Jul 16 2017

Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day July 2017

Author: jw

Haemanthus humilis ssp. humilis

Let me lead off with this lovely South African native that I featured in my last post. It is still fully flowering following our recent travels and you can see how lovely it is. Like many of the South African bulbs it is growing in our greenhouse (probably would go to zone 8, but that’s not us). It’s well worth the wait to finally see this in flower.

Haemanthus humilis ssp. humilis

Outside we have many flowers in bloom right now, as do most gardens I suspect. The staggering fragrance of lilies calls for first attention.

Lilium ‘Anastastia’

Every year the lilies seem to come back and dominate the summer. Anastastia is a particularly tall and strong Oriental/Trumpet hybrid.

Lily Oriental-Trumpet ‘Anastasia’

Another reliable Orienpet is ‘Scherezade’.

Lilium Oriental/Trumpet Scheherazade

It makes for a spectacular display in the house.

Lilium ‘Scheherezade’ arrangment

Other lilies of note follow

Orienpet Lily ‘Pretty Woman’

Lilium ‘Casablanca’

And then there are the daylilies, a different genus but similar in many ways.

Red Daylily

Outrageously golden daylily

And let us not forget the iris family. Several types of Crocosmia are in bloom right now too.

Crocosmia – x crocosmiiflora ‘George Davison’

And our winter was gentle enough that the gladiolas that I failed to dig last year all came back in abundance. It’s the best crop of glads we have ever had. They’ve been blooming for a month now.

Glads in abundance, including ‘Margaret Rose’ and ‘Jester’

The Echinacea in the front bed are putting on a fine show right now.

Echinacea in the front bed

And the sunflowers are abundantly flowering in the vegetable garden in many sizes and colors.

Sunflower

Burnt-colored Sunflower

In the alpine bed the first flowers are showing on the Gentian paradoxa, and this earlier than I ever remember seeing them in bloom.

Gentian paradoxa

Altogether it’s a fine showing for Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day, as evident by Beth’s flower vase arrangement.

Some of Beth’s flower pickings for today in the late afternoon sunlight

Jul 13 2017

A Lesson in Patience

Author: jw

Haemanthus humilis ssp. humilis in bud

I have been growing Haemanthus humilis sap. humilis since 2013. The seeds were obtained from a contribution from Jim Shields to the Pacific Bulb Society as part of their bulb and seed exchange program. The plants came pretty quickly the next year but I have waited and waited for any indication that they would like to flower. And then, as luck would have it this bud appeared the day before we were scheduled to leave on a ten day trip to Colorado. And as I looked more closely I saw that other pots were also in bud.

Haemanthus humilis ssp. humilis budding

Fortunately my son was able to get a couple of shots later in the week showing their progress and it looks likely that they will still be in bloom when we return home.

Haemanthus humilis ssp. humilis in flower

Haemanthus humilis ssp. humilis

This is all a testament to patience as you wait for plants to reach their potential. These pots were full of plant with no indication of flowering, so I was beginning to wonder if they were worth repotting. It’s also another endorsement for the Pacific Bulb Society which is a wonderful resource for bulbs from all over the world, not just via the bulb exchange which they carry out but for the comprehensive information that is provided by members.

As another example of a plant obtained from the PBS this Eucomis was in flower when I left.

Eucomis vandermerwei

This was obtained from small bulbs distributed by the PBS (also in 2013).

Jun 16 2017

Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day June 2017

Author: jw

Anemone multifida ‘Rubra’

I will lead off this very late Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day post with a lovely little anemone that came from the NARGS seed exchange three years ago. It’s not spreading but seems to be holding its own in the Monument bed.

I am always surprised that two of Arisaemas hold off until June. Their colleagues begin back in April. But just when you think that winter has finished them off, the Arisaema candidissimum and Arisaema fargesii come popping up through the ground.

Arisaema candidissimum

Arisaema fargesii

It is also surprising to see the Freesia laxa return every year.

Freesia laxa

According to the books this little corm is not viable in our climate. Not only has it returned but it’s jumped the tracks and moved to another garden bed as well.

I have it growing now next to the reliable Brodiaea ‘Queen Fabiola’.

Brodiaea Queen Fabiola

That’s a white Callirhoe in the front of the image.

Callirhoe involucrata var. lineariloba ‘Logan Calhoun’

And they all mix together like this.

Star flowers, wine cups and Fressia.

In the same garden bed we have a bright yellow Butterfly Weed.

Asclepias tuberosa ‘Hello Yellow’

This is very popular with all the butterflies and bees. For example this swallowtail was cruising around the yard.

Zebra Swallowtail

Nearby we find a lovely clematis growing up a trellis.

Clematis ‘Krakowiak’

Also by the garage there is a marvelous foxtail lily that came from Far Reaches.

Eremurus stenophyllus

Back in the monument bed there is the first of the Asiatic lillies coming out.

Asiatic Lily ‘Netty’s Pride’

And a chinese ground orchid that is a little taller than our other ground orchids.

Bletilla ‘Brigantes’

Back in the Camellia bed, emerging through the rapidly growing Japanese Anemones is a very pretty Astrantia.

Astrantia ‘Sunningdale variegated’

If we go back to the Alpine bed, as I do several times a day, a very nice dwarf plant in the Campanulaceae is just finishing. I cannot read the label but I suspect it’s an Edraianthus.

Edraianthus sp?

Just finished now is also another pasque flower.

Pulsatilla campanella

Also in the alpine bed is a new gentian that we found at Oliver Nursery this spring.

Gentiana cachemirica

In the greenhouse there are a few picture-worthy objects as well.

Ornithogalum fimbrimarginatum

This is a two-foot tall Ornithogalum that came from the PBS bulb exchange.

Another PBS acquisition is this Pine Woods Lily.

Alophia drummondi (Pine Woods Lily)

I almost forgot to mention the Stewartia. It has been a consistent flowering tree for June 15th. This year it is loaded with flowers but only one is actually open now.

Stewartia japonica

However, life is not flowers alone. It is the peak time for our berries, especially the blueberries.

Blueberries at their peak

It’s a joy picking blueberries. We brought in gallons last night. I’m convinced the only reason we can do so is that just behind the garden we have a very large mulberry tree and an equally large Bird Cherry that provide even greater interest for the birds.

Wild Cherry (Prunus avium)

Speaking of birds I’ve seen some really nice ones on my early morning bird watching including this Baltimore Oriole yesterday.

Baltimore Oriole eating cherries

Well, that’s a glimpse of our garden right now. What’s happening in your garden?

May 16 2017

Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day May 2017

Author: jw

Horned Poppy (Glaucium flavum)

Wow, a very busy day yesterday in gardenland. I discovered the horned poppy shown above had returned after a year’s absence in flowering as I was catching up with the vegetable garden on an absolutely gorgeous spring day here in Maryland. My cup runneth over with chores at this time of year, but the weather has been most cooperative (at last!). I tilled the garden, finished weeding the strawberries, planted out the veggies started in the basement, seeded much of the rest of the garden, put in more glads and dahlias, and meanwhile Beth and Josh were weeding and pruning like mad.

Getting the garden planted

As usual on Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day I will share some of the flowers of interest blooming around the yard. It’s worthwhile to step back from my close-up images to see the wide array of flowering plants right now.

Front Garden Circle

I’ve noticed that some folks tend to think of ‘garden’ as the larger scale perspective, whereas I often get caught up with the specific flowers. This little blossom on the Kalmiopsis leachiana, for example, is almost hidden amidst the surrounding Daphne.

Kalmiopsis leachiana amid daphne spent flowers

Another small distinctive flower that first bloomed last fall and is repeating already is this little Delphinium.

Delphinium cashmerianum

A constant volunteer for us is this little pink columbine that we inherited from Beth’s mother.

Aquilegia light pink

In the garden leading to the greenhouse gateway, there is a floriferous Callirhoe variant.

Callirhoe involucrata var. lineariloba ‘Logan Calhoun’

A quite distinctive plant is this allium which is just finished blooming and looks like it has little onions for seed pods.

Allium (nectaroscordum) tripedale

The very fragrant Rhododendron ‘Viscosepala’ is also just at the end of its blooming.

Rhododendron ‘Viscosepala’

By the back porch there is a lovely Bougainvillea that has overwintered in the greenhouse.

Bougainvillea pink and white

Of course, it’s hard not to miss the peonies in May.

Paonia ‘Sweet Shelly’

We also have yellow flowered peony that has been with us for thirty years.

Yellow Shrub Peony

The name has long since disappeared.

And the old stalwart, Festiva Maxima.

Paonia ‘Festiva Maxima’

We brought this one with us from Alexandria in 1975 and have planted it in many places around the property. It thrives everywhere, even in the pasture with no real care. The fragrance is wonderful and they make great cut flowers.

Paonia ‘Festiva Maxima’

Another plant that thrives on neglect is Baptisia.

Baptisia x variicolor ‘Twilite Prairieblues’

These grow right by the pasture with no assistance whatsoever.

The various iris species also have a celebration time in May.

Bearded Iris pink cultivar

Iris tectorum

At the back of the garage we have very large Black Lace Elderberry that is fully in flower right now.

Black Lace Elderberry (Sambucus nigra)

One of my favorite alpine plants is the Edrianthus pumilo which grows in a nicely formed cushion in the Large Trough by the greenhouse.

Edrianthus pumilo

Let me leave you with a couple of the birds which have shown up recently in the yard. First a bluebird which is probably nested nearby.

Bluebird salute

And a Yellow-rumped warbler which is more likely just passing through but is the first instance I’ve seen on our hillside.

Yellow -rumped Warbler

Apr 28 2017

Traveling in the Springtime

Author: jw

Paonia ostii

We were gone for a week in mid-April and as might be expected you will miss some things at this time of year as part of price of traveling. We bought the above Osti’s Peony from Wrightman’s Alpines as a very small plant in 2015 so this was first time we were to see it in bloom, and we almost missed it. Similarly a very dwarf yellow Rhododendron that we got just last year from McCue Gardens was already past its peak in flowering when we got back.

Rhododendron ‘Wren’

Another one we missed was the first of the Molly the witch peonies. However, the second one still had a flower bud opening. I keep planting them in the hopes that I will end up the yellow flowers the Mollys are famous for.

Paeonia mlokosewitschii

Similarly, but more unfortunate, the Dryas octopetala that had three buds had already finished blooming by the time we returned. We had planted seeds of the Dryas last year after enjoying them when we went to the Dolomites. Fortunately there were still a lot of flowers to enjoy upon our return. Especially a few more Peonies.

Paeonia obovata var. ‘Willmottiae’

Paonia perigrina

Tree Peony Light Pink

Another of Arisaemas has popped up.

Arisaema sikokianum

It is particularly striking with the bright white spadix.

Various of the Euphorbias are lighting up the garden as well as several dwarf Iris flowers.

Euphorbia polychroma

Dwarf Iris orange

In a couple of spots we have lovely little blue Corydalis flowers.

Corydalis ‘Eric the Red’ (named for the leaves)

Back in alpine bed, the Kidney Vetch that I started from seed obtained from BotanyCa is growing very strongly.

Astragalus vulneria v. coccoina

Nearby is a lovely white Pasque Flower that my son grew from seed obtained from the AGS seed exchange in 2012.

Pulsatilla hallerii slavica

And one last flower is the first Clematis of the season.

Clematis ‘Niobe’

And let me close out this post with the note that if you focus on foliage you are never disappointed by missing the flowers.

Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Viridis’

Apr 15 2017

Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day

Author: jw

Anemonella thalictroides ‘Green Hurricane’

April is when all of the spring ephemerals are peaking. The walk around the yard leads from one little charmer to the next. Of course there are also many flowering trees at this time of year, like the redbuds, the cherries, the crabapples, etc., but I tend to get caught up in these unusual flowers that are not easy to find. Even the standard Anemonellas are quite nice and they are spreading around the yard.

Anemonella thalictroides

The last of the Adonis is making its appearance.

Adonis vernalis

The foliage for this one is very ferny.

This is when trout lilies are peaking. They continue to expand their allocated space in the raised bed next to the deck.

Erythronium americanum

But their more usual relatives can also be found in other parts of the yard.

Erythronium dens-canis ‘Rose Queen’

One of the reliable flowers for the same week as the trout lilies are the bloodroots, and the longest lasting are the multi-flowered versions.

Sanguinaria canadensis ‘Multiplex’

There are still a few Hepaticas to be found

Hepatica nobilis ‘Lithuanian Blue’

And the Trilliums are starting to appear. One of my favorites is Roadrunner.

Trillium pusillum ‘Roadrunner’

One of the Anemones is a very pretty light pink. They are great shade flowers.

Anemone nemerosa ‘Rosea’

Back at the alpine bed we have a wonderful display of Aubrietia.

Aubrietia ‘Blue Beauty’

Nearby there is a stunning little dwarf Aquilegia

Aquilegia flabellata ‘Nana’

On the sunny side there is a lovely Delosperma, Gold Nugget.

Delosperma congestum ‘Gold Nugget’

In the original Large Trough there is another Delosperma that is an appealing combination of red and white.

Delosperma alpina

In the greenhouse there is a new Hippeastrum in flower.

Hippeastrum striatum

And just to finish with examples of the flowering trees that can be found all around the yard right now.

There is in particular the Viburnum x carlcephalum which is a hybrid with Viburnum carlesi in it’s background. It’s the most fragrant Viburnum that I know.

Viburnum x carlcephalum

And then, of course, the Kwanzan Cherry that dominates our backyard.

Kwanzan Cherry

This is what is happening at our yard for Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day this month. What is happening in your garden?

Apr 09 2017

Jewels of Spring

Author: jw

Hepatica americana pink

It’s that time of year when I wish each day would linger so that we can enjoy all the jewels of springtime that are popping up day by day. I’m so busy outside that I’ve not kept up with recording all the flowers coming into bloom right now. The spring ephemerals are always at the top of my enjoyment list. Many of them are small, transitory, and wonderfully beautiful. Hepaticas come to mind with their small hairy leaves and colorful stamens.

Hepatica japonica purple

Hepatica japonica red and white

But there are many competitors for my eye. Here are a few that have come in the last few weeks.

Chionodoxa forbesii ‘Blue Giant’

Chionodoxa forbesii ‘Pink Giant’

Pulsatilla grandis

Primula allionii ‘Wharfefdale Ling’

Geum reptans

This is a new plant grown from seed obtained from the Scottish Rock Garden Club seed exchange last year.

Corydalis kusnetzovii x C.solida ‘Cherry Lady’

A new addition from Augis Bulbs last summer.

Corydalis solida ‘Beth Evans’

Erythronium dens-canis ‘Rose Queen’

Jeffersonia diphylla

Sanguinaria canadensis ‘Multiplex’

Arisaema ringens

Anemone blanda ‘Violet Star’

Spring Beauty ‘Clatonia virginica’

Fessia hohenackeri (note the stamens)

A favorite combo – Chionodoxa and Anemone blanda

Of course, even in springtime the greenhouse is contributing it’s part.

Ferraria ferrariola

Moraea sp. MM 03-04a blue

Tritonia ‘Bermuda Sands’

Scilla peruviana

A wonderful plant. I have some outside as well and last year they managed to flower.

Paradisea lusitanica

This comes on a 3 1/2 foot stalk. I’m going to try putting it outside this year. It’s marginally hardy in our area and it would be wonderful if it succeeds.

And then lastly the greenhouse provided a lot of color to the house

Clivia in the Entryway

Mar 15 2017

Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day March 2017

Author: jw

Pulsatilla grandis

We’ve just had messy snowfall that has undone a lot of the progress that we had made toward Springtime. However, I will share a some of the flowers as they were before the snow, including the above lovely Pasque Flower which is about to show its purple flower in the new alpine bed.

Next to the Pulsatilla is this cute little Ornithogalum that flowers completely flat to the surface of the ground.