Very nice again Loretta. I may gave the Lorraine Heliopsis that you are talking about. The foliage is variegated and is prone to reverting back to solid. I will post when it blooms
Keith
What\'s Blooming 4
My oak leaf hydrangea never bloomed very well - it's 20yrs old. It grew OK at first, 4-5ft tall, bloomed OK. But it has looked lousy the last few years and I just procrastinated getting rid of it. Now it has morphed into this flat (just 1-2ft tall) broad (I guess suckering) mass of shrubbery - no flowers, just this pancake of foliage about 10ft x 10ft, just 1ft tall. Not sure why it didn't like it's site. I have tried a couple others, none have done very well. I'll get rid of it at some point.
So sad. Have you thought of probagation with some stems of the old one? I do have a few I started that way. I have one similar to Pinky Winky and you could try it. What do you have to trade? Has to be unusual and hardy to the north I've gardened here in this house longer probably than you've been born🙃🙃.
This is blooming for me here in Minnesota. I love this time of year. Someone smarter than me said they're not zone 3b hardy. I'm lucky they come back for me, think they're considered zone 5. Happy 4th. (Sigh). Wish I had more time I love this sight!
Tgat looks like a Japanese Iris Maithyme. Beautiful colour. They grow fine up here. I have several but not that colour. We are on the border of zone 2 and 3
Maithyme, that is a very beautiful iris. Such a rich color.
That's weird,Wee. I wonder why. Is it the species? I grow Snow Queen (16 year old from cutting) and 2 Snowflake (over 20 years old), both have been good bloomers and very easy for me. Have you tried those? I have also been growing honeycomb for the last few years, second try. I have had some failed starts with a couple of other named varieties. Alice comes to mind. Snowflake is a show stopper. It has gotten very big and in a spot that I hope to have an addition done. I am regretting that.
Clematis and a knautia, a plant that just manages to reseed itself just enough to not go extinct.
Very nice again Loretta
Pardon me if I get these wrong as I am having a really hard time choosing them from the thumbnails as they don't come up in the same order as when I look at them full size.
1. A columnar flowering crab that is really pushing the zones here and has never flowered for me however is a pretty shrub this year
2. The Loraine heliopsis that I was to wait for flowers to post. I jumped the gun but will post again
3. My sister gave me this hardy rose a few years back
4. A variegated phlix that like the heliopsis likes to revert back to green as you can see. This one doesn't have a very nice flower but the foliage is a knockout
Everything is so lush and green! The crab apple does look great. Your heliopsis is very healthy looking. Mine was very full too until one year, I cut it back because it was full of red aphids. That was a mistake. It didn't bounce back like I expected.
What color flowers does your phlox have?
I have Snow Queen Hydrangea and it is beautiful. It is pretty much through blooming this year. It's about 6' x 5'. Very dependable with me doing nothing for it and in relatively poor soil.
I grew Knautia from seed that I had collected in Wyoming. I wasn't sure if it would make it here in my hot, humid summer but so far it has and has been blooming non stop. I like the plant and I think the color is quite pretty. I hope it will re-seed, but I think I will collect some seed just in case. First year it just grew--second year it is blooming nicely.
I've always been fond of knautia, but I'm pretty sun-challenged.
I think the foliage on the Lorraine Sunshine is the standout anyway. Who needs flowers.
Love that variegated phlox, too. Another foliage treat.
And Maithyme, what a beautiful iris!
We've morphed into summer here - not much happening.
I have this strange berrying plant (Billardiera longiflora) which is doing it's thing - not quite as spectacular as the pictures on-line, so I'm trying to decide if it's worth the nuisance of overwintering in the garage.
And about the best I can come up with for color in the garden is my Mukdenia Karasuba which seems to have decided June is the appropriate time to launch full fall color.
Wee here is a website talking about getting the oak leaf to bloom.
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/oakleaf-hydrangea-bloom-65878.html
Thanks Loretta and Wee. Loretta, the variegated phlox bloom is pale pink when
It happens. It will be interesting to see if the stems that reverted back to green will do the same. Wee that fall coloured leaf is interesting, kind of like a fancy leaf geranium but not fond of the blue berried plant. If it required overwintering in the garage it would be an easy decision for me. Sorry.
Keith
This message was edited Jun 29, 2017 9:22 PM
Today's pics
I believe this is the fullest this peony has ever gotten without getting hammered by wind or heavy rain..
