August Days

Oh well, it was destined to happen.  The days are already getting shorter and the time between posts is getting longer..   Such is the nature of my world.
While I'm already seeing changes in the landscape in preparation for the long winters rest; there is still so much to see, so much abundance in the garden.

Clethra alnifolia

A couple of weeks ago the Clethra (otherwise known as Summersweet or Pepperbush) was in full bloom.  If I were to plant a garden with aroma as the primary criterea; this would be the shrub that would dominate the landscape.

Walking up to my front door during bloom, one is immediatly captivated by the spicy scent it gives off.  I know it almost always causes me to pause and take it in with a deep breath and widening smile.


The blooms arrive in late July and August with multiple floretes that open progressively along 3" to 5" racemes.
This 5' to 6' deciduous shrub is rather compact and spreads by suckering.  It prefers dappled light or partially shaded moist areas but is adaptable pretty much anywhere.

Diphylleia cymos

This very attractive woodland plant is the Umbrella Leaf.  This plant takes awhile to get established (and this one is no exception) but developes into a beautiful, large 2' high clump that is grown primarily for it's large leaf foliar interest.  

The main attraction, however, are the blue berries that sit on red colored pedicels following the plants white flowers in June.

Really wild looking... I'm not sure the photo does it justice.


Another really showy plant in bloom right now is this perennial Hibiscus  'Kopper King'.  Beautiful coppery - red disected leaves, this plant stands tall at 3 to 4 feet.
The flowers are huge!  They're between 10" to 12" across, light pink with red veining and a bright red central eye.
Absolutely striking...even if they do only last for one day.
Be forewarned; this tends to be the very last plant to reappear in spring.  Be patient and just before you're about to give up on it, a little sprout will appear.  That's always a happy day!


Planting combinations of perennials with varying contrast along the same color palette is almost always a pleasing effect.

This bed of the common coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) and liatris spicata (more commonly known as blazing star or gayfeather) is a good example of a monochromatic planting.
As I've mentioned in the past, I'm really partial to spikey flowering plants and liatris really fits the bill and coneflowers, long held for their medicinal qualities, are a must have for any sunny summer garden.
Attractive to humans, hummingbirds, butterflies and bees... ;)

I can't take credit for this next combination and have no idea how the ajuga 'Caitlins Giant' (the larger leafed, bronzy colored plant) jumped into this patch of sedum 'John Creech' but one day I was walking past and it caught my attention.  Who would have known?


As far as I'm concerned; nature just one upped me :)

Deer Proofing the Garden

There are always vegetable gardening challenges associated with whatever region you live in whether it be climate or pest related.  Here in Northern Vermont the growing season is short but lush. We certainly manage very nicely and using season extenders creates an even greater opportunity for success.
Today's discussion addresses the latter issue, pests.
While we're certainly not void of a long list of critter and insect pests; my biggest challenge in recent years past has been with my lovely friends, the white tailed deer, who can wipe out weeks of your hard labor in a single feeding.
Perhaps the local deer herd has increased due to milder winters or perhaps they simply know that my entire yard is a veritable salad bowl or perhaps it's because they know I don't eat them.  Whatever the reason, the amount of damage has increased substantially over time.

About 15 years ago I installed a funky, rough cut picket style fence surrounding the veggie garden creating a separation from the veg and perennial beds.  
I installed the 36" high wooden fence strictly for esthetics with full knowledge that it wasn't adequate for keeping any critter out including my standard dachshund who could easily scooch underneath.

When a large poplar tree fell over winter taking out several sections of fence I realized my opportunity to try and address the deer issue once and for all and came up with a plan.
I decided to replace every corner post as well as the gate posts with 10' 4x4 hemlock posts sunk 4' down.  This left a very stable 6' above ground creating the anchor by which to attach the deer fencing.

Deer fencing is a mesh like, high strength and lightweight material made of UV stable black polypropylene plastic.
It's affordable, easy to install and comes in rolls of various sizes and tensil strength.
A quick search online will bring you to plenty of sites but Deer Busters is an excellent site that provides a broad range of products and options.

 Since I only needed to cover the area above my already existing 3' fence; I simply cut the mesh fencing (cuts easily with a scissor) in half lengthwise (in this case into 40" widths) to cover the open area and reach the max height of 6'. 

The method I used to install the deer 'mesh' was to first attach eye screws (see inset photo) to the posts several inches below the tops of the posts.
I then tied an orange coated wire which I had leftover from another project to one eye screw and cut to a lenth 12" longer than the opposite post.   Any wire strong enough to be pulled tight would do but I already had this wire for one thing and I also felt the colored wire would act as a visual alert for any deer approaching the garden since the 'mesh' has a tendency to blend into the landscape; a feature I particularly find appealing. 
Then I simply wove the wire through the top of the mesh fencing, thread the other end of the wire through the opposite eye screw and pulled the wire as tight as I could and tied it off.
Simple tacking to the fence and posts and that was that.

I then added a few architectural features by creating an arbor like header above both front and rear gates and made bird houses that I mounted on the tops of each corner post.
House wrens moved into the 2 front corner houses less than 24 hours after I mounted them ( I love their chattering) creating the final interest to a full garden pallette.

I'm really pleased with the end result although I realize that I could be speaking too soon since I won't know that my efforts have proven success until I know that no deer has entered the garden.... but I'd like to remain optimistic and will add my findings as an update to this post at the end of the season.
Deer or no deer... only time will tell.

 

Daylilies

Every one of the 50 United States has a designated state flower that best represents their state.  Here in Vermont the flower that comes to my mind can currently be found along almost every ditch on every roadway.  Those lovely orange tall scaped plants that everyone recognizes as the common daylily.  As common as it is one would think that they're native to North America but most of them hail from Asia and they are everywhere.
And neither is the daylily the state flower of Vermont.  That honor goes to, believe it or not, red clover.  Further inquiry brought me to another stinger;  the daylily isn't the state flower of any of the 50 states.
Oh Well...
With over 60,000 varieties and counting, this is clearly one popular perennial.  They're so popular they even have their own society!  Check out The American Hemerocallis Society for more information than you'd probably ever want to know.  I must admit though,  their database is pretty remarkable.

I've gardened most of my life but it wasn't until I moved to Vermont that I dove head first into perennial gardening.  The very first perennial that I owned was a plant that a friend purchased for me from a local nursery... and, fittingly enough, it was a daylily.

That very daylilly whose name was never known moved with me to my current garden by means of a small division and has grown (by quite a few more divisions) to occupy several prominent placings throughout the property.

The bloom is considered a spider daylily meaning the petal is at least 4 times longer than it is wide.  A stunning dark red with yellow throat,
if you think you know which variety of daylily (of the 60,000) this one is.... please call me!!

Another favorite of mine is this apricot colored with ruffled edges that came to me while working as a landscaper.  We were 'renovating' an existing perennial garden that had run amuk which required pulling every plant, re-preparing the bed, dividing, sorting and re-planting.  There were tons of plant material left over that the gardens owner encouraged us to take...which we happily obliged.
This is considered a bitone meaning the sepals (the bottom 3 segments of the flower) and the petals (that would be the top 3) differ in shade or intensity of the same basic color.
See, you learn something new everyday!

Hemerocallis 'Holiday Delight'

A local greenhouse grower told me that if she had to have one daylilly, it would be this one... Holiday Delight.
I bought it bloom unseen.

My friends, the deer, ate the buds the following year so it wasn't until season 2 before I ever saw it's 'delight'.

H. 'Leonard Bernstein'

I have this daylily courtesy of my friend, Judy, who has more daylilies than you could shake a stick at... seriously.
I pass by her house up on the hill every day on the way home from work and all I see is color.  It's a sight.

Leonard is a deep red with a green throat and has an extended bloom time.

H. 'Strawberry Candy'

 The AHS conducts a famous “Popularity Poll” each year, to determine which are the big favorites in North America and for several years now this daylily, Strawberry Candy, has been near the top of the list.
I didn't know when I first saw it and had to have it that it was such a popular choice.
I guess that's what makes something popular.... everybody likes you.



Daylilies are incredibly easy to grow and super reliable.  Even if you're a novice gardener... especially if you're a novice gardener, you won't be disappointed.  And even though the bloom times can seem so fleeting, before you know it another season of blooms comes along reminding us of what makes them worth the wait. 
Seize the day...lily!

Independence Blooms

Today we celebrate the independence of this great nation of ours with all its diversity as well as conflicts.   Similar to life in its simplest form... like life in the garden.

Perennials exemplify the very nature of diversity and conflict.   There is such a variation in flower color and bloom times.   The conflict comes with the pairing of them so as to always have something of interest in bloom while creating compatible color combinations.   Not an art that I have mastered in the least but, luckily, I'm not afraid of moving plants around when they don't work where they are.

Each year the Perennial Plant Association chooses the perennial plant of the year.  This years perennial winner for 2012 is the lovely shade loving Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'.

In 1996 the perennial plant of the year was Penstemon 'Husker Red'.

Penstemon 'Husker Red'

This perennial gets its name from the striking maroon colored leaves.

Marry that maroon with the little tubular white blooms atop rigid stems that reach the 3 foot mark and it's simply stunning.

This cultivar is sun loving, easy to grow and is rarely bothered by insects or disease.


Penstemon grows in a clump form and reseeds easily which is fine by me as I LOVE this plant.



Speaking of tall, upright (no need to stake) perennials in the garden brings me to the tall bellflower.

Campanula punctata rubriflora is the tall, spotted bellflower.

I'm not exactly sure which cultivar of punctata this is ( me thinks the rabbits stole the name tag) but the large 2" drooping flower is a dusty rose color and the plant stands at about 30" tall.

I love the tall, dark colored stems with their odd little curvy growth pattern.  So feminine, don't you think?  


Actually, it's a hermaphrodite flower, meaning it has both male and female organs, stamen and pistil.

A look inside shows how the plant got the name of spotted bellflower.

The flowers and leaves are edible.   I've never tried eating them (I kinda like to have them around for ornamental purposes, even for a vegan like me) but they supposedly have a sweet taste.
Either way, they're definitely sweet.



Almost all the astilbe's are currently in bloom.
Astilbe's have long been the mainstays of shade and woodland gardens as it's hard to resist those plumy blooms in various shades of whites, pinks and reds.

 This red astilbe is one of my favorites.
Astilbe 'fanal' is noted for having perhaps the darkest red flowers of any of the astilbes and for its bronze foliage.

 This pink (sorry I only know this one by its color) resides in my newest garden deemed the stump garden.  Behind is the potted enamel pot of petunias and coleus.

And here's a nice representation of a white astilbe which lives in the rock woodland garden.  To the left of the astilbe is a Tiarella (otherwise known as foamflower) which in another favorite shade loving plant.







Veronica's were one of the very first perennials that started my love affair with plants that bloom in tall spikes of sorts.

This recent cultivar, 'Royal Candles', forms a nice compact plant that bears short spikes of bright blue flowers for several weeks.

While I have this one as a single specimen plant, I'm thinking this would make a terrific impact in a mass planting.
That just may be a really good excuse to create another new landscape bed.
Food for thought :)



Well, that's all the red, white and blue for today.... till next time.

Spireas for Every Garden

There are many elements that make up the framework of any good garden design.  Whether designing an entire landscape or garden bed, the process includes (but is not limited to) how shape balances with size balances with light, color, texture, terrain and soil conditions.  
Just a few things to consider :)
And while there is tremendous joy, satisfaction and beauty in collecting and growing perennials, vegetables and annuals; it is the trees and shrubs that create the 'backbone' of the landscape.   This is the structure that is left when everything else is laid to rest for the season.

I have a real fondness for all the flowering spireas of which there are more than I could shake a finger at.  Those wonderful small to mid-sized winter hardy deciduous shrubs that are so happy and easy.
Ok, happy you say?  What's that all about?  Well, let me tell you.
The foliage comes in an array of color from blue green to chartruese and many varieties provide a wonderful burst of fall foliar displays of burnt orange, reds and yellows.  Late spring to summer they flower in reds, pinks and whites and, well, if buterflies love them (and they do) they must be a happy plant.
Now for the easy part (my favorite part).  These plants are so forgiving and manageable!  You can plant them in just about anything for soil and, provided they get a decent amount of sun, they will prosper and promise to please.  They're also not a deal breaker as nursery prices go.  Most varities can be purchased in 1 gallon containers (and don't be afraid to buy them small, they'll establish pretty quick) for ~ $15.00.

This is Pink Parasols Spirea aptly named for the soft parasol like blooms that seem to float above attractive blue green foliage.  

Spiraea fritschiana

This plant looks great planted as a specimen in a perennial bed or grouped as an informal hedge and it's worth planting for it's fall foliage colors alone. 
But when this little shrub flowers the pink blooms give off this interesting soft almost 'fuzziness' effect.

Pink Parasols

Upon closer look; each floret is actually made up of a cluster of tiny flowers each with multiple, long stamens giving it that unique fuzzy appearance.
Like all spireas, once the flowers go by I simply get out my hedge trimmers and 'deadhead' as well as reshape the shrub back to it's neat little self.
Easy, just the way I love it.

 

Magic Carpet

While Pink Parasol grows to between 3' to 4'; another favorite of mine, 'Magic Carpet', ranges between 2' to 3' in height.
In spring the leaf shoots emerge vibrant red, maturing into rich bronze to light green red-tipped foliage.
In fall the foliage takes on nice russet tones.  And the pink flowers against that foliage, magic, right?

Little Princess

The leaves on spirea are often small, pointy shaped with toothed margins. 
This 'Little Princess' spirea is a dense little plant with even smaller than average leaves.  At 2' and as much wide 'Little Princess' can be tucked in just about anywhere, is pest and disease resistant and lives a long, happy, healthy life.

While I realize I've  barely scratched the surface of this delightful species,  I hope I've instilled enough curiosity for you to go to your local nursery and check out some of the varieties available where you live.  ( I think I'll go shopping myself)
You can also check out many of the new exciting varieties online.  For example, Nature Hills Nursery  has a nice online listing with photos and descriptions.
Once considered the 'poor man's shrub', spireas offer such variety and hardiness that they shouldn't be overlooked.
Check them out.  I'm sure you'll find a place for one... or two... or more.
Happy Planting!

June in Full Swing

Every day I find something in the garden that catches my eye and while I had every intent to share those findings on a regular basis, I must admit that it's alot easier to make the mental note than it is to photograph, document and relay the findings in a concise paragraph or two... or three.
Needless to say, my initial concern with keeping a running dialog during the busy, short growing season has already proven to be a bit of a challenge as it's been almost 2 weeks since my last post and as many notable showings as deer flies.
But here I am, ready to play catch-up...

Last week the gobeflower was in full bloom.

Trollius ‘Alabaster’

This is Trollius 'Alabaster'.
I love the light creamy white color and the way the cup shaped blooms sit atop straight stems.   The plant itself is very neat and undemanding.  The foliage is deeply chiseled and grows in an attractive clump.
No fuss, no muss and an absolutely beautiful show stopper of a perennial makes this one of my favorite spring bloomers.
My goal is to continue to divide the plant and have it growing en masse.
Sometimes more is better :)

Campanula glomerata

At the base of the trollius is this clustered bellflower.
Deep purple blooms in good sized clusters that last for about 2 weeks, this plant is very attractive in bloom but the plant gets a bit messy afterwards and usually requires some cutting back. 




Meanwhile, the honeysuckle vine is full of those lovely trumpet shaped blossoms.  This super - hardy vine blooms almost all season  and the

Lonicera x brownii 'Dropmore Scarlet'

 orange blossoms and blue green foliage really speaks to me.
Whenever I'm near this plant working in the garden I hear the familiar 'buzz' of the hummingbirds that are all over this fragrant wonder.

This vine is growing up a wooden post that supports an old bird feeder that is now completely encased with tendrils of honeysuckle.
Last year a Robin found it to be the perfect place for her nest.  I wonder what Mrs. Robin thought about all those hummingbirds buzzing about.

Actinidia kolomikta

The foliage of this vine looks like some weird powdery mildew until you find out that this is it's normal variegated state and what makes this plant so highly desirable.
This is Arctic Beauty Kiwi Vine.  Yes, this is actually a fruited vine requiring both a male and female plant in order to produce the grape sized, sweet kiwi fruit.
But I grow it for the foliage.  As the leaves emerge in spring, they're green; but they soon pick up splotches of white. As an encore, some leaves then develop pink tips.
This is an extremely vigorous woody twining vine that requires regular 'slashing' back.   One year I was actually out of state for the entire season (oh my poor gardens) and upon my return, the kiwi vine had reached across the deck and completely wrapped itself around the picnic table.  A freaky site... I loved it.


