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© Project SOUND

Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden

Gardening with Western L.A. County Native Plants Project SOUND - 2010

© Project SOUND

Fragrant Flowers for Victorian Gardens

C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake

CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve

Madrona Marsh Preserve

April 3rd & 6th, 2010

© Project SOUND

What is it about a grandmother’s garden?

http://www.intaglio-fine-art.com/images/trc232.jpg

Victorian Style Garden © Project SOUND

What was the Victorian Era?

Period of Queen Victoria’s reign in England - 1837-1901

Time of great change in both Europe & N. America

http://jerseycoins.com/pictures/QueenVictoria.jpg http://jmackey68.wordpress.com/2008/12/10/breaking-

news-victoria-dead/

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© Project SOUND

What was different about the Victorian

period?

The Industrial Revolution

Period of intense innovation – lots of inventions

More people live in/near urban areas – 6% to > 50% by 1900 in U.S.

Growing Middle Class

More leisure time, particularly for middle class women

Mass production – of many things; cheap, available reproductions of many styles

http://www.philadelphia-reflections.com/images/indust.jpg

© Project SOUND

What was different about the Victorian

period?

Increased communication

Books (including novels) & magazines

Fairs, shows & exhibitions

Public parks – demonstrate the latest styles in landscape architecture

http://www.victorianflowergarden.com/images/walthamstow01.html

© Project SOUND

Victorian books and magazines served as

sources of inspiration

© Project SOUND

What was different about the Victorian

period?

Commerce with ‘foreign lands’

Styles from other lands influenced culture (Oriental influence)

Increased interest in the scientific and natural worlds

Plants & seeds – including those from CA, tropics

http://www.iaaf-treasures.com/images/blue-white-tea-set.JPG

1840 print – Jane Webb Loudon

London

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© Project SOUND

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Henry_Treffry_Dunn_Rossetti_and_Dunton_at_16_Cheyne_Walk.jpg

The Victorian Era saw an enormous change in the lifestyles of Americans. With new opportunities, wealth began to accumulate and the era of exaggeration began.

© Project SOUND

There were actually many different

architectural styles in the Victorian era

Many harked back to earlier, grander times (Georgian; Greek) Most were quite ornate – ornamentation was a big thing! The Queen Anne/Eastlake Style was most popular in S. CA –

‘Gingerbread Houses’, ‘Painted Ladies’

http://www.you-are-here.com/victorian/house.html

© Project SOUND

Victorian Los

Angeles

http://doves2day.blogspot.com/2009/06/victorian-los-angeles-part-two.html

© Project SOUND

Examples from

San Pedro

Even more modest homes had lots of quirky details

Note also the large porches – outdoor living

http://www.laokay.com/SanPedroVictorians.htm

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© Project SOUND

Places to see Victorian houses in S. CA

Angelino Heights (Echo Park) – Carroll Ave.

‘Heritage Square’

San Pedro/ Wilmington

Heritage Court / Redondo Beach Historical Museum

Hollywood

Redlands and Riverside

© Project SOUND

Gardening became wildly popular in the

Victorian era Gardening became

widely popular due in part to:

new technologies (lawn mower & other garden tools)

more diverse plant stock

the rise of the middle class

the invention of suburban living.

But the number one reason gardening became popular was the increase in the amount of leisure time the middle class could devote to it.

http://www.jforti.com/VictorianGarden.jpg

© Project SOUND

Perhaps the most distinguishing element of S. CA Victorian gardens, especially when compared to today, is the way in which the house and the garden acted as a single unit.

In a Victorian garden, you sense immediately that the landscape embraces the architecture, linking it to the land, like a rose gently twinning up a delicate arbor.

© Project SOUND

Victorians viewed their gardens

differently than we do…

for the Victorian gardener, the goal was to create unified ‘home grounds’ where house, garden and nature all worked together as one;

to furnish a beautiful setting for relaxation and social entertainment;

and to provide a productive, yet esthetically pleasing source of fresh fruits and vegetables for the home.

http://www.countryliving.com/cm/countryliving/images/Vegetable-Garden-

GARDEN0805-de.jpg

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© Project SOUND

To Victorians, gardens had individual rooms

(much like a house)

Victorian gardens were used daily, intensively, and their design reflected that use

Gardens were laid out to hold something in reserve, to encourage a sense of exploration and mystery.

http://www.city-gardens.net/images/gallery/edwardian_large_1.jpg © Project SOUND

Views were framed and expanded, paths deliberately curved to hide their ends, beds of scented flowers located at unexpected turns, all to delight and distract the passerby.

In the way we might value our TV or stereo, gardens were sources or relaxation and entertainment in a much quieter age.

http://www.mobot.org/hort/images/tours/vict1.jpg

http://www.rcgc.org/GardenTour.html

The Victorian garden was an

extension of the house…

© Project SOUND

The garden and house reflected the

exuberance of the era !!!!!

The landscape designs of Victorian homes reflected the new ornamental lifestyle found inside as well as out.

Colors were bold and vibrant and at times mixed with little heed or restraint.

At the end of the Victorian era, people were ready for a change back to simpler, more naturalistic landscapes

http://bigorangelandmarks.blogspot.com/2008/08/no-176-1321-carroll-avenue-residence.html © Project SOUND

As is often the case, Victorian gardens

reflected a rebellion against the ‘old style’

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© Project SOUND

Gardenesque movement (1832 to 1880s)

John Claudius Loudon

Style of planting design that moved away from the picturesque English Landscape movements and the obsession with natural form and movement.

It relied on non-native plants and exotics, displaying them individually in beds so they were able to develop their true shape and could be admired from all angles.

The garden designs were based on abstract shapes with specimen plants that were intended to be admired for their unique attributes

http://www.brambledown.com/cms/public/Botanical1%20LG.jpg http://www.sbg.org.uk/images/gardenareas/mixedborder.jpg

© Project SOUND

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/p2EJDEqFF7Lyk6wXSBhz0Q

Early Victorian gardens were very formal

Parterres (gardens divided into rectangular sections) satisfied the Victorian need for traditional rectangular geometric forms and strong axial designs.

© Project SOUND

The Victorian gardener's motto might have been something like "man's conquest over elements of the natural world." This control might be most apparent in the propagation of lawns.

http://www.waddesdon.org.uk/plan_your_visit/garden.htm

© Project SOUND

I know what you’re thinking: my garden is

small too

http://www.cggardendesigns.net/page3.htm

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© Project SOUND

Victorian gardens came in all sizes…

Though it was a time of excess (and not all homeowners possessed such self-restraint), the landscape designs were usually in keeping with the size and architectural design of the house.

A smaller home would not have a yard filled with gardens, instead choosing one modestly grand grouping of shrubbery and flowers and a row of modest shrubbery along the fence border.

http://www.davidcheethamgardens.co.uk/html/projects/FormalVictorianFrontGarden/images/TS_detail4.JPG

The key elements of Victorian gardens

can be used in any size garden

© Project SOUND

Eight elements of the Victorian Garden

1. Lawn

2. Trees

3. Shrubs

4. Fencing

5. Ornaments

6. Seating

7. Flowers

8. Vines http://gaeun.net/read.cgi?board=board-37b&y_number=10&nnew=1

© Project SOUND

Most houses had at least one large expanse of lawn uninterrupted by garden beds or tree groupings to give a good view of the house from the road or vice-versa.

The large expanses of lawn on estates were trimmed by gang mowers, drawn by horses. The push mower, for more modest lawns, was patented during Victoria's reign.

http://www.jforti.com/designs.html

© Project SOUND

But the lawns

were more…

If you accept the Victorian metaphor of the landscape as a series of distinct outdoor rooms - with the hardscaping forming the “walls”, “floors”, and “doorways,” - it’s easy to visualize ornamenting the room with “furniture” (trees and shrubs) and “carpets” (lawns).

For Victorians, a good lawn was required to provide a verdant canvas upon which to show off the principal decorations of the garden — the trees, shrubs and flowers that were the true heart of the garden. The fact that the lawn also made a perfect surface for entertainment was a happy bonus.

Placement of the lawn was a fairly easy: like a fine rug, it was simply laid down to adorn the empty spaces between major structural elements of the landscape. Placement of the “furniture” however – the trees, shrubs and flowers of the garden - was a much more complicated proposition, and Victorian gardening books go to great lengths in describing the proper ways to “ornament the lawn.”

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© Project SOUND

Trees in Victorian gardens were practical & ornamental (like furniture)

Trees were used to shade important parts of the house where direct sun was unwelcome (dining room; veranda).

Trees were also used to frame the approach to the house or important views. In the city, trees were planted along the street to aid in privacy.

Weeping trees and those with interestingly colored or shaped leaves were popular and placed strategically to draw the eye -.often could walk around them to fully appreciate them

Depending upon climate, one might collect exotic trees and "display" them as part of the lawn decor.

http://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/dream-landscape-

2009/pictures/index.html

Exotic plants might even be

labeled, like in a botanic garden © Project SOUND

Larger shrubs/trees for Victorian Gardens:

interesting foliage, habit, etc,

Ceanothus species

Western Redbud - * Cercis occidentalis

Desert Willow - * Chilopsis linearis

Summer Holly - Comarostaphylis diversifolia CA Flannelbush - * Fremontodendron californicum

Silk Tassels - * Garrya species

Toyon - Heteromeles arbutifolia

Island Mallow - Lavatera assurgentiflora

Catalina Ironwood - Lyonothamnus floribundus

Torrey Pine - * Pinus torreyana

Blue Elderberry - Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea

© Project SOUND

* California Buckeye – Aesculus californica

http://www.calfloranursery.com/images/pics/a_b/aesculus_californica_flower.jpg

© Project SOUND

* California Buckeye – Aesculus californica

Foothills from L.A. county north to OR

Locally in San Gabriel & Liebre mtns

On dry slopes, canyons and the borders of streams in many plant communities including chaparral, oak woodland, pine woodland

http://wolf.mind.net/swsbm/Maps/Aesculus_californica.gif

http://www.landscaperesource.com/litterbox/images/plants/img_5873web.jpg

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© Project SOUND

Hippocastanaceae (Horse-chestnut Family)

?? Should it be a separate family – some lump into Sapindaceae

Small family (3 genera/15 species) of deciduous trees and shrubs

Temperate to tropical: Asia (Himalayas to Japan, China), SE Europe, North America, also Central and South America (Billia)

Includes Horse-chestnuts, Red & Yellow Buckeyes

All have palmate leaves, showy flowers and large, heavy seeds

Some cultivated ornamentals, notable horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) which is widely planted in temperate regions.

