Blooms Archives - Page 4 of 8 - The Obsessive Neurotic Gardener

Garden update

Posted on May 28, 2015 by jmarkowski Posted in Blooms, Spring .

A few quick notes before we check out the latest and greatest in my world renowned garden today.

My mother-in-law has come and gone, we had great family time, ate like champions and most importantly, had some serious plant discussions. I should also add that she lives outside of Portland so I couldn’t be more jealous of her gardening climate and conditions.

My wife and I had a “day date” on Sunday (thanks dad-in-law) and spent the day out in neighboring Lambertville, NJ. I love my kids to pieces, but I can’t say that I missed them too much that day.

I’ve talked about my love of baseball on numerous occasions, but my number one sports love is hockey, specifically the New York Rangers. They will be playing in a game 7 this Friday night to determine who goes to the Stanley Cup finals. Please remember them in your prayers because if they lose, I may not be able to write another blog post.

On to the latest and greatest out in my garden.

Finally, the Iris versicolor (Blue Flag) are blooming, but the blooms are somewhat hidden by the foliage so it has little impact unless viewed up close.

The Siberian irises ‘Snow Queen’ are also blooming and damn, they look handsome.

I’ve discussed pruning Weigela ‘Wine and Roses’ in the past and I am sad to report that 2 of my 3 W&R have perished over the past few winters. The one surviving shrub has never been pruned, 6 years and counting, and she still looks OK.

My mother-in-law witnessed my weekday plant shopping as she saw my large noggin surrounded by plants as I pulled my car into the driveway one day last week. Said plants were Meadow Rues I excitedly discovered at my favorite local nursery, Ambleside Gardens. The two below are ‘Black Stockings’ and their incredible black stems. I am hooked.

Baptisia in full effect.

I cannot say enough good things about Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’. My current collection of 13 will only get larger over the years.

My big plan of an impactful blue and orange combo never really panned out with Trollius and Salvia. This is the best there ever was. John’s grade: C-

My absolute favorite time in the garden is early evening as the sun is setting. Still need things to fill in a bit more, but we are getting there.

And finally, I am sad to report that I lost two Itea ‘Henry’s Garnet’ over this past winter. I have no idea why, but it is interesting that the bark was exposed as seen below. Any ideas? They’ve been replaced by two Panicum ‘Dallas Blues’, but they will be missed.

Trying to impress

Posted on May 18, 2015 by jmarkowski Posted in Blooms, Family .

Cohesion might be an issue today.

I am painfully exhausted after a weekend executing plan “Weed Shock and Awe”.

I got up at 6:00 on both Saturday and Sunday morning and spent two hours each day weeding like a man possessed. The hope was that the ferocity of my weed removal would send a message to other newly forming weeds that there was a new sheriff in town. Think twice before you decide to put on 6 inches of new growth in one day, because I’ll destroy you. I was that bad ass.

Admittedly, my relentless and focused demeanor was impressive and while the results were substantial, I’m still not comfortable sharing them with you. There is still a ways to go and only then will I share my success. To do so now would be weak and unearned.

While part of my motivation was to remove unwanted visitors who were uglying up the joint, my main driver was the arrival of my in-laws who are staying with us for the week. And I mean that in the best way possible.

No one amongst my family, friends and neighbors takes more of an interest in my garden than my mother-in law. She gets in the mix and takes in all of the plants up close and personal. She is interested in the names of the plants and their preferred growing conditions. She puts up with me using the Latin names. She remembers when some of the plants were just babies. She asks for advice and welcomes my rambling responses. It is awesome.

Because of this, I owe her a garden that doesn’t appear to be neglected or under construction. It is a time for me to make it some what presentable and I like that. A pause in the constant tinkering and shuffling of plants. A mini garden tour if you will. I enjoy prepping for it even if I put it all off until two days prior to her arrival.

After the work was done and the calf cramps had passed (I never remember if you are supposed to point the toes out or towards you) I finally had a chance to take in the garden in a non task-oriented way this evening. I was wobbly and a bit disoriented but managed to snap off some photos along the way and I’ll do my best to add some ~~unnecessary~~ much needed commentary. I apologize in advance if it makes zero sense.

This is relatively young Lilac and it is fully blooming for the first time. I tried to capture it best with this shot.

Looks OK but I really like this pic better.

And the reason is I love the peony blooms in the background. Come to think of it, I like peony buds more than I like the actual flowers in bloom. The buds equal promise and sometimes promise is better than the actual delivery. Well that and the blooms haven’t weighed down to the ground, been eaten by the deer or have disappeared within two days.

