Blackout Asiatic Lily

Ok, so it’s way too late for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, but my excuse was traveling for over two weeks in Scotland (which should be the subject of another post).  But I use these monthly postings as a way of tracking what is happening in the garden not only from month to month but from year to year.  It helps me track how the garden evolves.  We were lucky for this trip that the weather included ample rainfall so that with the sprinklers I had set up there was none of the loss of plants that can happen with a vacation that lasts that long.  I had been most concerned about the new troughs (see last post) but they seem to have done very well, including the centerpiece Lewisia tweedyi which is notoriously difficult in our climate.  Even the new plants that I started this year in the Tufa rock in the front garden are looking healthy.

Replanting of Tufa with Gentian, Arabis, and Campanula

On the other hand the Meconopsis that I planted earlier this spring is showing no real growth in what has been perhaps the best possible Meconopsis (cool and wet) spring for a Maryland garden.  I totally missed the rest of the Spuria Iris (note to self, order more Spuria Iris) and the blooming of the Formosan Lily which I had ordered in from Far Reaches this year before discovering how easy they are from seed (I have lots of seedlings growing in the greenhouse).

The most impressive plants in the yard right now are probably the large stands of Blackout Asiatic Lilies.  They are spreading abundantly and the color is an eye-popping very dark red.

Cluster of Blackout Lilies

Another patch of Blackout Lilies with Rozanne Geraniums

Speaking of eye-popping, the new Echinacea variety that Beth planted in the front garden is stunning and floriferous.

Echinacea purpurea ‘PowWow Wild Berry’

But then again it did win the AAS award in 2010.  Also in that front bed the Calandrina that I had order in from California continues have many bright red-pink flowers opening daily.

Calandrinia spectabilis

The Front yard also has the Stewartia in bloom.

Stewartia japonica flower

The many flowers open up over an extended period.

Two Iris’s were vying for attention as well.  One is a Japanese Iris that I purchased several years ago from Plant Delights (Agripinella) and the other has no identifying tag but is lovely nonetheless.

Iris ensata ‘Agripinella’

Yellow Iris (unknown)

I was pleased to see that, although very late to the party, two more Arisaemas had appeared.  One is Arisaema fargesii which has great big glossy green leaves to go with the brown-red pitcher and the other is Arisaema candidissimum, this one with a very white pitcher.

Arisaema candidissimum (White form)

Arisaema candidissimum (White form) front

The hillside along the drive has it’s normal abundance of wild pea and crown vetch blooming in gay profusion.

Wild Pea (Lathyrus latifolia) and Crownvetch (Coronilla varia L.)

Weeds struggle to invade their private battleground.  We also have a very nice sedum that has taken hold nicely behind the garage.

Sedum floriferum ‘Weihenstephaner Gold’

Nearby is an alternate version of Butterfly Weed that has a matching yellow color going with the sedum and a huge St. John’s Wort.

Asclepias tuberosa ‘Hello Yellow’

In the greenhouse I found a cute little South African native with many small yellow flowers.

Albuca aurea flower detail

The growth habit is similar to Ornithogalums.   I need to move this pot out into the herb garden for the summer.

The vegetable garden had done well in our absence.  There are a boatload of peas to pick and the beans are just starting.  And especially relevant the blueberries are just coming into picking time, so we didn’t miss any of those.

Blueberries starting up