Hi, again, It was an interesting Spring. All kinds of things blooming early. I think it’s the only time I saw redbuds and lilacs blooming at the same time! We finally got some rain Wednesday—a good long heavy rain, but the first heavy rain in a couple months.
Leawood, I love your pictures. Your spring was glorious! Is that some kind of weeping cherry? I like to see a series of the same beds through the year. You have some really nice hostas. What is the really big one near the big tree trunk? Heart-shaped blue green leaves. Are those “tree lilies?” How long have you had those there? Your “Spring bed” looks great in the height of summer. That will give me something to study. I’m working on that layering for seasons thing, but I haven’t succeeded yet.
I got two cherries – a Yoshino for the front and a Montmorency for eating for the back—and both are dead. Never saw any green or any leaf buds. Oh, well – I’ll have to try again in the Fall. I think they were shipped just about the time we got one of those early heat waves. It was not a good spring for shipping plants.
Birder, did your Bleeding Heart—Dicentra-- come back? I am trying two this spring. One is in the ground with morning sun, 1x /week watering, and doing fine, but not blooming…. So growing roots, I hope. I kept the other in a pot on my porch –but it hasn’t bloomed either. So, I’ll plant it. I’ll try a dry shade place. I’d love to have them multiply!
Leawood, another question, did your Yellow tulips multiply? Mrs. John Scheepers?
SusanKC, you said your crocus and snowdrops multiplied nicely over time? I planted some of each 10 years ago, and have fewer coming up than I planted. Either I didn’t get good multipliers, or something eats them, I guess. I don’t have a lot of moles here, but down the block… in the old flood plain, my friend’s yard has them a lot. I’ve seen Tracy DiS-A’s book 50 High Impact plants. It was good. I’ll look up the “Well designed Mixed Garden”.
I’ll put some pictures up soon. Thanks for all of yours.
Prairie
What's in your border?
The cherry is a Prunus subhirtella pendula. I planted it six years ago and it's finally looking great. I keep cutting off the lower branches so things under it can grow, so it doesn't put on as nice a show as it should. The hosta is a "Blue Mammoth" I added several years ago - I b ought 3 from VanBourgondein - they were little bareroot pips when I got them.
The 'Mrs. John Scheepers' tulips do multiply - I dig them each spring, sort and store them for the summer and re-plant in the fall.
You might also try putting your bulbs in underground cages to see if something is eating them. I've not used the cages but I understand they work well.
Leawood - Nice looking yard and flowers. It's been a very nice spring for blooms this year.
It was a little too warm for me this spring - my tulips peaked in just a few days. I prefer a long, cool spring to prolong the blooms. Oh well...
I agree Leawood, we had a very short spring, it didn't seem like my blooms lasted any time at all on anything, having said that my clematis seem to be blooming longer than normal tho. Anyone think this is happening with them.
Most of my borders are daylilies for ease fo mowing under their leaves.
My 'Countess Bouchard' clematis was spectacular this spring - it's starting to fade now, however. This is how it looked May 10.
Prairie, yes, my dicentra comes back faithfully every year. And, like I mentioned, they have multiplied. The plants have produced four off spring.
LeawoodGardener; It was a nice spring for clematis,yours was very nice.We have one of a similar color near the front deck and everyone that comes to the door during spring always comments about it,very eye-catching vine.
MY STELLA D ORO daylillies have bloomed out now and my hybrids are getting ready to bloom,looking to be a dry start to summer though.
It looks like a dry summer here too- my water bills were outrageous last year. This year they will be astronomical!
These are my first daylilies of the season (1) 'Merry Moppet' (2) 'Big Spender'
