What is in full bloom now? JUNE 16 - JUNE 30 2010

Bonehead, that's astrantia major, aka masterwort. There are several varieties in that color range, and I'm not sure which one you have. I've always liked it alot. Makes a nice cut flower too.

Also, foxglove is a biennial. I found this description, which muddies things up a bit:

Foxglove plants are classified as biennial: leaves form a rosette close to the ground the first year, succeeded by a spike with blooms the second, and final year. But under favorable growing conditions they often last longer, blooming another year or two beyond what their "biennial" status would warrant. In this case, they may be considered herbaceous perennials. Further complicating any positive life-cycle identification for the novice is the fact that foxglove plants often reseed themselves.

This message was edited Jun 28, 2010 6:22 PM

Here's a shade garden on the north side of the barn. I'm especially pleased that a new ligularia (The Rocket) just put in last year is already bulking up and blooming. The climbing hydrangea would take over the entire barn if I let it. And, although others have warned of the sword ferns, I do like them here and there to blend in with the outlying areas. As with all my beds, there are always some stray buttercups poking up here and there. Although I diligently pull them up, since one can never get them all, I am also trying to embrace them as a pretty little wild flower.

I always have a bit of a trouble with biennials. I think I've got my angelica down - I just let the whole big patch grow in early spring and then thin it as it becomes more clear who is going to bloom and who is a first year plant. Since they are huge plants, I do try to limit the bloomers to 2-3, and let them go to seed. The first year, I diligently shook each seedhead to be sure I got enough seed in the ground. A bit overkill... If anyone wants any seed, let me know.

Here's another combo - lamb's ears in front of oregano and red valerian. I let this patch of ears all put up seed stalks and another patch I snipped out about half when they were first sending up. I think the second method produced a more robust lower stand while still enjoying the teeny little flowers on the tall stalks. If a stand really gets straggly, I snip out all the flower stalks and that seems to rejuvenate it quickly.

This is part of the medicinal section of my herb labyrinth - hence the old sewing machine (to patch you up). I am trying to add an appropriate piece of yard art to each section, some are easier than others. This particular section has comfrey just out of sight on the left, meadow arnica growing wherever I allow it, intermingled with calendulas, with a chocolate boneset (gorgeous plant) behind the Singer. Chinese pinks (Qu Mai) and echinachea are further down the row not yet in bloom.

I got this cutting from Pixy last year. Can you ID it for me please? I had it marked orange dahlia - wrong!!!

Very pretty, Bonehead! I would definitely take some of the Angelica seeds. I love that plant. Last year a friend gave me some queen anne's lace, another favorite, but it was just a huge clump she dug out and I'm not even sure if she got any weeds. It dried out quite a bit between coming out of her garden and getting into mine. I had hoped it would have at least seeded, but nothing this year so far. I love all the plants that have that same look. Cow parsley is another. I even like poison hemlock, altho I would not knowingly plant that one!

Your bed with the red valerian is really really pretty. All your flowers look like they enjoy their spots and are doing really well.

Soooo many pretty blooms! :D

Julie, Bright Carnival does look like it could be the same as mine. I'll keep comparing as they bloom- thank you for your help. :)

Gwen, I will put it on my to-do list to shake you off some angelica seeds when they ripen. Lord knows I will have plenty. I foolishly bought 3 plants (at rather premium prices) back when I was initially establishing my herb garden. I've since learned that most herbs are pretty free with their favors. One of my local garden friends refers to them all as weeds.

I've never done much seed saving, but after cyber-experiencing your January seed swap, I may have to jump into that next. I just cut back my seed stalks from King's spear and left three standing as an experiment.

Thanks!

Gwen, do you like Sweet Cicely? It's in the same family as Queen Anne's Lace, Cow Parsley, etc.

I have a huge clump that made several babies this year, and I'd be happy to save one or two for you if you'd like.

*looks at giant box of seeds she'll never ever have room enough to grow*

Yeah. What Julie said.

;D

Yes, I'd love some sweet cicely! Thank you.

The sweet cicely seed pods are delicious to eat raw when they are still green - kind of a licoricey taste. They can also be used when they turn brown as salad crunchies, but I don't care for them as much then. They just taste like earth to me at that point.

And, yes, almost all of my herbs are bullies -- but it seems to work to have them all together -- they just push and shove one another around, sometimes intermingling to create really nice combos. Both comfrey and oregano are on very short leashes, I dig out an acceptable circumference for them in the spring and don't let any stragglers cross the line.

I think my (maybe) Bright Carnival can safely be described as "In full bloom" now... :)

Pony, Just glorious! Can you imagine what it will look like in two years when it is really clumpy clumps? I love the coral bells in front of them as well... very pretty.

I can't wait! I'm going to have to rearrange in the fall now that I know the heights of everything- then next year it will look even better. :)

My TT is blooming its little heart out- I just adore this DL!

This is my entry garden....the snapdragon just showed up one day last fall!

This is the only surviving poppy from this years planting...this variety "Jelly Beans"

Very pretty, Linda.

Linda, Your garden is looking beautiful! I have may apple envy, but my little kid that you shared is still alive and kicking, so I want to print your garden pic and wander it out to him to give him something to aspire to!

More stuff is sneaking out every day.... isn't it amazing what a bit of sunshine will do?

The lilies on my deck popped out yesterday. I don't know the specific variety, but I just love this one.

My pots look like poo because they have been disgusted with the weather over the last month and a half, but this one has recovered nicely in the last several days. It is contorted larch "Diana", hecheura "Mocha Mint" and campanula "Get Me" with a couple of invisible decimated petunias in there somewhere...

My white jap. iris in it's full glory...

This purple jap iris just popped yesterday and it is another of my favorites. It is so full of flowers that it is hard to differentiate one from the other, but makes a wonderful boquet...

OK... seriously...don't look at the weeds! My mock orange and canturbury bells were also very nice this morning. Will have to make it a point to get to that garden this weekend!

Last one here for the day... another jap. iris that was looking very photogenic this morning...

Very pretty. The last one is especially nice offset by the yellow groundcover.

Thanks. The yellow groundcover is golden moneywort, and I have a big swath of it in that area. I have daylilies and astilbie planted in it as well, and the effect is very nice. It is agressive, but easy to control, and makes that portion of the garden just glow right now.

I thought that was what it might be. I have the common version in one of my beds, and I have let it take over in place of mulch. When it gets a bit too tall or growing into my other plants, it is really easy to just grab it by the ruff and yank it out, leaving enough at the roots to rejuvenate itself (which it then does freely). I may have to think about the gold version. Always a new idea from these fun photos.

Julie..beautiful Japanese Irises mine have been overwhelmed by darmera this year

That's exactly what I do with the gold when it encroaches on some of my plants. In the meantime, no weeding where it is, and I LOVE that! If you want to try some gold, I may know where you can get some ^_^

Linda, that entry garden is getting better every day. The podophyllum you shared with me is getting babies. ( I was selfish enough to take the larger one and give Julie the little one.) How old do you think yours is? Juldy's "Remembering Bill's Hugs" is also putting up scapes. I plan to finally get it to her this weekend. Mine is in more shade, so will be later.

Those orange lilies are just glorious! And I adore the iris/moneywort combo- absolutely stunning. I think I might want to get some of that golden moneywort. Do they sell it at the big box stores? Is it evergreen? Would it interfere with spring bulbs coming up? Why is the sky blue? Can I have a pony? Oh, wait...

LOL! Pony, by all means, don't go and buy any of the stuff! I have oodles and oodles of it that I am pulling up on a regular basis... I can give you plenty. It is not as pretty in the wintertime, but still has color to it. It glows vibrantly from early May to late fall. Not sure, but I think that bulbs would come up through it just fine... if not, you can pull out little sections around them when you see them peeking. As for the sky and pony, well, I can't help you there.... :)

Hahaha! Sorry, just got on a roll with the questions, ya know... ;)

Okay- I won't go running off in search of it, even though I'm all about the instant gratification... hehe. I would love to have some of your extra sometime. Thank you. :)

Pony, I am probably going to be taking some out this weekend (I would love to think that I will get to cleaning up that garden soon so that my daylilies in there can breathe) so I can have some for you next week. We could either hook up or if that doesn't work, I can pop it in the mail as well.

Depending on the state of my truck, I might be able to come up to FW. (It's been making disturbing noises, I need to have it looked at before I go on any freeway trips.)

All your flowers and garden beds look great.

Yellow Peace Rose in full bloom now

This is the hardy fuchsia I gave starts of to a few people.