The Serendipitous Garden

Lily Monte Negro ordered from Spring Hill Nursery 3 years ago. The lily foliage is atrocious, but the Rose Campion hides the leaves a bit. For some reason in the picture the pinks are not as harmonious as they are in real life.

Guara and Purple-leaf Sandcherry

Mugo Pine and Ribbon Grass

Black-eyed Susan and Butterfly Weed

Butterfly Weed Close-up. This is the brightest it's ever been. The orange is the highlight of the garden today.

Clustered Bellflower

Darwin's Blue Veronica from Bluestone Nurseries. Love this blue in the garden. The picture doesn't show it well, but it is placed within a bed of Shasta Daisies, which really makes the blue pop.

Cryptomeria Black Dragon, Variegated Wigelia, and Shasta Daisies

Love how everyone is leaning to the sun. I think these are Heliopsis, but I am not sure. The grass is Feather Reed Grass, "Overdam".

The mailbox path. You can see the Butterfly Weed in the middle. Hope the monarchs find it!

Claire's Phlox and Spirea in the background

Nothing says summer like Black-eyed Susans

Tsuga canadensis 'Moon Frost' and Heuchera "Coral Bells"

Lavender and Juniper "Mother Lode"

Oakleaf Hydrangea and Astilbe coming into bloom in my dark corner.

June 18, 2011

2011-06-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I blogged about my garden! It's such an exciting time of year and there is always so much work to be done. But honestly, there isn't much that I like doing more than getting my hands dirty and putzing around in the garden. I posting a blog because I finally got my camera working. Or should I say my technically-savvy sweetheart did. What's amazing is that he got me a card in my camera that automatically uploads all the pictures I take to my picasa album. That makes it so easy to get them onto the blog and I love easy. So I have no excuses for not getting some pictures up more often. Wish me luck!

Mt. Laurel I think Carousel, though am not certain on the cultivar

Iris and Fringe Tree (Mt. Laurel is in the background)

Campanula, Veronica, and Daisies with Purple-leaf Sand-cherry in the background

Penstemon, Artemisia, and Thyme

Start of a raised foliage garden. This wall faces north-west and gets too hot in the afternoon for some of the foliage plants I envisioned here. Might have to rethink the whole space.

Annual pots by the front door

Late May Flowers

2010-05-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

Lupine and Tsuga canadensis 'Moon Frost'

Close-up of the Lupine. The tallest are Russell Hybrids from Bluestone ordered last spring. I'm shocked first that they came back and second how beautifully they are doing. They get morning sun and afternoon shade in well-draining slightly acidic soil, but no special care. If I don't get seedlings next year, they will definitely be going on the Bluestone list.

Lupines and Baptisia

Closeup of Baptisia

Spring colors. Usually I don't go for staying on one side of the color wheel. I'm more of a contrast-y sorta lady, but this works for me. I think the prettiness of the silver Artemesia "Silver Brocade" and maroon "Husker Red" Penstemon foliage together would be lost if the flowers in this area were strong yellows, reds, and purples. I need to remember and go back and take just a picture of the white daisy in front of the penstemon's dark leaves. I bet that would be a nice close-up.

Spirea "Snow Mound" Don't worry. I'll post the whole bush when it is in full bloom. It definitely is a favorite. But just a few blooms in anticipation seemed appropriate today.

Second Try Tulip Success

2010-05-08T17:05:00.000-07:00

I got this combo right on the second try. Daphne x burkwoodii 'Carol Mackie' has always been a favorite plant, but one of those shrubs that can go unnoticed in a busy spring garden, so as with the Fothergilla, I thought I'd plant some tulips around it to bring attention to it. My first try was "Pink Impression" which was a total miss. They bloomed too early, too tall, and too bright. The delicate variegation of daphne looked washed-out in comparison. So I moved them across the garden, by the neon-yellow forsythia to create a bright contrast that welcomes spring loudly. In their stead I planted "Angelique", a softer peony tulip which seemed a better match for the small pale pink blooms.

And I'm very happy with the combination. Time to add them again to next year's Scheepers order.

Fothergilla and Mom's Catmint

2010-05-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

From April 30, 2010

Three years ago, when I planted this Fothergilla 'Mt. Airy' from Katsura Gardens it had a very understated presence in the garden. I have always loved the blooms; their color and structure are very unique, especially in a spring garden. But I felt like it didn't draw attention to itself. Most visitors missed it unless I pointed it out. I planted some dark tulips which created a nice contrast, but I was still looking for a companion which would really play it up. I noticed that the low catmint imported from my Mom's garden seemed to bloom at the same time, so I transferred all I could find to surround the Fothergilla, and now, I absolutely love the effect. Both plants are very tactile. I just want to give the grouping a big hug! I think I will try the tulips again next year, just have to decide what the right color would be.

Tulips in April

2010-04-12T19:19:00.000-07:00

Color in April is a wonderful thing. Today I am going still thinking about what I like about my bulbs and what to add next year. Most of the color coming up makes me very happy, so I took lots of pictures! Here is an over all view of the mailbox garden, where I focused the bulbs this year. I currently have 5 species of tulips blooming or about to bloom, plus a smattering of other things.

Below the crabapple are Greigii tulips called "Professor de Monsseri" which mix well with the small daffodils.

And a close up with Juniperus horizontalis 'Mother Lode' in the background.

Closer to the mailbox, a Single Early tulip named "Flair" is really showing off.

I love the look of paint brush strokes on each petal.

I like that they are close to the street, so they can be enjoyed by walkers in the neighborhood.

The Hyacinth, Grape Hyacinth and Creeping Phlox in the background are all very blue.

and are ready for their close-up.

I don't think it's possible to have too much phlox in a spring garden.

Most of the Single Early "Beauty Queen" near the Purple-leaf Sandcherry are not open yet, but this one was early and makes me think I did well on the color match. Hopefully I'll have a good picture for bloom day from this group.

Moving away from bulbs, the conifers are looking positively perky.
Cryptomeria japonica 'Black Dragon' with lots of new growth.

And a happy Pinus parviflora 'Hagoromo '