Allium ‘Globemaster’ makes a statement like no other while in bloom. Soon it will be inundated with bees and creatures and will be the star of the garden. It even kicks butt when the blooms fade as it takes on an architectural quality.

And the Baptisia in the back are quite lovely as well ain’t they. Speaking of Baptisia (I’m nailing the transitions today like an 11:00 news anchor) …

The Baptisia blooms are working their way up the stem just like science says they are supposed to.

Soon enough, this view will dominate.

I was taking a macro shot of this Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’ flower (I know, enough already) …

… when the guy below arrived. How convenient for this budding professional photgrapher.

All of the ‘Blue Ice’ are ready to explode, just in time to replace the “purple/blue” view afforded by the quickly fading Ajuga blooms.

Still haven’t divided those Siberian irises I’ve been threatening to attend to for two years now, They will be blooming within days so missed opportunity number 1. Will now have to accomplish post bloom. Chances of that happening? Slightly better than me watching an episode of the Kardashians.

I think my severe pruning of the Salix pissed it off and now it is going to take over and eat all of its surrounding neighbors. Wow.

Transition to be nailed yet again … the other the severely cut back shrub from weeks ago, the Redtwig Dogwood, woke up and removed all of my panic and potential regrets.

I hate to admit this, but I never heard of a Diervilla … so I bought one.

Hot damn, the color of Ninebark ‘Amber Jubilee’ is awesome.

Flowers

Posted on May 12, 2015 by jmarkowski Posted in Blooms .

I tend to favor foliage over flowers because of the fleeting nature of those big old blooms. But I still appreciate the hell out of flowers when they arrive in spring and today is one of those days where they must be appropriately honored:

Exhibit A as to why ignoring a plant is often your best option. I got this Clematis from the Garden Writer’s Conference back in August and just stuck it in the ground not expecting a damn thing. Note to self: leave well enough alone more often.

Geranium ‘Espresso’ is now in full bloom and the bloom color looks fantastic in contrast to the chocolate colored foliage.

This is really the only orange blooming plant I own, Trollius ‘Golden Queen’.

Daffodil ‘Green Pearl’ was planted this past autumn and first impression is that I like it. You can’t tell from the photo, but there is a green ‘eye’, hence the name.

I moved and divided a few Phlox ‘Emerald Blue’ last year and so far so good. I like it spilling on to the front walkway.

This lilac smells even better than she looks.

I could sit there for a week straight and watch the Allium blooms unfold.

Amsonia tabernaemontana looking good.

As does Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’

The tiniest sign of color on the Baptisia is a sign of things to come, most likely later this week.

An early May garden update

Posted on May 4, 2015 by jmarkowski Posted in Blooms, Bulbs, Spring .

The latest and greatest in my garden this first week of May:

10 days in and these ‘Double Beauty’ daffodils show no signs of slowing down. If I had to guess, they have tripled in count since I planted them three years ago.

Daffodil ‘Double Beauty’

The ‘Mt Hood’ daffodils are reliable year after year with this being their latest bloom time ever (and yes I know this for a fact based on my spreadsheet entries over the years. You’re jealous.)

Daffodil ‘Mt Hood’

I am happy to report that my Hyacinth ‘Blue Spike’ planted last fall have bloomed and withstood the leaf nibbling from the rabbits.

Hyacinth ‘Blue Spike’ and Daffodil ‘Mt Hood’

I planted them in small bunches in between the Catmint ‘Nepeta’ along my front walkway and I am digging the punch of color they provide while everything else is slowly emerging.

The Summer Snowflakes are all in full bloom and I can vouch for the fact that they withstand the saturated soil year after year.

Summer Snowflake

While many of the daffodils are starting to fade, I am most pleased with myself and the successful attempt to plant varieties that bloom in succession to each other. These are just emerging now.

While the deer nipped off a good 50% of these buds over the winter, the Viburnum carlesii still packs a floriferous punch with the blooms that survived the feast.

Viburnum carlesii

Phlox ‘Emerald Blue’ (Moss phlox) and Geranium ‘Espresso’ make a handsome couple don’t they?

Geranium ‘Espresso’ and Phlox ‘Emerald Blue’

The first blooms on the Forthergilla ‘Mt Airy’ have arrived and like so many others, they were nipped by the deer. It really is their world and we are just living in it.

Fothergilla ‘Mt Airy’

Trollius ‘Golden Queen’ will be blooming soon and I will be on high alert to ensure they come to fruition, deer and rabbits be damned.

Trollius ‘Golden Queen’

I admittedly get a little too excited when the peonies emerge each spring. I know they are a given and tough sons o bitches, but they represent spring like no other.

Emerging peony

Great color on the emerging leaves of this ~~Viburnum and I’m livid that I can’t remember the name~~ Ninebark ‘Amber Jubilee’. I’ve failed my spreadsheet and I’ve failed you all.

The severely cut back Salix (Dappled Willow) looked like this 46 days ago.

And now looks like this.

Holy recovery Batman. Looks like this will be an every other year necessity from here on out.

On the other hand, very few signs of life with the heavily pruned Redtwig Dogwood.

Will continue to keep you all updated on this as we proceed through spring and into summer. Yes, it is that important.

Spring has sprung

Posted on April 27, 2015 by jmarkowski Posted in Blooms, Bulbs, Spring .

Lady’s Mantle – Alchemilla mollis

Posted on March 9, 2015 by jmarkowski Posted in Blooms, Foliage, Perennials .

I think it may be time to change the name of this blog to “Obsessive Baseball Fan Who Happens to Garden As Well”. Even when I attempt to create a post solely about one plant, I can’t prevent a baseball reference from sneaking its way in. Maybe I still haven’t recovered from last week’s festivities. Or maybe, as a former NJ governor liked to say, “Gardening, baseball and you, pahfect tagetha” (you really should check out that prior link. It will have you immediately booking a vacation to NJ this summer.)

Every winning baseball team has its share of superstars. They are the players that grab the headlines, perform their best on the biggest stage and whose names are seen most often on the backs of fans shirts. Players like Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter and Darryl Strawberry come to mind with my unforgettable 1986 Mets. Or even Mike Piazza from those solid Metropolitan teams in the late 90’s/early aughts.

But superstars alone cannot get it done. You need those other players that do all the little things well; things that go unnoticed by many but what ultimately help wins championships. Those that move runners into scoring position with less than two outs. Those that knock the ball down and prevent doubles from turning into singles. They can’t all be stars, you need some of those unsung players as part of the winning formula. Guys like Wally Backman in 1986 or Todd Pratt in 1999 come to mind.

One of the Wally Backman’s in my garden today is Lady’s Mantle.

Alchemilla mollis rarely steals the show in the garden. Instead, It is that steady performing groundcover or edging plant that makes the garden whole. From the moment those leaves start to unfurl in spring, you know old reliable is back for another season.

Let me correct myself for one moment. There is a time when this perennial does truly “shine”. Sort of like when the utility infielder hits an unlikely walk off home run. And that is when Lady’s Mantle captures the rain droplets in spring.

It is a photographer’s dream.

Beyond that, this plant provides a nice contrasting leaf shape to other perennials and shrubs from spring through fall. The chartreuse blooms, typically arriving in June, are a nice understated feature as well.

I have found it is best to trim off the spent flowers as soon as possible to keep this plant looking it best as summer approaches.

Some additional info for Alchemilla:

Survives in zones 3 – 8
Size typically maxes out at 1.5 ‘ x 2.5’
Can handle full sun (more on that in a minute to almost full shade)
Blooms in June here in zone 6B
Prefers a consistently moist soil
Has been reliably deer and rabbit resistant over the years

I currently have these as a groundcover in my back bed along the deck.

As you can see below, Lady’s Mantle comes along pretty quickly in spring as evidenced by the “still no signs of life” ornamental grass sitting behind them.

I honestly thought I’d have more photos of these in mass, but they line the garden beds I’ve struggled with the most over the years so I’ve done a good job of hiding that from you all. Maybe this will be the year we step up to the big leagues (couldn’t resist).

The one negative/higher maintenance aspect of Lady’s Mantle is that it does require constant moisture. If not, this is what you may see.

Luckily for me, constant moisture isn’t much of a problem unless we have a real dry summer but keep in mind before purchasing Lady’s Mantle.

Until next time when I find a way to compare daffodils to relief pitchers.

Spring Training time in the garden

Posted on February 19, 2015 by jmarkowski Posted in Blooms, Family, Foliage, Ornamental grass .

Over the next two weeks, major league baseball players will be reporting to Spring Training in Florida and Arizona. Promise of actual baseball games, not to mention better weather, is on the horizon. It is always my first sense of relief from the hell that is winter.

At this time of year there is always a sense of optimism with each and every MLB team as players show up in “the best shape of their life” and teams still have a record of 0-0. Anything can happen over the next eight months and that warm and fuzzy feeling makes its way to the fan bases as well.

