Soon to be followed by the Physocarpus (Ninebark) ‘Summer Wine’:

Without fail, the Nepeta (Catmint) ‘Walker’s Low’ are back and blooming and sure to draw in the bees by the thousands:  

It’s like Christmas Eve with the peonies. I enjoy the anticipation of blooms as much as the actual blooms:

I don’t know which Heuchera cultivar this is but it seems to be blooming sooner than all of the others. Those blooms will be snipped soon as I feel like they take away from the fine foliage:

I am becoming more and more hooked on the Salix ‘Hakuro Nishiki’ foliage and need to add some more soon:

I know I take too many photos of Campanula ‘Joan Elliot’, but that purple color friggin rocks:

Enjoy the upcoming week and we’ll do this again soon.

John

I was up real early this morning with the dog (she never seems to grasp that she is a “dog” and can sleep as long as she wants) so we spent some significant time outside. She got the fresh air, a place to take care of business and the scents of deer/rabbits/other dogs to contend with. I got to look at my beloved plants. A win/ win … even if it was just after 6:00 AM.

As I looked around my garden beds I realized (for the 387th time) how much I enjoy this time of year. Not only are the spring bulbs, viburnums and creeping phlox still blooming, but the growth of perennial and ornamental grass foliage is in full gear. In short; everything is in constant motion.

And that rules.

And that requires a new post.

And that requires corresponding photos.

And here it is:

Quick off-topic comment – take that Mrs. Falkenheim, I rerally can start a sentence with “And”. I just did it four times and no one cares. Ha.

Onward we go:
            
I’m not smart enough yet, to fully understand the sun and lighting and how to take advantage of it photographically, but some times I luck into it. Like with this Northern Sea Oats:

I love the slow and gradual march of two plants growing towards each other with the end goal of creating a sweet vignette. Here we have Spirea ‘Little Elf’ and Sedum ‘Red Carpet’ doing the deed:

So many heucheras want to remain interesting all winter here in zone 6 but they rarely accomplish this feat. The ratty foliage hits in late fall and carries into spring. But once the new foliage fights through, it reminds me why I like them so much:

Yes they require constant moisture, but it is worth it when we are talking about astilbes. I love their foliage first emerging a reddish in color in early spring and when it settles in all green in late spring:

This Spirea ‘Snowmound’ did nothing for me for three years and now this spring it explodes. Surprise and intrigue is such a huge part of why gardening is so appealing:

Ornamental grasses like Miscanthus, which start to really grow as the weather warms up in spring, usually aren’t of much interest this time of year but don’t tell that to this Miscanthus ‘Variegatus’:

My recently purchased Northern Sea Oats ‘River Mist’ has found a home and I already feel the benefit of it’s variegated foliage lighting up a partially shaded spot:

And that’s all I got for you today my friends.

John

Thanks yo for surviving yet another winter:

Thanks yo for the slow emergence adding to the anticipation:

Thanks yo for surviving a late transplant in the fall and still producing flowers:

Thanks yo for some actual early color:

Thanks yo for being a cool season grass and providing early variegation:

Thanks yo for allowing me to host your young: