I'm late reporting Douglas Justice's April blog: April in the Garden 2025 - UBC Botanical Garden, with the usual information and good photos. I didn't have time to do more than a small walk, photographing what I came across that I liked. Garden Explorer has returned with a new URL (https://ubc.gardenexplorer.org/) and a working map. The old URL will redirect to the new location soon. I think I did find one plant in the blog, if this is really Rhododendron lutescens. Edited: With the help of Garden Explorer, I finally figured out that my very out-of-focus label shot says Rhododendron lutescens 'Bagshot Sands'. Rhododendron denudatum Rhododendron pseudochrysanthum Rhododendron rufum On Douglas's walk yesterday, he talked about how interesting he found looking at the tree structure of trees not in bloom. So here is Rhododendron 'Leonard Messel', with such striking dark bark.
Here are two other favourites. The Melliodendron xylocarpum on the entrance plaza did not have enough flowers open to make me think to photograph the tree, but I've always loved the flowers. Bergenia are in bloom now. Bergenia emeiensis var. emeiensis Bergenia emeiensis var. rubellina - I like the huge calyces on these, and they're so visible on these nodding flowers.
Here are some more rhododendrons not in the blog. I posted Rhododendron denudatum above, but didn't include the leaf undersides. Rhododendron 'Wakehurst' was the showiest. Here is Rhododendron augustinii subsp. augustinii 'Lackamas Blue' and Rhododendron augustinii subsp. chasmanthum 'Blue Cloud' Rhododendron pubescens
Here's a nice patch of Lysichiton camtschatcensis-white skunk cabbage, from far-east Russia and Japan.
