There may not be much in the way of blooms this time of year so I took to taking random photos to feed my need for “action”. Some of these I liked because of the lighting, some because birds equal spring and some, well, I just shot for shits and giggles. Enjoy.
No “Wordless Wednesday” post for me today. You want to know why? Cause I ain’t got nothing going on. Even after crawling around in the wet, nasty clay, I couldn’t find anything of interest, let alone anything blooming.
So just know that I despise all of you who have daffodils or crocuses or hellebores blooming.
In order to make myself feel better, I am giving you a post about a fave plant of mine – ‘Joan Senior’ daylily.
I am by no means a daylily expert, not yet at least. To get all the information you’ll need on all things Hemerocallis, check out this link –
http://www.daylilies.org/
Some quick nuggets on Joan Senior:
Hopefully there will be some action in my gardens real soon so I can stop dreaming of April and May.
Until next time.
ONG
This is a re-post of an older entry of mine (with a few tweaks) but felt it was appropriate for this time of year as we anxiously wait for the viburnum blooms to emerge. This one has been a consistent performer for me since day one. Enjoy:
All gardeners are in search of plants that offer multi-seasonal interest, especially those of us living in colder climates. We also love plants that are dynamic and change throughout the seasons; plants that reinvent themselves as the months go by. Well ladies and gents, I would like to share one of those with you today.
I have lived in my current home for about six years and when we moved in, we had a completely blank slate. Not a plant to be found other than one large tree at the back of the property. The first shrub I planted was a Viburnum Plicatum ‘Shoshoni’. I had never had owned one before (do we really own our plants? A debate for another day) since I didn’t have enough space. Viburnums are typically large specimens but when I found ‘Shoshoni’ at the local nursery (thank you Rutgers Nursery) I was pumped to see that is was more diminutive than most.
Some of it’s attributes:
More than a few times this winter I have reviewed all of my garden photos in a “slide show” as a means to get myself all pumped up for the spring/summer. Each time, there are certain plants that have me dreaming big when they pop up on the screen. These are plants that are only a year or two old and have yet to put on their best show.
I’d like to share my optimism with you today and please, share any experiences you may have had with any of these. Just make sure you lie to me if there is anything negative; I’m on too much of a high right now to be brought back down to reality.
I purchased a bunch of Helenium autumnale at a native plant sale last spring and I was blessed with a never ending amount of blooms in late summer.
But, I did a poor job of pruning for height control and left these in an exposed location so they toppled over rather easily. With a new locale and a pruning plan, I expect monstrous results from these natives this summer.
Another native, Amsonia tabernaemontana (Eastern bluestar), was planted two years ago and has not only remain untouched by the deer (due to it’s sap on the leaves) but has also survived in a spot that remains wet at times. However, it has yet to bloom real well and it’s biggest selling point, the yellow, smoke-like fall foliage has not been there as expected. So, everyone say it with me, this is the year to take it to the next level.
I was happy to get a few blooms on a few different Siberian Iris ‘Snow Queen’ last spring and hope to double that output this spring. Isn’t she a beauty?
I loaded up on Chasmanthium Latifolium (or as you common folk call them, northern sea oats) in the Fall of 2009 and they have not disappointed. They worked from spring to late Fall and I would love more of the same this year, even some reseeding is OK (should I be careful what I wish for?).
I am a sucker for foliage, especially anything in the red/maroon/scarlet family and I planted a few Hibiscus ‘Kopper King’ late last summer. I honestly could skip on the blooms as long as the foliage looks good all season. I liked how they stood out as somewhat of a focal point and contrasted real well with all of the other green foliage. Bigger and badder this year please.
Miscanthus ‘Super Stripe’ was slow to grow last year but damn, I love that variegation. Let’s agree to double in size this year OK?
Miscanthus ‘Variegatus’ gets real big and can flop but I’m not scared. I have two planted where they can get as big as they want and I’ll deal with the floppiness if necessary.
Echinacaea ‘Fragrant Angel’ – beautiful blooms and beautiful scent – just want MORE MORE AND MORE.
I know that Sambucus ‘Black Lace’ will struggle in my poor draining soil and will be nibbled by the deer but I have to have it. So, I plan on growing it in a large container as a specimen on my deck. That foliage is sweet and hopefully this year it gets close to “specimen” size.
And last but not least, we have Baptisia ‘Twilite Prairieblues’ which had some blooms last year that were stunning. From all indications, I should expect the plants to at least double in size and produce a lot more blooms this year and that my friends, would friggin rule!
Good night and welcome back to the work week.
ONG
Fourteen years ago, I purchased my very first shrub for our first home. It was a ‘Nikko Blue’ hydrangea and my wife fell in love with the blue blooms. I stuck her (the shrub, not my wife) right next to my front steps, up against the foundation thinking “I’ll have these blooms and wonderful foliage all year. This gardening thing is easy.”
