Some combination love!

The garden has definitely started cooking for the season. The combinations I so painstakingly put together are coming to fruition and let me tell you, it's like Christmas!  Enjoy!

Climbers, Combos, and Notes.

I'm still fumbling through all of the pictures I took last season- we've had some warmer weather (i.e. a few days in the 60's and one day in the 70's), but we still don't have leaves on the trees or forsythia blooms. Its still so early,  but I have lots of ideas still stewing which can feel overwhelming. Having a big garden, with so many varieties can be daunting, especially during this time of year when everything is barely breaking dormancy and I can't remember what's where, or what I need to get done. My easiest tool for this problem is my camera.

 

Pictures serve as reminders or what did well, how far things came along, and what needs to get done the following year. Often, I'm out there somewhat aimless pictures just to serve as tool for mapping our the beds in my sketch books, etc. Like a study of my own garden, if you will. I use the pictures to do everything from mapping out new beds (pictures show the shape of a mature specimen), reconstructing old beds (a picture can show what's getting overwhelmed by other plants, or what needs more space), and remembering what is where (pictures show you exactly what might be trying to reseed in a certain area!).

 

Here are some examples of how I can use last year's pictures to improve this years garden:

 

I'm really happy to see how well rose 'ramblin' red' did last year. I pruned the one on the right already this spring, and it had more die back than I wanted, but as much as I expected with the true zone 4 winter we had (low regularly hit actual temps of -25 to -30F). This honeysuckle always reminds me to plant more honeysuckle.

 

This is another angle shot of the rr rose on the right of the arbor; this bed in general has been the most challenging of the yard for sure. So many years of neglect and invasives to pull out. I've worked so hard on this bed, and last year it finally didn't give me a headache when I looked at it. I can see from this picture though that some of the taller plants could be lifted up and put deeper in the bed.

 

I was going through my pictures and was surprised to find how much I loved this 'paprika' yarrow with this yellow lysimachia. Not my typical color choices-- the lysimachia was here when we moved in, and I've yet to shovel it out because I like its height and haven't wanted to replace it.

The new shady path I put in last year made me so happy. I was able to play with some tropicals that I normally couldn't plant (for lack of workable shady soil). 'Miss muffet' caladium was an awesome pair with this heuchera (Georgia peach variety I'm pretty sure). Unfortunately the caladium bulbs succumbed to mold in the basement, and I had to toss them out. I ordered in bulk last year, so I had so many of them! I'm hoping to make some more money in the next few weeks so I can order again. This picture shows me exactly where all the annuals were last year, allowing me to put them down again this year early, or even replace them with perennials.  Even more, the picture shows where the perennials are currently located, so I can match what I am putting in this year accordingly- long before the plants are growing for the season.

Clematis 'Madame Julia Correvon' has spent the last few years in the middle of our edible garden on an arbor. This spring I am moving that arbor out to make way for alleyway constructed of branches from the wood, suited for growing squash and pumpkins. The arbor is going to the north side of my house, and this clematis is going with it. I *think* I plan on putting golden hops vine on the other side of the arbor so they can make a crazy bright combination together... I picked up several golden hops vines for $3 last year from a wholesale nursery- and found a place for all but one, which I bedded down in a temporary location until I could decide where it would go. At the base of this clematis I will be moving her current arbor mate, 'lemon chiffon' to add some more lime colored glow to the mix. 'Madame Julia Correvon' is a tall girl- and 'lemon chiffon' is quite stout. take the colors from the center of MJC and you have a nice match with LC-- so I think they will make a nice pair. All together this arbor should screen a few ugly things from the road, including a radon detector with ugly old mismatched pvc tubing, and our air conditioner. I don't mind these things being in the garden, of course they are necessary, I would just rather people turning onto our street see a pretty arbor before they see the radon detector.

I am not excited to see how well this rose fared over winter. The rose came with the rental house we live in, and despite my best efforts I am still unsure of the variety. My best guess is 'Minnehaha,' although I'm not sure. It has a crazy rambling habit, which took me a few years to figure out. Last year I made a branch tepee that is about 10 feet tall and the rose seemed quite happy engulfing it. I can't remember if it does most of the growing in one season or if last spring I found it cane hardy to the great heights. Either way, I was pleased with the teepee, and will be leaving it in place for this season. I'm glad I took this picture, because I didn't recall how much I liked it. I also think it could use a clematis--- maybe a white one? Henryii?

