It's a challenge right now, finding time to keep up with this blog. And it's nearly impossible to go blog visiting like I would like to. When will Science develop a pill so we can forego sleep and get everything done? There's just not enough hours in the day.
Here's a little bit of what's happening in my garden this week.
I bought bulbs of this Nectaroscordum last fall after admiring them last summer. They're unique and fun and the hummingbirds love them.
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| Nectaroscordum siculum |
Allium nigrum is so reliable, blooming every spring despite my consistent neglect.
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| Allium nigrum |
I redid this area so I could showcase a lot of my small plants like Dianthus.
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| Dianthus ssp. |
There are several plants blooming there including this Lychnis I bought last year from Dancing Oaks. I really like the fluffy, double flowers. They're small--only about the size of a penny but they're vibrant and plentiful.
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| Lychnis viscaria 'Splendens Plena' |
In one of my shady areas, this little gem is blooming right on time. It's been very reliable for me.
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| Melittis melissophyllum |
I love Astrantias!
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| Astrantia major 'Ruby Wedding' |
The Chinese Foxglove I purchased last year is blooming. The flowers have an exotic look.
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| Chinese Foxglove Rehmannia elata |
The Cannas are perfection right now.
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| Canna Zantedeschia aethiopica |
The Violas are such reliable reseeders. I love their little faces.
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| Viola babies |
Another volunteer is this snapdragon. The lesson: If we're too tidy, we miss out on all these little surprises.
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| Volunteer Snapdragon |
Such tiny flowers on this Baby's Breath.
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| Gypsophila repens 'Rosea' |
I purchased Bear's Breeches (Acanthus mollis) at least ten years ago. It has never bloomed and over the years the area where it's planted has become increasingly shady. Imagine my surprise a few days ago when I noticed three flower stalks jutting skyward! Blooming in deep shade? Really? COOL!
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| Acanthus mollis |
Here are the first and second flower stalks.
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| Flower buds on Acanthus mollis |
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| Creeping Campanula amongst the throng |
The Honeysuckle is intensely fragrant. I love it!
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| Lonicera japonica 'Halliana' |
I always have at least one vase of it in the house.
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| Lonicera japonica 'Halliana' |
I'm particularly pleased with this vignette:
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Heuchera 'Marmalade' with Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance'),
various Sedums and a few blooms of Geum 'Flames of Passion'. |
This Spiraea is starting to bloom.
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Spiraea japonica 'Magic Carpet' with Sedum 'Angelina'
and a volunteer California Poppy. |
Pink seeds are dangling all over this Japanese maple.
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| Acer palmatum 'Seiryu' seedpods |
While several of my ornamental grasses are not even knee-high yet, Stipa gigantea is already towering and beginning its fanciful blooming display!
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| Stipa gigantica |
Finally, I have to share this cool gift from my friend Carol. She knows how much I love rusty stuff. Thank you Carol!
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| Cool rusty lantern! |
Happy gardening, my dear friends!
I agree with you--finding time to blog when I am busy with work and gardening is a challenge, and I don't visit like I used to, either. In fact I have only done one post so far this year, which is totally unlike me. But I am glad I took the time to look at your post and your plants, Grace!
ReplyDeleteYour garden is looking lovely Grace. I love the pure white calla lilies. Your Bears Breeches is like my wisteria when it comes to not blooming for years. A good surprise.I love them but have no room. The golden leaves on the spirea is just such a pretty touch along beside it. What a great gift. Loving the lantern.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you took the time to share pictures of your garden! It's beautiful. The Acer seedpods look like little pink butterflies. I also love Astrantia but, after trying and failing to grow them in SoCal in conditions more hospitable than those offered by my current garden, I have to enjoy them in photos. I fell in love with that Melittis upon first sight too but it appears to be another one I need to admire from afar.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes for a happy weekend in the garden!
It's always a treat to visit your garden, whenever you can fit it in. Our newest extended family member has been named Calla. I commissioned a friend to knit a little hat with a Calla Lily on it...so adorable.
