Hart, your rose is beautiful. Do you have any problems with cats and your catmint? I have a fair sized clump of it next to the front door and our neighbor's large calico uses it for a bed fairly frequently. Doesn't seem to hurt it any.
Wind, our local garden centers including the local Lowes stock Mt. Laural so it is available commercially not too far from you.
May/June flowers
New Dawn buds
Not at all. Catmint doesn't draw cats like catnip, so it's probably just a good place for the cat to lay. Even the catnip my cats leave alone until someone walks by and brushes against it, releasing the scent from the leaves.
A really pretty peony bud
And another one with an ant friend
Zepherine Drouhin
Zeph again. This rose has a wonderful, strong, old rose scent.
And a nice old rose form.
More peony buds
Linuxogre, I've seen lots of Kalmia Latifolia hybrid varieties at HD and Lowes, but not the native Mountain Laurel. Our Lowes now has a "native plant" section that I've been checking fairly frequently. I may have to go over there and look again. I bought some nice native Huechera and native Reticulata type of Iris there. I'm not sure if they mean PA or US natives. Next type I head west, I'll check out the Lowes. Should have done it coming home from Holly's swap.
Just gorgeous Hart. That old form rose is spectacular. Love the red & white peony. It's easy to see why that Zepherin Drouhin is so popular.
That red Iris is an old one, it was in a group of 5 or 6 that I ordered about 25 + years ago from Spring Hill, the ad with the picture and names was tossed out a long time ago. I only had this one and a purple survive out of the group.
Aspenhill, my Iris is in a mixed bed, they have a tendency to "walk" to where they well please in that bed, so digging them out to keep them in bounds needs to be done from time to time.
Sometimes the red looks very dark to me almost black. I took and other picture today in late afternoon sun light.
This message was edited May 29, 2009 4:53 PM
Boy you guys, I keep seeing things in your posts that add to my "wish list". So many pretty flowers. Here is a picture of the hillside shade garden - not much blooming right now, I should have taken pictures a few weeks ago :-) I still need to figure out how to take decent pictures - the scale and colors don't seem right - it looks so much better in person.
Another shot, closer up.
Corydalis 'Blackberry Wine' that I got from rcn at the Lewis Ginter plant sale.
Aspen, What an inviting view, makes you want to take a leisurely stroll.
Salvia, May Night
Same area, different angle.
Lamium 'Purple Dragon'
Aspenhill, your property is just lovely. Bet those Brunnera were pretty in Bloom. Lovely gardens don't have to have blooms. I have a friend who runs out and cuts every bloom down. She hates flowers. Just loves color, shape and texture of foliage. Her garden is lovely and tranquil like most of your setting. Do you frequent the shade forum?
Lady, how tall does your "May Night" grow? I've read conflicting info.
Stormy, My May Night is not very tall, about knee high, 2 ft. When these flowers are done I cut them off and will get another set of blooms. I dead head a lot of my flowers, even snap off spent iris blooms, and daylilies.
Oh, y'all have no idea how lovely Aspenhill's place is! That path that curves down from her house, back to a patio & grill area, then down toward the pond... lined with beautiful plants, so cool and peaceful... heavenly!
Not sure I would know the difference between "native" and hybrid... It was just labeled Mt. laurel at a fairly significant price....
Stormy, I like the tranquility of the shade gardens, but I also like the bit of flowers and color whenever I can get it to work in there - that is funny about your friend! I lurk a lot in the shade forum. DG has so many forums of interest to me, but it is so hard to keep up LOL.
Wind, I have native mountain laurel all throughout the woods. Although I haven't heard anyone having much luck with transplanting it, it is always worth a try. If you are ever down this way, stop in and we'll dig some up. I can also try to bring some to a MA swap sometime.
Aspenhill, This is a nice bright shade plant, Trollius Globe Queen. It is betwen 28 to 36". You could do a mass planting of them with one of the Hardy Blue Geraniums, about 18" tall in front. Most of the Hardy Geraniums seem to do well in shade.
This cute little groundcover Campanula would be nice in front. I think it's called Dickson's Gold.
Lungwort is another good shade plant, and the folage add interest to the garden, I have Mrs Moon but there are many different verities to choose from. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/50011/
On the native mountain laurel I wonder if you took and large nursery pot and filled it with moist soil if you could get a layered cutting to take root from the mother plant.
Stormy, I loved the Trollius Globe but lost mine, I guess it was to dry where I had it planted. Might add it to my list and try it in an other spot.
Thanks AspenH, I just may take you up on that wonderful offer some day :))) My best friend from high school lives out your way on Mill Dam Place in Leesburg. I've never even seen their home there yet and they are always asking me when I am going to come visit.
LadyG, I bet that would work too. The native mtn laurel I've seen seems to grow like a weed as an understory in the pines. I wonder how it spreads?
That's a pretty basket Wind. Did you do that up yourself?
I think the layered rooting woud lessen the transplant shock on the
mountain laurel. May give it a better chance in a new location.
We should ask Doc. Mt.. Laurel is a virtual weed where he lives. I'll go searching for him!!!
This is a photo of DGer Doss's shade garden. She has the most amazingly landscaped property. Reading her Journal is fascinating.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=4975769
It's funny, after she planted them, she didn't like the Ligularia in front. Then they grew on her! I have 3 or 4 kinds of Ligularia growing. Some of them have really beautiful foliage too. They are very hardy even in deep shade.
Ladygardener, I've been adding the polymer crystals in those dry spots. It seems to be helping. I've never had any problems with the Trollius, but the Ligularias get wilty in the PM even in shade. Then they revive after sundown.
Wind, that is a pretty basket.
This Rhodo is really tucked away in a corner so it escaped any winter damage. There's one about 6 feet to the left of it that is virtually a goner.
This is Salvia East Freisland. There are 4 of them out front and the perfume is devine!
First Galliardia of the year!
Stormy, I used the "Jello shots" when they first came out, what a surprise after it rained ; O Funny they say they will last up to 10 years, I think mine disappeared after 1 1/2 years.
With my clay soil I have been adding compost all the time and digging it into every planting hole, but when there is a dry spell the ground starts cracking. The beds with the most compost and mulch does better. I am also working on a garden on the north side of the house when there is more shade and moisture in the ground. That bed is slowly getting bigger. LOL
Just look how happy this Peachleaf Bellflower is in the back of the shady bed. Grew them from seed winter of 08.
You beat me to the punch with the Galliardia picture. I have a few new plants that will be showing off maybe next week. Got them at the Bluestone sale last year. I pick the right spot for them, they have gotten very big this spring.
This message was edited May 30, 2009 9:31 PM
Lady, I hear you. I don't have the cracked clay problem. The maples turn the texture of the soil to that of course grit. Falls through your fingers like Builders sand. I am always adding organic matter and mushroom soil to the beds. They are improving. At least I have worms now. It was very interesting to examine everyone's soil from the swap. I think Holly gardens in pure clay. And Happy's soil is very dense and hard. So is Sally's. Mine is so crumbly that it was really bizarre for me.
More great "Shade" plants!! LOL
Sorry, I have a bunch of that Galliardia. I think it's Goblin. Grew those from seed in 08 too.
I've never had Hosta flowers in May before. There are even Asiatic lilies about to bloom. I sure hope there will be something left to bloom in August!
