steals them.

There are six varieties on the tree, but only the four tags are left. The above image is what the tree looks like this week. My 2020 plans for the tree are to fertilize it with organic spikes and to try to clear some of the shade in front of it so it has a better chance of setting fruit. I may try to pollinate some of the flowers, as well, since I haven’t seen a lot of pollinators in that part of the garden.

Sweet cherries are second only to blackberries as my favorite fruit. I purchased this tree from Raintree Nursery about eight years ago, I think. I thought I was getting the super dwarfing rootstock, but this is on Gisela 5, which is just a semi-dwarfing rootstock and explains why the tree climbed to fifteen feet in just a few short years while I stood by stunned. I have not had good luck getting any cherries off of this tree. It blooms well every year and appears to set fruit, but some years they all drop off (pollination issue, I guess), and the few years when it really gets a crop of cherries, the birds (or some animal) seem to grab them just before they are ripe enough for humans.

I took the drastic step of cutting the main trunk of the tree way back last year. The tree is more managable now and the sunlight reaches a lot more plants behind it! We’ll see if I get any cherries this year! Here is how the tree looks today.

I will work to find more photos of this tree and add them later. 2020 Goals for the tree are to figure out a way to net the entire tree and keep the cherries to myself.

Another fine addition from brother Tim, this is the Scorpion Senna that I planted in the brick bed next to the front porch. I would guess I’ve had this plant at least fifteen years. It grows as a leggy, twiggy shrub that has delicate pinnate leaves and brilliant, clean yellow flowers.

I cut this shrub back hard after flowering–down to 3-4 feet tall. It wants to soar a lot taller than I can accommodate which creates a bit of tension, but we’re muddling through.

Here are some photos of the flowers and plant taken today.

For 2020, my biggest effort will be to whack this strong grower back so it can branch out and bloom well again next year.

Another Clivia seedling from a seed sown seven or so years ago. I think this is the second year this plant has bloomed. It has interesting, buttery yellow flowers that don’t open all the way, but aren’t as tubular as Tony’s Tubular Peach.

My 2020 plans for this plant will be to topdress it and move it to a shady spot and keep it fed and watered until I move it back to the greenhouse for the winter.

Virginia bluebells are native to the U.S., but not to the Seattle area. They are a charming woodland plant, however. I had tried to get them established under the Douglas fir for several years, and finally, the last planting seems to have taken. I consider them ephemeral, as they bloom in April and then completely disappear. They are in the borage family, one of my favorites, and the blue flowers are brilliant.

This is the third year this plant has bloomed for me, but I think it has been in the garden for four years. There are some native Mertensias in Washington–I’ve seen some growing near our cabin in Tonasket. If any are native to western Washington, I plan to try to grow those in the native plant garden that’s getting started this month.

Another seedling from a sowing seven or so years ago, this is a cross between a peach clone and a salmon clone. I absolutely love the color–it is a wonderful peachy salmon. The flowers don’t open fully, but they still put on a show. I think this plant has a lot of potential if it gets more blooms per spike in subsequent years.

For 2020 goals, I will topdress this plant after the flowers fade and keep it outside for the spring/summer/fall. It will need to be repotted next year, likely.

Another seedling Clivia that I raised during my Clivia mania phase. This plant is likely seven years old or more. It bloomed for the first time this year.

I’ll work to get an updated photo tomorrow of this plant to see how the flowers are aging and how the plant itself is growing.

Plant lovers are encouraged to use Latin names, but if we focus entirely on those we miss some wonderful silliness. This plant is a perfect example. Its common name is “Lawyer’s Tongue.” Since I work for a legal aid nonprofit and both my siblings work in law offices, which could explain why we enjoy pruning these plants so much.

Brother Tim brought me this sturdy succulent and it has grown well for me. It exudes pups freely and also blooms well every year with interesting flowers.

I thought of this as a Plant-A-Day today when I was repotting it and pulling divisions aggresively from its roots. I ended up with a healthy mother plant that still has multiple pups around it, as well as eight pups that I potted up separately.

A graceful lily that I planted decades ago in our woodland garden (no idea where it came from). I transplanted it and divided the clump about seven years ago and both divisions have continued to do well. Sadly, I often miss the flowers of these plants because they are tucked out of sight of the windows and I forget to wander out and look at them. However, I chanced upon them today and immediately remembered how beautiful they can be.

These bulbous plants are ephemeral and will be completely gone in a month or so. My 2020 plans will be to drop a handful of organic fertilizer near these clumps and to try to get some better photos this week.