© Project SOUND

CA Buckeye is a deciduous shrub/tree

Size: 12-20+ ft tall (40 ft. max. in

favorable sites)

15-30 ft wide

Growth form: Tree-like or shrub-like – has multiple

main trunks

Very sculptural – elegant even without leaves

Shape - mounded

Foliage: Bright to medium green leaves; fall-

deciduous

Palmate leaves typical for family

All parts toxic if ingested

Roots: re-sprouts from stem

http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/potd/2007/01/aesculus_californica.php

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Aesculus_californica

© Project SOUND

Flowers are fabulous!!

Blooms: spring to summer -usually May-July in our area

Flowers: Pale pink (sometimes white)

Densely packed on flowering stems – extremely showy

Sweetly scented

Very old-fashioned look – excellent for Victorian Style gardens

Beneficial insects (including native bees), butterflies and their larvae, Hummingbirds are attracted to nectar

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/aesculus-californica

© 2006 Christopher L. Christie

© Project SOUND

Fruits & seeds are

very large!!

Fruits are leathery/ tough, pear-shaped

Splits open in winter to release the seed

Seeds are very large (1-2 inches in diameter)

Seeds will readily germinate – not difficult to grow from seed

Ground squirrels may bury the seeds, which they can eat

Seeds high in saponins – can be used for soap – toxic to eat

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Aesculus_californica

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© Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils:

Texture: any from sandy to heavy clay

pH: any local, including acidic

Light: Full sun best in most gardens

Will take light shade or some afternoon shade

Water: Winter: needs adequate water

Summer: needs to be summer dry once established – Zone 1 or 1-2; susceptible to S.O.D.

Fertilizer: none needed; likes poor soils, but can tolerate light fertilizer and organic mulch

Other: prune to shape when dormant (winter) or leave alone

© Project SOUND

CA Buckeye is perfectly at

home in a Victorian Garden

As an accent plant with its showy flowers and attractive branch structure (light it a night for night accent)

As a small shade tree

In the scented garden – sweet scent

Thrives on dry slopes & hillsides – great for binding soil

Good hummingbird plant

Don’t plant near apiaries – will kill the European honey bees and honey made from nectar is toxic

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/aesculus-californica

© Project SOUND

Victorians loved their ‘specimen plants’ –

usually used as accents

http://michaelweishan.com/gardenblog/?p=830

R.A. Howard @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database © Project SOUND

Toxic plants and Victorian Gardens

Probably due to several factors:

Inclusion of medicinal plants in home gardens – many toxic

Love for exotics – including those from distant lands

http://picasaweb.google.com/seedbyte/GreenAlchemyPlantImages#

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© Project SOUND

The ‘Plant Hunters’

The Victorian period was the golden era of plant collecting.

There was a desire for exploration and discovery and Victorian plant hunters were botanical adventurers who risked life and limb to bring back exotic plants from around the world.

Sir Joseph Banks

© Project SOUND

Victorians were collectors of curiosities…

The English Victorians had a great passion for ferns and this passion was expressed by collecting them, growing them and making a wide range of 'ferny' decorative objects in pottery, glass, metals, textiles, wood, printed paper, stone and other materials.

The interest in ferns began in the late 1830s when the British countryside attracted increasing numbers of amateur and professional botanists (male and female).

People of many different social backgrounds sought out the species and varieties described in the fern identification books to press the fronds in albums or to collect fern plants to grow in their gardens or homes.

Some ferns were, unfortunately, collected out of existence

http://www.darwincountry.org/explore/000529.html

© Project SOUND

The Stumpery

Originating in the English romantic period in the 19th century, a stumpery is a garden whose structure is based on tree stumps.

Quite characteristic of its era, it's a perfect example of the Victorians' romanticized and exaggerated sense of nature

http://goldenagegardens.blogspot.com/2008_05_01_archive.html

© Project SOUND

* Lewis’ Mock Orange – Philadelphus lewisii

© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College

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© Project SOUND

Lewis’ Mock Orange – Philadelphus lewisii

Western N. America from British Columbia to CA

Northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada

Previously split into several variants (lots of floral and foliage variability) – now just considered all one species

Named for :

the Egyptian king Ptolemy Philadelphus

the scientist-explorer Meriwether Lewis, who first discovered and collected it during his exploration of the Louisiana Purchase

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5602,5609,5610

© Project SOUND

Mock Orange: a large

deciduous shrub

Winter deciduous

Size: usually 4-8 ft tall; can be taller,

particularly in shady sites 8-10 ft wide

Growth form: Naturally a loose, informal shrub

with down-curving, ‘fountain-like’ branches

Can be pruned to be much more dense: hedge

Foliage: simple; lovely woodsy green (reminds you of OR woods)

Roots: will spread, particularly with regular water – may want to contain

Quick-growing

http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Philadelphus-lewisii/

© Project SOUND

Mock Orange has always been grown for

it’s wonderful flowers

Blooms: usually May to July; long bloom period with hundreds of blooms

Flowers: Showy, white in clusters Very intense fragrance like that of

orange blossoms Fragrance will perfume entire yard;

may want to plant back in garden

Bee pollinated: a great plant for native bee pollinators

Seeds: relatively large; can propagate from seed (needs a cold treatment – stratification – for best germination)

