Welcome to my Spring Garden

In the middle distance: maroon colored Clematis 'Bourbon' reaches a height of 4-5 feet.

Wild, untamed and wonderfully fragrant! Welcome to my spring garden!

Gas Plant with blue Amsonia in the foreground. Manchurian Lilac 'Miss Kim' in the distance.

Gas Plant with blue Amsonia.

Gas plant, Dictamnus albus forms a bushy, upright clump of bright green leaves and has tall spires of white flowers in late May/early June. The plant gets its common name from the tiny amount of methane gas its flowers produce. A lighted match will flair if held near the flowers.

This plant is very slow to establish. Average soil is fine. Height: 60-90 cm ( 23-35 inches), Spread 45-60 cm (18-23 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9.

Catmint, Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' 

Catmint, Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' 

Deutzia x lemoinei 'Compacta': has an upright habit and white flowers in spring. Plant it in sun to part-shade in average garden soil. It likes growing conditions to be on the moist side. Height: 4-6', Spread: the same. USDA Zones: 4-8. No serious diseases or problems. Prune in spring after flowering.

Lychnis viscaria 'Splendens': When not in flower forms Lychnis viscaria 'Splendens' forms a low mound of grass-like foliage. Then in early spring magenta flowers appear on tall stems. Height: 45-50 cm (18-20 inches), Spread: 30 cm (12 inches). USDA zones: 3-7.

Centaurea montana 'Amethyst in Snow' has shaggy white flowers with a purple centre. The foliage has a downy texture and a silver-grey-green color. Full sun and average garden soil. Cut the plant back hard after it finishes flowering and it will bloom again. (Note: the common blue form of this plant, Centaurea montana has proved to be problematic in some areas of the Canada and the States. I could not find an notations about this cultivar being invasive). Height: 30-40 cm (12-16 inches), Spread: 30-60 cm (12-23 inches). USDA Zones: 3-9.

Just inside the back gate is the beginnings of a white garden.

The almost-blind, 18 year old Buddy who we've nicknamed "Old Man".

Looking toward the back garden. 

One of the birdbath planters.

Sweet Rocket and Anemone canadensis.

The infamously invasive Anemone canadensis from my last post.

Piper

The first of the Siberian Iris.

Columbine and alliums with a hosta in the near distance.

An apartment style birdhouse and a Dogwood tree on the right.

Columbine

Lupins grown from seed.

Columbine and Lupins.

Pink Columbine and and an Allium.

The path leading toward my four raised beds. 

Dwarf Korean Lilac tree form, Syringa meyeri 'Palibin' in the near distance.

'Boomerang' Lilac on the left. 

'Boomerang' Lilac blooms in the spring, and then after a short rest through the heat of summer, again in the late summer/fall. Fragrant. Full sun. Height: 4-5 ft, Spread: 4-5 ft. USDA zones:3-7.

Scraps

Not sure of this one. Geranium cantabrigiense ' Biokovo Karmina' maybe?

Prairie Smoke, Geum triflorum is a western native with decorative seed heads that look like puffs of smoke. Well-drained soil is crucial for this plant. Full sun and summer weather that is not too hot are best. Once established Geum triflorum is pretty low maintenance and is very drought tolerant. Height: 25-30 cm (10-12 inches), Spread: 40-60 cm (16-24 inches). USDA zones 3-7.

Read more about types of Violets here.

Viola sororia 'Freckles' has white flowers with china-blue speckles and heart-shaped, bright green leaves. This violet is native to Eastern North America. Part-shade or full shade. Average garden soil and average moisture levels will suit this violet. Viola sororia 'Freckles' will spread through self-seeding. Height: 15-20 cm (6-8 inches), Spread: 15-30 cm (6-12 inches). USDA zones:3-9.

The herb garden.

Pinks, Dianthus are sold as an annual here, but they usually come back the second year. 

My fairy garden project from a few weeks ago.

Tall bearded Iris with a Columbine in the background.

 Columbine

Woodland Phlox, Phlox divaricata

Blue Forget-me-nots, Geranium 'Sambour' (burgundy flowers) 

and a white variety of Woodland Phlox on the right.

Woodland Phlox, Phlox divaricata 'May Breeze' has fragrant, star-shaped white flowers in early spring. Unlike more familiar Phlox paniculata that blooms much later in the summer, this plant has fine, delicate foliage. Phlox divaricata 'May Breeze' slowly spreads to form a small clump. Divide in the fall. Moist soil and part to full shade are this plants preferences. Height: 30-40 cm (12-16 inches), Spread: 30-60 cm ( 12-23 inches). USDA zones: 3-9.

