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2008 CatalogOrder the 2008 Catalog printed on genuine paper for $4. Free with plant order. Digging Dog Nurserya mail order plant nurseryon the Mendocino Coast of California p.o. box 471 Albion, CA 95410 phone: (707) 937-1130 fax: (707) 937-2480 Customer Comment:“This has been a very satisfying experience.” ~J. in California view Digging Dog's comments with Dave’s Garden (The Garden Watchdog) |
Perennials at Digging Dog
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| Like a kinetic sculpture in the wind, this Dierama’s elegant pink bellflowers dangle from strong, wiry stems that arch above its stiff, linear foliage. As a specimen against a darker background or on a slope, Dierama pulcherrimum will bring drama to your garden. Blooms June–August. Size: 4'–5' high x 4'–5' wide; hardy to zone 7. Dierama pulcherrimum (P-0060) Dierama robustum |
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Cantonese Fairy BellsWith a cultivar name that honors where it originated, Heronswood Nursery, and perhaps alludes to the majestic Black-Crowned Night Heron, this woodland treasure unfurls tall, bamboo-style stalks and magnificent midnight purple leaves. The polished evergreen clumps possess a straight-up, dignified and dark presence, offsetting spring’s myriad greenery. Deciduous in cooler climates, the foliage lightens to a greenish purple come summer while lining decorative stems marked by golden tan paperlike bracts at each node. In graceful repose, the tips bow, revealing terminal clusters of small, white bells, and later, abundant purple-black berries. A lover of rich, moist sites, ‘Night Heron’ is easy to cultivate, gives its best show en masse and makes a refined counterpoint to Rodgersia aesculifolia’s bold demeanor. Blooms April–July. Size: 4'–5' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 5. Disporum cantoniense Night Heron (p-1333) DoronicumDoronicum orientale ‘Magnificum’
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Leopard’s BaneIf you’re feeling disappointed just as your daffodils begin to fade, don’t despair. Plant some Leopard’s Bane! Harbingers of early spring cheer and named for their power to ward off wild beasts, no garden should be without these easy-to-grow European perennials, whose solitary, 2 in. wide many-petaled daisies create quite a sunny splash in a shady border or woodland garden. The excellent-for-cutting yellow flowers rise on long slender stems above a bright, glossy green clump of broad, kidney-shaped, deeply toothed leaves that stay low to the ground, go slightly dormant come summer and appreciate a moist, sandy loam when actively growing. Blooms April–May. Size: 20" high x 20" wide; hardy to zone 5. Doronicum orientale Magnificum (p-1331) DracocephalumDragon’s HeadIf you’re looking for something showy to infill cracks and crevices throughout the rockery, this long-lived charmer could be your choice. A virtually carefree perennial, Dragon Head’s handsome, dark green tidy mounds and terminal spikes of little Snapdragon-like flowers guarantee to captivate, especially when massed. Dracocephalum argunense ‘Fuji Blue’ |
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Yellow Mountain AvensInhabiting the chilly haunts of the Arctic, northern North America from Alaska to Newfoundland and south to Montana, this stalwart, dwarf perennial is named for the Greek nymph Dryas. Oblong, evergreen and toothed, the glossy dark green foliage resembles tiny oak leaves with white wooly undersides. Leafy, creeping reddish stems form a loose ground-hugging mat that bronzes at the onset of winter. Nodding yellow bells held by decorative, brown-haired green calyxes ring in summer. An ideal choice for the rockery or alpine garden, its long, silvery feathered seed heads keep our interest sparked, while a cool and open, well drained locale keeps this charming sun lover content. Blooms June–July. Size: 6"–10" high x 12" wide; hardy to zone 3. Dryas drummondii (P-1375) EchinaceaConeflowerNotable for a dashing display of bold, daisylike cut flowers and an easy-to-get-along-with personality, Echinacea is favored by beginning and experienced gardeners alike for its colorful yet indestructible nature. Sculpted with prominent and raised central cones, the hefty flower heads of this summer blooming perennial are lifted above the greenery on sturdy stems, which are strong enough to hold them without staking. Native to the eastern and central U.S., the dark green, lanceolate leaves are reminiscent of a close relative, Rudbeckia. Perfect in a perennial border or peppered throughout a meadow garden, Coneflower’s erect stalks complement the more relaxed look of other plants. Echinacea ‘Harvest Moon™’ |
