The Year of the Lecture

(Nasella tenuissima,  Mexican Feather Grass, frames my friend's garden in Denver, CO)

2014 has become the year of the touring botanical lecture for me; I'm lucky enough to be all over North America giving talks.  A nice way to avoid doing actual work.  

Here's a moment to shamelessly announce them if you happen to be in the area.

18 January  Seed Exchange Logistics: Rocky Mountain Chapter of NARGS (at Denver Botanic)

21 January   Lesser-known Hardy Succulents: Colorado Cactus and Succulent Society  (at Denver Botanic)

15 March: Piedmont Chapter of NARGS, Raleigh, NC: (Plant Hunting in the Caucasus)

22 March: Southern Appalachian Chapter of NARGS, Asheville, NC: (Crevice Gardening)

26 May, Afternoon: Alpine Gardeners of Central Vancouver Island, Qualicum Beach, BC

27 May: Vancouver Island Rock Alpine Garden Society, Victoria, BC

28 May: Saltspring Island Garden Club, BC 

11 June Alpine Garden Club of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

12 June Calgary Rock & Alpine Garden Society (or, I love this: CRAGS!) Calgary, AB

Unexpected Autumn Colours, 2013 edition. In winter.

Owed to the fervent effort of avoiding winter blues and sitting-down activities, a fall colour blog just before Christmas.

Mirabilis multiflora doesn't always do wild things like this.  These are calyxes. (the leafy wrapper of the flower)

Winterfat, Krascheninnikovia lanata lets its old leaves go pink while recent ones, blue-white, will remain for winter.

Krascheninnikovia/ Eurotia/Ceratoides lanata's ("Winterfat" gets to be an appealing name!) fall color is more apparent with the aid of Catalpa leaves...

Ginkgo biloba and Euonymous elata

Ampelopsis brevipundunculata, or Porcelainberry vine to us mere mortals.

Enjoy your winter. 

Or survive it to enjoy the spring, at least.