Moss viewing & 'Myogi' azalea

by aleks

SJG • 6/14/15 - Moss in Area S, behind the azumaya...Maggie got the name from Patty,
the senior gardener: probably Polatrichum commune
-  the stems appearing like a Cryptomeria Tree.

• MOSS:  One of the most frequent questions from visitors is about moss in the Garden: so much of it, but it is not even listed in the Plant List...  So the Plant Committee decided to take closer look at it, and 'look' is about all we got so far:  books got opened, libraries visited and great email discussion on the moss ensued.  According to local literature (Arthur Lee Jacobson: 'The Crytogamic Carpet --Mosses in Seattle' ) we might have about 100+ or more different mosses here, and nobody seems really that interested to study them.  Found The world of Mosses, which lists 430+ different mosses for Ontario!

SJG • 6/14/15 - shaggy, carpet like moss in tea House Garden (Area W) 

So a couple of days ago I took my camera and signed myself for 'moss viewing' at the gate; what I found was most fascinating:  we have at least 4-5 different kinds of moss on the ground: some short, looking like tiny stars, same longer, thick and shaggy like a carpet, and some wavy/curly, appearing like bunch of spiders on the ground.

SJG • 6/14/15 - spider-like braided curly moss on the hill at the end of ZZE

And then, of course, there is a moss on the trees... I don't think I even want to venture there, before we figure out what kind of mosses we have on the ground; but I took a few pics.

SJG • 6/14/15 - moss on osmanthus x burkwoodii tree in D

Edit 6/16/15: to add to references from Maggie on moss:

1.)  her favorite book for identifying mosses in the NW: 'Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Alaska' by By Andy MacKinnon & Jim Pojar (link will take you to Elliot Bookstore)
2.) link to Zen Garden in Netherland, where she found a very informative webpage on grand-covers, including moss

• 'MYOGI' azalea: finally caught blooming!  It lives in a long clump in Area B, along the connector path, listed as 'corolla white', and eluded me for a number of years. This year  it bloomed mid June and is indeed white with small pink sections here and there. Very beautiful!

SJG • 6/14/15 - Rhodeodendron indium 'Myogi', azalea - Area B

SJG • 6/14/15 - bonus picture for your enjoyment:  little visitors on a stepping stone ...