The climbing rise has been existing in the Japanese garden since its inception but this is the first time it has looked good
Wee, I guess you would know if something was eating your hydrangea buds, right?
I had to look up Billardiera longiflora. Maybe the berry color will get richer as the season goes on. It's still early. I find the plants I threaten to can end up having their best years ever. Still, I am intending to cut way back on the plants I save this winter.
Keith, that is an amazing bloom on that peony! Very nice!
Boy, that peony is remarkable!
I've abandoned my yard for a long weekend diversion to the plains of northern Colorado (family gathering). I wanted to check out Denver Bot Garden to see their spectacular rock garden, but seems no one else on the planet likes plants, (with the exception of those others of you frequenting this forum). Rodeo won out instead...
That kind of sucks Wee. Rodeo will still be fun but the rock would have "rocked".
Keith
I can't tell you how many times something similar happens to me, WR.
Weerobin, have you eaten the fruit of Billardiera longiflora? supposedly edible. Your picture shows so much fruit, it is amazing on such a tropical. You would think the birds would be attracted to the fruit?
Such an interesting plant.
Happy 4th of July to all my southern friends.
Keith
A great and happy 4th to all.
Happy Fourth!
Really having trouble posting. Last night I made several failed attempts at posting 3 pictures and commentary. Will now try 1 at a time
This 1 is Solomon's Seal with maybe a German Iris???behind. Can't remember. I find the Solomon's Seal to be a very good choice for the Japanese garden
Non climbing Clematis
The only safe way to grow Bishops Goutweed. Brick wall in 2 side, barn on another and lawn on the third side. It still tries to spread onto lawn side. My wife snips all the ugly bloom heads off to make it presentable.
Golden Eclipse lilac now blooming. Smells good but Wendy says not as strong as the conventional purple ones
Oxdriftgardener, Keith,
Is your Golden Eclipse, Lilac a younger plant? Or are you growing/pruning it as a shrub?
I have seen them as a tree form. I like the shrubby way yours is growing. It is nice to have the lilac scent in July.
It is relatively young however is more of a tree than it looks in picture. I was up a ladder looking down on it to get a better view of the bloom.
Keith
Your Golden Eclipse is stunning Keith. I was also looking forward to seeing your non-climbing Clematis again...yum!
Thanks Robin. Trying to spread things around so there isn't so much repeat, repeat on Propagation
You have a beautiful garden, Keith!
I love some invasive plants (e.g., Lysimachia clethroides one of my faves) - so nice to grow rambunctiously content, non-fussy plants. But I don't have the energy to keep them boxed in!
Blood Lily in a pot. Easy to grow, I take it in every year and let it go dormant. I take it out in the spring and it blooms every year.
Gladiola left in the ground and overwintered.
Fireworks Allium starting to bloom. Seeds readily.
Clematis, Sweet Summer Love, it has a vanilla/heliotrope scent.
Obliqua, you make me sorry I didn't keep saving my Blood Lily! Congrats on overwintering your glad. My stepmother has one that overwinters in Z6 and spreads too. Your Fireworks is a nice yellow. Late for an allium. Is it a bad reseeder, like garlic chives? Sweet Summer Love - very pretty. I tried but didn't succeed with that one.
Keith, your Bishops Goutweed looks great. Worth the extra effort to keep it in bounds when your results look like that. Your Solomon Seal looks great too. I love that plant. What Clematis is that? I have mostly had unsuccessful results with the nonclimbing clematis except for Alionushka.
Beautiful and exotic looking blooms Obliqua. Yummy, I can imagine the vanilla/heliotrope scent!
I have Glads that are winter hardy for my zone 6b. I have had them for years, and they multiply rather quickly.
I have Clematis 'Durandi' that doesn't climb. It's a real winner True blue flowers with a light yellow center. It blooms from spring to a hard frost. It's a real winner.
I have Durandi but it doesn't bloom all summer like yours, birder. But it is in shade. I guess that is motivation enough to move it this fall.
Thanks Wee. Obliqua your proper is stunning . Blood lily us really intriguing. Loretta I am sorry I have had that clematis for a long time and gave no recollection if either the variety of where l got it.
Keith
1. Update on small rock garden
2. Goat's beard
3. A few yellow sedum now in bloom
Loretta, I would recommend moving your Clematis 'Durandi'. It would be worth it.