Garden Gems for May 2012

Its a new month so lets continue here or where-ever.

posted my fav out of today's bunch!!

You have so many beautiful plants Allison.

very nice joann - really like that clem!

here is one more that i took for louise on her jm question - autumn moon and vitifolium - with a dead tree peony that has reverted to a normal peony that might get yanked if the blooms are as i remember.

I love the bright against the darker background. I have 2 TreePeonies that have those " graft bolts" I call them that for lack of the right word.
I cut the bolts off at the ground every year.

does that happen with tree peonies often???.. never heard of that

i did that the last two years joann - this year the "tree" part is dead. did not even know they grafted peony.

i have two others allison and they do not have any problems at all.

Jo, loved that dwarf iris..your gardens look great. Bill, Autumn Moon is gorgeous! I had one flower on my Chinese peony this year...it's not a tree one, it's deciduous, but one flower? Think I'm yanking it....

I never heard that either, but then again I'm no expert on peonies

If the tree peony is a graft, as many are, and it is not planted deep enough, it is not unusual to get growth from the original herbaceous peony. Before you clip it, make sure you look at the leaf. If it is relatively shiny, it needs to be clipped. If it is a matte leaf, it is part of the tree peony. If it was not a grafted tree peony, do not cut it off as it is appropriate new growth.

Robindog, be careful with that peony. Other than new tree peony planted last year, of the three other tree peonies that usually have an abundance of flowers, there were few blooms. The trees sprouted growth early and produced huge buds, but we got only 5 blooms. All the herbaceous peonies have grown early and tall, also with large buds, but fewer blooms than in years past. And only one that was bicolored instead of the usual three although that is always unpredictable. Since herbaceous peonies won't be in bloom for at least 2 weeks, I am wondering if yours isn't an Itoh or intersectional peony. In the current issue of Connecticut Gardener, they list Peony Heaven at Cricket Hill Garden, which I assume is not too far from you.

Thanks for the tip Cathy

I've visited Cricket Hill, which is just a few minutes away from me, but I don't remember where this plant came from...not from them, however. I typed Chinese, but I think it's a Japanese....never very floriferous, but this year, very small, & only the one bloom...the plant is about 15 years old.....my herbaceous peonies really look good this year. If you love peonies, Cricket Hill is a nice place to visit...they've been very good to our town by donating many of the peonies for public gardens around town......

Bill your yard is simply beautiful!
Jo I love Blue beards Ghost!

Thanks Celest.
Marilyn I am so enchanted with Cricket Hill's website. I have tried to paint the peonies with the parasols.I did one .

Oh, that's wonderful, Jo!!! It is so awesome to see them up close under their little parasols....you have really captured the scene! I'm going to try to paint a peony this year....

golden poppy from Celeste.. just caught my eye this morning

Nice!

cool pic

beautiful painting, Jo

how long does it take you to paint something like that JoAnn?.. it really is great

Watercolor doesnt take as long as oils. From the time I get the image in my head and I frame it,about a week.

Marilyn,I am pulling for you with the peony painting. They are hard but worth it.

very talented joann!

nice golden poppy allison

Eye of the Tiger Iris

beauti

That Eye of the Tiger is gorgeous. You are all so talented.

I suppose a good portion of the northeast got the winter water replacement rain that we've had here in Connecticut. Last night's heavy rain finally encouraged the irises to open, and every new iris has a torn petal, the ground is so soft that trellises have fallen over, and I haven't checked out the peonies. Except for the chilling wind, it is starting to feel like spring has actually sprung.

Thanks, Jo....very cool photos Allison & Jen......

I wore linen pants for 2 days,now I am in sweats again.Very cold wind.

So these were not opened earlier, blue yellow white garden filling in, sweet rose, noid iris, I just planted these Butterfly Weed Cinderella bareroots what? 2 weeks ago

I like the noid iris.. you saying they are growing like weeds??

:)

hee hee, yep I guess that's where they got that saying from

Nice painting Jo!!
Eye of the Tiger is lovely Jen.
Cathy i'm sorry to hear your iris got torn up and yes we've had the rain here too. My pond that was dug only about 2 weeks ago is overflowing. Glad I haven't planted plants there yet, they would of drowned!! LOL

a few from yesterday - a coop iris and the colors do not match the descriptions of any planted in that area, azalea, noid clem, and a view of miss grace, red spider, viridis, and albert.

Bill, that's my iris.....that clem is awesome!

Love the color on that iris

it is? do you know the name - maybe it was from an RU

Bill, looks like "Buster'
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/189375/

Here's mine......

Hey I have a similar one.Pix in a minute but first Omoshiru is blooming

oooooo, GORGEOUS!