| Topping erect mahogany-hued stems, snowy spheres provide a statuesque element heightened by prickly, silver-washed greenery. Planted with stately companions like Aconitum, Digitalis ‘Gigantea Gelber Herold’ and Veronicastrum, its noble orbs appear to glow. Blooms July–early September. Size: 2-1/2'–3' high x 18" wide; hardy to zone 4. Echinops sphaerocephalus Arctic Glow (p-0845) EchiumEchium russicum |
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Miss Willmott’s GhostBack in Victorian times, Miss Willmott was so enamored with this Eryngium that she secretly scattered its seeds in other people’s gardens. And once you’ve seen the flowers, you’ll wish she’d visited yours! Like some ornate Elizabethan ruff, the bracts—ghostly white, rigid and long-toothed—subtend exquisite, 4 in. silvery green flower cones. Supported by sturdy, widely branched stiff stems, the extraordinary blooms fade to buff, remaining decorative until frost above glossy basal leaves that are deeply heart-shaped and spineless. Absolutely show stopping in the border or a container, alluring to bees and unparalleled as a dried flower, the magnificent Giant Sea Holly may not be long-lived, but endures by self-seeding. Blooms July–September. Size: 3'–4' high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 5. Eryngium giganteum (p-1180) Eryngium planum ‘Blaukappe’ |
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White Fawn LilySome say it’s the mottled leaves resembling a fawn’s spotted back that evoke the common name, others think its the delicate thin stems and graceful flowers conjuring a young deer’s light-on-its-feet stance. Either way this demure Pacific northwest native is sure to please. A lustrous base of broad, ripple-edged green and brown foliage stage numerous, nodding decorative “lanterns” on tall stems. Warmed by butter yellow centers, the elegant blooms spotlight creamy alabaster-colored petals whose slender, pointed tips curve back. A vigorous, undemanding woodland bulb for carpeting the ground beneath a native shrub such as Ribes, the White Fawn Lily appreciates a deep planting in well drained soil and dry conditions once the clump disappears in June. Blooms April. Size: 8" high x 10" wide; hardy to zone 5. AVAILABLE EARLY SPRING 2009 Erythronium oregonum (p-1335) EucomisPineapple LilyA phenomenal display from a wondrous bulb, Eucomis belongs to the Lily family and calls tropical southern Africa its home. While its bold architectural lines beg a prominent spot in the ground or in a container, Pineapple Lily prefers warm, sunny nooks with mulched, well drained soil, and protection from excessive winter cold and moisture. Eucomis ‘Toffee’ |
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The sumptuous burgundy-red, semierect rosette of strapping, waxy leaves appears more green as the weather warms. Crowned by a pineapple-like cluster of leaves, densely set starry flowers envelope thick, cylindrical maroon spikes. The purple blossoms display unique greenish tones, and add dramatic, long lasting highlights to arrangements. Showy persistent seed capsules follow. Blooms late July–September. Size: 2'–2-1/2' high x 2-1/2'–3' wide; hardy to zone 8. AVAILABLE APRIL 2008 Eucomis comosa Sparkling Burgundy (P-1263) Eucomis pole-evansii |
| In late spring, ‘Gateway’s vigorous shoots burst through the mulch. Wine-red stems develop large green coriaceous leaves, lending mass to the middle or back of the border. The dense, broad flower clusters bloom in a lavender-purple that’s both strong and soft. This uniquely muted shade feels like fall, and blends well with other late bloomers. Try it with Rudbeckia or Aster cordifolius. Blooms August–September. Size: 4' high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 4. Eupatorium purpureum ssp. maculatum Gateway (P-0067) Eupatorium rugosum ‘Chocolate’ |
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Distinctive and drought tolerant, this Euphorbia deserves to be used as a specimen. Its cylindrical flower heads are yellow-green and can reach 6 to 9 in. across and 9 in. high. Combine with an understory of Nepeta and Heuchera ‘Apple Blossom’, and enjoy the dynamic array of bloom color. Blooms March–June. Size: 3'–5' high x 3'–4' wide; hardy to zone 7. Euphorbia characias ssp. wulfenii (P-0294) Euphorbia characias ssp. wulfenii ‘John Tomlinson’ |
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