I pruned these guys two nights ago. This wall of clematis is 3 trellises wide, and has 6 varieties, including this 'blue light' on the left, and this sort of orchid purple variety called 'kaaru' on the right.

The trellis to the left of the aforementioned one has 'rooguchi' and 'belle of woking' paired with rose 'new dawn.'  New dawn is such a beast to prune. Its is one of the few climbers that blooms on new wood, making it great for my climate-- it may die back to the ground some years, but that doesn't mean I won't get flowers. 'Rooguchi' is also a beast to prune- as all of it gets clipped down to about 24" or less... and all this growth you see on the trellis here gets turned into mulch to keep the next season's roots cool. I made the mistake of pairing a hard prune clematis (Rooguchi) with a trim-at-best clematis (belle of woking), but it works out okay for a few reasons. One: I don't panic if some of the BOW gets knocked down, I know she'll still be fine and probably make more flowers later; Two: the dried post winter stems of both clematis vary so greatly, from the thicker, crunchy straight non-clinging stems of the rooguchi, versus the wispy thin twinning stems of BOW, so its easy to see which clem I'm pruning as I go.

As a general rule, I don't like "mixes." When I buy a pack of seeds or bulbs I like to know what I'm getting to some extent; atleast the height and color helps me place the item. Somehow still I was suckered into bringing home a 'kogana' mix variety of dahlias last spring. I really missed my old favorite 'kogana fubuki'  and can't say there's a kogana I don't care for.  That being said, my labeling should have been better at season end, so I could know this spring which were solid dark reds, like this one, and which were the bright bold spiky varieties.

This picture reminds me to plant more nasturtium, but not the mixed color variety- as the colors of the nasturtium look yucky with this red and white rose 'carefree spirit,' and clematis 'inspiration.' This year I picked up a seed packet of nasturtium that are a solid creamy buttery yellow, and they will work great here instead. So helpful these pictures are- without them I may have just remembered how well the nasturtium performed, and not how I disliked the colors.

I also am reminded how much I loved rose 'carefree celebration.'  last year I could not remember the name of it when a neighbor asked, so I was reminded to search when I found this great picture.

Another happy reminder I glean from last years pictures is what combinations really worked, and therefore what NOT to change. Without the picture there's no doubt I would not remember how much I liked my finally mature geranium 'blue sunrise' with lambs ear. I think yellow and silver foliage is a HARD match in the garden, but I love these two together. This color combination repeats itself in my garden with the silvery leaves of blue iris skirted with chartreuse sedum angelina, lamb's ear with agastache 'bees jubilee' and the pale yellow flowers of 'moonbeam' corepsis with lambs ear, blue fescue, and dusty miller as well.

More chartruese and silver with purple here, as golden smokebush towers above lambs ear and salvia. Last night I planted some big 'redbor' kale in front of this smoke bush-- hoping for a very dramatic color combination of the dark purple and bright yellow, and also textural contrast between crunchy ruffled appearance of the kale versus the smooth smoke bush leaves. 

I pruned these clematis last night as well. I love how big 'comtesse de bouchaud' is getting, and I really like how she plays well with 'carmencita' here on this arbor.

I have got to figure out the name of this unknown variety this year...

And this polish spirit is going to need a taller trellis this spring. The picture, as well as the appearance of it this spring reminded me.

 

 

Thanks for listening to my notes... hope you enjoyed the pictures!

Happy gardening!

Favorite Combinations

I have a few plant combinations that have stolen my heart this year. They are all different, new to me, and some even accidental. Love it when that happens.

Here is the first combination I'm loving. This is Malva 'Mystic Merlin' with hardy geranium 'Orion.' This one was accidental, as "orion" stretched much further than I expected. Did you realize 'Orion' has a 72" wingspan? That's not a typo- this hardy geranium gets up to 72" wide! Love these two together.

Along the path between my garage and home I placed an arbor planted with 'New Dawn' roses. I'm well aware they may not live forever in my zone 4 garden, but this year they put out enough blooms to be hard working annual-and they cost only $3-4 a few years ago. A few wayward branches decided to flee the constraints of the arbor and lean toward a trellis I have planted with 'Rooguchi' clematis, which was spectacular in and of itself, but when I saw the pale pink blossoms of 'New Dawn' with this pinkish feathery grass (here from the owner of our home, sana label) I swooned.

