May Bloom Day 2008

*** “Please, won’t you come into my garden, the flowers would like to meet you.”

~~~

The Sagina subulata ‘Aurea’, scotch moss, covering the risers is blooming tiny and white. Dianthus ‘Bath’s Pink and D. ‘Firewitch’ line the stone steps and a self sown dicentra exima, fern leaf bleeding heart, beckons the reader into the world of flowers.

Rosa Madame Alfred Carriere, winner of the replace Killer contest is now growing on the new arbor and this is her first bloom, the palest of pinks.

Delosperma ‘Mesa Verde’, perennial ice plant
The ice plants were added to the edge of the part of the garden that used to be a gravel driveway. As you might guess, this area is a tough place to grow things, even with several additions of mushroom compost and mulch. The delospermas , among others, have been up to the task.

Large flowered marigold
While too common for some gardens, we like the colors added by all the marigold family members to the summer garden. The large flowered ones from the big box store will jazz up the long wall behind the house with splashes of sunshiney yellow. The flower form reminds one of zinnias.

Thunbergia alata, black eyed susan vine
One of two vines, the other is yellow petaled, planted in a large container with a bamboo teepee to clambor up as the thriller element. These have been considered before as possible additions to the garden, but were actually purchased and planted this year. We shall see how they perform, good things are expected from them.

Knifophia caulescens, red hot poker ,torch lily

These evergreen perennials came with the property and have been divided many times as they will form a clump that is quite large. The goldfinches and other finches love the seeds produced by the yellow flowers that open from coral buds and will spend quality time picking them out while perched on the tall stalks.

passalong iris, thanks Mae and Mickey
This orange petaled with dark orange beard is the favorite of the passalongs, maybe even of all the irises grown here.

Allium schubertii
There were five bulbs planted in five holes several years ago, with two Sinopel daffodils in each. The combining proved to be a mistake for both. The daffs are out and replanted elsewhere giving the alliums room to reach their full potential. This is the only one blooming this year, but we have hopes that the expanded bulb growing zone will encourage future blooms that match this in size and lustre, easily twelve inches across.

Digitalis purpurea , foxglove
Seed grown foxgloves were labeled apricot, this more purple color must have been a volunteer from older plantings long forgotten. The spots inside the *gloves* indicate fairy footprints. They must have held a sock hop in this one.

Rosa Ferdinand Pichard 1921

Though classified as a Hybrid Perpetual, one rose authority calls ‘Ferdinand Pichard’ “the last of the Bourbon race.” So says the catalog entry from the Antique Rose Emporium, the source for this beauty. Last year was a disastrous one for so many plants here due to the late freeze and subsequent drought, this own root rose was cut all the way to the ground. It responded by growing back stronger and healthier than ever this year.

Dianthus barbatus ‘Sooty’ with D. Firewitch
This very dark sweet william was originally sown from seed from Thompson and Morgan several years ago. We have many sweet williams here, but this one also has darker foliage, enabling us to select out seedlings to ensure its survival. We need to get it going in the black garden.

Linum ‘Blue Sapphire’, perennial flax

Seed grown with delicate foliage and the purest of sky blue flowers, this flax opens up with the sun and closes with overcast conditions. The stems move in the slightest breeze, even one’s breath, making photos difficult. The color is handsome and the petals shiny, a worthy inclusion in bloom day presentations, even without that close up macro shot.

Campanula persicifolia , peach leafed bellflower

Blooming mid spring with clear blue flowers, these two to three foot stalwarts give the flattering blue color to nearby oranges, pinks and yellows, tying together the cacophony of colors nicely.

Delosperma cooperii, purple hardy ice plant
Along with D. ‘Mesa Verde’,this has proven a good hardy evergreen edger in difficult sunny spots.

Heliotropium arborescens ‘Marine’, heliotrope

We are giving this another go in a large concrete container located near the deck. The perfume is reminiscent of vanilla and it is hoped will waft our way when seated on the deck enjoying the garden views and scents., sipping a beverage.

Papaver orientale and allium ‘Purple Sensation’
A happy coincidence of good color grouping. The orange of the poppies is a difficult one to include in a pleasing color scheme, for most other flowers that bloom at the same time here are pinks and reds. Normally we just squint our eyes and pretend it looks good. The allium was planted last fall at the base of the multi trunked silver maple, to give a purple boost to that shady area until the asiatic lilies begin and after the daffodils are finished. It was a lucky choice, for the poppies had spread down from the daylily hill near that very spot.

Centaurea cyanus ‘Black Ball’ , cornflower, bachelor’s button

Seeds from Thompson and Morgan were ordered of this to add to the black garden last summer and fall sown. Check this one off as a success, we will save seeds from these and hope they stay true to the parent color, for there are blue cornflowers growing here as well.

Papaver somniferum , opium poppy, breadseed poppy
Passalong again from Mae and Mickey, some are pink, most are single flowered. This one is more double than any we have grown in the eight years since the seeds were so generously shared. It landed in a fortunate place, near some allium, daffodil and lily bulbs that get a twice yearly dose of bone meal. That must explain the size and lustiness of this plant. Seed will be saved from this one for special handling.

Gaillardia x grandiflora ‘Burgundy’ , blanket flower

Another seed sown beauty, although we were expecting solid red petals these all have yellow tips. Tall and long blooming in the summer garden, these do seed about but are easily controlled. Later in the season yellow daylilies, blue buddleia and yellow asclepias will join the gaillardias to provide delight for butterflies, hummingbirds, and humans.

wild strawberry
A noxious weed here, but the fruit is unlike the edible garden strawberry, entirely red in color and quite striking. After this photo was taken, somebody ate this lovely specimen.

Gazania
An annual that keeps up the flower parade until the first frost, we find the coloring irresistable.

Cattleya ‘Jewel Box Scheherazade’
The orchids are nearing the end of their bloom period, most are living outside now on a shady shelf lined with copper screening to keep the snails and slugs at bay. The few remaining bloomers are allowed to stay in the greenhouse/sunroom just a little while longer. Threatened with being moved to the harsh outdoor world, this one has bloomed like never before.

C. skinneri and C. ‘Scheherazade’
The two , out of three, catts still allowed to be part of the Faire Garden orchid collection, blooming with more vigor than ever to insure their place remains solid in the heart of the gardener. After their portrait was taken, they were whisked back safely inside until the flowers drop.

~~~

Many thanks to
Carol of May Dreams for hosting what has become a major blogging event!

We hope you enjoyed meeting some new favorites and old standbys that are gracing us with their colorful blooms this month. There are many, many more flowers just now in the garden, those shown are the cream of the photographs taken. Thank you for stopping by, do feel free to comment on anything you have seen here.

~~~
*** (Apologies to Tasha Tudor, the exact quote could not be found).
Frances

This material belongs to Faire Garden and may not be copied or used without permission.

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~ by fairegarden on May 15, 2008.