Remember the magical poppy fields of the Wizard of Oz?
Well, I don't have an entire field of poppies but every time I pass by my little clump of orange poppies I can't help but do my best Wicked Witch of the West, "Poppies, poppies will put them to sleep".

In folklore, poppies symbolize sleep as well as death, and peering into the black center of a red poppy is a folk remedy for insomnia.
Lucky for me, I don't have any trouble sleeping and lucky for you, you'll probably never be within earshot to hear my Judy Garland version of 'Over the Rainbow'.   It's just my personal side effect to poppies.  :)
That's it for today.
Just remember to follow the yellow brick road.

My Beautiful Life

Get up early am, feed dog, treadmill action, shower, breakfast, dress, work till 5 pm........ 5:08  pull into my driveway (love the short commute), get out of my car, take in a deep breath of good air and smile.
I love spending time here at my home.  I spend as much free time as I possibly can at home working in my gardens and derive great pleasure in doing so.  I guess that's why I do it so much....
Having grown up in the suburbs of Long Island on a postage stamp lot that our family home sat on within an arms distance of the home next door; I have personally 'blossomed' in the freedom of all this space and accept my part as temporary 'tender' of the land and her gardens.

The perennial Diantus are now in bloom earning the title of the tiniest of blossoms in my garden.  While there are many varieties of Dianthus (the common name being carnation),  I'm most fond of the low mounding plant that when grown in mass provide a profussion of bloom.  From a short distance the flower is hardly distinguishable but for the spots of color, but get up close and she reveals an intricate wonder.

Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Sternkissen'

This little beauty grows as a neat compact dense mound of green blue foliage.   It's perfect for small spaces or tucked in between stones along a path as it only spreads out about 9 to 12 inches.
This little plant is growing along my front stone walkway.

In contrast, the more common Dianthus 'Bath's Pink' is a vigorous, old fashioned dianthus.  It stands a bit taller and the foliage is more loosely arranged.
It makes a lovely border edge to my perennial garden which is located in front of the vegetable garden.  It even grows on the entry path which I find endearing so I'm always careful to step lightly when entering and existing lest I be branded as a dianthus stomper :)

While the Dianthus is the tiniest flower in bloom right now, it's the peony that holds the honor of the largest.
I have but one Tree Peony growing in my garden, and one is all it takes for the thrill it provides.

Paeonia suffruticosa 'Pink'

This tree peony is from VanBloem Gardens.
The bloom is 8" across, deeply ruffled and simply gorgeous.
While tree peony are slow to get established, it's no doubt that they are well worth the wait.

Unlike most perennials that die back completely in winter, the tree peony develops woody stems that remain viable through winter.
This plant now stands ~ 2' but can reach a height of 4'.
Can you just imagine how awesome that would be!


Made my first trip of the season to my favorite nursery, Cady's Falls Nursery in Morrisville, VT.   They have the most incredible display gardens and retail plants and a terrific web site complete with plant catalog and fabulous photos.   http://www.cadysfallsnursery.com/Welcome%20%203.html
I never come home from Cady's Falls empty handed and this trip was no exception.

rhododendron kiusianum 'Berg's Best Pink'

This is a slow growing rhododendron that is considered somewhat dwarf reaching a mature size of only 2 ft. across.
I simply brought her home, planted that day and she bloomed 2 days later.
I placed the plant just beyond the canopy of the ornamental hawthorn tree off the east side of the house which should help shield against the winter winds.
Cute as cute can be.



I also brought home yet another Hosta.....

H. 'First Frost'

This is Hosta 'First Frost'.
A medium sized hosta, blue leaves with cream margins it's a sport of Hosta 'Halcyon'.

H. 'Halcyon'

Speaking of Halcyon,  I took this photo the day after the heavy rains this week which knocked almost all the blooms off the azalea on the north side of the house.




My goal this year..... keep applying liquid deer fence so that I get to see a full season of hosta.
Love those leaves.
Thanks for visiting my beautiful life.
Till next time... 'hosta' la vista