This is what I'm saying to my sleepy plants these days. They're listening too. They stretch and yawn and unfurl new leaves and I love it! This time of year makes me giddy.
Last Saturday I went to Garland Nursery with my garden buddies Cate and Bobbi. We were planning on looking at plants...
 |
| A sweet Magnolia blossom. The fragrance was incredible. |
 |
| A new Dicentra called 'Valentine' is a true-red. |
...And sitting in on a presentation given by Judy and William of the
Garden Time TV Show.
 |
| Judy Alleruzzo |
 |
| William McClenathan |
For all of you locals, if you've never seen William and Judy live and in person, you're missing out. On the TV show, they're all business. But live, oh my gosh. William had us in stitches! He's hilarious.
The presentation lasted an hour. They showed us new plant introductions, container combinations and a new ergonomic tool line. Afterwards, we looked around a little before heading home. What did I buy?
This:
 |
| Spider Azalea --Rhododendron macrosepalum 'Linear' |
 |
| A close up of the flower and leaf buds. |
 |
| And the flower in full bloom! PINK. Now you know why I bought it. |
We kept our nursery romp short on purpose. With only weekends to tend my garden, I wanted to get home and do my due diligence to my needy garden.
Here are some of the waker-uppers.
 |
| Brunnera macrophylla is in bloom! |
 |
Hellebore 'Hot Flash' is still delighting me
even though the leaves have revered to solid green. |
 |
| Spiraea x bumalda ‘Pink Ice’ What's not to love about this? |
 |
| Spiraea ...dang, Its all about the foliage on this one but I can't remember its name. |
 |
| Spiraea thunbergii “Bridal Wreath Spiraea” |
 |
| Spiraea japonica ‘Magic Carpet’ |
A few years ago while at Fry Road Nursery, I grabbed a rooted cutting of the below Hydrangea. It is really coming in to its own now. I am totally smitten with the foliage.
 |
| Hydrangea ‘Lemon Wave’ |
 |
| Hydrangea ‘Lemon Wave’ |
 |
| Aquilegia 'Woodside Strain' I've got these all over my yard now since they come true from seed so easily. |
 |
| An emerging Euphorbia... wakey, wakey! |
 |
| Pulmonaria 'Reginald Kaye' |
 |
| Physocarpus opufolius ‘Coppertina’ (Ninebark ) |
 |
| Rosa 'Knock Out' |
 |
| Heuchera 'Georgia Peach' |
 |
| Persicaria 'Red Dragon' |
 |
| Magnolia stellata 'Royal Star' (Star Magnolia) |
 |
Star Magnolia in full bloom.
I had planted some white crocus below it hoping for a color echo
but the crockies are already finished. Dang. |
 |
| Weigela florida 'Variegata' is one of my favorite shrubs. |
 |
Leopard's Bane Doronicum orientale
|
 |
Narcissus 'Geranium' These are my favorite daffodils.
They are usually the last to bloom but they're a few weeks ahead
of schedule this year. |
 |
My spread of tall Alstromeria is really happy thanks to slug bait.
These are going to be gorgeous when in bloom.
Notice the twigs on the left. These are my Lonicera hedge cut WAY back.
Such fast growers, in a month you'll never know I cut them. |
A few years ago I bought (on clearance) two four-inch pots of this sweet little straw flower. Since it had a cascading form, I planted them in a hanging container. They've survived two winters on my covered deck and look...they're getting ready to bloom.
 |
| Helichrysum |
 |
| Not a perfect-looking plant by any stretch but I like it. |
 |
| Mukdenia rossii ‘Crimson Fans’ which I need to replant. It's outgrowing its pot. |
 |
| Clerodendrum bungei, such sweet red baby leaves. |
And finally, I took this photo of a car in the parking lot where I work. I thought it was funny. The far left sticker reads, "Buy hemp and let the trees grow." My favorite is the far right one. "Non-Judgment Day is Coming."
I love the spider azalea! So interesting! And I loved seeing all your blooms and foliage waking up. That star magnolia is stunning! Wow!
ReplyDeleteWow...your plants are really waking up...they are amazing...I love the deep blues, they stand out so much. Happy last week of March to you. I read your other post and could not come up with an answer...sending you love xx
ReplyDeleteMust find spider azelia! Gorgeous! Just seeing all of your beautiful early bloomers makes me giddy! We're getting warmer days now, (low 60's!) the garden is waking up, days are getting longer, and all seems right with the world! Until April when rain will probably pour down constantly until July 5th.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos Grace! I loved the spider azalea also and I can almost smell the star magnolias and the beautiful pink one.
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky you can plant so many interesting plants in the yard, almost all we can do is xeriscape with plants that don't require a lot of water in our extreme heat...unless you have a full time gardener and cheat on the water restrictions. :)
All the trees and plants are budding out here except the crepe myrtles...they are the last. Even my pecan started putting on leaves last week and they are usually late also. So are the peach trees but my neighbors has lots of pink buds on it already.
Ah, so lovely! As always, your garden is an inspiration!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures. You've been all kinds of nursery excursions already this year! Jealous.
ReplyDeleteYou bleeding heart picture makes me sad. Two years ago, I lost a pink one I had had for years. My mom bought me a new one last year for Easter and it didn't come back. A white one she had given me three years ago didn't come back either. It makes me question the hardiness of the new plants.
Love the coming out of your garden. Such a rich diversity.
ReplyDeleteThat spider azalea is so interesting! Thanks for showing us your garden as it wakes up. I'm fascinated by that hanging strawflower. Did your Mukdenia flower already, or has it stopped flowering because it's pot-bound?
ReplyDeleteI love that spider azalea and have almost bought it many many times. What stopped me? The same thing that makes it a must have for you, those pink flowers!
ReplyDeleteHappy spring Grace!
That is such a wonderful new plant you got Grace. I do not think I have saw a Spider Azalea before. Your garden is so ahead of ours. The magnolia is just so pretty. My Star magnolia has never bloomed before. Maybe I need to threaten it like I did the wisteria. LOL! And the Brunnera is always a favorite with those beautiful blue blooms. Just makes me more anxious to see my garden wakening up soon. Have a lovely week.
ReplyDeleteCareful, your way with words is showing...but it won't overshadow these beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteHappy Spring!
Love that car :)....my garden is finally waking and a few new blooms....yippeee. I love that spider azalea...now that is a plant I would buy although I do not have the acidic soil it likes.
ReplyDeleteGrace, lovely Helichrysum! I've seen it and loved it!
ReplyDeleteYou're lucky to listen to such famous people and to watch many interesting plants.
Happy Easter!
Add me to the 'I want a spider azalea!' list! What a cool plant. :o) My garden is just now starting to think about waking up. We've had a really cold March and most of my plants are still asleep. I love that even the foliage of the plants in your garden is pink.
ReplyDeleteHi Grace,
ReplyDeleteYes, it's spring! Even though your garden is ahead of mine, there are plenty of plants "wakey, wakeying"
I am giddy, too!
I think your garden has already woken up Grace! You sure have lots in bloom (compared to here) & I love your new purchase!! I agree the Star magnolia is fabulous.
ReplyDeleteThank you too for your words of comfort Grace. I really appreciate them.