© 2003 Christopher L. Christie

Mock Orange is the Idaho state flower

© Project SOUND

Mock Orange is very easy to grow -

Soils: literally any soil, even clay and alkali soils

Light: best flowering and form in full sun;

bright/dappled shade is ok (particularly in very hot gardens)

Water:

Winter: anything goes; even takes some winter flooding

Summer: Does best with moderate to regular

water; every other week as needed in summer

Fairly drought tolerate – but will lose leaves

Fertilizer: none needed; organic mulches probably a good idea

http://www.cwnp.org/photopgs/pdoc/phlewisii.html

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© Project SOUND

Some interesting facts about Mock Orange

Gladys Lucille Smith © California Academy of Sciences

Widely used as a medicinal:

Dried powdered leaves & bark used to rub on sores & swollen joints

Decoction use for soaking skin conditions

Leaves and flowers contain saponins – make a natural soap

Stems used in basket-making

Hard wood used for combs, knitting needles, digging sticks and tool handles

Deer, rabbits and squirrels eat this plant, particularly young plants/ foliage

© Project SOUND

Mock Orange in the garden

Was a favorite shrub in Victorian gardens

Excellent habitat plant: hummingbirds, small birds, butterflies, bees

In a woodland garden

Along streams, ponds

As a large shrub; nice specimen plant in fragrance garden

For informal hedges, screens Cultivars for CA: 'Goose Creek' &

'Marjorie Schmidt’

http://www.wsu.edu/~lohr/wcl/PhiladelphusLewisii.jpg

Leave it natural, prune to shape or cut back 1/3 of branches when dormant to rejuvenate

© Project SOUND

Fell Foot Park and Garden - a typical late Victorian garden of rhododendrons, oaks and pines. Closer to Edwardian in feel.

http://www.visitcumbria.com/sl/fellfoot.htm

© Project SOUND

Functional

spaces

Clotheslines, work sheds or any other functional spaces were kept hidden from the view from the road and front drive.

These spaces were set off by groups of shrubbery, trees, vines & trellises.

http://2bnmaine.com/blog/2008/06/

http://www.craftsman-style.info/garden/arbor.htm

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© Project SOUND

Vines & climbers

were used by

Victorians

Vines of all types were used as decoration and to hide "unsightly" features, such as fences and tree stumps.

Vines could also be trained up the side of a porch to ward off the sun.

http://www.frwhs.org/zimmerman_restoration.html

© Project SOUND

Native Honeysuckles,

Clematis, Morning-

glories

http://brookegiannetti.typepad.com/.a/6a00e554d7b8278833010537137d54970b-500wi

Lonicera hispidula

© Project SOUND

Shrubs often played

utilitarian roles…

Shrubs were used mainly for delineating property lines or marking paths.

They might also be used to hide an "unsightly" wooden fence or house foundation, or used to frame doorways or bay windows.

It was popular to mix the species of shrubs.

http://www.beaudrydesign.com/portfolio-7.php

http://2bnmaine.com/blog/2008/06/ © Project SOUND

….but not always Shrubs were often planted so

that each one would stand on its own rather than blending together.

A variety of plants were chosen for uniqueness in blossom, shape or variety – like objects of art.

The point was the showiness and uniqueness of individual plants. The goal seemed to be to find that special specimen that no other could find.

Popular shrubs for Victorian gardens included: Azalea, Ceanothus, Holly, Hydrangea, Rose, Lilac, Forsythia, Andromeda, Barberry, Peony, & Nightshades.

http://www.linseysgardens.com/port_osh.asp

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© Project SOUND

Purple Nightshade – Solanum xanti

© Project SOUND

Purple Nightshade – Solanum xanti

Southwestern U.S. to Baja

In CA, foothills west of Sierras and desert foothills

In coastal sage scrub or chaparral usually

ITIS recognizes several subspecies – Jepson does not

Also called Chaparral Nightshade, Blue Witch

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?7625,7682,7701

© Project SOUND

Purple Nightshade – adaptable to conditions

http://www.delange.org/NiteshadeChaparral/NiteshadeChaparral.htm

© Project SOUND

Purple Nightshade – old-fashioned perennial

or sub-shrub Size:

2-4 ft tall

2-4 ft wide

Growth form: Perennial or sub-shrub – base

becomes woody

Mounded to sprawling – depends a bit on light

Branchs thin, herbaceous

Foliage: all parts toxic if eaten Bright to medium green

Leaves simple

Roots: taproot but also spreads some via rhizomes (not invasive – more likely to spread via seed)

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© Project SOUND

Flowers are large,

showy and sweet

Blooms in spring/summer: Usually Feb-May in western L.A.

Co.

