For this post I'm showing the plants two ways: up close to enjoy the details and from a short distance to show how they are used in the garden.
Native green and gold (Chrysoganum) is an excellent ground cover for dry shade.
It grows under columbine at the edge of the patio. I just planted it last fall so it's still small.
Columbine
I just love how only one flower is pink while the rest are purple.
'The President' clematis has recovered from wilt and is feeling much better.
'The President' clematis
The bleeding heart continues its outward sprawl and has started its annual invasion of the heuchera.
Wood anemonies grow between the sarcocca and the bleeding heart.
Rutgers hybrid 'Stellar Pink' dogwood
More daffodils have pushed up and begun to bloom.
Lucy watches the neighborhood through a window flanked by 'Miss Kim' lilacs and a massive viburnum trilobum.
American Cranberry bush (Viburnum trilobum) has white lace cap flowers in the spring and fabulous fall foliage.
This picture isn't the greatest! The viburnum was planted way too close to the house (oops!) and is underplanted with yellowroot. A 'Miss Kim' lilac grows to the right. I recently added two rows of fragrant day lilies to the area in front of the lilac.
Southeastern native clematis crispa grows along the fence.
It's flowers remind me of an octopus!
False Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum) is my new favorite plant!
I added it to several areas of the garden including the Bed of Death and Misery. I redesigned this bed last fall and I'm hoping it will earn a new nickname!
False Solomon's Seal, aster ericoides, variegated sedum, northern sea oats grass (very back), coreopsis 'Sunshine Superman' (self-seeded), chives, chrysoganum, and amsonia fill out the new design. Blue stem solidago grows to the back right.
Hosta I can't remember the name of.
The river birch garden
Cowslip primroses - one of my favorite spring flowers.
Cowlsip and self-seeded wood poppies grow near a dwarf sweetspire 'Little Henry'. Everybody, including the dogs, kept using this area as a short cut so I added a stepping stone to eliminate plant damage.
Oh my gosh, where do I start to comment?! Solomon Seal is a great addition--I have it here, too, but it's nowhere near blooming yet. I think you need a new name for that lush garden! Your Columbine and Clematis are incredible. And Lucy looks like she wants to be out and gardening with you!
ReplyDeleteLovely blooms in your gardens! I about fell off my seat when I saw the name "Bed of Death & Misery"! I'll be paying much closer attention to the results in that garden. BTW, the photo of Lucy is absolutely adorable - what a sweet-faced puppy!
ReplyDeleteI really liked the close and long shots (thanks). Not being familiar with many of your flowers it adds scale as well as seeing how they fit together in your garden. I can see why the false Solomon's seal is a favourite. I also love the wood anenomes ... oh, and of course your watch dog.
ReplyDeleteYour Bed of Death and Misery should now be named Bed of Glory! I love it all. Your plant combinations in the new design are great.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the walk through your lovely spring garden. And I am relieved that 'The President' is recovering, because I just added him to my garden. I had read that it is one of the large flowered varieties that is more resistant to wilt. I do love those large flowers!
ReplyDeleteEverything is looking lovely. A lot of my Hosta ended up with freeze damage. Yours looks fantastic.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
I am always astounded how big your bleeding heart is! I love your dogwood...the blooms are so pretty with the pink and white. Lucy is adorable...she reminds me of my girl who also likes to watch out the window; not so much the neighbors but the critters.
ReplyDeletei love your garden! you have lots of my favorite plants. i agree with missy...it's really nice to see long shots to get a perspective on things, how they fit into the landscape and the shape of the entire plant. as a blogger myself, i always find it a little scary to post those!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Did you have to do anything special (like add soil) to be able to underplant your river birch? Mine have so many roots just under the surface that they would corwd out anything I planted there, if I could even dig a hole big enough for a plant.
ReplyDeleteSo much is in bloom for you, or fully leafed out. I'm jealous. We have to content ourselves with daffodils, tulips and the just emerging subtle blueberry flowers.
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere that spring moves north at 15 miles per day, so we'll get your spring soon. Actually, it is forecast to be 88 degrees here today (yikes) and still so incredibly rain-free, dry and dusty. Despite the dry conditions your garden looks great!
Your garden is *always* so colorful...no matter what season it is! I love the President clematis and your Bleeding Heart never ceases to amaze me. These are 2 plants that are on my list for my Michigan garden. Could that unknown hosta be Fire and Ice? I only say that because I saw one that looked like this during my visit to S/W Michigan nurseries last week.
ReplyDeleteGreat gardens Tammy, love the ruffled edge of the Clematis crispa. I will have to relook at Green and Gold, much of my shade is dry. I am happy I finally got some Solomon's Seal...love that foliage. Could your hosta be Frances Williams? I got some like that at Sam's when we were in VA.
ReplyDeleteOh, I just love your dogwood. I love all dogwood trees and they are generally not happy up here in Niagara Falls. But I remember how great they grew in PA, I am nostalgic now. You have may beautiful blooms posted today and I enjoyed the tour.
ReplyDeleteI like Lucy! I'm laughing at your Bed of Death and Misery, lol. The Solomons Seal seems to like it. Love the far-away shots to get perspective of the flowers. I'm wishing for rain too, but mainly to wash the pollen away. I saw a frog in my pond too. I think right now I'm more excited about that frog than anything else in my garden.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos! I love your Bleeding Heart. Your plant has got to be the most healthy specimen I've ever seen. Do you bring some of the flowers indoors for arrangements? I'd be so tempted if mine look half as nice as yours. Your "Bed of Death and Misery" looks anything but. I hope you don't mind if I borrow the name. I've got a few areas of my own that fit that descriptive title. :) Speaking of fitting titles, 'Stellar Pink' definitely describes that Dogwood. It's gorgeous! Love your Clemmy 'Crispa' too. I have it growing in my garden too and love those unique flowers. Great post.
ReplyDeleteI love the columbine and the pink dogwood. And I'm glad your clematis recovered. It's beautiful. Bed of death and misery? haha - Yes, I'd say it needs a new name. That bed looks gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the two views of your plants. The larger view really gives us an idea of the size of the plant and how it fits into the garden. I love all your columbines! Love the photo of Lucy, too; my Sophie usually looks out the window wistfully when I don't let her "help" me in the garden:)
ReplyDeleteThat flowerbed is definitely going to need a new name. Thanks to the dogs, my Solomon's Seal was road kill last spring! I am hoping it doesn't get trampled into oblivion again this year. I have to say that I love the look of that variegated form.The leaf striping really adds something.
ReplyDeleteThe garden is looking good, Tammy. Love the Wood anemonies and the white primrose!
LOL Bed of Death and Misery, you always make me laugh. I love the photos of up close and from away. Close ups are pretty but seeing how people pair plants provides a lot of inspiration. I planted anemones last year and hope they look as nice as yours this year. So many pretty white blooms.
ReplyDeleteOm my! you have lovely flowers in your gardens!! Those Columbine are so very gorgeous! Love the dogwood blooms and all of it, really! I go ga-ga over flowers and gardens. So, I gotta follow you.
ReplyDeleteWow I'm glad I bought that wood anemone after all! So pretty and not at all threatening looking here. Your gardens look like June already while mine look like March. I planted The President clematis last year and it's covered with buds--the image of your plant in bloom makes me want to turn the hair dryer on mine & get it going!
ReplyDeleteYour Dicentra looks amazing. I've never seen a specimen as large as that. I will have to have words with my plant, or maybe I should just feed it.
ReplyDeleteOMgosh, I can't even tell you how the photo of the dogwood made me catch my breath! Growing up in Alexandria, there were dogwoods everywhere in the woods we played in. I miss them so much. Since they don't grow here, I've planted a roughleaf dogwood which is pretty in its own way but it isn't anything like those of the east. So nice to live vicariously through your blog sometimes :)
ReplyDeleteSeems everyone is having record-breaking weather.
ReplyDeleteSo many plants I love in your post, clematis, columbines, dogwood, Solomon's Seal, anemone, cowslip primrose, viburnum.