Breaking Dormancy

This year it seems as if plants are hesitant to do much more than break dormancy. I blame it on the cool nights. Last night the temperature was down to 33 again and the same is predicted for tonight. There is life but plants are waking up with a yawn and a stretch and a touch to the snooze alarm.

Here are some photos. Check out the vibrant, cherry-red Rhubarb leaves! Each of the three photos were taken a few days apart.

Ornamental Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum var. tanguticum)

Ornamental Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum var. tanguticum)

Ornamental Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum var. tanguticum)

Earlier, I thought my 'Morello Cherry' Lupine was dead. Then I saw leaves. It's alive!

Lupinus polyphyllus 'Morello Cherry'

I love this fuzzy-leaved dwarf willow.

Salix nakamurana var. yezoalpina

Salix nakamurana var. yezoalpina

My Podphyllums are opening and looking fabulous. Apparently they like cooler weather.

Podophyllum pleianthum

Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty'

Last fall I crafted a "fern table" with mostly objects and plants I had on hand. You can read about it here. Well, it survived the winter and doesn't look too worse for the wear.

Fern table now

Fern table last fall

Interestingly, the red Sempervivums on the right of this container were not always so. Some of them change color with the cooler temps.

Sempervivums now.

Sempervivums last fall

Here are some wide shots of the garden, such as it is.

Bergenia in flower

I took out the Boxwood at the left, bottom of the photo.

The patio area

I love these Saxifrages. (Saxifraga x urbium 'Aureopunctata')

This is my still-dormant Butterfly Weed (Asclepias speciosa) area.

Here it is from the other side. My son got me the rusty bed frame. Nice, huh?

I've still got a bunch of river rock to distribute. So many projects.

More projects.

Clematis macropetala 'Markham's Pink' getting ready to pop.

The HUGE Camellia bush in the front yard by the neighbor's property.

Pretty spring color.

More pretty spring color, flowering current -- Ribes sanguineum 'Pulsborough Scarlet'

Ribes sanguineum 'Pulsborough Scarlet'

Ribes sanguineum 'Pulsborough Scarlet'

Ribes sanguineum 'Pulsborough Scarlet'

Muscari madness

The grass widow (Olsynium douglasii) is almost finished blooming and producing seeds.

While the native Shooting Star (Dodecatheon sp) is coming up.

I'm a little worried about this new Clematis I purchased from Joy Creek Nursery last summer. I'm still waiting with crossed fingers that it will show some signs of life.

Clematis montana 'Marjorie'

Finally, do you ever plant something and wonder what the heck it is? I apparently planted this guy last fall and now I'm completely perplexed as to its identity. Any ideas? 

Mystery plant! Do you know what I am?

Thank you for visiting!

It's Been, Like, Forever!

Hi everybody. I'm here with few words and many photos of my garden in early June. If you have any questions, please leave your email so I can reply. Seat belts fastened? Okay, here we go....

The middle of my long, rectangular garden.

I just redid this area.

My south lawn replacement

Allium schubertii

I moved the Melianthus to this bed. It's coming along slowly but it's alive.

Here's a little better view of it.

Physocarpus 'Coppertina'

I think this is a bit too clashy for my taste.

Looking to the southwest-end of the garden.

Looking back to the middle garden, we're now standing in the south end.

The southeast part of the garden

Thanks to the neighbor's trees, it's shady here.

Heucheras! H. 'Paris' blooms red all summer. In front of it is 'Green Spice'.

I finally found the right place for Rue (Ruta graveolens). It was a pathetic thing just a few months ago
but now it looks better than it ever has.

Last week I spotted this little Primula on the clearance rack at Home Depot. $3
(Primula japonica, I think.)

Sedum s. 'Cape Blanco' does well in shade. Who'd a thunk?

The Sedums seem happy to mingle among the Dianthus so I let them. 

I'm hoping my Hesperaloe will bloom. It actually gets a lot of sun in this spot.

The first Japanese Iris blossom (Iris ensenta 'Variegata)

Parahebe perfoliata reaching toward the light

Raspberries on the left

Looking north

Looking farther north

Nectaroscordum siculum is a hummingbird magnet, while behind it,
variegated comfrey (Symphytum x uplanicum 'Axmiinster Gold')  is a bumblebee magnet.

Verbascum before the rain

The north lawn replacement

 

The north end of the garden

Geranium 'Orion'

Lychnis chalcedonica 'Pinkie'

'William Baffin' is blooming!

Geranium pratense 'Dark Reiter' and Sedum 'Ogon'

The patio area

Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty' and Hakonechloa 'Albo Striata'

Darmera peltata skirted with Hakonechloa 'Albo Striata'

Sidalcea cusickii

One of  few Cannas that didn't succumb to winter's cruelty.

Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance' living up to its name

Phormium 'Sundowner' (I think) from HD this year.
I couldn't resist. I'm going to protect it this winter. 

Okay, that's enough for now. Thanks for stopping by.