The Awakening

After a long bitter cold winter, it is difficult to believe that anything could arise from the frozen ground.  The freeze line went down four feet in our area this year so our back lawn is certainly a testament to this with only small tufts of grass displaying life.

We have over seeded and put down some topsoil but I see the birds out there every day, probably eating the seed!

Thalia Dafffodils, Orange and Sweetheart Emperor Tulips

 

Orange Princess Tulips

 

Flair Tulip

 

Sensual Touch Tulip

 

 

I guess you can see I like orange, especially with the colors of the spring daffodils.

 

Itzim Daffodil

 

Mount Hood Daffodil

This is an older variety but very much sought after for its pure white color.

 

White On White

Magnolia Starlight with a background of Chanticleer Pear

 

 

Amelanchier Regent

White is really a color in the garden!

 

Fothergilla Gardenii

This is a wonderful shrub with fantastic fall color.

 

Brunnera Angel Wings

 

Brunnera Jack Frost

The leaves become much larger as the season progresses.

 

Iris Gerald Darby

Known not for its bloom but for the wonderful foliage both in the spring and fall.

 

Red Rider Hellebore

This is on the north side of my home and blooms very late.  I will move my yellow one to this area as it does not bloom to the right of this one against the foundation.

 

Pachysandra Green Sheen

This is the most bloom it has every had, go figure after such a cold winter!

 

Dicentra Valentine Heart

 

Dicentra Spectablis and Dicentra Golden Heart In Foreground

 

Dicentra Alba

Worth having in the garden but not as many blooms as the pink variety.

 

Dicentra Eximia

This variety blooms throughout three seasons if you deadhead.

 

Raspberry Splash Pulmonaria

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Bulbs In The Spring Border

We all love to see the first bulbs of the spring and they are so effective in mass that they can take your breath away.  However, we all dislike the foliage they leave until mid summer!

 

 

It takes a plan to enjoy the bulbs and cover up the foliage until it has cured and stored enough energy in the bulb for next year's display.

 

Sweetheart Tulip is just beginning to open and it will leave large ugly foliage for months, but notice in the foreground the daylilies coming up that will completely cover the tulip leaves.

 

Daffodil Early Sensation

This is one of the earliest daffodils so the foliage dies down before all of the others.

 

Daffodil Fortissimo

Another early one, that is the secret, pick early bloomers for earlier die down of foliage.

 

 

 

Daffodil Mareike grows up between the stems of Itea which when leafed out covers the daffodil foliage. 

Daffodil Itzim grows up between the Starlight Hydrangeas which when leafed out will cover most of the daffodil foliage.  These hydrangeas will have to be cut to the ground this year because of our extreme cold weather.

Daffodil Sagetta with City of Haarlem Hyacinth, foliage covered by the grasses Pennisetum Hameln.

Daffodil Spellbinder and Mount Hood

 

There are grasses, daylilies, allium, phlox and lilies coming up throughout the front borders all hiding the foliage of spring bulbs.

What's New?

I attended a workshop with the Garden Writers at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show and enjoyed hearing about new perennial introductions.  Many years we become very excited about new plants only to become quickly disappointed when we can't find them in the nurseries.  This time it was different in that all of these new introductions are available online or at your local nursery.

Kickin Asters

Forms a full, bushy dense mound of mildew resistant foliage, very floriferous from late summer into fall, replacement for Woods Asters

 

Summer Sparkles Baby's Breath

Forms a dense bushy mound that does not go summer dormant, blooms from late spring to early fall

 

 

Winter Thrillers Hellebore

50-100 blooms per mature plant, outward facing, keeps color long after they are spent, 3 - 4 inch flowers

 

Nepeta Cat's Meow

Keeps its neatly mounding shape all season, does not split open like Walker's Low, can be sheared to promote rebloom

 

Glamour Girl Phlox

A tall phlox that does not have to be staked, disease resistant foliage

 

Modern Daylilies

El Desperado

High bud count, foliage remains attractive all season, does not have to be cut back until late fall, more sunfast, some bloom 16 hours or more, some recommendations:  Pewter Pink, Cherokee Star, Erin Lea, Blackthorne, Marque Moon, Midnight Raider, Mighty Chestnut, Monterey Jack, Stolen Treasure

 

 

Pure Joy Sedum

Perfectly mounded, edging for front of border, bubblegum pink flowers

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are You Ready?

I know I am ready for spring!  I see it everywhere but in the garden, all of my favorite stores know it is coming.

ORANGE is everywhere!  Here at West Elm it looks like the 60's all over again.

Succulents are all the rage, real in pots

 

Succulents that are real without pots

You just soak them in water every couple of weeks and they can lay out in the air without soil.

 

Planted in just rocks with moss

 

Love the orange tulips at Pottery Barn (a sister store of West Elm)

 

I had almost forgotten what hydrangeas look like.

 

 

 

 

 

Faux is getting better and better!

 

HAPPY SPRING

The Real McCoy

I have collected McCoy pottery for many years and use the vases and containers throughout my home.  It is whimsical, in many colors, and has been priced well so that most people can afford to acquire some pieces.

In my home, you would never know I was a collector since I have it spread throughout.  Country Gardens magazine (January 2014) gave me a new inspiration for my McCoy pottery.

I have relocated many of my McCoy pieces to the kitchen on stainless steel shelving and above my kitchen sink.

They made vases, planters and even wall pockets (owls).

 

Planters that sit above the kitchen sink and a vase that was my aunt's.

McCoy began in 1848 and the trademark was abandoned in 2000.  There were many sales in between with different affiliations and names, but that McCoy name held on for 150 years.

The header is a large McCoy container (I have two) which now reside in an upstairs bathroom.  The author for Country Gardens suggests that pieces such as this be put out in the garden for the summer to add color.

I guess we should all look at what we collect, group them together if possible and think of them also as garden ornaments!