Jill. it looks like a Darth Vader spider. ;-)
FIRST FLOWERS MID MAY 2015
Lol yes it does!
David, my Purple Milkweed has flower buds! Does yours bloom this early? Or, when does yours usually bloom?
Critter, I sure love the itoh s! Local garden center has Bartzella , Cooper Kettle and several others in 2 gal pots for $ 39.99. Bartzella has a lemony scent.
I noticed buds on my Purple Milkweed too, and my Poke Milkweed as well.
Gita, I really like that Koromo Shukibu Azalea, I've never seen anything like it!
Man GT, you and Pat have a lot going on. So many beautiful things!!
I love seeing everyone's pics :)
Jill--beautiful pictures! LOVE the deep magenta peony!
So far--only mt big-bloom white one is opening up.
I dug a big chunk away from it last year to give to someone.
It just all came up in this one, big piece--otherwise, I would have
divide it a bit.
Please remind me who you were that I gave hat to? How is it doing?
I guess I could look at last year's swap records...
Critter, that's a great photo of the spider!
That egg/nest could have belonged to a Cardinal. The eggs are supposed to be 1 x 3/4 inch.
Plants are growing fast and furious of late, and there is always more to see. Some flowers
1 - Silene virginica - Fire Pink
2 - Gillenia trifoliata - Indian Physic
3 - Osmorhiza longistylus - Anise Root
4 - Hydrophyllum virginianum - Virginia Waterleaf
5 - Leaf of Virginia Waterleaf showing "water spots"
Many of our ferns are growing with exuberance;
1 - Athyrium niponicum - Japanese Painted Fern
2 - Athyrium 'Ghost' - Ghost Fern
3 - Polystichum acrostichoides - Christmas Fern
4 - Adiantum pedatum - Northern Maidenhair Fern
5 - Athyrium filix-femina 'Cruciatum' - Lady Fern
More ferns
1 - Onoclea sensibilis - Sensitive Fern
2 - Dryopteris marginalis - Marginal Wood Fern
3 - Matteuccia struthiopteris - Ostrich Fern
4 - Athyrium filix-femina 'Victoriae' - Victoria Lady Fern
5 - Polystichum polyblepharum - Korean Tassel Fern
Oh man, I really really like that Hydrophyllum virginianum!!
Yes--It looks like the nest a cardinal built in the crotch of my old Rose Bush.
It was so nicely nestled into the cupping of the stems. The one egg looked like yours.
I tried to see what bird was coming or going--but never did see anyone.
Then--finally--as it was raining--I saw a female cardinal sitting on it.
BUT--weird--the next day, the nest was empty--no eggs in it either.
Thinking maybe a snake ate them all? The nest was just 3' or so above the ground.
I too pulled the empty nest out and took s good look at it....other than being wet
from the rain--there was no other disturbance.
1--Bird's nest in my Rose bush
2--Egg in the nest
3--Nest after I removed it
4--Showing ingenious base made of leaves to support the nest.
I think anywhere around $40-50 is a fair price for them. I got smaller ones (quarts, I think) from MamaJack a while back for maybe half that... but I had to be patient and wait a few years for blooms.
GT, I've got lovely little plants in my winter-sowed containers of Asclepias perennis and Asclepias purpurea, both seeds from you. Thanks!
Another SDB iris along the front walk.
'Rembrandt' tulips are finishing up now... I really liked them, such fun colors!
Joyanna delivered some of those $1 bargain 'Pink Wave' petunias up and down the block... she marched right up to front doors, rang the bell, and presented the pots with a smile and "this is for you -- Happy Mother's Day!"
Joyanna took this photo of the variegated Weigelia in full bloom.
This box of daffodils (arranged in 4 vases) went up to Pittsburgh with me for my niece's First Communion. I estimated about 100 stems. We picked similar amounts (with the help of neighbor kids) several times this season, barely making a dent in the display out back. Fun!
Gita, that sure does look like the same kind of nest. I'll tell my folks. Muddy, thanks for helping to solve that mystery!
David, your plantings are just amazing.
You're welcome critter. Too bad that brood didn't make it. Cardinals' bright red color makes it pretty hard for them to hide from predators; they need some camouflage.
Yes, anyone who thinks shade is a hurdle need only look at GT's and ecnalg's woodland delights to see its wonderful possibilities.
This is really a very exciting time of the year for gardeners. New flower are opening and new photos are posted here each day. I enjoy seeing them all.
I cut some flowers this morning. Here are my first bouquets of the season.
The last one isn't much of an arrangement, but the fragrance is delightful.
David, that Virginia Waterleaf plant looks very interesting. The flowers are so delicate. Like it!
Um... How did I end up with TWO white peonies? I could have sworn one of them was supposed to be pink or red. I'm so confused... I mean, they're both pretty, but I was hoping for a bit more color.
Jill, that's such a late blooming tulip! I love that mix of red/white. And those daffs! How beautiful!
GT, I'm loving my ferns, too, although i don't have the variety that you do.
Thanks, Speedie, next time I see 'Best Bet' reblooming iris for sale, I'll be picking it up for sure!
That name 'Best Bet' is easy to remember, too!
I put one of my favorites out in the front garden for everybody to enjoy... it's called 'Everything Plus'... bicolor, plicata, good substance, purple-base foliage, big bud count, fragrant, reblooms... Dykes Medal winner. What more would you want?
umm... not that I can put my fingers on a photo of it, LOL. I'll post when it blooms!
SSG, mentioning white peonies... I saw a fluffy white bloom on a peony at Green Springs today and ran over to stick my nose in it and see if it was fragrant or not... joke was on me, it was a silk flower, stuck in to show the color of the variety.
LOL critter, I thought you were going to tell us that you got stung on the nose by a bee! I'm glad the only thing that happened was a little bit of disappointment. :)
Donner---I will be the one to compliment you on your "non-arrangements"...
They are beautiful--and it is obvious that you have a knack for putting flowers
in a vase and make it look fantastic.
I will never forget the one from last summer with your Monkshoods!
That one just blew me away. Hoping I will have some good blooms this summer.
I wish I had enough flowers that I could just cut and display. I do not.
G.
Really lovely Donner! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I love how you share the beauty of your garden. Those whites are stunning.
There is a gardenbook that is photos of vases of what's blooming or notable in the authors garden week by week. Do you do this each weekend when you come home? Love the table, too.
Donner, I second that - your bouquets are beautiful! I can't decide whether #1 or #2 is my favorite.
Left to right:
NOID Clematis
Amsonia hubrichtii (Arkansas Amsonia)
Chrysogonum virginianum (Green and gold) probably at its peak
Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders) was swaying in the wind all day and was hard to photograph!
Monarda bradburianna - new to my garden this year and I'm loving it
I've "eww'd and ahhh'd" so many times in this thread I probably will be making those noises in my sleep. Great pics everyone ! I'm seeing some flowers that I'm putting on my "must have" list.
And Donner... have you ever taken classes in flower arrangement ? Those look like they were done by a florist. Very creative and artistic.
I agree. Donner's flower arrangements are truly lovely as well as creative. Love all the white touches.
What interesting foliage on your Amsonia, Muddy. Lots of great photos on here.
Thank you all for the compliments on the bouquets. You only get to see lovely flowers in vases, not in the mess in my garden, haha.
Coleup, I have not done weekly bouquets, but that sounds like a good idea. Hopefully more friends in this group will do bouquets and share photos with us.
This message was edited May 17, 2015 5:35 AM
Muddy, I noticed the Amsonia in your garden last week because I have one too. Mine is called Amsonia 'Blue Ice'. Its leaves are wider and slightly more compact in form.
There isn't enough sun in my garden for this plant. I thought I had dug it up and given it away at the swap, but just saw more in my garden. The plant is looking quite pleased with itself :o). If you like to have it, I can dig it up for you next time I see you.
I love donner's bouquets too.
I think I see the first of Sundrops out there, Oenothera missouriensis? No., wait, it's a yellow Iris.
My old Wabash and heirloom lavender Iris with smaller blooms are not flopping. Hey, the heirloom one has that nice grape scent too. Got from DGer hart, ages ago. Gita's Snowcap iris is standing well to;. great iris Gita.
Finally getting around to posting pics of my columbine, not quite all my colors I have one more that still hasn't opened.
Wooooo... gorgeous blooms ! Yes, Columbine is on my list of "must haves".
1 Does anyone recognize this bulb? I got it at last year bulb buy. I didn't realize how small these plants would be. They're now lost amongst the larger plants. Such delicate blooms.
2 and 5 are mock orange. Fantastic scent! Does anyone know why they're so floppy? Should I prune them or do they just grow this way? I should add that they were floppy like this even before the rains.
3 Clematis and alliums.
4 I can't get enough of this columbine.
This message was edited May 17, 2015 8:04 AM
I have this really interesting plant, now you may think it is just a pretty but not unusual plant. But play close attention to the bottom of the plant. You see that I didn't plant this azalea it has propagated it's self. Not sure how but you can see that it is growing out of a crack in a rock.
SSG, mini pink allium... let me see if I can find the name... ostrawkianum
I put them around my new roses and tulips last fall, to protect them from munchers.
SSG, now you're done it. That columbine is gorgeous and now I can't decide which variety I like better. Guess I'll have to get one of each. Haha
Holly... some people can't grow an Azalea in the best of conditions. You have such a green thumb, you can grow one in the crack of a sidewalk ! :)
LOL Cam, I can't take any credit for this one.
Critter, I planted those allium around my Roses, too. I haven't weeded out there yet so I am not sure how they are doing.
Here is a pic of my Evergreen grouping and the big Allium growing there.
Got a few more things blooming....
1--Azalea--Delaware Valley. Now the blooms are pretty much toast.
2--One of my favorite Azaleas--in my small front bed. Name???
3--Clematis--"Proteus"....You have to grow this! I got it from Brushwood.
4--Two blooms of the "Proteus"--close-up. These blooms are not always all the same.
5--
Got a few more things blooming....
1--Azalea--Delaware Valley. Now the blooms are pretty much toast.
2--One of my favorite Azaleas--in my small front bed. Name???
3--Clematis--"Proteus"....You have to grow this! I got it from Brushwood.
4--Two blooms of the "Proteus"--close-up. These blooms are not always all the same.
5--My old, white Peony--beaten down a bit by the hard rains.
More....
1--Iris Row...
2--Pale blue Iris---very delicate
3--Same as #2--
4--I know you saw this before--but on ATP they has "Iris appreciation week"
with the most popular Iris pictured. This was one of them. Found out
it is called "Batik".
5--Wondering if this version is also called "Batik"????
Here are some fun foliage pictures.
Japanese forest grass.
I bought this at the arboretum sale and now can't remember the name!
Spirea Ogon and hosta June, my favorite.
Strawberry begonia and golden creeping jenny.
Golden Japanese forest grass.
1-- My poor "Bob Hope" Camellia! The last 2 winters sure have decimated it.
The blooms are small. The foliage is brownish and blotchy. They are all dropping
like flies. Maybe it is getting old? Maybe it is showing signs of the fungus
it had several years ago? Don't know--but it is a figment of it's earlier glory.
2--A picture of the whole shrub....WHAAAAA....
3--Spiderwort...so pretty! Sally--I will take some starts of the other 2 colors-any time.
4--Just FYI--this is a 4 )'Clock seedling. I have a bunch of them coming up. DAH!
5--This is a seedling of a Morning Glory. Seed leaves are the same--but the true
leaves on the 4's are pointed. Just FYI....
I also have a lot of Cleome (Spider Flower) seedlings coming up in my Kitchen-side bed.
No wonder! One grew there last year. Anyone interested? Come and get them.
Thass all for now...... G.
