Dreaming Of Spring

The puppy has kept me in the mode of being a new mother, not something most people want to go through after having human babies that are all grown up!  However, it is getting a little better, sleeping through the night, being able to withstand the crate for a few hours and not having too many accidents.  Duffy has lots of hair on his back but it will be a while before the face hair fills out.  He is a cutie and I think will be a wonderful Westie.

Duffy Five Months

I was just thinking the other day what he will do to my spring garden.  Our yard is fenced but he may be on a leash for a long time until he can leave the flowers on the stems.  My daughter's Westie used to whip off the daffodils as he ran through the garden(many plants are toxic to animals).

Do you ever order bulbs and then forget what you have ordered?  I really wanted to do some unusual tulips this year and spent a great deal of time covering them in chicken wire and mulch and sprinkling Plantskydd on top.  So far, so good, but as soon as the weather warms I will have to apply a topping of more Plantskydd because the rabbits will be looking for those little nubs to poke through.

I did find my order receipt so here is a peek of what I will have coming up in the spring garden!

Christmas Orange Tulip

 

Orange Princess

 

Sensual Touch Tulip

I did order some Allium Christophii (Star Of Persia) just gorgeous at the Lurie Garden in Chicago and Northwind Perennial Farm in Wisconsin.

Allium Christophii (Star Of Persia) Northwind

Allium Shurbertii is a yearly order because the bulbs do not always produce as large specimens the following year.  They really are a conversation piece!

I know I did order some more of the Spellbinder Narcissus because they are so sturdy and last a very long time. 

Bravoure Daffodil

Two years ago I planted many Hyacinthoides and soon found out that the blue ones are the most prolific.  So, last fall I put in a variety call Excelsior.

 

 

 

 

Heat Resistant Annuals For 2013

Plant breeders are paying close attention to our changing climate and each year are introducing more and more heat resistant plants.

These are just some of the new introductions that will tolerate heat.

 

Glamouflage Grape Petunia

Variegated Foliage

 

Blue A Fuse Petunia

Each flower is a different color combination.

 

Supertunia Watermelon

Self-cleaning

 

I can't wait to try this one as some of the other Supertunias are great in the heat and last all summer.

 

Trilogy Petunia

Great in the rain 

 

Supercal Artist Rose Petchoa

This is a cross between a petunia and calibrachoa and is much more heat resistant than either of the parents.

 

Supercal Blushing Pink Petchoa

 

Blushing Princess Allysum

Four to eight inches tall and trails to three feet

 

Frosty Knight Allysum

 

Sungelonia Angelonia Family

Compact, tons of blooms, white, deep pink and blue

 

Lanai Vintage Rose Verbena

 

 

 

Estrella Pink Star Verbena

 

Caliente Deep Rose Geranium

Self-cleaning, constant bloom, slightly trailing

 

 

These are just some of the new introductions for 2013 that are advertised as heat resistant.  Hopefully, we can find some of these new annuals in the nurseries.  Annuals are expensive so it is worth planting the varieties that will stand up to the heat of our recent summers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Plant Of The Year

Do we really care what has been designated as "The Plant Of The Year"?  We all have our favorite perennials but we really should take note of what is chosen each year that has sustainability for a wide range of climatic conditions, low maintenance, pest and disease resistance, available in local nurseries and will have interest through multiple seasons.  These are the attributes looked for when a plant of the year is selected.

This year Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum has been selected as the Plant Of The Year for 2013.

Solomon's Seal (Spring)

Solomon's Seal (Summer)

Variegated Solomon's Seal in the Fall

This is a plant that is on the north side of my home, some sun and lots of heat.  It received good amounts of water but never flinched in the heat, no browning, wilting or die back.  It's a winner!

2012 was another winner through heat and drought, Brunnera Jack Frost.

This is a perennial that will not disappoint, spring, summer or fall!

A great plant to intermingle in the summer border

Brunnera Jack Frost will take quite a bit of sun, no browning leaves, beautiful all spring, summer and fall.

Do You Have A Butterfly Garden?

Many of us have butterfly gardens without realizing it!  How can this be, I didn't work on planting a butterfly garden. 

There are even season categories for the plantings used for attracting butterflies. 

                              Allium Purple Sensation                       

 

Chives

 

These are just two of the early season butterfly magnets!

Some other early perennials are Arabis, Dame's Rocket and Forget-me-nots.

 

 

Salvia May Night

Walker's Low Nepeta

The majority of butterfly perennials we have in our gardens are classified as mid-season.

My Garden Study Group had a presentation this week on creating butterfly gardens and many of the plants recommended are those that we already grow in our annual and perennial garden beds.

Shasta Daisy Becky

 

Phlox Bubblegum

 

Echinacea Kim's Knee High

 

Daylily Chicago Rosy

Many butterflies have specific plants that they lay their eggs on such as the Monarch who prefers Milkweed, however, some will lay their eggs on a variety of plants.  Some will even prefer your veggie garden laying their eggs on the tops of carrots. 

This years Nantes Carrots were planted under the daylilies in the veggie garden.

In all of the years I taught we raised butterflies in the classroom for the children to see the metamorphosis contained in the life cycle of the butterfly.  They were always the Painted Lady Butterfly which is also known as the school butterfly.  They adapt easily to a prepared food more so than other species, not really showing the children how they feed in nature, but better than not experiencing this life cycle.

Butterflies need sun to warm their bodies so that they can fly, cannot tolerate wind or pesticides.

Agastache Blue Fortune with Allium Summer Beauty

Lurie Garden, Chicago

Recent research is showing that the color of the plants does not really matter, but landing pads do help such as on the Coneflowers, Rudebeckias, etc.

Provide flowers of different sizes, color, fragrance and shapes.  Strong scented flowers such as lilac and lavender draw many butterflies.

Butterflies suck, do not chew, also do not drink from birdbaths because they need a landing pad out of water.  Some rocks or stones built up at a water source works well.

These are only some of the butterfly attracting plants in my garden, there are many more.  Trees, shrubs and many wildflowers also create butterfly havens.  Many annuals are also in this category such as Marigolds, Zinnias and Petunias keep the butterflies coming all summer.

Sustainable Plants For 2013

It was a summer to remember that summer of 2012, fried leaves, wilting flowers and the actual disappearance of foliage above ground level.

Astilbe along north side fried even with sufficient water.

How soon we forget and become so excited about all of the new plant introductions for the coming season.

I am trying to keep my focus on the plants that did well despite the intense heat and lack of rain.  Water is not always the answer in high temperatures, no matter how much water I gave my astilbies on the north side they could not take the heat.

One of the best Heucheras in the heat was Peach Flambe.

 

Heucherellas actually do even better in the heat - Sweet Tea.

 

Heucherella Stoplight

Hydrangeas are also not heat resistant, except for Limelight, and maybe some others, that suffered neither leaf or flower damage.  I guess I could include Hydrangea Unique in this category also, both large hydrangeas.  The smaller newer varieties suffered, i.e., Endless Summer, Starlight.

Hydrangea Little Lime

 

Hydrangea Let's Dance Starlight

Flowers wilted and leaves browned during the heat.

 

Hydrangea Limelight

 

Hydrangea Unique

 

 

 If you are willing to water there are many plants that will reward you with wonderful blooms even in 100 degree temperatures.

 

Clematis Hagley Hybrid

All of the clematis did well with sufficient water.

 

Orienpet Lavon Lilies

Lilies do not shy away from the heat and so easy to grow!

 

Phlox Bubblegum

Phlox will reward you all summer if you deadhead.

 

Daylily Mary Todd

 

Daylily Arnie's Choice

 

There are many other choices of heat resistant perennials but these are just some of the plants that worked for me. 

 

Grasses are great in the heat but if not watered will flop.  My Panicum Northwind in the alley garden began to bend over last summer from drought not heat.  It is among many drought resistant plants like sedums, nepeta, agastache and centranthus, so I put a drip system back there mainly for the grasses.

 

Alley Garden

Some extra pruning this spring will keep the growth more compact.

 

Coleus Redhead, Dichondra Silver Falls and Cordyline

Annuals that will take the heat

 

Agave, Purslane and Croton

 

Supertunia Bubblegum

One of the annuals of the year

 

I am not looking forward to a summer like last year, but based on this winter I'm ready if it comes!