Monday, May 07, 2012

Rain In The Garden

It rained heavily all last night and it rained all day today.  It has been dismal but the garden loves the attention.

Hycinthoides Blue
I put in three colors last fall, white, pink and blue.  I wondered why Northwind Perennial Farm only had blue when I visited last May, now I know why.  The blue is the color that has the most impact, will be ordering some more blue for the fall.

Amsonia Northwind Select
I purchased three of these last spring at Northwind Perennial Farm (not on the market yet), slow growing, not very noticeable flowers but the fall color is to die for!

Halcyon and August Moon Hosta (both can take sun) with Ghost Fern.  It's all about color not flowers.

This is a hosta that cannot take the sun and I have moved it a few times.  I may be moving it again before it gets scalped by the lawnmower.  I no longer remember the name of it so I can't look up best growing conditions.

Clematis On The Arbor

Clematis On The Fence

Endless Summer Hydrangea
It got nipped a little by the frost but it has tons of flowerheads this year.  It could be an unusual year but so far the secret is don't cut it down and don't feed it more than a light sprinkle of low nitrogen acid fertilizer.  It is an experiment still in progress!

Weigela Dark Horse
This is ideal for a smaller display growing about three feet wide and tall, again about color.

Heuchera Plum Pudding
This heuchera has never reached it's full growth capacity even after several years.  However last year I moved it away from the daylilies that were directly in front and it seems to be growing larger.  I think it may have just needed its own space.

Ninebark Summer Wine
The ninebark is just getting ready to bloom first pink then turning to white.  It is a beautiful shrub throughout three seasons.  Many of the dark leaved plants look great in the fall when many of the "green" ones start to show wear and tear.

Polemonium Brise d'Anjou (Variegated Jacobs Ladder)
Even if it didn't have a flower it would be a beauty in the garden.  I had many of the solid green ones at my old old house.  I am slowly creating a shade garden under maturing trees with some of my favorite plants.

I ran out several times today to put plants in the ground getting a little wet in the process, but overall if was a good feeling to plant and have nature water them in.

15 comments:

  1. Hi Eileen, We actually have quite a number of plants in common. I added some variegated Jacob's Ladder last summer and it is my new spring favourite. In the past, I always put it in to shady a spot and it always perished. This time around I have it in a bright sunny spot.
    I looked through a number of posts that I missed and I have to say that you have a really nice collection of clematis. The header clematis is just lovely! The Pagoda Dogwood in the previous post is a beauty.

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  2. Hi Eileen, I find a lot to love in this post: your English bluebells, the ninebark, and your hostas and ferns. Your Endless summers will be stunning this year - lucky you! Mine got badly nipped by a freeze so don't know if I'll have any blooms - but I can enjoy yours!

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  3. What a wonderful assortment of beautiful foliage today. Your arrangements of the plants are excellent as well.

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  4. Hi Eileen. I really like your Dark Horse Weigela. Love the dark foliage. That Ninebark is gorgeous too. My Nikko hydrangea really got nipped good by the freeze but like your hydrangea it is full of buds. I was fearful that it would even bloom this year.It is a rainy morning here today too.

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  5. Hi Jennifer,

    I put the Jacobs Ladder under my magnolia, hope it gets enough sun. I have gone a little clematis crazy because it is the one plant I can fit in a small yard.

    Eileen

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  6. Hi Beth,

    I am looking forward to the blooms on Endless Summer since this will be the first time in four years that they have more than a few blooms.

    Eileen

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  7. Hi Lona,

    I am really liking the Dark Horse because it is small and showy. They sell Nikko here but it is borderline hardy. I love the all blue color.

    Eileen

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  8. Love those purple and chartreuse-foliage plants, Eileen!

    I think I have that same NOID chartreuse hosta as you do. Apparently my husband planted it many years ago, but it never came up while I lived here until about 3 years ago. He used so much mulch, it suffocated a lot of stuff. I quit the mulching to let some of it break down, and several hostas I'd never seen before came back from the 'dead!' They sure are tough plants.

    So happy for the rain - the garden and lawn have been loving it too.

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  9. Gorgeous garden images, Eileen. Our gardens have been enjoying the rain this Spring, also. Would be nice to have a cool Summer so we can enjoy everything for a longer period.

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  10. Hi GG,

    I am not great with those green plants and their names. Over the past year I have made it a mission to learn the names of my ferns and hostas. This light hosta name escapes me and of course I don't have the tag!

    Eileen

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  11. I adore your photos and flowers, in particular your clematis. How is it I don't have any clematis? I did recently plant a large bleeding heart, another fav of mine. I see you like bell shaped flowers too, like your English bluebells.

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  12. It's amazing how much farther along your plants are than mine, especially the clemmys--gorgeous! 'Plum Pudding' didn't get very big for me either. Maybe it's just supposed to be small. (?)

    Thank you for the encouragement you left on my blog. I'm feeling better after a good nights sleep and I'm forging ahead. Your kind words mean a lot! Big hugs!

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  13. You have a beautiful garden.

    - The Tablescaper

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  14. You and I have many of the same loves, Eileen ... like Halcyon, August Moon and Ghost Ferns for a start. 7 'Fine Wine' Weigelia just arrived today, waiting for other goodies to add and find placement in one of the gardens. Let's enjoy this glorious weather!

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  15. Simply just love your gorgeous clematis and your foliage is so lush.

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