My picture does not do the unusual blue-grey color of this hosta justice.

Hosta 'Joy Ride' not only has great curves, it also has foliage with a wonderful powdery, blue-green color. Light lavender flowers appear mid-summer. Part-shade to full shade. Height: 40-45 cm (16-18 inches), Spread: 90 cm ( 35 inches). USDA zones: 3-9.

An island-shaped shade garden in the back part of the yard.

A Buddha meditating in the same island-shaped bed.

Mourning Widow Cranesbill, Geranium phaeum 'Samobor' has deep red flowers and green foliage splashed with maroon. One great thing about many geraniums are their versatility in terms of sun exposure; full sun, part-shade or full shade will often work for them. Geranium phaeum 'Samobor'  is a prolific self-seeder. Cut the plant back hard to the ground after it flowers and you'll get rid of unwanted seedlings and have nice, fresh green leaves in a week or two. Height: 60-80 cm (23-31 inches), Spread: 60-70 cm (23-27 inches). USDA zones: 4-9.

Shooting Star, Dodecatheon meadia is a short-lived perennial that takes a year or so to flower. Typically they put on their best display in year three and then they disappear. Plant it in rich, moist soil. Full sun to part-shade. Height: 20-30 cm ( 8-12 inches), Spread: 15-20 cm (6-8 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9.

Pots of Pansies at the very back of the garden.

Such a weird color combination, but I love it!

Hope you enjoyed this little tour of my spring garden!

More Pretty Pockets

I would complain about the lack of rain in the last post I did on my garden. Now it seems to do nothing, but rain. That's it! No more grumbling about the weather!

Even though the downpours have kept me indoors, the garden is better for the rain. That is something to be grateful for.

Last summer I grew these Lupins from seed and now I think I'm hooked on growing lupins.

I started them in one of my nursery beds with the idea of planting them out into the garden once they matured, but things did not go entirely to plan. The first lupins I attempted to move wilted horribly. Slowly they are coming back from the brink of disaster.  I decided to leave the rest in the nursery bed for now.

In future, I think will have to grow them in their final position in the garden or start them in small pots so the roots are less disturbed when they are transplanted.

I still have a lot to learn about growing lupins. 

They like slightly acid, free-draining soil that is on the poor side. My soil isn't very acidic, but they seem to have done well enough.

I have been trying to show different areas of the garden in each post.

This is one of the views just inside the back gate.

Giant White Fleece Flower, Persicaria Polymorpha is one of those plants I love because it is so tall. Mine is in part shade, but usually you see it growing in full sun. One drawback: the flowers have a mild, but unpleasant smell. Height: 90-120 cm (35-47 inches), Spread: 80-90 cm (31-35 inches). Average to moist conditions. Zones: USDA 3-9

 

The Sweet Rocket has started to fade and is setting seed.

Anemone canadensis is an aggressive spreader, but lucky for me I planted it in an area where it can only go so far. It has single white flowers in June.  This anemone likes normal to moist conditions and soil that is rich inorganic matter. Part shade. Height: 30-60 cm (11-22 inches). USDA Zones: 4-8.

They are almost finished, but you can still see a few white and purple Japanese Irises.

I don't know if you remember this picture. 

This is the little garden retreat we started in late summer 2013. The plan was to build a gazebo and this gravel courtyard was phase 1.

Here we are in 2015. Call this phase 2.

We installed a temporary gazebo until we have the time and money to build the permanent structure. The red adirondack chairs moved out onto the lawn into a circle around our fire pit. My old wicker furniture moved in. To freshen things up, I added a few new pillows.

The temporary gazebo keeps off the rain and gives us a little extra shade when the sun shines. The canvas top also stops black walnuts from dropping on our heads!

These Columbine have been so pretty I hope you will forgive me a another picture of them.

The tag on this plant reads"Patio Clematis." I am sorry to have nothing more specific about the cultivar. I really like the short height (around 5ft). They are prefect for a small plant support or obelisk.

This white Clematis 'Hyde Hall' continues to put on a great show.

Meadow Rue slumped down in the rain.

The first of my peonies have been weighed down to the ground with all the rain we've had.

My poor white peonies! 

I grabbed some scissors and picked bunches for the house.

My favourite pink peonies are yet to come....