Containers - The Year Of The Begonia

I have never planted so many fibrous begonias, using them in many containers and trimming the garden beds.  There is only one pre-made container in my garden this year and it has already been given it a haircut.  I did receive a few gift plants that were taken apart and planted in the garden.

The front containers contain Dragon Wing Begonia Red with Pineapple Coleus, Algerian Ivy and Yellow Chiffon Superbells (a great superbell)  A large leaved Cordyline sets it off in the back.

Big Red Bronze Leaved Begonia with variegated ivy, Yellow Chiffon Superbells and Techno Blue Lobelia.  Techno is a newer variety that withstands the heat.  Florida Sun Coleus peeks out in the front.  These begonias are great because they will also grow in the shade as well as full sun.

Red Dragon Wing Begonia in hanging basket on the patio

These were sent to me by Harris Seeds* through the Garden Writer's Association.  They came as small plugs and have grown huge over a six week period.

 

Santa Cruz Sunset Angel Wing Begonia With Peach Verbena

This variety will take full sun and was also sent to me by Harris Seed Company.

 

Begonia Million Kisses

This variety will not take full sun but is a wonderful trailer.

I paired this begonia with Caladium Aaron and small Boston Ferns in the shade.

 

Tuberous Non-Stop Begonias

They did not like all of the rain and the leaves began rotting, seems to have bounced back with the heat!

 

Many Angel Wing Begonias are grown for their leaves and not their blooms.  This one is for part shade and underplanted with torenia.

 

Begonia grown strictly for the beauty of the leaves, would have to look very hard to see any flowers.

 

 

Easy Wave Petunia

Plugs from the Harris Seed Company

This basket is in full sun and I am seeing a little bleaching on the salmon colored variety but overall very prolific.

 



Petchoa Super-Cal Blue

This is a new variety, a cross between a petunia and calibrachoa supposedly performing better than either variety.  They seem prolific and trailing with slight fading.  I ordered these as plugs from Park Seed Company.

 

Torenia With Pink And Green Dracena

This is a shade plant on the patio.

 

Nasturtiums, Magellan Zinnias, Saffron Superbells and Red Sweet Potato Vine

Renee's Seeds* sent me a media kit to choose several seeds to try in my garden (Climbing Nasturtiums)

 

 

Coleus Wasabi And Henna

The coleus varieties are so great now growing in full sun or shade, paired with Sweet Caroline Sweet Potato Vine (much more controlled than Marguerite)

 

Coleus Redhead WIth Tequilla Superbells and Lobelia Techno

Cast Iron containers on north side of house (sun to part shade)

 

Sunpatiens With Yellow Chiffon Superbells and Techno Blue Lobelia

I have put in several Sunpatiens  (Impatiens that will grow in full sun to part shade).  They are large, 24" wide so you don't need many to fill an area.

 

Illusion Emerald Sweet Potato Vine

This is one of my favorites and not easy to find, in my Irish Pots.

 

Fairy Garden

This was a Mother's Day gift from my daughter and look what's inside!

 

Statuettes depicting two of my grandchildren

 

 

 

*No remuneration just feedback on results for Harris Seeds plants and seeds

 

The Last Roses Of Summer?

Each year for the past several years I get one beautiful flush of bloom and then the attack begins.  They are my foe the Japanese Beetles scheduled to show themselves about the fourth of July.

Pink Meidiland is a graceful shrub rose that looks like it is dancing all summer.  If you want a nice rounded bush this is not the rose for you, but it works wonderful in a full border.

Carefree Beauty is another free form shrub rose, grows tall and arching and excels in the middle part of the border with other plantings to keep it tamed.

Carefree Delight shrub rose graces the back of the border blooming in clusters.  I think the border is my favorite place to grow roses, looking very natural with a variety of shapes and colors around them.

All The Rage is a front of the border rose with glossy green leaves and blooms the entire summer, more resistant to those beetles.

Cinco de Mayo is an award winner, smokey in color and peeks out from many other plantings.

Mary Rose is a very fragrant David Austin Shrub rose, middle of the border and reblooms throughout the summer.  The beetles do like this one, maybe the fragrance!

The Knockouts never disappoint this one being Rainbow, my favorite.

