It's Blooming!

I must be doing something right because my pitcher plant, (Sarracenia sp.) has three blooms this year! Aren't they pretty? 

Below is the plant last year, snuggled between rocks in the shallowest portion of my outer pond. Despite being somewhat crowded by other plants, it seemed to be happy.

 

 

 Don't you love it when our plants do what they're supposed to do?

My patio pond is doing well too. I found the floating, round-leaved Frogbit plant (Limnobium laeviatum) at the nursery. It was three little leaves in April. Now it's three hundred little leaves. Check it out. 

Inner (patio) pond

With such rapid growth, I'm not surprised that Frogbit is invasive in some places. What did surprise me is that it is hardy down to Zone 4. I thought it was a summer annual (tropical perennial) and would die at first frost. But apparently not. It's sure cute floating on the water's surface. 

Back on the soil, my sister and I were both smitten with this Helianthemum we saw at Joy Creek Nursery last weekend. I think I had it years ago but you know how it goes. What's old is new again.

Helianthemum nummularium 'Annabel'

Jasminum stephanense "Hardy Pink Jasmine"

 I am so smitten with Hart's Tongue Fern. My oldest one is really getting big.

Hart's Tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium)

Last fall, after many years of lusting the puffy pinky blossoms of this pretty thistle (Cirsium rivulare 'Altopurpurea'), I purchased a plant from Far Reaches Nursery. It sat in its pot on my patio all winter. 

Internet Photo

Below is my plant--just behind the red-flowering Phygelius--shooting up a flowering stock! I hope the butterflies enjoy it too.

Cirsium rivulare 'Altropurpurea'

There are very few Dianthus plants I don't like. This is one of several blooming its head off right now in my garden.

Dianthus

The Mock Orange, (Philadelphus) are SO fragrant!

Philadelphus 'Belle Etoile'

I'm finally okay with this border. It's taken a long time to get it looking good.

Ditto for this mini-woodland spot.

That's all for now.

Thank you for visiting!

One Day Less

Every day is one less day of summer... This is the mantra I have been repeating every evening at twilight since early June as soon as the weather turned summery. I didn't want to waste a minute of it, knowing it would be over in a flash. 

Here we are in mid-September, already. Some people are tired and ready for the change that fall will bring. I'm not. Well, I am looking forward to soft, rain-soaked soil to dig in so I can get everything planted. But I don't want to say goodbye to sunshine and warm tempertures. Not yet. 

Here are photos of things...

Recently I picked up the Mukgenia--a generic cross between Mukdenia and Bergenia. It's a neat, leafy, low growing thing for the shade border. I was pleasantly surprised to see these unique and very pink flowers adorning it.  

Mukgenia nova 'Flame'

This poor Dahlia. It didn't die like so many others did after last winter's record cold but it didn't really live either. At least not in the ground. In June I dug it up and put it in a pot. It finally bloomed. 

A troubled Dahlia

Ditto for the Digiplexis. It survived the winter in a pot but sat around for most of the spring and early summer doing nothing. Finally it's aglow.

Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame'

I have a few Clematis blooming. Check out this newbie called 'Chameleon'. Aptly named for the way the coloration changes as the flower ages.

Clematis 'Chameleon' new

Clematis 'Chameleon' after three days

It reminds me of how the double-flowered clematis blooms change as they age. 

Clematis florida 'Alba Plena' newly blooming

Clematis florida 'Alba Plena' after several days

Below is another newbie for me this spring. I'm tempted to think the buds are prettier than the actual flower.

Clematis versicolor buds

Clematis versicolor in flower

One last interesting floral evolution is the morning glory. Check it out in the morning.

Morning Glory ~~ Ipomoea 'Pretty n Pink'  Morning

Morning Glory flower in the afternoon... as the petals age,
they lose the lavender tint and turn a warm pink

Which do you like better? Personally, I'm not much of a morning person.

I was a bit slow in cutting back my Clematis x triternata 'Rubromarginata' but in like two weeks it is blooming again! This time much lower so I can catch a whiff of the flowers without a ladder.

Clematis x triternata 'Rubromarginata'

 It's Aster time! (I'm reluctant to embrace the new name, Sym...something or other.)

Aster 'Alma Postchke'

And there are other bloomers...

Saponaria x 'Max Frei' blooming from a cutting

Nerium oleander 'Hardy Red'

I bought Persicaria 'Fat Domino' after reading all the hype about it being a showier, fat spike. I think it has lived up to that hype, compared to the species. Tell me what you think. 

Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Fat Domino'

Persicaria amplexicaulis
with Clematis 'Polish Spirit and C. 'Confetti'

Impatiens arguta such a quirky little flower

I am really impressed with this Euphorbia. I grew it from seed sown last year. It started blooming in July and has been going non-stop since. Tiny white flowers in profusion.

Euphorbia corollata

Speaking of white flowers, another Aster. This one is for my shady white garden.

Eurybia divaricata 'Eastern Star' (Aster)

Fuchsia 'Debron's Black Cherry'

The Hibiscus flowers might be the best part about late summer. So big and blousy, they're impossible to ignore. 

