Foliage Archives - Page 2 of 3 - The Obsessive Neurotic Gardener

A return to the garden

Posted on July 21, 2015 by jmarkowski Posted in Blooms, Foliage, Ornamental grass .

This may sound a bit ridiculous, but a week away from the garden is a really, really long time for me. We’re talking serious separation anxiety. Then again, if you are reading this blog, you probably aren’t surprised as you are more than likely just as obsessed as I am.

We were on vacation all of last week and just returned home. As exhausting as the drive home was to NJ and as tired as we all were as a result of the 5:42 A.M. daily awakening from the seagulls who thought they were roosters, my heart warmed up when we pulled into the driveway. Even from a distance I could tell that the garden had transformed significantly in only a week’s time.

Let’s take a closer look at all of the activity.

There were newly emerged flowers filling the air with a killer scent that screams “sweetheart of summer” as seen with these Clethra (Summersweet) blooms.

Here is a fully blooming hydrangea that has never looked this good in three years of existence.

It was as if the Mountain Mint waited until the minute after we left for vacation to spread it’s wings.

The summer blooming Allium arrived and the bees can’t get enough of them.

Almost all of the Panicum (Switch Grass) are blooming and damn if those wispy blooms don’t light up the garden.

The only Northern Sea Oats I haven’t killed off in self defense is in full blooms and the oats on ‘River Mist’ are swaying with even the slightest breeze.

Many perennials are now showing their first signs of blooming, as seen with the two different Lobelia below.

Others perennials are slowly fading away but still lending a “look” to the garden. Like Allium ‘Drumsticks’.

… and Astilbe.

Others seemed to have bloomed and turned for the worse in the course of only a week as seen with Coneflower ‘Sunrise’.

Even some unexpected and sweet flushes of new growth appeared.

Speaking of new growth, the Red Twig Dogwood is up to 6 feet tall confirming that a pruning to the ground is the way to go as it has never looked better.

We’ve got chiles.

And oodles of tomatoes.

Because I am awesome and have created a wildlife friendly garden, the butterfly/bee/hummingbird/humming moth activity is off the charts right now.

Not all is grand however. A few perennials ain’t be looking so good.

And holy s, the weeds didn’t take a week off as I had asked.

Same goes for the deer.

Returning from vacation is always tough, but coming home to a thriving and active garden makes it all a little more palatable.

Welcome back me.

Backlit by the sun

Posted on July 13, 2015 by jmarkowski Posted in Blooms, Foliage, Ornamental grass .

Here is my best attempt to play professional photographer by taking advantage of the early evening sun. There is nothing more stunning than the sight of plants beautifully backlit by the natural light of the sun.

I’ve done my best over the years to piece together the section of the garden that is best exposed during this “golden hour”. At this point in time, it may be my favorite part of the entire garden.

I hope you enjoy it.

Happy 4th of July

Posted on July 4, 2015 by jmarkowski Posted in Blooms, Foliage .

Happy 4th

A photo posted by john markowski (@jmarkowski0) on Jul 4, 2015 at 9:33am PDT

Photographing the garden

Posted on June 15, 2015 by jmarkowski Posted in Blooms, Foliage .

For reasons unknown, I never took one photo of any of my gardens before I started this blog back in February of 2010. I have no idea why, other than the fact that I never felt that the garden was camera worthy … which it probably wasn’t.

It would have been too much of a shot against my fragile ego to reveal how the camera interpreted my mess of a plant collection. I was young and weak and easily defeated. But damn, what an opportunity I missed to evolve as a gardener.

The minute I took the very first photo of my current garden over five years ago, everything changed. I never looked at my garden the same again. It literally brought out a dimension to the garden I had failed to see before. It inspired me to try new things and to appreciate subtle changes in light or how I could play off of the early morning or late afternoon light. And don’t even get me started about the post rain garden. That shit was awesome. Suddenly I was an artiste.

This morning, I found the article I have linked to below, which sums up my aforementioned feelings about garden photogrpahy better than I ever could. Check it out:

“How Garden Photography Can Make You a Better Gardener”

For those who aren’t doing so already, I highly recommend getting down and dirty and snapping all sorts of pics in your garden regardless of its size. It will do wonders to your appreciation of what you’ve got going on and will inspire you in ways you can’t imagine.

Even now I often find myself taking the same photographs of the garden from the most commonly viewed angles. It’s nice and all, but once I get creative and take it all in from a different view, true inspiration kicks in.

With all this in mind, here are 5 different shots of the same section of my garden. While the photos aren’t dramatically different, they are all interesting in their own way. I like a lot of what I see but I have to admit, these photos have already provided me with ideas for plants I can add and sigh, move to a new location.

Enjoy.

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.

Brown

Posted on November 25, 2014 by jmarkowski Posted in Foliage, Ornamental grass .

Brown is a color too.

Best Fall Foliage Plants

Posted on September 23, 2014 by jmarkowski Posted in Fall color, Foliage .

Today we’ll take a look at my best fall foliage plants.

This list only includes plants I have lived with and experienced in my own garden .

Amsonia tabernaemontana (Blue Star)
The more well known Amsonia hubrictii has a much more impressive autumn color but I only added them to my own garden this past spring and it is too soon for me to share any photos of them.

Tabernaemontana still is impressive in its own right as the fall foliage color starts as a pale yellow and develops into an eye catching orange hue.

Viburnum carlesii ‘Aurora’
I have quite a few different Viburnum shrubs (some real young and still small) and to date, this has been the best autumn performer. Each individual leaf starts to transform slowly to a maroon color starting at the end of September and the majority of the leaves remain on the plant until the end of October here in zone 6B.

Fothergilla ‘Mt. Airy’
This deciduous shrub, while interesting in early spring with its white bottlebrush blooms, really stands out in the fall with that kick butt orange foliage color. I’ve added a few more this year to really up the impact each autumn.

Panicum (Switch Grass) ‘Northwind’
This ornamental grass and PPA award winner may not be thought of as a fall foliage plant, but that yellow color works for me as the perfect complement to the more common red fall foliage color of other plants.

Clethra alnifolia (Summersweet) ‘Hummingbird’
Another shrub not thought of as a fall performer, but again, I like to mix in that yellow/gold color wherever I can.

Itea (Virginia Sweetspire) ‘Henry’s Garnet’
This shrub, by far, has the greatest red fall color of any plant currently residing in my garden. The fall color starts subtly in August and then kicks it into overdrive by early September. The leaves start to fall off in mid October with a few remaining as late as Thanksgiving.

Miscanthus purpurascens (Flame Grass)
Another ornamental grass, this one takes color to all new heights. Just look at all of the color shades represented in those blades. It is the plant that draws the most attention/questions from onlookers from August through October.

Why I post so often

Posted on May 7, 2014 by jmarkowski Posted in Blooms, Foliage .

I have this friend (dude knows who he is) who on more than one a hundred occasions has asked me “How can you possibly take any more pictures of your garden? Seriously, you have like hundreds of posts in only four years, haven’t you said/photographed it all?”

First off “friend”, and I use the term loosely, I have actually posted 868 times since February of 2010. And while some of the posts are of questionable mind, most are simply an observation of what is going on in my garden at that time. I introduce new plants to my garden each season/year, plants get more robust with age, take on a completely different look and feel when relocated within the garden, change dramatically through the seasons and often times die. And many times it is a combination of all of these things. That is why I can take hundreds of photographs in one session.

Here are some examples just from today.

This is my first witness to a Fothergilla blooming in my own garden as I just planted it last Fall: