Garden Photo of the Day

Clematis and Carnivores in Carol’s Garden

Unusual beauties in a NC garden

close up of pitcher plants in a bog container

Today we’re visiting with Carol Lim, who gardens in Hendersonville, North Carolina, where she grows some beautiful and unusual plants.

close up of a Pitcher plant in a bog container with small tree behindSarracenia ‘Daina’s Delight’ (pitcher plant, Zones 5–9) is in the large bog container, with a seedling of Prunus ‘Bonfire’ (Zones 5–8) in the background. I brought the two bog container gardens from Pennsylvania in 2009 when I moved to North Carolina. I had some instruction from a North American Rock Garden Society group led by Larry Mellichamp where we made a bog garden.

close up of pitcher plants in a bog containerThe colorful leaves of pitcher plants lure in insects, which are caught and then provide nutrients the plant. The flowers rise up above the leaves to attract pollinators for a less dangerous interaction.

swallowtail butterfly resting on pitcher plantA swallowtail butterfly rests on incredibly colorful pitcher plant leaves. Don’t worry—the butterfly is too large to get trapped by the pitchers.

close up of pink Clematis texensis flowersI also have an extensive collection of native Clematis. This is Clematis texensis (Zones 4–8).

close up of dark pink Clematis viorna flowerAnother native Clematis, Clematis viorna (Zones 4–9)

close up of purple and pink native clematisHere is Clematis texensis growing with C. versicolor (Zones 5–9). I also grow C. carrizoensis, C. ochroleuca, and C. pitcheri. And I have some hybrids of those that have self-sown in the garden.

close up of purple Clematis Carol LimClematis ‘Carol Lim’ was named for me and registered with RHS by Roger Van Loon, a friend in Belgium.

large purple clemantis growing around tree branch garden structureA large-flowered clematis hybrid

pink Penstemon flowers next to yellow foxglovePink flowers of Penstemon smallii (Zones 5–8) with a yellow foxglove (Digitalis grandiflora, Zones 3–8)

 

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Comments

  1. user-7392754 05/22/2023

    Your bog gardens are fantastic!! I’ve tried some of the pitcher plants with limited success. They exist but don’t thrive for me. Yours look great! Love the twiggy sculpture above the clematis too!!! The clematis too are really beautiful!!! Thank you for sharing your unique and wonderful garden!

  2. Oxdriftgardener 05/22/2023

    Wow Carol, you certainly garden outside the box! Such rare beauty! Absolutely love that gnarly branch sculpture that you have for your clematis to climb on

  3. User avater
    simplesue 05/22/2023

    Those pitcher plants with the butterfly are gorgeous, as is the photography!
    I loved seeing your unusual plants- such an interesting post!

  4. btucker9675 05/22/2023

    Your garden is "wonder"full!!! I have one pitcher plant that I am babying along, hoping it will thrive one day. That structure of tree limbs is fantastic as if your collection of clematis. I'm taking notes...

  5. User avater
    cynthia2020 05/22/2023

    Carol - thank you for sharing your beautiful collection with us. Regarding: "Clematis ‘Carol Lim’ was named for me and registered with RHS by Roger Van Loon, a friend in Belgium." - That is so special! Congratulations! Reminds me of Ronald Liesner over at Missouri Botanical Garden. He has 78 plant species and one genus named after him.

  6. celoni 05/28/2023

    Carol,
    I am sitting in Zirconia right now. I came up for the garden festival. While hiking in the area I see plenty of may apples and a few pitcher plants, but you surely take your clematis and our NC natives to another level. Thanks for sharing.

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