Rufous hummingbird gathering nectar from flowers of Embothrium coccineum in mid-June . ( Photo by Janine Anderson )
Pacific Connections in Your Garden !
15 Plants from the Arboretum ’ s Iconic Display That Will Invigorate Your Backyard
B y J a n i n e A n d e r s o n
What is it about the Arboretum ’ s Pacific Connections Garden that makes my heart race ? It can ’ t be the altitude , as it ’ s barely above sea level , so it must be the exquisite array of flora represented in the collection .
The plants derive from five seemingly disparate regions , including our own ( Cascadia , represented by the Siskiyou Mountains of coastal Oregon ) and selected areas of China , Chile , Australia and New Zealand . These regions all border the Pacific Ocean and are part of the Pacific Rim of Fire . Although three of them are in the Southern Hemisphere , all the regions are latitudinally and climatically compatible with Cascadia and can invigorate the plant palette of area gardeners .
So far , just two of the five forests planned for Pacific Connections ( New Zealand and Cascadia ) have been completed . However , the five preview gardens installed around the central meadow demonstrate how plant species and varieties from each region can be combined in an attractive manner that one can mimic in a residential landscape . Following are profiles of three plants from each of the five regions that will inspire you to globetrot in your own backyard .
CHILE I was dumbstruck when I first laid eyes on the fiery-red tubular flowers of Embothrium coccineum ( Chilean fire bush ). A hummingbird ’ s idea of heaven , the small , semi-deciduous tree offers three-season interest on a narrow , rangy
10 v Washington Park Arboretum Bulletin