Bloom Day - May 2012

Another Bloom Day...they seem to always sneak up on me, for some strange reason. I swore this month I'd work ahead and get lots of pics ready for the post...but I somehow managed to catch a cold during the hottest weekend of the year. We've had 4 days in a row where we almost hit 90°...ouch! We don't typically expect hot, dry weather until almost July...and I have to say, after more than a week without rain, I'm missing it (as does the newly-planted parking strip). Usually we can count on cool, wet weather until at least the middle of June...but this has been an odd year, weather-wise, hasn't it!


Allium 'Purple Sensation' and Amsonia hubrichtii
Enough of my whining, you came here for blooms...so let's get on with the show! May is an awesome time in the garden...bare earth is disappearing fast and the floral display is just ramping up. Here is the path into the backyard, framed by Allium 'Purple Sensation' and Amsonia hubrichtii. Right after I took this pic I cut the Muhlenbergia capillaris back...which I'd somehow forgotten to do yet...oops.

Knautia 'Melton Pastels'		Knautia macedonica

The Knautia on the left, 'Melton Pastels' is one of the few plants I've grown intentionally from seed (in other words, not counting self-seeding plants). I have to say, there is something unbelievably gratifying about seeing it bloom this year. Last year, they grew substantial rosettes of foliage, but never flowered. This year, they've exploded upward...surpassing even the straight Knautia macedonica in height. These are at least 4' tall...can't wait to see what colors they are. The Knautia on the right is one of 3 I got from Joy Creek Nursery a few years ago. I had them planted in one of the worst spots in my garden, unfortunately, and moved them right before frost last fall. I'm never sure if plants moved so late will recover, but they are tough and all 3 made it to see another summer.


Purple Bearded Iris
The purple Iris I inherited with the house are still going strong...I keep popping them randomly in the garden whenever I have to dig up a spot they are already in...and I'm digging the diffuse display of the scattered purple blooms.


Geranium 'Katerine Adele'
I moved this Geranium to the north hell strip last fall, not knowing how it would respond to the indignity of such a late move...it rewarded me by staying green all winter long (granted, we didn't really have winter this year) and is bigger than ever before now. It does tend to look pretty ratty after it's done blooming...at which time I'll cut it to the ground so it can re-sprout fresh, new foliage.


Allium
Although I could have swore I planted 2 different types of Allium last fall ('Purple Sensation' and A. atropurpureum), I'm pretty sure they are all 'Purple Sensation'...or they are just the only ones that came up. I do have a few of these lighter pink ones, however, which I'm pretty sure are 'Gladiator'. Oh well...who cares what they are called...they are still beautiful.

Erysimum 'Bowles Mauve'		Geranium macrorrhizum

The Erysimum is one of several plants that suffered in the front garden (which, sadly, has THE WORST SOIL on my site) for years. Last summer, I finally decided to move them...and if they died, they died...I was just sick of looking at sick plants everytime I walked up to the house. Amazingly, even though I plopped them in a spot which is un-irrigated and in less-than-optimal sun, they have done well...better than they ever did in front! Geranium macrorrhizum is another plant great for problem areas...beautiful and fragrant.


Centranthus ruber
I moved a few of these last year after they flopped all over...and they seem much happier here in the north parking strip, where the soil is better-drained and they get dappled all-day shade.


Columbine 'Tequila Sunrise'
I can't help but love Columbines...even if I know that when summer's heat arrives, they'll crisp and disappear...oh well...I can't imagine not seeing their cheerful blooms in the spring garden. As a bonus, this year I'm finally seeing lots of little Columbine seedlings around the adult plants!


Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster'
The perennials aren't the only ones blooming...the cool-season grasses are starting to bloom as well...here is a Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster', newly-planted this spring in the front garden.

Stipa gigantea		Deschampsia 'Tatra Gold'

I have to say, I'm SUPER-excited about my Stipa gigantea blooming! Granted, at the moment, they blooms are only a few feet tall...nowhere near the 8'-10' they could be in a few years, but still...it's awesome to know the plant is happy enough in this spot to bloom. I had considered moving it this spring to the front parking strip, worrying that it would compete visually with the Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster' nearby. I decided, eventually, that the effects of them were different enough that they should be fine...but time will tell. The Deschampsia was a total impulse buy this spring...I just saw that amazing golden foliage and had to have it.


Verbena 'Homestead Purple'
I'm happy to say this year 'Homestead Purple' is finally living up to its reputation for floriferousness. The past few years, it has struggled to do much, but it seems very happy at the moment.


I couldn't for the life of me figure out where this Iris came from, they remembered my dad had sent me a bunch of Iris seeds a few years ago (when we first bought the house). I planted them in pots in the (then-trashed) backyard and forgot about them. I found the pots last year, couldn't remember what they were exactly and just planted them randomly in whatever space I had. Amazingly, they are blooming this year...and are so pretty! This one is much shorter than the Iris I inherited with the house, topping out at around 18' tall...just love that picotee edge!


It seems that with our non-winter and recent warm spell, things are fast-tracking it this year. I'm pretty sure the Astrantia are at least 2 weeks (or more) ahead of schedule this year. I've been wanting to divide and move all the hundreds of seedlings to some bare spots in the garden...but the warm, dry weather has kept me from attempting it. If we get a few days of cool, rainy weather soon, I'll hope to it!

Astrantia 'Ruby Wedding'		Anthriscus sylvestris 'Ravenswing'

'Ruby Wedding' is the first of the backyard Astrantias to bloom...love that rich, ruby color. I've always been lustful of Anthriscus when I've seen it in other people's gardens...and when I found some for sale at Joy Creek last year, I knew it was time to have some of my own. I know that I should probably cut the flowers back to preserve the lovely, dark foliage...but I really love the frothy, white umbels...especially in contrast to the surrounding Alliums.


The Amsonia on the east side of the house is really coming into its own this year...it's WAY ahead of schedule and is already blooming. While the flowers are nice...the best part about this plant is the amazing fall coloring.


Allium 'Purple Sensation'
Since I just did a whole post on them, I won't go on and on about Alliums...let's just enjoy the photo ;-)


I got 2 of these plants as seedlings, started by Ryan Miller...they look amazing all year long...with their wonderful, ferny foliage...and they are blooming machines right now!

Bicolor Iris		Persicaria bistorta 'Superba'

On the left is another of the Iris seedlings my dad sent me...this one is bicolored...and TALL! It's over 4' tall right now...and towers over the other iris. 'Superba' is the first of the Persicarias to bloom! It's shorter than most of the others (only about 18" tall), but spreads by underground runners to form colonies over time.


As we wrap up this Bloom Day Post...I leave you with a wide view of the North Border looking east, toward 17th street. You may notice some feathered invaders...those are our neighbor's chickens, which greatly enjoy roaming around the garden, looking for tasty morsels. If I could train them to NOT trample young spround and feast on the dastardly cutworms, I'd be a happy man.


The front yard is filling in nicely this spring...and the 'Tiger Eyes' Sumac is poised to become the focal point of this border. I'm so pleased that it finally seems happy. I'm equally happy to report that (knock on wood) it hasn't produced any runners so far.


The back yard is so full already, it's hard to believe it's only May! I look back at pictures from only a month ago and can't believe how much growth can happen in a months' time.


For more Bloom Day goodness, visit Carol and May Dreams Garden!