June, clematises and chat

After I placed the order with John Scheepers I made up labels for each group and indicated where they were to be planted so that was half the job!

I've had Purple Sensation for many years but added more to two gardens and they did so well.

1. Labels
2. Purple Sensation and Silver Spring - loved this duet!
3. Purple Sensation in the shady hosta garden.

Looking back, I guess I managed to get them all planted just by sheer determination and finished the first week in December.

My timing to have the Cowanii bloom with the Siberian irises was off. Cowanii bloomed 5/11 but the Siberians were later in May. Next time I'll know better. Some were still in bloom but they were waning.

Beautiful alliums......I can't seem to get them to last here, although the library garden downtown has some lovely white ones that bloom every year in the fall.......

Arlene, you are SO organized! I guess that at the volume of bulbs you are planting, you have to be. I love the brickwork. Is that some of the new stonework?

I've never planted allium in the shade garden, mostly because of the tree roots, but also because I like to have showy blooms in the front where passers-by can see them and enjoy. Alliums are one bulb I've never put into a container. Also I think I'll look into ordering from Scheepers as they are so highly respected. I guess now is the time to order for fall planting.

I went into a store over the weekend that had no soil, just a paved parking lot. However, their gardener had made up 2 or 3 containers of the loveliest and most colorful gardens. Containers like big stemware, about 2 feet in diameter. They were so inviting; I hope my gardens make people feel good. The two window boxes of lilies are out front right now. Some of the ensata irises are in bloom. Monarda (bee balm) look like they're getting ready to pop. And the caladiums are gently announcing themselves.

Marilyn - a few years ago I planted Christophii in a huge pot - I guess it was insufficient drainage that caused them all to rot: lesson learned.

Marcia - For that project I had to be organized. When it comes to caladiums it's easier to just wing it since the weather is mild and there are no big time pressures. The first caladiums I planted did fine and they're up despite the cold nights we had after they were in the ground. The rest of them are taking their time but this spring weather was the big problem for them.

I'm sure the one who planted those containers would love to hear your praise!

I think we all hope that people passing took notice and enjoyed what we work so hard on for so long despite the weather. A few neighbors have stopped but one stops on every one of her walks to tell me how much she enjoys what we've done. That makes my heart sing!

The new curved walk is in the old vegetable garden, now called The Park. Then there's the new bluestone path, which I just finished mulching and using Preen on today, then Jack turned on the irrigation system to get the Preen working. The pink flags are where I spotted more of the loathsome Houttuynia so, even though I killed them with my favorite poison, I maintain the flags to alert me to keep looking for any strays.

Love, love those new paths!

Thanks! The deer finally found the daylilies and hosta under the window box. At least they can't hurt the path.

In November we'll have new metal fencing, with black poles cemented in place, erected around The Park (the curved brick paver walk). I can't risk it now with all the plants in the ground or blooming.

Lovely stone work Arlene. Hopefully your new fence will keep the deer out once it's put in place.

Thanks, Annette. The deer can't get into The Park since that does have an 8' high deer mesh fence around it but I want the metal type just as insurance. The old posts and rails have been replaced once already so there's just no point in doing it every six years and the metal fence would be the answer to the problems.

I just planted a new Clematis back in May that I purchased nice and healthy from Harris Teeter grocery store. It has signs of new and green growth on it and it was climbing the new wrought iron trellis well but for some reason this week, the leaves that had started climbing and wrapping the tendils around, have turns like a bruised color and has gone limp. I haven't fed it anything and there are annuals planted at its roots. Should I remover those bruised limp leaves and hope for the best that it will recover. Is there anything you think I should be feeding it or spray it with? I wished I knew how to post pictures but I don't and don't have anybody to show me, plus my camera probably needs a new battery because it hasn't been used for about a year.

Hi Pippi, check to see if the vine has been severed below where the leaves are turning brown. Last year I returned from vacation to find my Patrician Ann Fretwell, that I left in good health, wilting and dying. When I looked over the plant, I realized the guys who mow the lawn had completely severed it at the base with the weed whacker. It had been cut to 2 inches from the ground, but had a great comeback.

