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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
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© 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
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© 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