Monday, February 18, 2013

Odds & Ends

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Well...I was a bit of a slacker last week, and totally missed both Bloom Day AND Foliage Follow-up. Oh well...there really isn't much blooming to speak of, at the moment. Honestly, I didn't think there was anything blooming...especially since my Parrotia decided not to bloom this year. I'm not sure if it was our protracted summer heat...or lack of winter chill that's to blame...or if it's just a fluke.

erysimum
Surprisingly, as I was starting to clean up the garden this weekend, I noticed that the Erysimum 'Bowles Mauve' is STILL flowering. I think it flowered continuously, all year long, this year. I guess it likes its new spot.

daffodil
For the most part, however, it's all about things ABOUT to bloom right now. The Daffodils are all forming buds (although they all seem really short this year). I removed the Euonymus that grew along our front walkway last summer, and, apparently, there were dozens of Daffodils growing under it, which never saw the light of day. Well, they are rejoicing in their new-found place in the sun this year.

greensphere
On the foliage front, I give you Arctostaphylos 'Greensphere'. Generally, I don't really care much for evergreen plants...but the Manzanitas have found a spot in my cold little heart...and this one fits perfectly in my small garden. To that end, it has the distinction of being the only evergreen shrub in my garden (well, that I planted, anyway).

eryngium yuccifolium
While I was cleaning out the debris from last year in the front parking strip, I came upon these fat, happy little buds of Eryngium yuccifolium...which has the awesome common name 'Rattlesnake Master'. I'm pretty excited to see this one clump up over the next few years.

Sedum Angelina
While they are eclipsed by other plants during most of the year, the small, prostrate Sedums, like 'Angelina', above, offer a splash of color during winter. It's common as dirt, but I still love it.

Sedum Blue Spruce
Another short, spreading Sedum, 'Blue Spruce'. I love it's contrasting form...while 'Angelina' is almost pendulous, and hugs the ground, 'Blue Spruce' raises it's little arms to the sky.

sedum rupestre
As for color, however, this un-named variety of Sedum rupestre I got at a plant sale last spring, beats all. When the weather gets colder, the foliage flushes with bright red. It never really got that cold this winter, so, unfortunately, the color isn't as bright as it could be.

sedum matrona
Of course, the upright Sedums are waking up too. Sedum 'Matrona' is a mainstay of my garden...and the cheerful buds are already jostling for their place in the sun.

sedum heb gray
This is one Sedum I planted last year, 'Hab Gray'. My luck with the upright Sedums is spotty, so was thrilled that this one seems to have pulled through winter just fine.

sedyn red cauli
Sedum 'Red Cauli' was one of the more temperamental Sedums I tried last year. Of the 3 that I planted in various places around the garden, only one made it. Stragely, it wasn't winter that posed a problem, but our long, hot summer. I always imagine that Sedums didn't flinch at heat and sun, but 2 of the 3 'Red Cauli' plants just crisped and died within a few days after planting...even with regular water. I think, in the future, if I plant more of these, I'll try to do it in the spring, rather than the heat of summer.

sedum october daphne copy
While I had similar bad luck with Sedums 'Vera Jameson' and 'Bertram Anderson', luckily, 'October Daphne' was a tough old bird. She bloomed beautifully and had gorgeous fall foliage color. I'm glad to see them return.

So, that's a little bit of random goings-on from my garden this past weekend...I hope all of you are having a decent run of weather (we had great "working-in-the-garden" weather this weekend). I'm hoping to make it up to the NW Flower & Garden Show this weekend...and it seems like Spring is well and truly underway :-)

33 comments:

  1. Scott-it looks like your garden is starting to wake up for spring. The snow here really set blooms back but I know they are being sheltered under a blanket of snow and will show as soon as the white veneer melts. Your Erysimum looks like a determined little plant-nice color. Happy belated everything!

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    1. Hi Lee...yes, spring is upon us here in the PNW...although, I would have like a bit of your snow, I'll admit ;-)

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  2. I am impatient for my own daffodils to emerge. There is no snow at the moment, but that could change. The ground is still pretty much frozen. This is one thing I like about garden blogs, I get to enjoy spring ahead of time by looking at gardens in milder climates.

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    1. So true, Jason...it's amazing to see how different things are in other regions!

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  3. Looks good Scott! I love this time of year here when the witer bloomers are going to town and everything is beginning to show new growth. It makes me realize how short our winter here really is. Hooray for spring!

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    1. So true...it seems like just yesterday I was planting the last of my bulbs ;-)

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  4. I once had more upright sedums too, but the deer love 'Matrona', and the finches pecked away at the 'Vera Jameson'. I still have both, but not in as accessible spots. I wish I could make Rattlesnake Master live for more than a year too -- maybe I'll be surprised and a couple of the little ones I planted last year will come back.

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    1. Oh no...that sucks about the Sedums :-( This is only the 2nd year I've had the Rattlesnake Master...so we'll see if it likes it in my garden.

