Mid-Atlantic Gardening: May/June flowers, 0 by rcn48

rcn48 wrote:
Jen, I was going to suggest your self-sown flowers look like Stock and I now see that on your list :) Might be too tall for Matthiola longipetala http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/232/ but what about Matthiola livida? Better picture of it here: http://igb.agri.gov.il/main/photos/Matthiola-livida-312.jpg.

Chris, interesting thoughts on the Magnolia :) I've done some research and have no idea why ours don't open :( Beautiful tree nonetheless and I'll just have to enjoy it for what it is regardless of whether the flowers open or not - at least I know what's inside! LOL I love the Copper Iris, even though the flowers aren't very large they sure are different! We bought the original plant almost 10 years ago from a native plant vendor at the State Arboretum and it's really spread under the crab tree where it's planted. I'd like to add a clump to the new bog garden and see how it does since I've read that they REALLY like moist soils. If it's spread that much with the competing roots of the crab I can only imagine what it would do in the moist soil along the edge of the bog!

Hart, the other Mayapple like that one seems to be suffering this year - not sure why but the foliage is curled and didn't open properly. I'm planning to move it along the path by the new arbor where it will be on the slope and I won't have to lay on the ground to appreciate the flowers when it blooms! I was just a little ticked off when I bought them because I wanted both Kaleidoscope and Spotty Dotty in the gardens. I'm pretty sure the vendor got his stock mixed up and I ended up with two of the same. At $40.00 each!! I think I have a right to be ticked off :(

A few more pics from the weekend - Hardy Orchid (Bletilla striata) - located to the left of the Copper Iris, they usually bloom a little later. This year they bloomed at the same time and the color of their blooms really clashed!