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Torchy'

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Turn of the Century'

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Kopper King' with burgundy leaves!

Even the smaller-flowered tree Hibiscus (Rose of Sharon) are lookers, aren't they?

Hibiscus syriacus 'Aphrodite'

I had a chance to buy more Pitcher plants recently but didn't. I'm kicking myself now. But at least I've got this one going to town among the other pond goodies.

Sarracenia and variegated Acorus

Nicotiana mutabilis and Weigela florida 'Variegata'

The heat really woke up the Crape Myrtle, another stellar late-season bloomer.

NOID Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia)

Hubby and I are thinking about carving a small creek in this area under the tree. There is a natural slope and I've got tons of rocks I've been collecting. I'm not thrilled about ripping out all these plants but it's almost too shady for them now anyway.

These poor Dianthus need more sun.

I could probably make some adjustments and squeeze the Dianthus into this sunny area.

Some random garden photos...

This shiny little sedum, (Sedum oreganum) is such a pleasant little plant. 

Penstemon rupicolia, the gray-leaved plant is another easy low-growing plant.

Time to deadhead the Phlox...

That's all for now. I hope you're enjoying your gardens.

Oops. I published this late last night, forgetting that I promised to make mention of the HPSO Fall PlantFest coming up this Saturday. The esteemed Sean Hogan of Cistus Nursery will be speaking about his favorite plants, followed by a plant sale. You can find all the information by clicking here.  

High Summer!

Hi Peeps. I've finally managed to get a blog post together. As I'm sure you know, the garden is changing rapidly as spring bloomers fade away and high summer's bounty takes center stage. Don't you love this time of year?

In spring, I purchase, among (many) other things, this Mertensia maritima from Far Reaches Farm. Not long after planting it I mentioned here that it was looking really sad. Alison said she lost hers so, fearing mine was on the edge of death, I quickly dug it up and put it in a pot, away from slugs and other unseen threats. Look at it now.

Mertensia maritima blossom

It's blooming and looking healthy. It's still a bit leggy so I stuck this driftwood piece in the pot and allowed a bit of Kenilworth Ivy (Cymbalaria) to mingle with it, bringing out the blue of the foliage. 

Mertensia maritima ... Not quite as lovely as the nursery photos but I'm not complaining.

Here are a few more bloomers.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Peppermint Swirl'

Hydrangea m. 'Buttons and Bows' with Rosa 'William Baffin'

And the luscious 'Ayesha' Hydrangea

Abutilon cv. my sister bought for me at Sebright Gardens

I'm not a huge fan of Daylilies but this one fits the warm color scheme of this area.
Hemerocallis 'Just Plum Happy'

Origanum ... either 'Santa Cruz' 'Bristol Cross' or 'Barbara Tingey',
you tell me.

I lost most of my Dahlias to winter's vagaries but 'Bonne Esprance' is happy as can be.

Ditto for Dahlia 'Awalkoe'

And Dahlia 'Rip City'
There are three more Dahlia plants that haven't bloomed yet.

Phlox paniculata 'Peppermint Twist'

Another Phlox with P. Becky Towe' foliage and Star Jasmine flowers.

Gladiolus

Lonicera x heckrottii 'Pink Lemonade' has finally overcome its annual spring aphid infestation stage.

Geranium 'Patricia'

Patricia with Rosa glauca foliage.

The Wine Cups never looked better in my garden. (Callirhoe involucrata)

Alstroemeria 'Tricolor' looking fab.

Mimulus lewisii, the parent plant

Mimulus lewisii baby plant with flower

Impulse purchase: Milk Thistle (Silybum mananum)

The foliage is what sold me.

Thalictrum delavayi 'Hewitt's Double' is so challenging to photograph.

Check out the Sarracenia that I bought for a buck at a plant sale last year.

Mukdenia rossii 'Crimson Fans' has colored up nicely.

I really love Astrantia maxima in my woodland border.
It is mingling with Anemonopsis macrophylla buds.

Berkheya purpurea... my kind of "sunflower."

I was thrilled to see the first Gardenia 'Frostproof' blossom.
The next day there were seven blossoms!
I LOVE this plant.

Kniphofia 'Pineapple Popsicle' 

One of three surviving Canna plants.

I am in love with Hibiscus moscheutos 'Kopper King'
Behind it is variegated Comfrey (Symphytum x uplanicum 'Axminster Gold')

No, the Chameleon Plant (Houttunynia cordata 'Variegata') is not invasive in my garden.
The soil is too dry, despite my watering efforts.

And now for wider garden shots.

Clematis viticella 'Venosa Violacea'

The bare spot is waiting for a transplant. My son got me that cool rock.

That is Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers' back there.

Tetrapanax acting all regal and elegant as it invades the entire bed.

Rock-sorting on the patio from a recent rock-hounding trip.

Acer palmatum 'Ben Hime' looking decidedly more red this year thanks to more sunlight.

I'm in love.

Finally, critter alert.

One of the tiny little froglets in our pond.

We're still hoping we'll see a monarch butterfly but at least this swallowtail
noticed a tasty treat.