Rediscovering My Garden

There has not been much time for the garden since I began working at Sundown Gardens just over a year ago. My enthusiasm is no match for my exhaustion. I liken it to being a chef or housekeeper. Most likely, they do not delight in cooking dinner or cleaning house after a long day at work. Yet the distance between myself and my garden has brought on something of interest– a new perspective. I see it through new eyes now. On a recent journey into the backyard, this is what I saw.

The delicate yellow blooms of Epimedium x perralchicum ‘Frohnleiten.’ Tiny, but quite cheery. Low to the ground– as in groundcover. Delicate red mottling in spring.

Pretty shades of mauve on the candles of Pinus parviflora v. ‘Glauca’ or Blue Japanese White Pine.

The short bottlebrush blooms on Fothergilla x gardenii ‘Blue Shadow’ (Blue Shadow Fothergilla) are a delight. I love white blooms and I’m inspired to create a White Garden out of annuals for the patio this year.

As the various Hostas emerge, I am struck by how intense the coloration is on the yellow plants. They seem to emit light from within, especially in the morning and early evening. Hosta ‘Paradise Island.’

The wavy edge on a Hosta leaf is referred to as a ‘piecrust edge’, and who doesn’t love pie? Hosta ‘Dancing Queen.’

This Acer palmatum ‘Kiyohime’ is a tree I regularly visit and stop to ponder. Far wider than it will be tall, the new growth stretches and pushes out farther and farther every year. I always feel as though it’s trying to tell me something. 

The flowering of Aesculus hippocastanum or Horse Chestnut Tree is always a noteworthy event. The showy white flowers are quite elaborate with just a touch of pink. 

The Horse Chestnut’s foliage is large and reminds me of tropical plants.

Not my favorite tree, but I was impressed with how many samaras (helicopters) were hanging from the branches of Acer negundo or Boxelder Tree. The tree can handle higher moisture levels and perhaps that is why it seeded itself near the banks of the creek.

Two things strike me about Acer palmatum ‘Emperor 1’: First, how lateral the older branching has become and the extreme horizontal position the leaves hold on the branches. This is my one and only red tree.

I feel exuberant when I see Euphorbia x martinii ‘Ascot Rainbow’. The whimsical coloration and form of the bracts always lift my spirits.

It’s not spring in my book without Dicentra spectabilis (Old-fashioned Bleedingheart) and Peonies. Both hold special places in my heart and memory. There is something so sumptuous about a Peony bud breaking open.

There is a threat of frost this evening and I’m not too concerned about it. Just as the individual plants have grown, so too has the garden in my mind’s eye. I hold the images of lovely springs past and present there. Come what may. Nothing lasts forever.

Business in the front and party in the back

This is NOT ME! Just an example of the mullet hairstyle.

Yes, I did just make a reference to the mullet hairstyle. That’s probably the best way to describe my landscape. I’m a gardener who keeps it conservative in the front yard and more ‘expressive’ in the back. I call it Mullet-style landscaping. Since I usually focus on the backyard so much, I thought I’d share a bit more of the front with you for this post. I added so many new plants last season, there’s actually more than usual going on in the front this year. I’ll admit that I lack a bit of confidence and still worry that my latest additions will not come back the following season. I’m pleased to report that most have decided to return.

Winter has held a stubborn grip on spring this year. Plants are slow to emerge from beneath the soil, but they are determined and push out a bit more with each passing day.

I planted 26 Astilbe Rhythm and Blues (Astilbe x arendsii ‘Rhythm and Blues’) last summer and every single one has come back. Every plant looks healthy and a bit larger. Astilbe was a new test for me. I knew only of it’s unquenchable thirst and worried that I may not satiate it during last year’s drought. Of all my additions, I’m most pleased to see this one coming on so strong.

My little mass planting of 33 Heuchera “Plum Pudding” is also doing well. Only one plant did not survive– one that I foolishly tried to relocate mid season. Lesson learned. No major moves until very early spring.

This little row of Green Gem Boxwood came through beautifully. My big concern here was that the plants were a bit stressed having been in the grower’s pots all last summer during the drought. I purchased them at Sundown Gardens during a sale and planted them “by the book” hoping for positive results. This short row had been a missing piece of the landscape puzzle for a few years. Guests who walk up the front walkway will be greeted by the verdant green shrubs and subtle but direct command to “turn left here.”

Heuchera “Circus” was a total impulse buy last year. This introduction by French breeder Thierry Delabroye (breeder of the every popular “Caramel”) caught my eye from day one. I had to have it. My work cohort and I bought the whole lot between us. This is first time I’ve seen it in springtime and I’m happy all three came back nice and strong. This is one of those plants whose appearance will change throughout the season. Blooms will be in Pink shades. Can’t wait!

Elsewhere in the front beds, the Hostas are coming through. The Peonies are full of buds and the Variegated Liriope’s winter growth has been mowed down to make way for a flush of new growth.

Finally, the Limelight Hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’) are coming back with vigor. I give them a hard prune right before Thanksgiving every year. You can see where the old cuts are and how the new growth emerges from the old stems. All blooming happens on new growth.

It may seem as though the party is in the front, but it is laid out very nice and tidy. In the back? Well, that’s another story. Thankfully the plants came back in high style and the mullet has not. Please share how your spring is going in the comments section.

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - August 2012

Mid way through the eighth month of the year, I’m happy to report that there are a few things other than Knock Out Roses in bloom. No matter what the weather may bring, my Limelight Hydrangeas never disappoint. In my opinion, this underrated plant deserves to be in the ‘Sensational Shrubs’ category. It’s very low maintenance and the reliable bloom display comes on just as the rest of the garden seems to have petered out. The flower heads are large (6 to 12 inches) and emerge soft lime green, transitioning to cream in high summer. As Autumn arrives, the tiny individual blossoms fade to parchment-tan and pink. By November, dried panicles are perfect for cutting and ready for autumnal arrangments indoors. I’ve even seen a crafty gardener or two weave some panicles into holiday arrangments too!

Also blooming are the old fashioned Hosta plantaginea. These old standbys are a workhorse in the shade garden providing sturdy, upright scapes and shiny lush foliage. This well known Hosta is native to China and was first identified by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in 1789. Because of its many wonderful attributes, it is still used extensively in hybridization today. Hosta plantaginea is a common sight in many older shade gardens and is prized for its very fragrant pure white flowers.

These plants were donated to my hosta garden from a dear friend of my partner. She tells us that the original plants traveled from Germany in a steamer trunk of her great grandmother’s. That would put the journey back into the mid 1870s. While I can’t verify that story, I do know that many Hosta were imported into Europe long before they were in the West, so her timeline would hold true. Hmmm. In any case, generations of Hosta lovers know that few things are as lovely as the perfume of plantaginea in the summer evening air.

Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day is a Meme created by Carol at May Dreams Gardens. Gardeners post images of what’s blooming in their garden on the 15th day of every month. To see what’s blooming all over the world today, visit Carol’s blog.