Around The Garden

We are definitely back to a more normal springtime, cool nights even frost warnings and daytime temperatures in the fifties.  I covered my clematis which is just about ready to break into full bloom.

Clematis Bourbon

This is a smaller clematis, about six feet, perfect for a teuter.  It is covered right now with a black plastic bag because of a possible frost.  Clematis do very well if the flower is closed up tight but these are open and will be more susceptible.

This is Azalea Karen with daffodil Thalia coming up in the middle.  I have another one next to it that is at least a week behind, has buds but just beginning to bloom.  This is a mystery to me right now!

Allium Purple Sensation

Variegated Solomon's Seal

Dicentra Eximia

I have cut away some of the Solomon's Seal so that this small plant which blooms all summer has some exposure.  Don't hesitate to trim out plants that overshadow others.

The pansies will take the light frost but it seems just as they are doing great it is time to pull them out and plant the summer containers!

What Could Be Better?

I asked myself this question as I drove to meet a group of fellow gardeners.  We all volunteer for the University of Illinois Extension Services and are as different as the plants in our gardens.  Two are expert vegetable gardeners, one great with trees and shrubbery, one with a botanical background who keeps taking all of those additional botany courses, me with a love of perennials, design and containers and last but not least, one with a design ability with perennials and annuals for town home properties.

Dicentra Spectablis Red Valentine

Before I purchase more plants I need to be aware of space.  I just added the Red Valentines to the north side of my home.  They are deeper colored than the pink varieties, bought at Home Depot for $8.99 each.

Of course lunch is the big priority and we are going to a place that can be either breakfast or lunch.  I have never been a fan of breakfast food (would love a ham sandwich with coffee) so I will be ordering lunch.

Then on to one of our favorite plant stops where two of our U of I volunteers work, have also invited them to eat with us.  I can't wait to show you some of the new introductions at least new for my garden.

I really wanted to buy this bergenia but hesitated because the leaves have always browned for me at my previous home, I resisted.

Dicentra Spectablis Goldheart

I could not pass this one up as it is a focal point in the spring garden.

I did not purchase any of these but what a great display.

These deep magenta shooting stars were lovely, but I passed on these also.

Geranium Bob's Blunder

I could not resist this one, great reports from other bloggers, leaf color and blooms throughout the seasons.

Panicum Shenendoah

This is a smaller grass that I bought for my back border where there is so little fall and winter interest.  Make sure you see some red veining so that this grass will preform true to form, supposedly beautiful red tones in the summer.



Cimicifuga ramosa Artopurpurea

I did buy this one to go with two others that I have next to the fence in the back border.  It is shady back there and sunnier in the front, like two different situations.  They are wonderful in August and September with white fluffy flowers.

Hakonechloa macra aureola

I really wanted to put it here by the pathway but I think there may be too much sun in this area, have to rethink this one.

This is Ajuga Chocolate Chip on the same pathway, one plant, gone wild this year.

Brunnera Angel Wings on the same path, not too sure about this one a couple of weeks ago, but I have changed my mind, love it!

Heuchera Miracle

I took a chance on this one last fall because it said "Sun", but had none of this great veining showing.  I am loving this one also!

Oh well, I had better be careful what I buy, can I find more room in my small garden?  It seems like I always do!

Layering

As I walked through the garden, I finally realized how much layering for succession blooming I have done in the past few years.  Interplanting for continuous blooming cannot be haphazard, i.e., nothing invasive or plantings that cannot be cut down after blooming.  Lilies don't count because their stalks are so slender other plants can easily grow up around them.

I have lilies coming up throughout the garden with daylilies, roses, phlox and shasta daisies.

Lilies coming up in the front garden behind daffodil and daylily foliage.

Lots of layering here with roses, shasta daisies, phlox, daylilies, lilies, and snapdragons.

Short to tall all the way back, Heucherella Stoplight, rose, daylily Amelia, phlox Blue Paradise and David

Lilies are great to plant between early flowering daylilies like Happy Returns.