Also, consider clematis wilt, caused by a fungus that can affect clematis due to damp conditions.

If it was hot while you were gone its possible that the wrought iron heated up and burned the leaves. That happened to one of mine last year. When the vine gets thicker it shades the trellis underneath (at least I hope so). Putting bird netting up for the Clem to climb so it's not directly on the metal would help too.

Hi everyone, Plant collapse in Clematis comes from many reasons.I worry about wilt too much and used to blame most collapse on the wilt,now I need to see bud and leaf wilt to check further. My wilt probs. are a lot reduced since I take Clorox wipes with me and clean knife and pruner blades before I move on to another vine. most of brown stems seem to breakage from wind or from me getting frustrated and kinking stems too much!
It is fun to grow a variety of clematis just to see what you and friends really like and find better combinations than I can....even with my "perfect brain" I , my garden friends and the art club people are currently in love with 'c. Huldine' It looks and blooms so fine, It has a delight ful way of holding it's bloom in flat. sheets It is absent of pests and seems to be a very good natural basel brancher. All this in its second year! Lee

surprize, I always wanted to have a pair of these, my sweet DIL sent it for me for my B-day. Love it. Etelka

They mirror the color of your cleome!

Etelka, your garden is lovely, and the new addition from your DIL adds a bit of whimsy. You really must have the most beautiful garden in your area, and your neighbors are fortunate to have such a wonderful view. All of your hard work really shows. Keep posting those gorgeous pictures.

Annette

Here are a few pictures from the garden today. Except for the potted plants, everything fared well while we were on vacation in TX this week. Durandii is still blooming periodically, and I love the fact that it echoes the bluish color of the variegated hydrangea, that it is planted across the walkway from.

Clematis Fleuri is also blooming again. It's planted it a pot with rose Rock and Roll.

Pink Champagne also has a few blooms. This plant was cut really low by the yard folks this past winter. It took some time to grow back.

Finally, Barbara Jackman in the pot was pruned by 1/3, I want to see if I'll get a 2nd flush of blooms.

Very pretty clems.....my Pink Champagne has not bloomed yet.....

Thanks Marilyn. PC is taking its time blooming here this year too.

Today the clematis are getting some Epsom Salt, and fertilized. I plan on cutting back more to the group 2 clematis to see if I get more blooms this summer. Once the lilies are done here, the garden gets boring, except for the roses blooming.

Here, too....the lilies are such show-offs!

The lilies are just starting to show off quite nicely. All of the double petal asiatics are opening now.

Annette, when I saw your Rock and Roll rose, I had to show you my Fourth of July rose which is a rebloomer.

Marcia

We've had a lot of rain and it looks like we're in for some more today. We had a tornado come through our area and lucky for this part of our community, we didn't have any damage but 1 1/2 miles from here, it looked like a war zone. Hugh trees uprooted by high winds, fell onto very expensive homes and about a dozen of them still have the blue tarps on them. Guess the roofing companies are so busy, or people are still fighting with insurance companies to settle. I recall noticing after the storm that my new clematis had been lifted out of its planting hole, so I pushed it back and packed the soil back around it. Maybe that is why those leaves are brown, wilted. There is new growth all around it so as soon as I get dressed, I'm going out there and cut the damaged growth off. I had a bad night sleeping with a hurting hip/groin area If it isn't any better later on this week, I'm making an appt. with my orthapedic Dr. Think it might be related to lifting a box of Hymnals and Bibles and getting up and down for supplies to replenish the pews after the close of VBS on Friday. Used muscles I hadn't used for a long time I guess.

I don't know what happened to my Fourth of July rose photo, so I'll try uploading again.

Sorry to hear about the tornado damage, Pippi...very scary! Cathy, I have 4th of July as well....must be a good rose for the north....

Marcia, your Fourth of July rose is gorgeous, and looks similar to Rock and Roll. How big does it get?

Pippi, I'm glad your home didn't sustain any damage fron the tornado, and I hope your clematis does well. Also, take care of yourself, and don't over do it. I hope your pain resolves.

