Don't Look

You know you're a gardener when your outdoors is cleaner than your indoors. Confession: I've spent so much time gardening lately that my house looks like crap. I keep telling myself, "Don't look" at all of the indoor to-dos. They will get done. They always do. Right now I've got gardening to do. 

Well, and blogging. It's been forever since I've posted photos. I've got a bunch of them so I'll keep my comments brief. If you have a question or comment, feel free to chime in.

Penstemon rupicola with Helianthemum 'Ben Ledi'

P. rupicola close up.

Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum'

Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum'

This one, lone Gardenia blossom overwintered and bloomed. Ah, the fragrance. I took this photo about a week ago but now the flower has faded. In a few months, the entire bush will be abloom. What a nice little spring surprise.

Gardenia jasminoides 'Frostproof'

Enkianthus campanulatus 'Showy Lanterns'

I'm going to move this poor Peony. It just isn't happy in this spot.

Paeonia tenuifolia

Quaking Grass is an annual grass reseeds. The roots are shallow so the plants are easy to pull and transplant into a pot (or feed to my cats). I will dry most of the seed heads though.

Quaking Grass (Briza maxima)

Calycanthus x raulstonii 'Hartlage Wine'

This Night Phlox is incredibly fragrant. I have it in a pot right at nose level.

Night Phlox (Zaluzianskya ovata)

Speaking of fragrance, this bush Lonicera is incredibly fragrant. I almost got rid of it a few years ago when it was in a bad spot. I'm so glad I didn't.

Lonicera syringantha

Jim was new last year. Despite reports of being an "easy to grow" plant, he pouted. This year he's happy. And so am I. 

Chiastrophyllum oppositifolium 'Jim's Pride'

My sister gave me a piece of this gorgeous hardy Geranium. My photo doesn't do it justice.

Geranium nodosum 'Whiteleaf'

In all my gardening years, I've never grown Jack-in-the-pulpit or Arisaema. This spring I decided to try a species. (There are several and the showier they are, the pricier they are.) I bought three bulbs of A. triphyllum from Prairie Moon Nursery. They arrived a few weeks ago and check them out. One is already blooming.

Arisaema triphyllum

 The Clematis are blooming. Well some of them are:

Clematis montana 'Broughton Star'

Clematis 'Polish Spirit' with Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin' and Lonicera 'Gold Flame'

Clematis 'Polish Spirit with Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin' and Lonicera 'Gold Flame'

I didn't move 'Proteus' like I told myself I should. Darn it. Wouldn't this be fabulous mingling with 'Polish Spirit' and 'Glasnevin'?  

Clematis 'Proteus'

Clematis 'Proteus'

More Clems:

Clematis 'Nubia'

Clematis 'Viva Polonia'

Clematis 'Viva Polonia' backside

Rhodohypoxis baurii 'Red Star' with Blue Star Creeper

 

 

Weigela florida 'Variegata' in full, fragrant bloom

I saw this cool plant at Dancing Oaks last fall. I had to have it. 

Fringed Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia fimbriata)

 New plant for me... I love it!

Spiraea densiflora

There are a ton more plant photos but I'll save them for next time. Here area some wide shots:

Woodland border

Montia parviflora var. flagellaris and Oxalis crassipes 'Rosea'

Woodland border

Rheum palmatum var. tanguiticum

Shady path to the north part of the garden

Euphorbia stygiana

The blossoms on Euphorbia stygiana are incredibly fragrant! Think sweet honey... yum!

Euphorbia stygiana

 

 

Lychnis viscaria in full bloom

One of the nice things about spring flowers are the spring visitors. 

Painted Lady butterfly nectaring on Lychnis

 After two-plus weeks of sunshine, I'm glad we're finaly getting a bit of rain today. Maybe I'll even tackle the housework. Cheers!

So Much to be Thankful For

It's Thanksgiving week and is there any better time to show our gratitude for the garden and nature at large? I don't think so. I did some puttering today and it was so pleasant to be in the garden. The weather has remained mild so the last few blossoms continue to hold on and make me smile.

Alyssum

Fresh pansy blossom and curious dead pansy blossom

Impatiens arguta

Lewisia cotyledon 'White Splendor' and L. c. 'Elsie'

Vibrunum bodnantense 'Pink Dawn'

Viburnum flowers up close

Clematis 'Chameleon' put out one last blossom. Last summer the flowers were lavender and pink. This flower is a creamy white. Is it fixing for a snow storm? Could that be why it's called 'Chameleon'?

Clematis 'Chameleon'

Fuchsia 'Rosea'
A cutting from my BIG mother plant.

 Cyclamen hederifolium  

How sweet to see this little tiny lavender Galega bud trying to open.

Galega officinalis 'Lady Wilson'

'Ruby Slippers' Hydrangea leaves still look good enough to eat.

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers'

And the Nandina is also looking fabulous.

Nandina 'Wood's Dwarf'

My camera couldn't do justice to the water droplets on this dark leaved Hypericum.

Hypericum seedling

Even "common" plants such as Bergenia look brilliant with their winter colors.

Bergenia, unopened Oxalis buds and Sedum oreganum

Bergenia 'Tubby Andrews'

I've always hesitated growing Chocolate Creeping Jenny because I'm not thrilled with the yellow flowers. But look at that foliage! 

Chocolate Creeping Jenny
Lysimachia congestiflora 'Persian Chocolate'

A close up: So pretty.

Lysimachia congestiflora 'Persian Chocolate'

I cut back my Wintersweet shrub (Chimonanthus praecox) last spring. It said thank you by putting on a lot of new growth. I'm loving the fall colors on it. The gradation down the branch from gold to green leaves is eye catching.

Chimonanthus praecox

And it is loaded with fat flower buds!

Chimonanthus praecox flower bud

Mild temperatures mean that my Melianthus is still looking good too. 

Melianthus major

More water drops. This time on Euphorbia 'Blackbird'.

Euphorbia 'Blackbird'

There are still a few leaves on my Silver Vein Creeper.

Silver Vein Creeper Parthenocissus henryana 
with Schefflera delavayi

I am really enjoying Spike Moss (Selaginela). It is new to me this year so we'll see how it survives the winter and how long it takes to recover next spring. 

Spike Moss Selaginela karussiana 'Aurea'

And now for some garden shots.

Acer palmatum 'Seiryu'

The tree below is a "seedling" Japanese maple. It was a baby plant from the Coral Bark Maple in the front yard. It is at least twice the size of her mother. I didn't think it would get quite this big. 

Looking up

Looking down

Fortunately the shade it provides means room for lots of woodland plants.  

Remember the photos of my fern table a few posts back? At Garland Nursery's fall plant sale I was hoping I could find a few more goodies to tuck into it. Check out these bargain one-dollar plants I grabbed.

Gautheria procumbens and Acorus grimineus minimus 'Aureus'

Here is the fern table with the newbies and a whole lot of litter from the plants above it. Natural, right? 

And the culprit for all of that detritus--Arbutus flowers. 

Arbutus unedo 'Compacta'

It's a good plant in that the hummingbirds love these ivory bells. 

But oooh it's so messy! And coupled with the Japanese maple leaves, you can see why fall is not my favorite season.

Thanks for visiting. I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving.