May Bloom Day 2013

Nectaroscordum siculum
Welcome one and all to Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day for May, 2013. There is a lot to show you, so let’s get to it, shall we?

There will be featured some close ups, but the garden is much more chaotic than the macro shots would suggest. It is stuffed to the brim with plants, this garden, and I know each one of them personally. The lead off photo is thought of around here to be an Allium, at one time known as Allium bulgaricum. Those silly taxonomists… Onward!

Paphiopedilum ‘Pinocchio’
Our newest addition to the Paph collection.

Slc ‘Jewel Box-Scheherazade’
One of our oldest orchids, given an ultimatum last fall to bloom or be tossed. It worked.

Papaver orientale
A passalong from dear neighbors.

The longer view, these have never bloomed en masse, even though they have spread all over the Heather Bed. It is more of a one here one there effect.

Rhododendron ‘King Red’ and Rhododendron ‘Klondyke’
This is the first blooming for the deciduous native azalea King Red since it was planted and frozen down to the roots in 2007 by single digit temperatures in April for several days. The regrowing was slow but these flowers were worth the wait!

Amsonina hubrichtii
These are doing well and spreading in the Fairelurie. In the background is the crimson clover in the Lawn/Meadow, looking good.

Salvia x sylvestris ‘Mainacht’ aka ‘May Night’, Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ and Zizia aurea
Also in the Fairelurie. The golden alexander makes the dark blue stand out much more. It only took me four years to figure that out. For the story of the creation of this bed, click here.

Iris germanica ‘Indian Chief’ and Iris pallida
It has been a very good iris year so far.

Iris germanica ‘Superstition’
Growing in the Black Garden, naturally.

Clematis ‘Candida’
The clemmies are also having an exceptional year. There has been a lot of rain this spring, for which we are ever so thankful.

Aquilegia ssp.
The blue columbines are very promiscuous and have populated the Woodland Garden with every shade and hue. Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Little Honey’ has grown to become a presence in there after several years of being simply small stick size.

Clematis ‘Elsa Spath’
Growing on the bottle tree that is attached to the shed. That blue color is a favorite around here.

A fledging bluebird boy on a wire, awaiting wormies to be served up to him by doting parents, against the clear blue sky. It is good.

*****
Please visit Carol of May Dreams, the founder of GBBD to see flowers in bloom from all around the world on this fine May day.

Frances

Kniphofia Caulescens

They came with the property. Under the twinings of Japanese honeysuckle, wild grapevine and privet shrubs gone beserk were imposing pointy rosettes of thick dark green. Their identity was unknown, but the cluster was divided and moved to a blank space by the side of the house to wait and see what would develop.

As the stout stalks arose, excitement escalated. As the tops formed titillatingly, there was a hint of what was to come next. Kniphofia ssp. of some sort, most likely Kniphofia caulescens was determined in the big reveal. These had never been seen growing in real life, but had been noticed in catalogs, books and magazine articles. I thought they were more of a tropical plant and was thrilled to be able to grow them here in USDA Zone 7a Southeast Tennessee. As they began to bloom here, several more clusters were noticed around the neighborhood, perhaps the result of friendly passalongs over the years.

These are big plants that need some room to best show off their charms. They have been moved multiple times and at one point were deemed too large to even live here at all. The lot was dug up and given to my daughter Semi to help fill in her hillside that is even steeper than my own slopes. But there must have been a piece of root left in the ground, for the unmistakable foliage rose again from the soil. Thank goodness.

A couple more moves has found the perfect, for now, location to grow these fine fellows, in the Gravel Garden amongst the tall Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ grasses in the back of the bed. There are some irises in there, as well, Iris germanica ‘Cinnamon Girl’ is showing off at present.

In all the growing spots of the tall flower stalks around here as time has passed, birds have been noted feeding on something unknown as the blooms open from bottom to top, turning from the reddish orange buds to pale yellow petals. Quizically but with gusto, the birds are finding a treat there. Bugs? Seeds? Something.

The finch family, cardinals, goldfinches and male and female purple finches that are featured in these photos, a downy woodpecker and even a hummingbird have been seen this year feasting on the flaming torch like flower heads. The common name of red hot poker is apt, as is torch lily, another moniker. Even stripped bare, the stalks give vertical interest until they are cut down in late winter to make way for new spring growth.

Some plant facts about Kniphofia caulescens:

Meaning: Named for Prof. Johann Hieronymus Kniphof, 18th century botanist
Pronunciation: nip-HOFF-ee-uh
Alternative Pronunciation: nip-HOH-fee-uh
Hardy in USDA Zones 7a to 10b, also listed hardy to Zone 5
Size: 4 to 6 feet tall and wide
Siting: Full sun
Bloom time: mid spring
Drought tolerant, clay tolerant, deer resistant
Acid to neutral soil with good drainage
Native range: is native to the high grassy slopes of South Africa’s Drakensberg Mountains
Propagate by crown offset division

Once bitten by the Kniphofia bug, the search was on for more varieties. So far two Kniphofia uvarias, one white and one a nice yellow, shown above, have been added, from mixed seed grown by Ruth at Mouse Creek nursery, Kniphofia ‘Little Maid’, a diminutive, one foot tall, micro mini in pale yellow and Kniphofia rooperi from Plant Delights Nursery that has yet to bloom after several years in the ground here. The last two species have also been moved to the Gravel Garden for better growing and the better to see you, my dears. If there are future blooms of these, photos might be added to this post, if I can remember to do so.

As you can see, the yellow/red flowers that might be off-putting to some, fit right in with the no rules color scheme of the spring blooming extravaganza here.

Frances

For All You Mothers Out There

For all the mothers out there….

….You know who you are.

Mother’s Day is not my favorite holiday, for many reasons.

My own dear mother and dear mother in law are both gone now, and they are sorely missed.

So it is a sad day for me, even though I am the mother of four wonderful offspring, two of whom are mothers themselves, and a new mother daughter in law that I love dearly.

While it is a good idea, I suppose, to honor our mothers on a special day, why not honor them every single day, as they so deserve?

Sometimes, one does not know what they’ve got until it’s gone.

Let us never forget our mothers.

*****

Please forgive the self indulgent pity party tone of this post. Sometimes a person needs to wallow in sadness for just a little tiny bit to better enjoy the happy times of life, of which there are so many.

Frances

An Uprising

There is an uprising of sorts going on around here.
Above: Tree peony, Paeonia suffruticosa ‘Kamata Fuji’, maybe.

It involves the reaching of stems for the sky, pardner.
Above: The view from under the garage deck.

It is a happy striving, searching for the unobstructed sun.
Above: Iris ‘Cinnamon Girl’ looking sweet and spicy.

Spikes punctuate the space….
Above: Kniphofia caulescens nearing the zenith. Hummingbirds have been seen visiting this spike, looking for an opening from which to dine.

…Holding promises of petals.
Above: Gladiolus byzantinus held erect with a fence of hazel.

In the lawn/meadow, a joyous sight makes us want to sing…
Above: Crimson clover, Trifolium incarnatum, click here for more.

The Dianthus are dancing…, click here for more.

Towers of tiny trumpets rise to the heights.
Above: Scilla peruviana, not from Peru but referring to a ship by that name that was the first to bring bulbs to England from Spain, by the taxonomist Linnaeus. Added: This beautiful plant is native to Portugal, actually. Thanks to Jaime of Jardim Suspenso for setting the record straight!

The gardener walks up and down and all around the paths, often getting down eye to eye to better view the process.
Above: Tradescantia virginiana, a native now approaching invasive weed status here.

The deciduous azaleas welcome all the revelers along the Azalea Walk.

Hummingbirds and butterflies enjoy the crowds of colorful, cheering cups. A well placed chair nearby allows for some comfy photojournalism.

It is a free for all!

Frances

Miracles, Mystery and Wonder

It is a time of mystery and wonder in the Fairegarden. Flowers are blooming, twigs and branches are leafing and the animals that call the garden home are out and about. This squirrel jumped from the nearby silver maple to land on Free Bird, read about the mossy creature here. It was raining hard and I was inside the addition, sitting in the lazyboy and daydreaming. The movement caught my attention and I quickly grabbed the camera and started clicking. What the image does not reveal is that the squirrel was swaying to and fro as the rebar stake reacted to his or her leap onto the verdant landing pad. Yeeeeee-haaaaaaw!

In between rain events, for which we are ever so thankful, there have been miraculously clear mornings. The deciduous azaleas are blooming, the first one to open always is Rhododendron ‘Admiral Semmes’. For much more about these native flowering shrubs, click here.

In the midst of the Azalea Walk, the name for the bed where most of these shrubs reside, is the bluebird house. We have been watching the house hunting, the courtship and now the nest building phase of these much beloved birds. It looks like Mrs. Bluebird is doing most of the work!

In the Fairelurie garden in front by the driveway the planting of spring blooming bulbs is close to the dreamed of sea of blue. Camassia leichtlinii and Camassia cusickii, the lighter blue are large enough to be seen from the street. It is good.

Up at the shed, newly painted last year, the resident Carolina wren is ahead of the rest of the birds with the birthing process, feeding hungry babies now. At one time, these tiny but bold birds built a nest inside the shed that was so large it was feared that rats had moved inside. The story begins here, and is solved here. A photo sent to the local extension office waylaid our fears of rodent invasion, saying it was the work of the little wren. These wrens are always flitting about the shed and still get inside on occasion. The sweet birdhouse, a hostess gift from my dear friend Gail of Clay and Limestone seems to have met with their approval.

The colors of spring foliage is a wonder indeed. Erica carnea ‘Westwood Yellow’ anchors the block corner of the Yellow/White bed with aplomb.

Another wren, this time the little sweet singing Jenny wren, or house wren has made a maternity center in the acorn birdhouse, a gift from my dear sister in law, Lynn. Please forgive the poor quality of this shot, these birds are quite shy and I had to sit very far away to capture the comings and goings. If you think this photo is bad, you should see the discards.

The morning light reveals hidden wonders in the leaves of purple cabbages planted in the purple container.

Rays of sunshine bring out the pinkness of the Catesby trillium, Trillium catesbaei. The flower hangs downward, making photographing it in the usual manner impossible. The only way is to stick the camera under the bloom, click and hope for the best. It takes several tries to get a usable image.

Clicking is what we do when out in the garden, some might call it mindless clicking even. Trying to capture the beauty that the eye sees remains an unquenchable thirst. But on this special day, by the pond and the Fairy Garden area, someone graced us with her presence, showing pale blue in the lower right corner of the image. Miracles, mystery and wonder.

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The title of this post was inspired by the genius poet and songwriter Paul Simon. At first I thought it was from the song Graceland, from the amazing album by the same name, but searching found it belonged to The Boy in the Bubble. Miraculous music, indeed.

Frances

Red Leaves Ignite the Garden

Red….

….It draws the eye and gladdens the heart.

The garden beckons me every single day, but never is the pull so strong as during the month of April, when the trunks, stems and branches go from bare to brilliant. The pale green of spring is sublime, but it is the crimson hues that grasp and hold tight to our gaze.

The threadleaf Japanese maples make quite the splash, even more so when accompanied by golds and silvery blues.

But there are more reds out there glowing in the morning sunlight.

Backlighting on the steep slopes enhances them all.

Longer lasting than flowers, the sea of greens is punctuated with purply reds and pinky tones.

In the more level Woodland Garden, the rays of earliest light ignite the emerging fresh, young leaves.

Imagine if you will, the scene without the reds. Pretty, yes, but nowhere near as enticing.

In the Gravel Garden, spikes reign supreme….

….Rising up from the stony floor to burst forth with blooms soon.

Clipped to rounds with pointy tips dipped in flames, Spiraea ‘Magic Carpet’ skips hand in hand with Digitalis ‘Husker Red Faire’, (see number 8 for explanation of the name), down the lane towards May.

Red, it’s for gardens.

***

The cast of characters:

1. Acer palmatum var.dissectum ‘Crimson Queen’ with Hosta ‘Sunpower’, a perfect match.
2. The long view from the lower deck.
3. Long view from the gravel path behind the main house up the steepest slopes, another Crimson Queen on the left side of the pond.
4. Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Atropurpureum’, Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’ and Heuchera ‘Citronelle’ in the front raised bed.
5. Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’
6. Heuchera ‘Brownie’ and the Pineapple Sculpture, story about that here.
7. Long view looking across the left slope.
8. Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’, Hosta ‘Sunpower’ and Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red Faire’, all of the Huskers here are seedlings of mixed parentage of Husker Red and Sour Grapes and maybe a few more whose names have been lost in the annals of garden tags. The flowers range from pink to pale lavender, very few are the white of the parent.
9. Persicaria microcephala ‘Red Dragon’ and Hosta ‘Halcyon’, among others.
10. Imperata cylindrica ‘Rubra’.
11. Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red Faire’, (see number 8), among others.
12. Spiraea japonica ‘Magic Carpet’ and more Huskers. Those Huskers have seeded all over the place!
13. Northern cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis.

****

It seems we are on a thing for red in April. Here are posts from the last two years on the same topic:

A Punch of Red 2011

When in Doubt, Add Red 2012

Frances

Wildflower Waterfall With a Friend

It is the place all visitors who stay the night at the Fairegarden are taken, weather and time permitting.

There had been heavy and steady rain the day before. The falls were full and raucous.

While it was too early to see the native Rhododendron and mountain laurels in bloom…

….There were surprises around the bend on this sunny day. Common Blue aka spring azure butterflies flitted and fluttered, resting on the stones, barely visible in their camoflauge.

The mist parted by the sun revealed wildflowers in bloom. Anemone acutiloba was waving white petals in the wind.

A cute little Antennaria solitaria held white globes above purplish foliage. The next day at a local plant sale, one of these was purchased to come live in the Wildflower Corner to help remember the wonderful wildflowers seen at the waterfall.

Sweet Betsey, Trillium cuneatum dotted red amongst the mossy slopes.

Ferns and fairy bells, Disporum ssp. joined the party.

As if seeing the waterfall itself was not thrilling enough, it was the wildflower discovery on the other side of the mountain trail that brought squeals of delight and the cameras to focus on the ground rather than the waters. It was a delightful day all around.

My friend and fellow blogger, Kathy Purdy of Cold Climate Gardening graced our humble abode with her presence in early April. Here we are digging Narcissus ‘Sailboat’ for her to take home. She used her tool of choice, a digging fork while I used my favorite, the Bulldog shovel. The Financier was the photographer, adding light hearted laughter to the proceedings. Thank you, Kathy for making the long journey from New York to Tennessee. It was a lovely visit and our door and garden are always open to you!

Of course Kathy was also taken to Mouse Creek Nursery, Click here for more info, open for its final year before closing the doors this fall for Ruth and her husband to enjoy a much deserved retirement. (Yes, that is the same church in the background of the image of Kathy and me that is mentioned in the post linked.)

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This story is to be included in my friend Gail of Clay and Limestone’s worthy wildflower feature for the month of April. Gail has been to both the Bald River Falls and Mouse Creek, too. Click here if you wish to know more about her visit.

Here are a couple more posts about the falls with more information about this magical place:

Nothing But Good (2008)

What Scares You? (2012)

And one more about Mouse Creek for good measure:

Mouse Creek (2009)

Frances