Here in the Pacific Northwest my appetite for Ribes has grown by leaps and bounds. Ribes sanguineum (winter or red-flowering currant) is the current favorite. A west coast native (British Columbia down to northern California), it is an understory and edge shrub blooming in early spring (March-April here in Portland) with upright, arching branches in a loose, open habit.

FLOWERS: Pendulous chains (racemes) of tubular flowers about 3″ long dangle from bare stems. They float on the slightest breeze and perfume the air with a delicate scent. Flowers are mostly soft pink when fully opened; darker in bud. White, hot pink, reddish pink, and crimson-flowered cultivars are available to gardeners. All are pleasantly fragrant and attract hummingbirds.

SIZE: 6 to 12 ft. high and wide, depending on cultivar.

FOLIAGE: Leaves are 3- to 5-lobed, 2 to 4″ wide, and dark green.

FRUITS: Ripened glaucous blue-black berries later in the season are attractive to robins, thrushes, towhees, and finches.

CULTIVARS:
‘King Edward VII’ – deep rose-red flowers; compact habit, 5 to 6 ft. high
‘Elk River’ – dark, crimson-red flowers; strong upright habit
‘Pokey’s Pink’ – candy pink
‘Pulborough Scarlet’ – deep red flowers
White Icicle – white flowers

GROWING TIPS: Full sun to part shade. Well-drained soils – good drainage is critical. Tolerates summer drought once established. Summer irrigation is Ribes worst enemy.

HARDINESS: USDA 5-6 (7-10 on West Coast)

Check out this “lead” article in the winter 2011-2012 issue of Rock Garden Quarterly, bulletin of The North American Rock Garden Society on my partner Andrew – his job at Timber Press as Editorial Director and our former Loomis Creek Nursery in New York’s Hudson Valley. Click on the link to a pdf of full article.

New Man at Timber Press/Rock Garden Quarterly

Hellebores (Lenten rose) get my vote for Plant of the Week – hands-down! These sturdy, indestructible perennials provide a big dose of early spring flowers in an ever-expanding array of colors and forms.

May 20 Container Workshop – win a ticket!
Sunday, May 20, two sessions (9:30-12 noon, and 1:30-4 PM); at Margaret Roach’s garden (Copake Falls, New York-about an hour from Albany, two from New York City metro area and two and a half hours from Boston).

$45 (includes liquid refreshments and a snack). Registration and class details.

WE CALL IT ‘CONTAINED EXUBERANCE,’ the container-garden workshop that Margaret Roach and I do in May of each year at her garden in the Hudson Valley of New York. You can buy a ticket for one of the two sessions on Sunday, May 20 – or enter to win one ($45 value).  These workshops always sell out …. so hurry.

We’ll cover potting soils, annuals, perennials and even trees and shrubs in outdoor pots, overwintering tactics + the design and staging of pots in the garden.  The workshop includes a garden walk-through at Margaret’s acclaimed garden + plants for sale from Landcraft Environments.

How to Enter the Ticket Drawing – WIN ONE OF TWO TICKETS we’re holding from sale by simply commenting at Margaret’s blog awaytogarden.com and telling us one thing you’re planning to put in pots at your place this year. Note: If you want to guarantee a spot at the workshop, go ahead and purchase a ticket and we’ll refund your cost after the drawing, which will be held after entries close at midnight Friday, May 4. Winners will be chosen at random, using the tool from random (dot) org.

Find out where Bob will speak, lead a workshop, or recommend a horticultural event.

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