Stewartia malacodendron
Last year at Stonecrop’s alpine sale I purchased this small tree from Don Dembowski with the hope of someday seeing the beautiful flowers that websites described. I was amazed this year when several flowers appeared in its first year on our rocky hillside. This is multiple weeks ahead of it’s neighbor, Stewartia japonica. Not to take anything away from Stewartia japonica with its lovely bark and many flowers, but the S. malacondendron has much larger and absolutely gorgeous flowers.
Stewartia malacodendron flower
So far the deer have chosen to ignore this wonderful addition to our front yard. It seems happy within the shade of surrounding trees. Inspired by this success I’ve purchased Stewartia monadelpha as well and I’m looking for where to place what will eventually be a pretty large tree.
The remarkably consistent event on the first of June is the appearance of the Arisaema fargessi and Arisaema candidissum
Arisaema fargessi emerging
Each year I wonder if they have disappeared over the winter and each year they check the calendar and stick up their cone on June 1st (A. fargessi was a day early this year, but A. candidissum was right on schedule. Meanwhile many of their Arisaema brethren have been up and about for many weeks. The most striking at the moment is a new Arisaema ringens cultivar.
Arisaema ringens ‘Black Mamba’
The Arisaema ringens are big plants with leaves that extend over a couple of feet. Here is the normal A. ringens in its third year.
Arisaema ringens
This is also the time of year for the martagon lilies to share their elegance.
Lilium x martagon ‘Claude Shride’
This one looked particularly nice when we put it in the middle stones that had been painted at a garden party last week.
Martagon lily with stones
In the front yard right now we have white daphne that is covered with fragrant blossoms.
Daphne x transatalantica ‘Eternal Fragrance’
And an azalea with some of the largest azalea blossoms I have ever seen.
White azalea
A focal point of the center garden is a large spuria iris with striking purple blossoms.
Spuria Iris ‘Stella Irene’
And in the monument bed a very pretty bletilla is in full bloom.
Bletilla ‘Brigantes’
The greenhouse still has a few contributions as well. A pine woods lily that has appeared in other years at this time.
Alophia drummondi (Pine Woods Lily)
And a flower from Brazil that I don’t recalled having flowered before.
Neomarica candida
It’s very exotic, but you have to pay attention because the flower is only there for a day.