Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Hits and Misses


It's like Christmas every day. Better even! 
Walking into the garden, new flowers are popping every day 
and foliage is expanding to fill in what little room is left in the border. 
Here are a selection of plants that I've been waiting to see bloom, some of them almost a year. 
Hit or miss? 
I'll tell you what I think and you can tell me if you agree or not. 


I bought this Cistus last year. Unfortunately I lost the tag for so I can't identify it beyond the genus. 
I love the soft, pink crepe paper-like flowers. It has been worth the wait. 
HIT.

 I recently purchased this plant from Annie's Annuals. Geranium 'Bill Wallis' has pretty purple flowers but 
they're about half the size of the typical hardy Geranium clan. 
It's supposed to bloom until frost so I'll call it a HIT.

 This honeysuckle vine is so filled with blossoms, the delicious scent will actually waft into the house!
Definitely a HIT!

 Last year I posted two photos of mystery plants with a call for help in identifying them. 
Several of us thought the above plant, not in bloom, looked like a weed. 
Turns out it's a yellow-flowering Verbascum. 
Although it's sweet, I'm not a fan of yellow. 
MISS. 

The other plant is Lysimachia atropurpurea 'Beaujolais.' 
Someone did identify it correctly but I can't recall who now. Whoever you are, thank you. 
The bees love it, Gail
HIT.

Speaking of 'Beaujolais' This is the first blossom [not yet completely open]
 on the newly-purchased Scabiosa 'Beaujolais Bonnets.' 
I still have it in a container as I try to figure out
where to plant it. 
HIT.

Check out my hardy Banana. It's about a foot tall with several offshoots. 
Not very big yet but at least it survived the winter. 
HIT. 

 My smoky-pink bread seed poppy makes a nice color-echo with the adjacent 
'Knock Out' rose. 
HIT.

 This is a Japanese Iris that I keep in one of my ponds. It is the last of the irises to bloom
and worth the wait.
HIT. 

 And finally, a rosy-pink colored Nasturtium. I planted an entire packet of seed in 
a large container. Half of them have looked like this
but unfortunately the other half are blooming an orangy-scarlet. 
Clash! What an awful disappointment. 
MISS.

So, what do you think? 

27 comments:

  1. I think even your misses are hits! I have never been a fan of verbascum, really, but in your yard, I think it looks wonderful!

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  2. Not a fan of yellow huh? You would not like my garden Grace!

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  3. Wow Grace. I'm always impressed with the diversity of plants you have growing there in your lovely gardens. Everything is beautiful! That is a nice light lovely shade of yellow and it looks very nice and happy.

    Happy Gardening ~ FlowerLady

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  4. I just looked through some of your tabs, Carol's garden is gorgeous! Looked at both vintage garden stuff pages, you have some great things Grace...I also saw the ceramic scripture I sent you hanging on the door knob, cool! And a scripture I needed to read this morning.

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  5. Our honeysuckle is blooming now and thrilling us with its scent, so that's always a hit.
    I bought one of those beaujolais this year, still waiting on a bloom but yours is lovely. Never been a fan of verbascum.
    And orange and red, well, it's possible. I tried yellow, orange and red for a color scheme in my pots last year. Didn't thrill me either.
    I think everything else is definitely a hit!

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  6. I like your rosy-pink nasturtium. I can see how it might clash with orange, but the pinkish ones are pretty. I like that scabiosa too.

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  7. I have to agree with everything except the nasturtiums. I never used to like orange-scarlet, but this year it is just so appealing to me. And I love nasturtiums.

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  8. So, no orange and no yellow. Got it! Your picture of the Nasturtium is a good color. Glad you have more 'hits' than 'misses'.

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  9. That verbascum also blooms in a very pale PINK! I have them all over the place because the stage I really like is late in the season when the seed heads look like strings of beads and catch the light just so. Never quite manage to yank them out before they have scattered to the four winds.
    Enjoyed your "Hit Parade"!

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  10. I've been wanting to try that Geranium this year...will be watching to see how it does for you!

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  11. You won't like this Grace, but I have gone orange and yellow in the front garden this year. It looks good with the bronze tones of my home accessories. I am not too sure I would go with this every year but I was ready for a change. I am still with pinks and purples in the back garden.

    Eileen

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  12. They are all so beautiful in my opinion. Great that the banana plant made it--mine, not so fortunate.
    I think the Nasturtium is lovely, as is that sweet little Geranium. And all the 'Beaujolais' beckons one to enjoy them with a glass...cheers!

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  13. I think your Scabiosa is a definite hit. Love the colour!! :)

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  14. Ok, stop whining and tug out the orange nasturtiums. I love the deep red.

    Another disagreement...love Verbascum...yellow or not. My granddaughter Sara looked up (it was huge) and said, "that yellow flower is gnarly." Now that is a compliment.

    Other than that we seem to agree on your hits and misses.

    Love to you,

    Sharon

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  15. Grace girl you have many more hits than misses : )
    I used to have the Beaujolais goose neck but it wasted away in the wrong place .. I feel very guilty about that because it was so pretty !
    hey so are your B. Bonnets ! .. Wow ! that banana plant is fantastic .. now wouldn't that be something in my garden ? too bad we have nasty winters that would zap it .. darn !!
    Beautiful blooms girl !
    Joy : )

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  16. Only two misses! I would say that's a great batting average :)
    If I could I would trade some pink or red things for your yellow and orange things :)

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  17. I like your misses...big fan of yellow and orange ! the hits look great too

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  18. Hmmmm hit or miss list...never ending.
    Banana plant,how cool is that?!

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  19. Beautiful plants. I got stuck on your Cistus!!! Beautiful flowers as always. They are all stunning.

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  20. Jeg kom tilfældig forbi din Blog.
    Hvor har du mange smukke planter i din have.
    Tak for kigget.

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  21. All hits with me - looks great Grace. You grow, girl!

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  22. Grace, I love everything except that yellow verbascum!
    Your banana trees look great! Mine are very small. Do you take them inside for winter?

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  23. Grace, I think your cistus is 'Silver Pink.' Check this link: http://www.paghat.com/cistus-silverpink.html

    Thank goodness not everyone likes verbascum or they'd be common and might become depressing to me instead of exciting. I have a very similar scabiosa this year that looks just like yours, called 'Dark Knight,' I think or Knight-something. Much more compact than Ace of Spades. Nasturtiums always veer all over the color chart. And I bought a maroon Calif poppy this year that was burnt orange. Irritating, isn't it?

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  24. But Grace, the verbascum has tinges of pink on it! I agree about all of your hits, and even like the color of the nasturtium. I like the orange ones, too, though.

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  25. yay on the banana! I though that didn't make it?

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