Bill Quade of the Biltmore, Hedychium, 82

Plant of the Week:

Hedychium coronarium

An exotic looking perennial with an incredible scent, Hedychium, in my experience, is less of a ‘I’ll just pick one up at the nursery’ plant and more of a ‘who do I know who grows this’ plant. If you know someone, get a hunk— gardeners always love to share, including me, and I do have a burgeoning supply.

What I don’t have is the sense to have taken photos before I whacked it down for winter, so in the hopes of not being hauled off to copyright jail (and if I am found guilty, may copyright jail is a bit more posh than regular jail), the photos you see below have links to merchants who may not press charges.

Here’s a good shot of the foliage and the look of a mass planting. Mine is not this massive yet— ooh I like what I see of the future and more blooms= more scent, right? For sale at Keifer.

While looking for photos, I bumped into this and had to share…

I mean, Christmas is coming!

Also, for those of you with a strong entrepreneurial bent, this could be a way to work from home…

Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash

Painting and Plant Pairing

from

Karen Blair

You heard me mention my friend Karen Blair on the pod this week. Karen is a Charlottesville based painter whose work I know you would love. She is known for her joyous use of color. Her own garden and those of friends inspire the flowers and trees that are prevalent in her paintings.

I am so excited to have this partnership with Karen, and each week I feature here one of her paintings with a corresponding garden photo! Follow this link to see more of her paintings.

And follow her on Instagram here.

My stream, which I am tidying several times a week right now. I used to apply a net, but current thinking is better access for the birds and a bit of exercise for me is better.

Bill Quade, Director of Horticulture at America’s Largest Home

Gardens should speak to the scale of the homes that they enhance…

This makes for a tall order for the gardeners at The Biltmore.

But Bill Quade and his team are up to it, including changing out seasonal bedding and making sure that every plant in the glass Conservatory is looking perfect.

There is a still a strong connection to the original design by Frederick Law Olmsted, and you can read about that on the Biltmore website.

Sister Sue Ann at our October visit. I am not a mum girl, but these were impressive!
Oh, and yes, that bag indicates we had to do some shopping.

Bill struck me with his pride in the garden and his accessibility— you should feel free to ask any gardener you see at the Biltmore about the plants that you admire there. They want to share the horticultural love!