Nancy Norris Common name: Dwarf parrot’s feather Latin name: Myriophyllum aquaticum minima Plant type: Water plant USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-10 (overwinter indoors in colder zones) Cultural needs: Full or partial sun in water Plant size: 2″ high and spreading Dwarf parrot’s feather is one of my favorite aquatics for its lacy, fluffy look and its […]
Nancy Lagomarsino and Jacques Verdier are long-time O scale (1:48) collectors. After volunteering at the San Leandro Historical Railway Society’s (www.slhrs.org) G&O Railroad (containing both G and O scales), they were understandably inspired and motivated to dust off their collection to run in the great outdoors. Choosing O scale gives garden railroaders the advantage of […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Watch chain stonecrop Latin name: Sedum sexangulare Plant type: groundcover USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9 Cultural needs: full sun, average to dry soil with good drainage Plant size: 6-10″ Often used on green roofs for a quick covering, watch chain stonecrop is both dainty and rugged. Like most stonecrops of the genus, […]
In the Spring 2019 issue, Nancy Norris shares photographs of nine public spaces designed to inspire you. We’ve assembled all of the related links here for you to access quickly. Gabis Arboretum at Purdue University: tinyurl.com/gabisarboretum A “The sedum spectrum,” June 2013. B “Using red in the railway,” June 2014. C “Massing plants to frame […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Japanese spurge, Pachysandra Latin name: Pachysandra terminalis Plant type: Groundcover USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-8 Cultural needs: Moist, well-drained soil; full shade to full sun Plant size: 6-8″ high, spreading aggressively Close up of leaves Nancy Norris Sometimes we need a groundcover to simply cover the ground in hardy greenness to prevent […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Dwarf balsam fir, dwarf silver fir Latin name: Abies balsamea ‘Nana’ Plant type: Dwarf conifer USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8 Cultural needs: Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil; sun or part shade Plant size: 10″ in 10 years Dwarf silver fir’s dark green, fragrant needles (silver underneath) form a compact mound. Trim lower […]
Photo 1 The author’s Hoot ’n’ Holler Railroad in the early stage of transplanting shrubs into amended and prepared soil. The upper-level track is mostly in place and being used, while the lower-level track has yet to be laid. Don Parker Photo 2 The middle of the tiny, white-edged lady’s mantle (Alchemilla faeroensis ‘Pumila’, Zones […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Lip fern, Silver cloak fern Latin name: Cheilanthes argentea Plant type: Perennial USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9 Cultural needs: Sun to part shade; well drained, slightly acidic, poor soil Plant size: 6″ high and wide The perfect dwarf fern for railway gardens elevated on rocks is the lip fern. Able to withstand […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Blue Star juniper Latin name: Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’ Plant type: Dwarf conifer USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9 Cultural needs: Moist, well drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil; sun or part shade Plant size: 2′ x 3′, spreading Blue Star juniper is a selection from Asian parentage, the Himalayan juniper. A plant […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Scab plant Latin name: Raoulia australis Plant type: Groundcover USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-10 Cultural needs: Dry, well-drained soil, sun or part shade Plant size: under 1″ high by 12″ wide Raoulia (Ra-OO-lee-uh) admittedly has way too many vowels but it does sound better than “scab plant,” its common name. The silvery […]
Photo 1 The Tempinski family shares the fun of working on the Perryman Valley Railroad. Michele has evolved a tree technique that works. In front, she’s lined up open clumps with multiple trunks. Several others hug the buildings. She used to grow English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens var.) but now prefers Japanese small-leaf box (Buxus microphylla […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Littleleaf box or boxwood, small-leaf boxwood Latin name: Buxus microphylla USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9 (4-10 with proper cultivation) Cultural needs: Well drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil; sun or part shade Plant size: 6″ to 4′ high and wide, depending on cultivar Railroaders welcome bright-green miniatures and dwarfs from the group […]