Lilies are great coming up through groundcovers placed behind flowering spring shrubs and bulbs.

Foxglove and phlox are just meant to be layered behind shorter plantings.

The rhodies are behind a stone wall right next to my front door.  They are attractive all year, but it is refreshing to look down and see hostas and ferns taking over the show.

Little Lime Hydrangea  is leafing out through the daffodil foliage, grows about three feet tall.

Allium and daffodils come up through Sweet Woodruff in the spring only to be replaced by phlox, iris, daylilies, roses and clematis.

I treat bulb foliage in different ways depending on where it is located and how much it interferes with other plantings.  I give most of the daffodil foliage a little haircut when all of the blooms are gone also cutting off the seed head in the process (this conserves energy for flower production next year).  I come around again a month out and cut a little more foliage off to let in light to other layered plantings.  My last cuts around the end of June just low enough so they do not interfere with other plants and in most cases this still leaves quite a bit of foliage.

I have never had a problem with the daffodils returning for a stunning display the following year, never have left my daffodils yellowing and sprawling all over the ground unless they are in a garden bed where I don't see them.

Blue Spike Muscari coming up in the same area where daylilies will enhance the summer garden.

Heuchera Southern Comfort coming up through the groundcover

Starlight Hydrangea

Even behind and next to Brunnera Silver Wings there are lilies and daylilies taking over.

Valerie Finnis Muscari and Geranium Magnificum are spring bloomers and can be cut down when done blooming for Heuchera Carmel and Heuchera Miracle to fill the area.

There is a row of very large bleeding hearts on the north side of my home, but as we know bleeding hearts die down during the summer with no redeeming qualities except yellow foliage and stems.  This is a Japanese Painted fern ready to take over.

Peach Flambe Heuchera is getting ready and I will remove a few stalks of the bleeding heart to give it more light.  This will not affect the next years blooming of the bleeding heart.

 Stoplight Heucherella coming up under the bleeding heart

Carrots planted under the daylilies - by the time the carrots need lots of sunlight the daylilies will be cut down.

The radishes look very lush don't they?

Same scene a day later, the rabbits have made a visit!

Support Your Plants

It sounds like a new movement doesn't it?  But, I really mean it literally, don't hesitate to support your treasured plantings by any means possible.  Several years ago at my other homes I said if a plant can't stand on its own it doesn't belong in my yard.  Well that eliminated many of the garden plants that have become my favorites.

We love decorative trellises, however, when covered with blooming plants the beauty is not visible!

Even the newly planted need a support to climb.

Pergolas are a great support but will probably require some ties to keep the plants headed in the right direction.

These are two type 2 clematis growing on one support.

Smaller clematis, six feet and under, do well on teuters.

In my small yard with fencing all around it is almost impossible to grow taller plants without plant supports.  The fence interferes with all around light so the plants bend forward.  I read a great article in Fine Gardening last year about using supports in the garden and this gave me the courage to go all out this year displaying my plants in the best possible manner.

This year I am ringing the Miscanthus Udine to keep it from encroaching on the pathway.  When the grass is grown the rings become invisible.

I brought the little metal fences from my last house and have always used them to keep the carex off the path.  Again, they will become invisible as the grass grows.

Blue Paradise Phlox is a favorite but it is much more floppy than other varieties.

The Limelight Hydrangea needs a little reigning in to keep it's branches from leaning over the neighbor's driveway, decorative fencing out in front is the answer.

Persicaria Polymorpha is a beautiful plant and this is my last ditch effort not to give it up.  It got beaten up pretty badly last year in our violent storms.  I have ringed them because the fence does not prevent the stems from breaking.

Lastly, the alley garden is fully supported this year, makes a big difference to ring them.

Many of my garden plants are supported by other plantings, i.e., daylilies coming up in front of Becky Shasta Daily, roses in front of phlox and lilies, etc.  But, if you really want to grow it you may have to support it!