On a completely hotter note, my containers on the back porch delighted me this week also. I planted this curly plummy coleus beside a purple heart on purpose. Later, I was at a plant sale where a local technical college teacher was getting rid of the last of the fundraiser plants. I was sold on this golden leaved plant he described as a water lover-name escapes me. The pot I picked up had a tiny loose seedling stuck to it. We joked it was a freebie, and when I got home I stuck it in the dirt around the purple heart- half not expecting it to thrive... here we are a month later, and the golden lime from the unnamed water loving plant is brining out the lime stems of the coleus. Kismet.

Back out in front I have another happy accident. I dug out and planted this whole huge border along the driveway in about 2 days. Barefoot, shovel weilding, hot, exhausted from the move, but determined to get my plants out of their containers and into solid ground. I planted the golden smoke bush intentionally, but this perennial in front was a tiny sprig of leaves that was supposed to be bellflower. I knew a few weeks later it was a wayward Rudbeckia, a seedling of a clearance find that travelled way across the yard somehow. I didn't expect to love it with the golden smokebush! But, I do! Bonus, the fanatastic hot hues of 'Morden Fireglow' rose pop right up in between them.

When I placed my order for 'Comtesse de Bouchaud' clematis I planned on putting it in the same hole as 'Avante Garde,' inspired by a wonderful clematis garden I found online. When I planted them both on this arbor I also decided to put 'Carmencita' in the same area, and I love how it turned out. 'Avante Garde' is not pictured here, it is too low still to mingle with the blooms of 'Comtesse De Bouchaud' and 'Carmencita,' but they turned out to be a match made in heaven.

Along the front driveway border I have a bounty of low growing perennials below the spikey roses, lilies, and echinacea. I love how the 'moonbean' coreopsis looks close to lamb's ear.

And finally, my favorite odd combination as of late is this 'Wasabi' coleus with a lysimachia that matches it hot lime hues, and raises it with golden yellow flowers. I rarely do tone on tone combinations, but I'm loving this one. The blue pot makes it!

Happy gardening!

Intercepted the pansy cart...

I can finally show you all my fountain, and the beautiful balls I have floating in it. Yipee-Yeah!

Bulbs and more...

This afternoon I stepped out to see how everything is progressing in the garden. I found my bleeding heart (red stems barely poking up) and some either lily or allium bulbs growing beside it healthily. This bleeding heart will bloom in less than a month, and you can be sure I'll show you pictures. :)

Lady's mantle, another late season find last summer.

The buds on my $3 apple tree are swelling, too.

"Morden Centennial' leaf buds are shooting out; still 2 months to bloom time.

Clematis leaf buds swelling open

I tucked this little "key holder" in an arbor; she fit snug between two slats of wood. She doesn't hold any keys, we are simply not that organized 'round here. LOL.

These bachelor's buttons leaves are so soft and fuzzy, already several inches high. I bought these so late in the season last year that I have never seen them bloom. Excited!

This might be the first tulip to open. Time will tell.

Geranium
I took the boys with me to get out of the house Friday; we ran about the nursery admiring the seedlings, and picking out a few variegated geraniums for my containers later this spring. I have coveted this pelgardini 'vancouver centennial' for some time, it was on my wish list until this week. I love how the leaves look like little maple leafs, and the foliage's red is bound to glow in a container garden this summer.

The other, pelgardini 'occold shield' just looked like fun. I can justify an expensive ($5) geranium b/c it won't die in my hands; I can keep in the house through winter and set it back in a container again the following year. I'll be back for more geraniums soon, and there are several coleus I HAVE to have also. I am really running out of room in my sunny windows, LOL.

Spring Containers

We were on our way to Walmart to get potting soil when I thought I'd drive past the Home Depot garden center in search of pansies. The garden associate was still wheeling the pansy cart out when I pulled up and began loading up our stroller. We shared a wide smile, and a sigh, "finally!" So far, having flowers just outside the front and back door has been like therapy. I am so happy every time I see them. Here are my first containers of the season. I threw in some snapdragons, groundcover phlox I'll transplant to the ground when I put in the summer container plants, a purple osteospurmum, rocky yellow violas, and a mix of pansies. Oh, and one of the blue balls that fell. Ta Da!