This year my son and I will be attending Spring Training (Port St Lucie, FL, home of our beloved NY Mets) and we couldn’t be more jacked up. We expect big things from the New York Metropolitans this year and we’re ready to kick it all off. On top of that, my son has become an avid autograph ~~stalker~~ collector and I am so excited to just kick back and watch him watch the players with a sense of awe and chase them down for their signatures.

Another autograph for Jack through the mail #mlb #twins #autographs

A photo posted by john markowski (@jmarkowski0) on Oct 27, 2014 at 6:42pm PDT

Latest card in mail for Jack #mlb #reds #autographs

A photo posted by john markowski (@jmarkowski0) on Nov 13, 2014 at 12:44pm PST

Autograph update for Jack. This came earlier in the week. #mlb #sfgiants

A photo posted by john markowski (@jmarkowski0) on Jul 5, 2014 at 1:00pm PDT

I love witnessing the transformation of my son from a quiet and laid back dude into an aggressive autograph hound. Good times.

As I become prognosticator extraordinaire and try to make sense of where I think this Mets team will end up by season’s end, I take a look at each and every player and try to determine if they were a flash in the plan, due for a bounce back season or will stay the course. Once that is complete, I can collectively assess the team and make my official prediction for the upcoming season (86-76 by the way).

And wouldn’t you know it, I do the exact same thing with my plants this same time each year. They get pre-season plant evaluations and it isn’t necessarily always pretty, even during this optimistic time of year. Once that is done, I have a pretty good feel for how I anticipate my garden looking that year. Yet another way baseball and gardening are so similar. Who the hell knew?

For today’s post, I’m looking at 5 plants that I added to my garden within the last year and showed signs of promise in year one. Like a rookie outfielder who bursts onto the scene and makes an immediate impact, we never know what we’ll get in year two. More of the same? Big regression? Small but steady improvement? All of the possibilities are viable.

Let’s do this.

Trollius chinensis ‘Golden Queen’

This was a complete impulse purchase. Like a naive dope, I was pulled in at the nursery by the gold/orange blooms but knew little beyond that. I think I saw the word “moist” somewhere so that was enough to justify buying a few.

The plants were already in bloom when I bought them in early May so I really have no idea when they will bloom, if at all, with my conditions. Ideally, they bloom at the same time as my Salvia so we can get all orange and purple together.

And the deer need to stay away as well. Like I said, solid planning.

Lilac – and that’s all I know about it

Keeping with the poor planning theme, I honestly have no recollection of where I purchased this and what type of Lilac it is. I just remember saving it in late autumn.

I wanted to plant one Lilac near my deck so the spring smell can make its way to us. As you can see, it bloomed a bit in year one and I’m very pumped to see what year two has in store. It is also my wife’s favorite and it only took me ten years to plant one so there’s that.

Lobelia gerardii ‘Vedrariensis’

Purchased three of these in late fall 2013 and they bloomed like mad last summer. Lobelia have always been in my wheelhouse since they love the wet and have always been deer resistant. I want to see more of the same in 2015, just a little bigger and badder because that color in mid to late summer is tremendous.

Andropogon gerardii ‘Red October’

Now this is the plant I am absolutely the most psyched to see again this gardening season. Look at that foliage color and then imagine the impact it can have 4 or 5 times the current size. And I’ve got 3 within in my garden. Cause I am too cool for school.

Pennisetum ‘Desert Plains’

All I ask for is more of the same. What phenomenal color backlit by the sun in late afternoon. And those blooms are sweet as well. So let’s just get a little bit bigger OK?

And there are my early season plant evaluations for 2015. As always, would love to hear your thoughts on any of these plants.

Favorite photos of 2014

Posted on December 17, 2014 by jmarkowski Posted in Blooms, Foliage, Ornamental grass, Perennials, Shrubs .

First off, I want to thank all of you for your kind comments on the last post and/or on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Text. Each one made the sadness just a little bit more manageable and that was so appreciated by my family and me.

We are all still bumming big time over the loss of our Casey and the new “normal” thrust upon us. It is so painfully empty in the house. And damn I had no idea what slobs the kids are; the crumbs Casey disposed of are now piling up. She did an awesome job of covering up for them.

So while I don’t have the drive or want to write up a witty post or research a favorite perennial, I did have the need to look back through ALL of my garden photos from 2014 for an energy lift out of these doldrums.

I find it so easy to immerse myself right back into the bloom and foliage colors like it is the middle of summer.

If I had any sense of smell (note to self – surgery in 2015) I could smell those flowers like they were in the room with me.

I can physically feel the warmth of that time.

This all feels damn good right about now.

So here is the what I think is the best of the best.