Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Of Bells & Bedfellows.

The bellflowers opened this week! Here is a white Carpatica,


And a Blue persicifolia, bowing down to greet the fleabane daisy.








Shasta 'snowcap' has also bloomed.







Peachleaf bellflowers add such great height to a bed.










This deep shade peony gets no direct light whatsoever, but occasionally sends up a bloom or 2.





And for the bedfellows part of this post, here is a new Hosta Patriot in a sunny bed with hydrangea, daylilies and other bright bloomers. I think it will make a great feature plant on the corner of the bed, provided it can tolerate the sun.







Some more new additions, asiatic lily Tiny Ghost, the colour isn't quite as pictured, it reminds me of the colour of red wine.







Daylily Janice Brown, a pretty in pink lily with a fancy edge.













And probably my favorite of the newbies, Blue Sky Delphinium. I have staked it just in case, another great height plant and I'm trying to satisfy my blue craving - in order to get over my disappointing meconopsis.






The new lower bed (May 2010) has turned into a pretty wild mix of colours, I am now dubbing it 'The Rainbow Bed', since there are really no other words for it. Probably breaking many gardening rules, or at least guidelines, but is it a lot of fun and seems to attract quite a bit of attention.

Monday, July 4, 2011

A Peony by any other name...

..is still a Peony? Even with a plant tag, the first bloom is always a surprise. I have a few of questionable identity, This was labelled as 'Bowl of Beauty', but most of the blooms look more like 'Sorbet'...




I also have my first blooms on 'Festive Maxima', but there is no hint of red whatsoever. I am prepared to wait it out a few years and see what happens? They take so long to establish it is always a shame to move them or replace them...


And I suspect that this ~4 year old is Bowl of Beauty, though it was not labelled as such.



Our friendly garden gargoyle is moved every so often by the little gardeners. They decided that he should watch over these pinks for a while.



Mockorange Blizzard is covered in blooms, it looks fabulous in sun or shade.




The little hostas are taking their time growing up, but seem less affected by slugs this year. Medio Variegata is probably my favorite with the white centres.



Albo Marginata seems somewhat more vigorous.



Stella d'Oro daylily never disappoints.



I *may* have gotten a little carried away with small pots of annuals, I had planned to move them around, but I have gotten use to them gathered together on the steps.



The bellflowers are starting, Fairy Thimble is the first.



The roses have burst into bloom over the past 24 hours, here is Sunrise Sunset.


I am crazy about Morden Sunrise, so many different shades, and the foliage seems more resistant to insects. I might replace/relocate the pink one with another tried and true Morden classic.



Fleabane daisies are so charming.









And I'll close with a show stopper - Iris Edith Wolford. Although I was looking for blue & white last fall I am very happy with this beauty.