Marilyn, your rose is gorgeous as well!

This message was edited Jun 30, 2013 3:10 PM

Thanks....my 4th of Julyu...which is finished with the first flush of blooms by mid-June.....is on a 5' trellis......

Love that 4th of july rose. I've seen that one before in person and it is striking. Our capital grounds here in Little Rock have beds of Roses and Irises that are kept up by the Master Gardeners and they have that one it is very noticeable even in a sea of other roses.

I also love the colors of Fourth of July, is it scented? I like the subtle scent of Rock and Roll, and here are some blooms from earlier in June, that shows even better how close the colors are to FoJ, which I'm going to have to put on my list for roses wanted. The shade of Fleuri planted with it is just a little darker red.

I tried growing clematis Red Star in front of my yellow cabbage rose, but it wasn't too happy, so I dug it up and potted it, to give it a chance to get larger. The rest of the Brushwood clematis that I received and planted this spring are growing nicely.

I did find some neat trellises from Lowes recently, for the new clematis, that really blends in with the fence from a distance, but look really cool up close. While at Lowes, I checked out their sale rack and found clematis Moonfleet, and one without a tag for $5.00 each. They looked pitiful, but I'm going to leave them in pots for now and baby them, till it cools down, then plant them in the early fall in the garden. One of them has even put out buds and has a bloom that opened up yesterday. They'll be getting potted up so that I can give them some composted manure, bone meal and better soil, to improve their chance of survival. I love a good bargain!


Annette

You just talked me into a trip to Lowe's! Love that trellis......Don't know if 4th of July rose is scented or not.....I think not.....I have other roses in the area that do have a nice perfume....

Happy 4th of July everyone. I hope that you all have a safe holiday. There will be no fireworks or barbecuing here today, we're continuing to have rainfall and thunderstorms that will be here until Monday.

The 2nd clematis that I got from Lowes without a tag looks like Moonfleet. Another bloom opened yesterday.

This message was edited Jul 4, 2013 10:32 AM

Love the color! Rain has stopped here, maybe a pop up shower later......only Gypsy Queen is still blooming for me....

Thanks, and nice bloom Marilyn. Arabella, Durandii, and Pink Champagne are still blooming here as well. I finished trimming the group 2 clematis yesterday, except for Josephine and PC. With all the rain and recent fertilization, I hope that the other plants will reward me with another flush of blooms soon.

Annette

Both clem's are lovely. I do think it's Moonfleet, Annette. Mine takes shade very well and positively glows.

I'll ditto Annette's wish for a Happy 4th of July to all. God bless America.

Annette, I think the 4th of July rose has a scent, but I have to wait for it to bloom again to be certain. In terms of how big it gets, I feel like it's always being trimmed, so I think the term is rambler, and the thorns are large and sharp. I remember cutting the last blooms to give to a friend, and some of the thorns looked like doubles, they were so close together. In that particular garden there are four other rose bushes and about 15 peonies. The thorns just about kill me by catching on the legs of my jeans, and I can't get out.

Yes, Cathy, it's a thorny critter.....and I hope everyone had a safe & fun 4th!

Happy Birthday to our own Etelka. I hope it's another happy and healthy year for you!

Treat yourself to something cool and yummy!

Happy Birthday, Etelka, and may you have many happy gardening years ahead.

Arlene, he is soooooo adorable. Just looking at him is a yummy treat ;~)


Annette

Happy birthday, Etelka! Hope you had fun with your plants.....Arlene, that pup is just huggable!

thank you ladies , I had a nice B-day, went shopping to the mall ( hav not been there a few yaers) found some clothes but everything is so modern, I am a classical person. It will be another few years till I go back again. It has been raining here more then a week, lots of tunderstorms, so I hope my flowers will not kill over from all that water. Yesterday I went to play Mexican train dominoes with my old lady group, we had fun. I guess when you are 63, you don't go paint the town red anymore. Been there, done that. Love you all for remembering me.Thank God for Skype, I have talked to all my sisters and my brother. Etelka