I tried to keep blue, purple, yellow and orange in this one...

Pansy 'Delta Pure Light Blue'

Pansy 'Delta Premium Watercolors Mix' with creeping phlox 'emerald blue' in the background.

Osteospermum

This old wheel barrel was in our shed when we moved in. The house is 114 plus years, and this thing works like it is, too. I now have a garden cart I don't tip over, and this guy is acting as a planter. Last this year I'm seeing elephant ears, coleus, lysimachia, but right now, pansies, ground phlox, violas, and snapdragons, all yellow, purple, and red.

'Rocky Yellow' Viola

Pansy "Delta Light Lavendar'

Creeping phlox 'purple beauty' will eventually be stuck in the ground.

Spring Vegetable Bed, more.

I used the fraction of the veggie bed we were able to till up to plant some seeds this Saturday. I put in short row of super sugar snap peas, purple-top white globe turnips, watermelon radishes, and salad giant radishes. I weeded, and thinned the german chamomile coming up everywhere (note to self, don't let this one go to seed!). I also plucked up a clematis growing in the veggie bed, and placed it by the blue ball arbor. I moved a few of the perrenial herbs to make room for the rest of the tilling, and summer crops. I let my boys dig and roll in the untilled dirt and compost to their heart's content. I'm a cool mom. Last, I moved the hyacinths I forced in the dining room out the ground. I was able to see where this spring's existing bulbs are, and place the hyacinths accordingly. Happiness. Doesn't look like much yet, but this will be a fine "before" picture in the coming months.

Doesn't look like much yet, eh?

A chive, started from seed in the late part of summer, add some of the only color in the edible bed right now. I have never seen it bloom.

Dividing Perennials

Sunday I pushed the shovel into the dirt to heave two giant perennials out for division. I have read you should divide your perennials every 3 years to keep them flourishing, promote blooms, and control size if desired. I regularly divide plants for propogation purposes, as I'm contstantly removing grass and making a new places for plants. I divide my phlox, hostas, sedum, coral bells, and rudbekia. This spring there were two perrenials I really needed to divide: a massive Sedum 'Autumn Joy' and a Purple Coneflower Echinacea 'magnus' who failed to bloom well last year. I hoisted the giant plants from the ground and took my shovel to them and when I was through I had 28 smaller, but still good sized, plants. Yes, I said 28! FROM TWO. Wild, eh? Like magic.

These photos aren't much to look at, but I like to keep records, and some folks may not understand what I'm saying. The clump of sticks to the left of this picture is another Sedum AJ that is only half the size of the one I chopped up. Yeah, the one I divided was massive, perhaps 3 feet in diameter? I'm bad with math, but it was a biggun!

Here is one of the divisions, stuck in the ground in it's new home.

Five or six more divisions up in the front bed.

One tiny coneflower division. See the little red bud on the stick? New leaves a comin'.

Each new division has roots and new growth of its own, just FYI. I stuck most of the new plants in the ground in bare spots. I made plans for both varieties in the front flower bed. I need to wait until more plants surface before I can assess where the rest of the divisions will go. For now, I stuck the remainging divisions in pots on the back porch. I may have to bring them in next week if the temps dip like they say they might. But in a month or less I should have a place to put them. Meanwhile, I obssess over it, by drawing pictures and pouring over gardening images. Sigh.

Compost

For my birthday I gave myself a gift that keeps on giving: a table-top compost bin. I found it at World Market. I've been tossing my coffee grounds, banana peels, strawberry leaves, eggshells, and such in there. Sunday I emptied it for the first time, and when it landed in the compst pile and the wind blew the scent up I began dry heaving all over the backyard. LOL. What a sight I must have been. Then, I got over it, and began to turn my pile. Under the top layer of grass clippings, sod chunks, worms and plant debri I tossed in the pile last fall I found rich back compost. I could have danced. I did talk outloud about how cool I am. I do that in the garden all the time. I spread the compost over the rear perennial border and turned the remaining pile to create more soon, I hope. Compost is truly magical. I'll spare you the pictures of the pile, this time.

Meanwhile Indoors

You can see my seedlings and summer bulb plants are coming along nicely in the greenhouse, LOL, I mean dining room.

A peony and hosta 'elegans' growing, growing, growing...

Happy dirt digging to you all.