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Only a few pics this time, I still haven't done a thorough evaluation. This was the coldest winter in 8 years with prolonged freeze (weeks) and extreme cold (-27C and -30C a few weeks apart). This is a USDA zone 4b/5a, so basically everything is borderline (even Forsythia might be damaged again this year, I can confirm that soon!)
Here are some preliminary results:
Part of the cactus bed:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... kbPT"><img src="http://inlinethumb07.webshots.com/47110 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0972"></a>
Another view. The Yucca are, (front left) recurvfolia x filata (Tims cross), Yucca glauca (front right), elata (background).
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... wDTb"><img src="http://inlinethumb25.webshots.com/44696 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0973"></a>
Yucca glauca transplant and an unidentified Yucca (gloriosa?)
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... sgsz"><img src="http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/45547 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0974"></a>
These Yucca recurvfolia seedlings are supposed to die... It's hard to select a hardy strain when they all survive!
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... NWql"><img src="http://inlinethumb11.webshots.com/48266 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0975"></a>
Yucca elata (forground), variegated filamentosa (background):
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... GBQg"><img src="http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/47497 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0976"></a>
Various Phyllostachys. Yes, that is top kill.
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... MBiA"><img src="http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/47471 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0980"></a>

Rhododendron brachycarpum ssp. tigerstedtii (is fine, just cold):
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... nRni"><img src="http://inlinethumb51.webshots.com/45106 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0982"></a>
Don't have the I.D. for this one, but it has some serious burn!
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... ZfVt"><img src="http://inlinethumb01.webshots.com/46144 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0986"></a>

Magnolia sp. ready to grow!
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... mIDc"><img src="http://inlinethumb17.webshots.com/37392 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0992"></a>

More after next weekend!

Couldn't tell from the pics, but hopefully nothing's mushy.

Thanks for the pics, let's hope all is well.

Barb

Great pics, Paul! Which Phyllostachys have you found performs best in your area?

Everything looks really good dude. My bamboo looks similar, but not as bad as i feared.

Were any of your yucca multched?

Thats one tough Rhodo.... IT looks good dispite your lows paul!

nice job with the Y. recurvifolia seedlings.....still alive......they should take off this season. What's the source? It's a 'good' one.

Nice photos, Paul! Keep the updates coming.

I have been very impressed with southern magnolia after the record cold here last month. I have not seen a dead one yet, while virtually every other BLE out of the city heat island is defoliated above the snow line.

My interest in Fargesia rufa is going way up, BTW. You have some, right? How does it look?

Erik- I have 2 (or 3?) Fargesia specimens. The best in the cold if F. nitida, I would expect it to be too tender in the heat for you. F. rufa is OK in terms of hardiness, probably solid in zone 6 and seems better in the heat.

Tim- Those seeds came from (I think) either Rob or Rnady in Tennessee. Could be some natural hybrids in there. We shall see if they are really hardy once they grow above the snow line!

Cam- Of my Phyllostachys the best is P. aureosulcata, specifically the 'alata' form and the 'spectibilis' form. Nothing else has performed that well.

Jesse- No, the Yuccas are on their own.

I left my rufa uncovered since the end of february. If I COvered it during the night like i actualy planned too, it woulda been way better. Most Fargesia hates heat. My Rufa seemed to like my temps last summer (Ill say an average high of 25C and humid). Im not sure how they would do there, but they are more tolerant of heat and sun then most fargesia.

Looks good. Hopefully next winter is much warmer.

Double

Part of the cactus bed:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... kbPT"><img src="http://inlinethumb07.webshots.com/47110 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0972"></a>
What species of small cacti are you growing is this pic?

Wollemi- Too many to list here! The dead one in the centre (1 of 2 I lost this winter) was a Echinocereus rechenbachii. It's OK I have another 5 forms that are perfectly hardy!

You can see in this picture:
Opuntia phaecantha (~4 forms)
Opuntia basilaris (~4 forms?)
(Cylindr)opuntia kleinae
C. imbricata
C. viridiflora
Pediocactus simpsonii
Escobaria vivipara
Echinocereus viridiflorus
Opuntia macrorhiza

Etc.

At last count there were ~110 species and forms of cacti in this garden. And more on the way this year!

I finally got around to taking out the ash tree (it was diseased and damaged anyway) on the left of this picture, so the garden can be expanded, and have increased sunlight:

<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... WgUd"><img src="http://inlinethumb53.webshots.com/44916 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSC02485"></a>

Very nice garden, glad most survived.

Out of curiosity paul

Do you just mix some sand ( playground sand??), in with some of your native soil??


FYI - Theres a forsythia that seen a minimum uf -32C (before winds) this winter. I walked by it yesterday and the thing looks perfectly fine, I checked all the growth tips.. no dieback!!! I took a cutting to see if i can get it to root...

Jesse- What you see there (the cactus garden) is a north slope of a septic bed. The 'soil' there is 100% sand to which I added coarse 'Horticultural sand' followed by a 1" thick layer of pea-gravel. So, it is gravel, on sand, on sand. It is fairly fast draining! Most play sands are too fine to be useful in increasing drainage.

Note: The forsythia in that picture is from last April. They are not yet blooming here. Though, the Daffodils are beginning. 20C this weekend. Should be nice.

Where do you get your cacti from?

I've been collecting, trading, buying, germinating, etc. cacti for years and years. I'd say the single best place for Canadians to get their cacti is from beavercreek greenhouses. A simple google search will bring you to the site! Good luck!

Pretty cool garden!

Paul