May bloom well into summer with a little water

Flowers: showy in all ways Large – to 1 inch across

Intense blue-violet with yellow anthers – typical for nightshades

Lovely, sweet scent – like a violet, but better

Fruits: Pea-size; look like a small, purple-

brown tomato

http://www.hazmac.biz/080121/080121SolanumXantiIntermedium.html

http://www.fourdir.com/p_purple_nightshade.htm

© Project SOUND

Blue Witch - adaptable Soils: Texture: just about any from

sandy/rocky to clay

pH: any local

Light: Full sun to part-shade

Do well under trees

Water: Winter: need adequate

winter/spring water

Summer: drought tolerant but will go dormant; occasional summer water (Zone 1-2 to 2) will extend bloom period

Fertilizer: None needed, but won’t kill it

Leaf or other organic mulch

http://bfs.claremont.edu/biota/plants/sxanti.html

http://www.azhikinggallery.com/galleryintro.asp?galleryid=BallantineTrail_032209

© Project SOUND

Purple Nightshade – perfect

for Victorian gardens

Nice in a large container, urn (even in some shade)

As a long-blooming perennial

Works well under oaks or other summer-dry trees

Interesting growing around other perennials & shrubs

Fine for slopes

An old standby for scented gardens – plant where you can enjoy the old-fashioned fragrance

http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/species/Solanum_xanti.htm

http://www.azhikinggallery.com/galleryintro.asp?galleryid=BallantineTrail_032209 © Project SOUND

Blue Witch requires little

maintenance

Relatively pest-free

Prune occasionally to shape

http://chestofbooks.com/flora-plants/flowers/Western-Wild-Flowers/images/Purple-Nightshade-Solanum-Xanti.jpg

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© Project SOUND

Several nice cultivars of

Blue Witch

‘Navajo Creek’ Intensely purple flowers

Crinkled leaves

Low-growing (< 2 ft)

All the other attributes of the species

‘Salmon Creek’ Dark purple flowers

Dark foliage

Rambling habit – will grow through other plants

Other than that, similar to the species

http://www.calfloranursery.com/pages_plants/pages_s/solxanobinav.html

‘Navajo Creek’

‘Salmon Creek’ © Project SOUND

http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2007/sr07_021a.htm

2007 stamps honoring pollinators

The flowers of some plants, such as tomatoes and other

nightshades, contain no nectar but produce an abundance of

pollen in tubular anthers. To obtain pollen from these flowers,

bumblebees employ a technique known as buzz pollination. By

grasping the anthers and rapidly vibrating their flight muscles,

they dislodge the pollen.

Bumblebees with relatively short

mouthparts visit flowers that hold

nectar in open cups, while those with

longer tongues probe for nectar in

tubular flowers with hidden nectaries

(the plant glands that secrete

nectar).

© Project SOUND

No grocery store around the corner to provide ‘exotic’ & common foods

http://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/dream-landscape-2009/pictures/index.html

Victorian kitchen garden:

the sources of fresh fruits

& vegetables

http://www.lissadellhouse.com/kitchen.html © Project SOUND

Victorians firmly believed in combining “grace

with utility”

‘Few and wide walks are preferable to many narrow ones. If the garden is small, then one good walk all about is sufficient. If long and narrow, the cross walks should be kept to a minimum..’.

Walkways meandered about the

yard and were considered aesthetically pleasing. Shrubs and trees were always planted in groupings along crossing points to hide the destination of the next path, lending an intriguing coziness to the landscape design.

http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=2979

http://www.beaudrydesign.com/portfolio-7.php

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© Project SOUND

The Victorians lavished tremendous

attention on their walks and drives

Victorian gardening manuals abound with extensive advice on making paths and drives.

In general they consisted of crushed stone and gravel, which was the staple of Victorian landscapes. Solid surfacing such as brick and stone was actually quite rare outside of major urban areas, due to the high cost of transport.

Unlike today’s gravel paths though, Victorian paths were quite elaborately constructed, using multiple layers of crushed stone and gravel. The walks were periodically rolled after heavy rains to produce a flat, even surface.

‘The colour of the gravel should be of a yellowish hue as dark gravel has not so cheerful an appearance. Lighter coloured gravels are also the more easily tarnished and, unless kept exceedingly well, soon look ill.’ © Project SOUND

Victorian paths ‘should be edged’

Whatever material is used for the bed of the path, it is necessary to have an edging of some sort. Box (hedge) is to be preferred

Various other sorts of edging, such as bricks placed on edge, slate, deal etc. are used, but all are objectionable. Grass edgings are sometimes laid, but they require often to be mowed and often resent an unseemly appearance.

In gardens of small extent, edgings are sometimes formed of useful kinds of vegetables, such as parsley, strawberries, thyme, hyssop, winter savoury or chamomile. These, while they remain young and ungathered, have an effect not out of character with a kitchen garden.

© Project SOUND

* Woodland Strawberry – Fragaria vesca ssp. californica

© 2002 George Jackson

© Project SOUND

* Woodland Strawberry – Fragaria vesca ssp. californica

Coastal mountains and Sierra Nevada from OR/WA to Baja

Locally in the San Bernardino & San Jacinto Mtns., San Diego Co.

In dry to moist meadows, young woodlands, sparse forest , woodland edges and clearings.

Often plants can be found where they do not get sufficient light to form fruit.

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6677,6723,6725

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© Project SOUND

Characteristics of CA Woodland Strawberry

Size: < 1 ft tall

3-6+ ft wide, spreading clump

Growth form: Herbaceous perennial – typical

form for strawberries

Produces runners (stolons) with new plantlets

Fall deciduous; dies back

Foliage: Leaves are medium green, typical

shape for strawberries

Leaves and flowers arise from single base

Roots: rather shallow

Jo-Ann Ordano © California Academy of Sciences

© 2006 Vivian Parker © Project SOUND

Flowers are sweet

Blooms: Spring into summer

Usually Mar. to June in our area – may also have some summer bloom

Flowers: Smaller than F. chiloensis

Typical 5-petal white flowers of the genus

Really nice for a ground-cover plant; light, sweet fragrance

Attract butterflies

Seeds: usually will reseed

Vegetative reproduction: easy to dig up plantlets to produce new plants

© 2006 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy

© Project SOUND

But the fruits are

sweeter yet!

