Saturday, June 28, 2008

A Few More Odds and Ends from the Yard

I did purchase little Blue Mouse Ears this Spring. I will look forward to seeing its blossom. This is Baby Tears... a cute little fellow. It's surrounded by cute little weeds... most of which I've removed, finally! (You might notice a few little sedum, too.) :-) This hosta is located at the shadier end of the garden right in front of the house.

This is lilium "Orange Pixie."
It's in the front corner of the sunniest bed in the yard.

This is the fairly current photo of the sunniest bed
(I did take care of most of the daffodil foliage today.)
:-)

These are new primula (primroses) I purchased
on my way home from Omaha. Yea!
They're now residing in a new bed on the right side
of the evergreens in the photo above.

This is the "top" north bed in the backyard.
I'm LOVING my huge hostas!
Gradually, there's getting to be a larger
variety of plantings in this bed.
Sum and Substance is in the "way back."
I really can't remember what the big blue hosta
midway back in the bed is... can you help me?

Let's look forward to a great day today!

8 comments:

Iowa Victory Gardener said...

Hi Shady, once in a while I get those spam things, lol. Anyway, you have an absolutely beautiful property in a great setting! Thanks for the larger perspective ... really makes me jealous with us, and our little corner in the middle of the city.

Your sunny bed is lovely, and I immediately thought of several plants you might consider: how about a Fritillaria Crown Imperial for spring? The orange lilies brought that to mind ... and some Eryngium "Miss Wilmot's Ghost" would make an excellent companion to your Russian Sage. You'll see it soon at my place, but we have an overabundance now (many will be pulled after blooming) and I could send you some seeds later this summer if you like it. A very unusual plant, but very pretty.

I hope you have better luck with Primula viali (poker primrose) than we have ... we've tried 3 times and they never come back or bloomed. And they were planted in the same area that the gorgeous primroses I had earlier in the spring are growing! How are your Toad Lilies doing? Ours look to be gearing up for a big show later this summer ....

Iowa Victory Gardener said...

Oops, forgot I signed out of blogger. Jeff=IVG, sorry about that!

Shady Gardener said...

Jeff=IVG, :-) Thanks for the ID! I was a little confused, until your postscript, as to your familiarity. lol.

You always have great suggestions. I have been eyeing a Crowned Imperial, lately. It would be fun to have one again. This bed has a "hole" due to the fact I'd had a shorter canna variety with striped leaves and yellow flowers next to the sage last year. The yellow canna & daylilies, blue sage & catmint and orange butterfly milkweed (asclepias)look good together. I have a pink hanging flower & a shy pink rose, other daylilies, as well as the yellow "primroses," and a variety of sedum... You can tell there will be those tall orange lilies, too. There's a pretty good mix in there. :-) Thanks for the offer on the Eryngium. Are you successful with the seed?

Shady Gardener said...

Oh, also... have you ever tried canna? I thought they were supposed to be hard to kill,but I accomplished it! When I dug the tubers last year, I removed the dirt. Should I have not done so??? And, you realize, when it was time to dig them, the plants were still green...

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

I really like your new little Hosta. I've decided I need more little ones. I wish I could ID your big blue one. That's my kind of Hosta with those corrugated leaves.

Shady Gardener said...

MMD, If you and I were only closer! I have several varieties I'd be glad to share with you! :-) A friend of mine who's a "hosta expert" has said he'd come over later (I think in August) to check out my hostas and help me ID a few that are unnamed. I look forward to his visit!

Iowa Victory Gardener said...

Hi again Shady,
Oh yeah, Eryngium is a snap to grow from seed! LOL, ours has self-seeded to the point this year that I'll have to be pulling some after they bloom! We love having several around but this year we've had a total population explosion. I'll have more info in a post soon...

About the Cannas (lol, see what flower I am?), we used to plant them more but got tired (or didn't get to) of digging them in the fall. But when we did, we always just shook most of the dirt off, put them in a box with holes in it, along with some peat. Kept them in a dark, dry corner of the basement until spring and they came right back. Not sure what put the whammy on yours, sounds like you did everything to me.

We picked up a few of the bronzy orange ones really cheap (3/$3) and plan to just plant them along the walk and just let them go, that way they can become new compost. :-) Will keep ya posted on that...

Anonymous said...

As always, enjoyed the quick tour and update... 'Baby Tears' is too cute!