ReplyDeleteRight now I'm so busy in the garden that finding time to write about it is a challenge. But it will come. :o) You have so many plants that won't grow for me in our hot/humid summers. I love that Chinese foxglove and that astrantia.
ReplyDeleteGrace, you are so right! I have a terrible time trying to not only find time but the joy of blogging that I once enjoyed. I am not giving up, but it is truly hard to give that much time to being on the computer these days! Your gardens are lovely, and your plants look so healthy and far ahead of ours... Not too far, though. We are having a wonderfully extended Spring!! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteYou have every right to be pleased with that vignette. It's gorgeous! I really have no excuse at the moment for not posting occasionally. Mondays and Tuesdays are long, but I could write something in advance. Sometimes I just don't feel like blogging, though.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, as always! I love the cheery little violas. I have never seen a Nectaroscordum before, it is really quite unique. Yesterday I caught a whiff of honeysuckle in my garden and was thrilled. There are barely any blooms yet, I can't wait for it to be full!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you found time to share your garden, it's always fun to "visit".
Hi Grace! It's so nice to see your post! I hear what you are saying about time and blogging. I try to post while I have a break from other activities.
ReplyDeleteAcanthus is one of my favorites. It blooms for me, but not every year. Right now, there is a bud on the baby plant which grows in very dry soil. Maybe, they (your plant in a shade and my in a dry spot) think they are going to die and rush to set seeds?
Blogging can be very time consuming. In the summer there is so much work and so many flowers, in the winter the opposite. I have grown Nectaroscordum many years, it is one of the few alliums other than garlic and elephant garlic that repeat well. I hadn't heard of Allium nigrum. Your Astrantia is lovely, I tried it last year but apparently I didn't manage to water it enough. I love Spirea, it is one of the few shrubs deer don't bother. I just noticed red seedpods on one of my Japanese Maples too, so pretty!
ReplyDeleteOh, it does get hectic, doesn't it?! I have so much more time to blog during the winter, but of course, the garden is dormant then so not as many exciting things to post about. I love the photo of the Astrantia. Enjoy your time in the garden!
ReplyDeleteI'm delighted with your garden. Compositions, flowers and garden sculptures and ornaments. Beautifully!
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Polnad :)
Roll on the day when that magic no sleep tablet appears Grace :) I know exactly what you mean about time or the lack of it - here we have a cool damp morning so I'm catching up on blog reading! I chuckled at your excitement at seeing your bears' breeches flower. I advise you to curtail your excitment. I waited for years and years for mine to flower - it did once in 2008 but never again. Maybe time for a move methinks.
ReplyDeleteWhere to begin with your magical garden? You have so thoughtfully placed those "little vignettes" all around your Secret Garden. It made me excited to see the "Seiryu seed pods because our young tree is growing like mad and this will be its first season to produce pods. Can't wait. The Lychnis is stunning! Even the so-called ordinary dianthus, a classic English garden staple is magical in your setting. I have only one question for you. Do you try and fertilize all of these plants on a larger scale in peak growing season? Of course, we use natural fertilizers as starters and at different times, but do you spray for example to reach the large number of plants you have? Susie
ReplyDeleteOh HELLO awesome, rusty, lantern!! Grace, I think you have some of the pretties vignettes and plant combos. I hope life slows down a bit so you can really enjoy your garden...and show us!!xo
ReplyDeleteGrace I wonder how we have time for half of what we do...and oh how lovely your garden is....right now I am swooning over violas as I have many grown from seed here.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you Grace, it sure is hard to find time for everything we want to do. But I'm always conscious of making sure that the "real" people in my life come first, you know? Internet friends are lovely, but your real friends need you the most.
ReplyDeleteGrace, You take the most beautiful pictures. I love how you point out all the details, not just look at the big picture, which is beautiful no doubt, but you have so many littler things that make up the richness of the total. Bobbie
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