Larger fruit than Fragaria chiloensis (Beach Strawberry)

Among the most tasty of all the wild strawberries –sweet scent

Excellent choice for: Eating fresh Including in baked goods Making preserves & syrups Drying

Berries have antioxidant properties

Berry juice is a natural bleach

Leaves make a tea for GI upsets

© 2006 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy

© Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils:

Texture: any, including clays

pH: any local including acidic

Light: Full sun (cooler gardens) or

dappled shade are best

Will grow fine in part-shade to quite shady, but fruiting reduced

Water: Winter: likes good rains

Summer: wide tolerance – occasional (Zone 2) to regular water (Zone 3)

Fertilizer: fine with light fertilizer – really likes a leaf mulch

Other: good frost tolerance

© 2006 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy

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© Project SOUND

Strawberries in the

Victorian Garden

As a novelty in a strawberry pot or other attractive pot

As a ‘wild’ groundcover under high-canopy trees – great under oaks & pines

In the vegetable garden

Lining walks or flower beds

In the Children’s Garden

In a woodland themed garden

spreading in between shade-loving perennials like Columbine and Coral Bells.

© 2007 California Native Plant Society

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/fragaria-californica © Project SOUND

Fragaria vesca 'Montana de Oro'

Naturally occurring cultivar from Montana de Oro State Park.

Vigorous groundcover to 8" with a wide spreading habit.

Chosen for garden use

Tolerant of heavy shade but best with at least half-day light.

Fruit is small but tasty.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3093/3190034104_8ae33ca930.jpg?v=0

Hardy to 10º F.

© Project SOUND

Fencing was a must…

Most Victorian gardens were fenced – primarily to keep animals (and food snatchers) out.

Cast iron was by far the most popular material because it was the most ornamental (and let you see through to the gardens & home beyond).

The more elaborate the home, the more elaborate (usually) the fence and gate.

In more informal settings, rustic fencing was used. This might be made of "rustic" wood bent into decorative motifs.

The picket fence was to be hidden with shrubs at best, or vines if shrubs were out of the question.

http://www.beaverbrook.org/mhgvicto.htm

http://subkinks.blogspot.com/

© Project SOUND

Seating was essential in the Victorian

garden

Benches, seats, pavilions, and gazebos were made as decorative as possible.

Benches were quite ornate - usually carved from stone, or in cast iron or "rustic" wood.

Seats were generally placed where at the end of a garden walk or wherever a grand view was to be had – or places made for entertainment.

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© Project SOUND

Gazebos & Summerhouses

provided shady places for

entertaining & reading

A small gazebo can add a decorative Victorian touch to the garden

Seats were placed under trees and of course in pavilions and gazebos – for pleasant summer afternoons.

Rattan and wicker furniture was used mainly on porches and in sun rooms of the house.

http://www.belvederegardenbuildings.com/

http://raleighdurham.about.com/od/attractionsandlandmarks/ss/NC-Arboretum_9.htm © Project SOUND

Scented flowers add to

Victorian ambiance in

the late afternoon

Oenothera caespitosa (Evening Primrose)

Solanum species (nightshades)

Carpenteria californica

Fragaria californica (woodland strawberry)

Keckiellia antirrhinoides (snapdragon)

http://www.city-gardens.net/portfolio_of_garden_desgins.htm?galcat=2&galid=11

© Project SOUND

* Yellow Bush Penstemon – Keckiella antirrhinoides

© 2003 Charles E. Jones

© Project SOUND

* Yellow Bush Penstemon – Keckiella antirrhinoides

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?7177,7347,7348,7349

Endemic to San Bernardino mtns., coastal ranges and N. Baja

Dry, rocky slopes below 4500 ft. in Chaparral, Coastal Sage Scrub, Oak Woodland

© Lee Dittmann

22

© Project SOUND

Keckiellas: cousins to true Penstemons

Both members of Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)

Keckiellas were once lumped into the genus Penstemon

Both have flowers typical of the family – but Keckiellas are more likely to be yellow, orange, red

Members of genus Keckiella are distinguished from the closely-related Penstemons by their woody stems.

Genus Keckiella was named after the American botanist David D. Keck – taxonomist & geneticist.

Brother Alfred Brousseau @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

© Project SOUND

Characteristics of Yellow Bush Penstemon/Keckiella

Size: 3-5 ft tall (can be to 7

ft)

2-4+ ft wide

Growth form: Woody sub-shrub, but

perennial-like in form

Mounded form

Drought-deciduous

Foliage: Many small, narrow

leaves

Roots: long

http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=22973

http://www.timetotrack.com/jay/socal/kecka2.htm

© Project SOUND

Flowers are spectacular

Blooms: Spring to early summer

Usually April-June

Open over long time (several months)

Flowers: Bright yellow & very showy – 1-3

inches long & look like snapdragon flowers

Plant literally covered with blossoms

Sweet fragrance; attracts hummingbirds

Seeds: many small seeds in dry capsule (like Penstemons)

http://research.calacademy.org/research/botany/wildflow/wildflowers.asp?w_id=14

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/keckiella-antirrhinoides © Project SOUND

Very drought tolerant Soils:

Texture: sandy or rocky best – need to be well-drained

pH: any local

Light: Full sun to part-shade; some

afternoon shade is fine

Water: Winter: needs adequate

Summer: likes to be fairly dry, but with occasional water (and washing off the leaves) will remain green until fall – Zone 1-2

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

Other: prune heavily to shape when dormant (fall); will look scraggly otherwise

J. E.(Jed) and Bonnie McClellan © California Academy of Sciences

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© Project SOUND

Good substitute for Scotch Broom

As a showy accent plant – looks nice with Salvias

In the scented garden

As a hedge plant

On steep, rocky slopes

In the habitat garden – good nectar plant

© Lee Dittmann

CA Dogface Butterfly

http://tolweb.org/Zerene © Project SOUND

Hybrid ‘Roy Taylor’

Hybrid – Keckiella antirrhinoides X K. cordifolia ?

Shrubby habit

Golden flowered (between both parents in color)

Originated as a seedling in the cultivar garden at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic garden.

Some supplemental water is beneficial during the dry summer months

© Project SOUND

Hybrid ‘Phillip Munz’

Hybrid – Keckiella antirrhinoides X K. cordifolia

Sometimes sold as K. cordifolia ‘Phillip Munz’

Shrubby vine to 15 ft. long – like K. cordifolia

Flowers red-orange

Evergreen with a little summer water

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3162/2580974908_51661e088d.jpg

© Project SOUND

Ornaments were key accessories – inside

and out Urns, sculpture, fountains,

sundials, gazing balls (lawn balls), birdbaths, and man-made fish ponds were all commonly used.

Cast iron was a commonly used material for such accoutrements.

Often, urns were not planted with anything, but were simply set in pairs to ornament stairs or balustrades.

http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/long_cross_victorian_gardens

24

© Project SOUND

Asian and classical

motifs were popular

Chinese art and objects were wildly popular during the Victorian era, so you may consider adding a touch of the Orient into your Victorian garden.

Red-glazed planters with painted scenes from the far east or black lacquer garden stools would suffice.

Victorians often incorporated garden pools filled with goldfish - also from the Orient

Sculptures often featured classic figures

http://www.pondshowcase.com/Ladew/index.shtml

http://www.moirafarnham.co.uk/portfolio.php?garden=6 © Project SOUND

Add some flowering

perennials and sub-

shrubs

A Victorian Garden was planted with flowering borders, which were indicative of gardens in the 1800’s.

Plants in The Victorian Garden include: Coral Bells, Astilbe, Phlox, Hydrangea, Boxwood, Mallows, Daisies, and Sedum.

http://www.beaverbrook.org/mhgvicto.htm

© Project SOUND

California Brickelbush - Brickellia californica

© 2001 Steven Thorsted

© Project SOUND

California Brickelbush - Brickellia californica

Thoughout the SW from Wyoming & CA to Texas and into Mexico

In CA, common shrub of dry, rocky slopes & washes in our chaparral & coastal-sage-scrub areas below 8000 ft.

A plant of ‘winter water’ places

named for Dr. John Brickell (1749-1809), early naturalist and physician of Georgia who came to the U.S. in 1770 from Ireland

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-

bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?609,83

1,836

http://www.swsbm.com/Maps/Brickellia_c

alifornica.gif

25

© Project SOUND

Brickelbush: another little

bush ‘sunflower’

Size: 1-4 ft tall & wide, occ. taller Increases; spreading via

underground stems (rhizomes)

Growth form: Mounding perennial shrub arising

from a woody stem White-gray stems are slender,

many-branched, spreading

Foliage: Attractive, triangular leaves Entirely deciduous at higher

elevations; dies back to wood

Growth rate/lifespan Quick growing Plant may live for one to several

decades, renewing itself via suckers – not invasive

http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/californiabrickellbush.html

© Project SOUND

Brickelbush is all about fragrance….

Blooms: summer/fall; usually Aug/Sept in our area

2-4 week bloom period

Flowers: small yellowish-green flowers are pendulous & held in little bunches

Fragrance: like none other; ‘From a great distance, you will be drawn by the irresistible, powerful perfume! ‘

Also good nectar/pollen source in late summer/early fall

http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/californiabrickellbush.html

© Project SOUND

Garden conditions

Soils: Texture: any; best in well-drained but a

little more tolerant of clays pH: 5-8 - any usual local soil is fine

Light: Full sun to part-shade; adaptable to many

garden light situations

Water: Young plants: water weekly for first year

until established Winter: moist soils Summer:

Drought-tolerant ; no summer water required after first year, but will take a little summer water

Fertilizer: none needed

Other: little maintenance; prune out dead branches http://www.westernnativeseed.com/brical.jpeg

© Project SOUND

Brickellia in the

garden

Absolute must for a scent garden – will perfume your neighborhood in early fall

Great for a natural garden with other drought-tolerant species

Plant in mixed beds, with other shrubs; may lose leaves at least briefly

Probably ok in large containers, planters

Important medicinal plant for Native Peoples

Good habitat plant: provides cover, seeds, nectar in fall

© 2006 Matt Below

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© Project SOUND

Victorian Gardens were all about show…

http://www.videojug.com/film/an-introduction-to-victorian-floral-gardens © Project SOUND

Victorians loved

their flowers!!

It was a time of bright, vibrant colors.

People wanted to show off new money and new things, so it became quite popular to acquire new and exciting varieties of plant material.

Ornate accent flowers were highly popular

http://www.kentlawncare.com/English_Victorian_Garden-lg.jpg

© Project SOUND

Characteristics favored by Victorians

Vibrant and passionate colors including vivid greens, rich dark browns, and a contrast of light yellows/golds, reds & pinks

Fragrance

Good for cut flowers – Victorians used flowers extensively

The ‘Language of Flowers’ – a means of communication in a repressive era (red roses still imply passionate, romantic love)

© Project SOUND

The Victorian gardener ‘wanted everything’

(sound a little like you?)

Huge advances in hybridization & collecting expeditions resulted in an incredible influx of new plants into the Victorian garden.

Even the more modest landscapes gardens soon began to bulge with exotic introductions.

The zest for novelty, though, had a distinctive downside: many gardeners succumbed to a tendency to try to cram their gardens with as many specimens as possible

Shortly after the Civil War, warnings against such excess became common for Victorian gardening guides. Artful composition was required

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© Project SOUND

Typical Victorian garden plants

Ageratum, Alonsoa, Amanthus, Asters, Scarlet Basil, Begonia Tuberous, Begonia, Bulbs, Caladium, Calendula, Campanula, Chrysanthemum, Cobaea, Cockscomb, Coleus, Columbines, Coreopsis Delphinium, Dianthus, Dusty Miller, Ferns, Flowering tobacco, Fuschia, Geranium, Scented Geranium, Heliotrope, Impatiens, Iris, Lobelia, Lupines, Marigold, Moonflower, Morning Glory, Nasturtium, Oxalis Pansy, Periwinkle, Petunia, Portulaca, Primrose, Rose, Miniature Rose, Snapdragon, Sweet Alyssum, Sweet Pea, Thunbergia, Verbena, Violet, Yarrow, Zinnia.

© Project SOUND

Victorians used flowers in many ways

Carpet bedding, the use of same-height flora, was popular. Most often used to depict a motif or design (think ‘Disneyland’).

Urban dwellers without much of a yard would often plant large urns beside the front door with flowers or small shrubs.

Flowers could also be planted along the front walk underneath the shrubs which bordered it.

Window boxes were also popular.

© Project SOUND

* Lindley’s Blazingstar – Mentzelia lindleyi

© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College © Project SOUND

* Lindley’s Blazingstar – Mentzelia lindleyi

http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/pix/2005/hamilton1.jpg

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?4990,4994,5008

Pleasing to the eye and easy to

grow – a favorite in European

gardens for years!

Alameda and Santa Clara counties and western Stanislaus and Fresno counties (CA endemic)

Rocky, open slopes, coastal-sage scrub, oak/pine woodland below 2500 ft.

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© Project SOUND

Lindley’s Blazingstar is a star annual wildflower!

Size: 1-2 ft tall

2-3 ft wide

Growth form: Annual wildflower, altho’ form

more reminiscent of a perennial

Upright or mounded & sprawly; much-branched

Foliage: Medium green

Somewhat dandelion-like

Fuzzy/hairy

http://www.eol.org/pages/486817

© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College © Project SOUND

Flowers are magical!

Blooms: Mid- to late-spring - usually April

to June, but varies with rain, temperature

Can extend bloom period somewhat with judicious water

Flowers: Large – to 3” across

Brilliant, iridescent yellow –extremely showy & unusual

Open in late afternoon with lovely, sweet fragrance – oh so Victorian!

Seeds: many small seeds in dry capsule – plant in fall/winter as the rains begin

http://image03.webshots.com/3/9/58/1/3195801FhFOqRSYVH_ph.jpg

Beatrice F. Howitt © California Academy of Sciences

© Project SOUND

Growth Requirements Soils: Texture: any well-drained

pH: any local except very alkali

Light: Full sun best – like most

wildflowers

Water: Winter/spring: needs good

rainfall – supplement as needed

Summer: taper off to Zone 1 as blooming ceases; don’t over-water in clay soils

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils – but wildflowers often OK with some fertilizer

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3232/2450995819_8a0e50b0f3.jpg?v=0

Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences

© Project SOUND

Excellent choice for the Victorian Garden

As an attractive container plant – large pots and urns

In a mixed bed with perennials and other native annuals – particularly nice with blue-flowered plants

Most showy when planted in masses

Good choice for slopes

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_wRUPMHSWQ9c/SGKinOtNUGI/AAAAAAAAAHc/g2xF

OFHNUIw/P6090083.JPG

http://delta-intkey.com/angio/images/breg1831.jpg

http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/plant_display.asp?pr

odid=676

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© Project SOUND

Eight elements of the Victorian Garden

1. Lawn

2. Trees

3. Shrubs

4. Fencing

5. Ornaments

6. Seating

7. Flowers

8. Vines http://gaeun.net/read.cgi?board=board-37b&y_number=10&nnew=1

© Project SOUND

http://www.1artclub.com/victorian-gardens-2/

© Project SOUND

Adapting to smaller gardens: key elements

Formal planting schemes/manicured plants

Use of plants with exotic features

Massed plantings Use of scented plants Correct use of

hardscape features: Paths/walks Seating Fencing Water features Accessories

http://www.gardendesigns.uk.com/portfolio/portfolio.php?id=3