 

The original Knockout combination of single and doubles

 

Knockout Blush

 

 

Knockout Pink

 

 

Home Run Red is part of the new generation beyond Knockouts, also more resistant to beetle damage.

 

Home Run Pink

 

 

Around The Garden

I should have a sign "Under Construction" on my blog like they do on websites in progress.  My kitchen has been torn apart for the past few weeks and has a few more to go before completed.  The only place that looks decent right now is the garden.

Henryi and Miss Bateman blooming together both Type II's

 

Geranium Magnificum

 

Krinkled White Peony

 

Iris Caesar's Brother

 

Clematis Fireworks on the pergola, Type II

I will cut this down to about six inches when done blooming, new growth will get some rebloom and will not get cut down again until next summer.  I treat all of my Type II's to a haircut and some food when they are done blooming.  This makes for a much fuller plant and less woodiness.

Rouge Cardinal Clematis

My first Type III to bloom

 

 

Geranium Karmina

 

The geraniums blooming now do not rebloom but they are worth having in the spring garden.

 

Ninebark Summer Wine

 

Tor Spirea

This one is a keeper, unlike any other spirea, low maintenance and beautiful three season interest.

 

Heuchera Pinot Gris

Strong growing variety, keeps it's color all four seasons, first to bloom

 

Heuchera Villosa Purpurea

This is the daddy of all of the new Villosas in the foreground, beautiful flowers, Southern Comfort in the back

 

Allium Schubertii

Unique, twelve inch globes

I grow this with new bulbs each year, don't always come back the same size.

 

Allium Star Of Persia

This is a fall planted bulb that is not that easy to find but certainly worth the effort, first saw this at Northwind Perennial Farm in Wisconsin.  It blooms late spring and early summer, a great layering plant as it dies down to let others put on a show.

 

Rainbow Knockout

 

This is the earliest of all my roses, hope to get back with a rose show next week!

 

 

 

Early Bird Bloomers

We all expect our spring bloomers to be considered early bloomers but it is an added bonus to plan for unexpected perennials that bloom when the bulbs have barely finished.

Bourbon Clematis (Type II)

This is a shorter clematis (about six feet), perfect for an obelisk or tuteur in the garden bed.

 

Clematis Multi-Blue (Type II)

This is another shorter one that will grow in part shade and has a wonderful lighter green leaf.

 

Clematis Bee's Jubilee (Type II)

 

Looks great growing up the pergola with Fireworks!

 

Clematis Fireworks (Type II)

 

Clematis Miss Bateman (Type II)

 

Clematis Dr. Rupple (Type II)

 

 

I love the Type II clematis for their large flowers and early blooms, but you are taking a chance when you grow them.  I have several others that the rabbits got to during the winter and cut to the ground.  When this happens they still will regrow but will bloom later and with a much smaller bloom.

 

My method with Type II's is to cut them down after the first flush of blooms, they regrow during the summer months and stand during the winter.  I then trim them lightly in the spring only cutting off any dead wood.  I will remember to spread my granular critter repellent this fall.

 



 Geranium Max Frei

The is an early blooming mounding geranium that looks great along pathways but does not bloom all summer!  I was almost ready to do away with it when someone suggested that I do some interplanting of summer annuals .  I have chosen to do some New Guinea Impatiens since part of the border is in part shade.  We will see how this works out.  It is such a great looking geranium I would hate to take it out.

 

Geranium Lancastriense Striatum

I almost gave us on this one that I brought from my last home almost ten years ago.  This is the best it has every looked!  Also, this is not a geranium that blooms all summer so it does require some interplanting.

 

Brunnera Angel Wings

This is not a Brunnera I would have chosen but it has grown into a beautiful specimen with a multitude of light blue flower sprays.

 

Brunnera Jack Frost

This one is a favorite because of its leaf variegation which lasts all summer.

 

Heucherella Stoplight

 

Heucherella Sweet Tea

 

Heucherellas blooms much earlier than Heucheras and are more tolerant of the heat.

 

Heucherella Stoplight on the north side growing in much more shade

 

Weigela Wine and Roses

Surprising to see it blooming so early!

 

Zinnia Magellan Coral

I grew these from seed indoors and they are already very large and blooming!