Year one with my hydrangea was OK, but like a gardening novice, I pruned the hydrangea back heavily the following spring and cut off all that year’s blooms. I then moved the shrub to another location which was exposed to the elements and for the next two years, all I got was some weak foliage. I was hydr-angered and ready to give up on this high maintenance SOB.
Fast forward a few years and a few kids later and to a new home. I am now a hardcore gardener with new found patience (kids taught me that) and ready to bring hydrangeas back into the mix. Only problem was that I had very little shade, few “protected” areas and a lot of deer. That is where the ‘Endless Summer’ hydrangea comes into play.
Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Endless Summer’ is a mophead type hydrangea that blooms on both old and new wood. “Old wood” meaning it forms it’s buds the previous season on the older gray looking branches. “New wood” meaning it also produces blooms on the current year’s growth, the green branches. This just about promises you blooms throughout the season even if the old wood/buds didn’t survive the winter or were victim of a late freeze in spring:
Some other little factoids on this shrub:
Here are some additional photos and hopefully, now that I’ve left them in the same location for a full season and do not plan on moving them again, I will get even better photos this summer (assuming the deer still can’t find them).
As much as I like the blooms, the foliage looks tremendous all spring, summer and fall:
My whitish/pink blooms from last year:
Now I must confess, I feel like I am cheating a bit by using these instead of some of the more classic options (like Nikko Blue) where it takes a little more effort to get it right. I also don’t like the fact that they can be found in every Lowe’s and Home Depot across the country. But, some times something just “works” and you need to accept that and move on. This is one of those times.
ONG
The original plan was to do a Wordless Wednesday post today, including additional photos from the Philadelphia Flower Show.
Well you know what? Screw that, I want to get down and dirty today. Let’s get ugly and real and blow off those precious blooms that I’ll never dream of replicating. Who’s with me? Let’s do this thing.
Shit kicking boots on? Check
Hoodie on? Check
Camera? Check
Cell phone in case we get stuck in the muck? Check
You still here? Sweet … onward.
I’m not sure what you call these creatures but I’ve read about them in an old encyclopedia. The term is “bird” and apparently they reappear here in the Northeast when the weather warms up.
What they said was true, Boltonia is tough enough to survive wet feet over the winter. Now let’s see if all this talk of re-seeding is true. If so, I welcome it with open arms.
Welcome back Lobelia siphilitica, you sexy little native you. You have been added to the tough perennial club for making it through the winter. Now let’s kick some ass all season.
Son of a $%^&%! The cool season grasses need to be cut back now and I need to get going on this gargantuan task.
ONG
I took the day off from work today and headed west into the “City of Brotherly Love” for the Philadelphia International Flower Show. It may have been cold and painfully windy, but the thought of seeing actual colors other than gray and brown was too damn enticing.
This year’s theme is “Springtime in Paris” and honestly, you could have told me the theme was “Cow dung time in Hell” and I still would have happily attended knowing there would be actual flowers this time of year. But I digress.
Upon entering the main room, attendees were greeted with quite the first impression:
And the Paris theme was immediately evident throughout the entire room:
But you know what? I was immediately taken by the smells more than anything else and these smells led me away like in the old cartoons when the dog would float in the air following the smell of a steak. I completely forgot about the theme of the event and was mesmerized by the PLANTS and only the PLANTS.
I’ve talked enough already, I leave you with some of the photos taken today and will have even more in the days to come. Enjoy.
Before I announce the winner, I wanted to let you all know I had 52 entries which was an awesome turn-out and thank you all for participating.
I used random.org to pick the winner but couldn’t get the screen shot into this post so you’ll just have to trust me … and why wouldn’t you?
Anyway, the random number chosen was 4 so I picked the 4th comment on the original contest post and that commenter, and winner of this esteemed contest is … MeemsNYC!
Congrats and I will have the gift certificate sent to you via email in the very near future.
Let me throw one last set of “props” to Santa Rosa for sponsoring the contest. And one last photo of my treasured Miscanthus ‘Gracillimus’ I purchased from them a few years back:
Have a great weekend everyone!
John
I present to you today my “top seven” reasons why I friggin love Nepeta (Catmint) ‘Walker’s Low’. Why seven? Because I don’t want Letterman’s people to accuse me of stealing any of their ideas. Plagiarism is a hot topic right now in the gardening world. For a super interesting read on this from an awesome writer, click here.
Anyhoo, when I photographed the small new growth on one of my Catmint plants yesterday, I was immediately reminded of just how much I love this perennial. And here are seven reasons why:
2)The blooms attract the bees in droves:
3)They are fantastic planted in large masses as edging plants:
4)They combine incredibly well with other perennials and shrubs:
5)The foliage emerges early and fills in quickly each Spring:
6)They take well to an early summer pruning and will bloom again later in the summer:
7)They hold up well deep into the fall so they provide true three season interest:
You feelin me dawg?