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  5. I am beginning to love those sedums more than ever based on the heat we have been experiencing the past few years. I must take a little tour around the garden to see if they have begun growing. Many of my bulbs have already broken through the soil some with frostbite!

    Eileen

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    1. OMG..I can well, imagine, Eileen! I've always liked 'Autumn Joy', but last summer I really got obsessed with adding more and more Sedums! Yay for bulbs...hopefully they can weather the cold until blooming!

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  6. The tulips and daffys that I pass by going from car to house put on new growth every day. Working out there during the kind weekend revealed all kinds of signs of life.
    *clink* to spring!

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    1. Isn't it amazing how quickly they grow once they're up, Ricki...I love spring for just that reason...every day is exciting, not knowing what will have emerged.

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  7. Did 'Hab Gray' bloom for you last year? Just curious, because when I bought it from Plant Delights a few years ago, I was expecting white blooms... and mine bloomed pink! I emailed them to inquire whether I could have gotten the wrong plant (and to find out what I had instead) and found out that they've had reports of it blooming pink in some northern areas. I just wondered what it does out in the PNW!

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    1. It was actually blooming when I bought it...and yes, it was an odd sort of yellow color (the buds had a bit of a pink tinge, though...if I remember correctly). We'll see what it does this year...it's funny how the cooler temps affect the bloom color.

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    2. Huh. I'll keep an eye out to see if you post it in bloom this year... it will be interesting to see if it stays the same color!

      Oh, and since it's new, I'll "warn" you that I've found a couple of its babies each year. I would by no means call it an aggressive re-seeder, but you might want to keep an eye out for them--they don't seem to stray much further than about 4 feet of the parent. But they're really cute, and easy to move elsewhere, if you want more. :-)

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  8. It's interesting to see how similar your garden progress is to mine this year Scott. My daffodils are up but there are no buds yet, and I have the sedums pushing out to the same degree as yours. We had no rain in January and night after night of temps in the 30's and 20's. As far as I'm concerned , it is now spring !

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    1. Oh yes, out weather this year was very odd again...practically no real cold for us up here...and yes...I agree, spring has sprung ;-)

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  9. Sedum, big and small, are great plants. Roll on Spring.

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  10. Cutting grass back, emerging perennials, tiny little flowers and a garden show. Spring really does appear to have sprung in your neck of the woods. Our first garden show of the season starts on Thursday. Will be interested to see if wood walls make it to this side of the world. Thanks for sharing all your little wee children - I'm about 'this' close to buying a blowtorch to see if there's anything under the snow.....
    B.

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    1. hahahaha...you ARE determined! Yes, it's well and truly spring up here...I have to pinch myself to remind myself that it's real ;-)

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  11. Hi Scott,

    I don't think my Erysimum has ever stopped blooming since I planted them! I do however need to replace mine this year as they've been bent under the weight of the snow and now look silly... A shame as they're large, mature specimens... Guess at least it'll free space up a little in ther border until the new ones mature.

    But yes I know what you mean about this time of year being 'about to blooms', I've so much of that and in some cases it's driving me insane waiting!

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    1. Oh yes, the waiting makes things so worth it though, doesn't it!

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  12. Scott, I thought of you today while I was cutting ,digging and spliting all my grasses and trying not to tread on the sedums

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    1. Hahahahaha...I hope it was a good thought...and not a curse ;-) I've just started cutting things back last weekend too, Linda...and filled up our yard debris bin within 10 minutes...hardly made a dent in the garden...it's going to take a while to clean up this year :-D

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  13. Hasn't it been great weather lately? I couldn't believe nearly 60*F! I'm still doing yard clean-up but hope to get to making some root cuttings of my Anemones in March. Great photos as usual! Aren't those Sedum buds cute, like little grey rosebuds.

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    1. OMG...yes...so lovely...it makes me want to run outside and sing! I'm JUST starting to really clean up...but I need to get busy...so many bulbs are starting to poke up!

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  14. Still too much snow on the ground in my neck of the woods but our local Flower Show is this weekend so I will get an early opportunity to experience spring in the garden and I can't wait!

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    1. Yay for flower shows!!! I can imagine they are even more of a balm for you with real winter at your doorsteps!

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  15. Love seeing these buds and sprouts! Rattlesnake Master is on my list for the front redo. Hopefully I will be seeing some green in just a few weeks - hopefully. For now, the only thing I'll be shoveling is snow. Thanks for the inspiration to carry on.

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    1. Keep it up, Violet...spring is so close now! I hope you can find some Rattlesnake Master...it's a great plant...and recently, I think there was a new variety released that supposed to be more upright and less prone to flopping...shoot, I wish I could remember what it was called!

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  16. Scott, I am sad to hear your Parrotia isn't blooming this year. Hope it leafs out ok and does well for the growing season. I have a Chionanthus retusus, Chinese Fringetree that didn't bloom last spring. I am watching it closely this spring.
    I keep having to go out and remove leaves off my sedum, worried that the extra cover and moisture will make them rot.

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  17. My sedums are coming up, too. Yours just seem to be a little ahead of ours so far. They sure look happy and healthy!

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