Plant of the Week: Sanguisorba 'Lilac Squirrel'

After a rare--for August--rainy morning yesterday, most of the taller perennials are bowed over from weight of the raindrops. Especially annoying is the Phlox paniculata and if its flowers weren't so delectable to the swallowtail butterflies, I might be tempted to cut it all back. 

Sanguisorba hakusanensis 'Lilac Squirrel' isn't leaning as badly. And it is my plant of the week! Check out the flowers and you'll see why it is called 'Lilac Squirrel'.

 

 

This winter-hardy perennial (Zone 4a to 9b) starts out as a 12 inch wide basal clump with dark green, serrated, pinnate leaves.  

The green leaves belong to 'Lilac Squirrel'.  The leaves edged in white, to S. 'Dali Marble'

Starting in July, flowering stems rise to 4 or 5 feet (in my garden) and produce "bodacious pink boas" as Digging Dog Nursery in California calls them. 

 Aren't they fun? The typical height of the flowering stems is purported to be 24 inches so maybe it's my cramscaping that fuels their need to reach higher.

As you can see below, the "boas" eventually fade to a tawny color, at which point can be clipped off. 

Planted in a full sun or a mostly sunny spot, this plant will perform better with moist, freely draining soil. With its simple met needs, it will increase in size and "flower" production each year. I believe they make cute cut flowers too although I haven't attempted it.

Early Summer

Officially speaking, it's not quite summer yet but dang, tell that to the weather gods! Temps have been in the low 90s for the past several days. I think most of us weather wusses here in the Pacific Northwest are sick of it now and ready for normal weather. And I'm sure hoping this isn't the new normal. 

Fortunately the garden isn't suffering nearly as much as the people. Just a few photos this time: 

Alstroemeria x 'Tri-Color' is starting to bloom.

This is my first year growing this double Lychnis. I bought it on clearance last fall. The blooms are worth the wait. I'm hoping it comes true from seed. Anyone have experience growing this? 

Lychnis coronaria 'Gardener's World'

Geranium oxonianum 'Southcombe Double'

Dianthus deltoides 'Flashing Light' and Sedum

Philadelphus 'Belle Etoile' ... so fragrant!

From left to right,
Impatiens oemiana, Sanguisorba officinalis 'Tana', Thalictrum isopyroides and Heuchera 'Obsidian'

From left to right,
Hosta 'Paradigm', Chameleon Plant (Houttuynia cordata 'Variegata'),
Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Albo Striata)
and a small Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) 

There have been multiple critter-sightings in the garden this summer. The tadpoles are losing their tails! Here are two perfectly formed darlings. They are smaller than my pinkie fingernail.

Everything is Coming Up Roses

I get that many of you are not terribly fond of roses. After all, the plants can be fussy, the foliage is susceptible to all manner of leaf uglies and then there's those dang thorns. Ouch!

But what can I say? Despite all the reasons not to grow them, I love roses. I adore burying my nose in those velvety, fragrant petals or walking into a room and being greeted by their heavenly fragrance.

However, contrary to my typical nature, I don't obsess over the genus Rosa. I don't have an unquenchable need to crowd my garden's borders with every variety known to humankind and have a succession of blooms from March to November. Believe it or not, I'm really happy with the few that I already have. Here are photos of most of them. 

Rosa 'Cinco de Mayo' ... Unfortunately leaf miners found a place to play. 

Gertrude Jekyll 

'Knock Out' with Geranium 'Jolly Bee' 

Another shot of 'Knock Out' and surrounding plants.

'Sophie's Rose' 

'William Baffin' 

'Sea Foam' 

Another shot of 'Sea Foam' 

And one more. I love the touch of pink in the buds

'Carefree Delight' 

NOID ... a miniature my youngest daughter recently gave me. 

'Lyda' 

Not the best photo, but can you see the tiny crab spider?
I don't like crab spiders. They eat bees and that makes them bad! 

In other news, the garden is in full-on mode. Here are some random shots.

I purchased Centaurea atropurpurea last year. These are the very first blooms. I love it. 

It's only supposed to get about 2 and a half feet tall but mine is as tall as I am,
which isn't saying much--5 feet--but kind of tall for a front-of-the-border plant.

My winter-surviving artichokes are looking perfect. I'll be letting them bloom. 

Being a lover of pink flowers, I swoon over these seeded (by me) rosy-pink California poppies.

What pink garden would be complete without pink daylilies? 

This is a horrid photo of Campanula punctata 'Sarastro'.
My apologies.

While the larger-flowered Penstemons have died,
Penstemon x mexicale 'Sunburst Ruby' has done really well in my garden
for several years, as has it's brother P. x m. 'Minaret Purple'.
I don't know why I neglected to get a photo of him.

The much-maligned Puple Loosestrife (Lythrum saliciflorus)
has never made a nuisance of itself in my garden. 

Sanguisorba tenufolia 'Pink Elephant' is just starting to bloom.
It looks better than ever this year.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I succumbed to the appeal of the "It" plant, Digiplexis.
Another, maybe not quite so popular "It" plant is Gomphrena 'Fireworks.'
Several weeks ago, when my sister and I visited Al's Garden Center, I found it
and there went my final few dollars.

I'm in love with Fireweed. (Epilobium angustifolium). Up close or far away,
those blossoms are enchanting. 

On the foliage side of things, finally I'm seeing some girth develop on my Tetrapanax.

Darmera peltata is really going places. 

Oops, back to flowers: the recently-purchased Geranium 'Double Jewel' is blooming.
Such a perky little thing.

I'm a fragrance fanatic.
Lonicera japonica 'Purpurea' is in full optical and olfactory splendor

As is Hall's ... Lonicera japonica 'Halliana' 

Finally, I'll finish it off with some wide shots.

As always, thanks for visiting.