Beginning at the End

This past weekend Toronto hosted garden bloggers from around the world. For me, the Garden Bloggers Fling was a wonderful opportunity to meet some many of the bloggers I feel I know well, but have never actually met.

The final event of the three day Fling was a buffet dinner held at the Toronto Botanical Garden. As well as great food and good company, there were marvellous plant combinations to be seen in the gardens. Here are a few highlights:

Blue Star, Amsonia tabernaemontana var. salicifolia + Salvia x sylvestris 'May Night' 

+ False Indigo, Baptisia 'Purple Smoke' + Salvia nemerosa 'Amethyst' 

Salvia x sylvestris 'May Night' has deep violet-blue flowers. This medium sized Salvia tolerates heat and humidity and is drought tolerant once established. Cut back the plant hard after it blooms to rejuvenate the foliage and encourage a second round of flowers. Full sun. Normal, sandy and clay soil are all fine for this plant. It can also tolerate anything from moist to dry conditions once established. Height 45-60 cm (18-23 inches), Spread: 45-60 cm (18-23 inches). USDA Zones: 3-9

False Indigo, Baptisia 'Purple Smoke' is a recent introduction from the North Carolina Botanical Garden. This plant forms a nice upright mound of bright green foliage. Smoky-blue flowers are carried on dark green stems mid-spring. Normal, sandy and clay soil are all fine for this plant. It can also tolerate anything from moist to dry conditions once established. Divide plants every 4 to 5 years. Height: 100-135 cm ( 39-53 inches), Spread: 75-90 cm (29-35 inches). USDA Zones: 4-9.

Masterwart, Astrantia major 'Roma' has wonderful pink starry flowers. This perennial likes moist conditions in sun or part shade. Sandy or clay soil is best. Remove spent flowers to encourage more buds and to prevent it from self-seeding everywhere. Height: 60-70 cm (23-27 inches), Spread: 45-50 cm (18-20 inches). USDA Zones: 3-9.

Angelica 

I love the height and architecture of this plant.

Amsonia ciliata 'Spring Sky'

Perennial Sage, Salvia 'Madeline' was bred and introduced by Piet Oudolf. This sage has violet-blue flowers with a white lip. It will grow in a range of soil types and is drought tolerant once established. Height:70-85 cm (27-33 inches), Spread: 45-60 cm (18-23 inches). USDA Zones: 4-9.

Phlomis tuberosa 'Amazone' is a recent introduction to North America, so the bad news is that this particular cultivar may be a little hard to track down and find. When not in flower this plant makes a large mound of coarse green leaves. Flower shoot skyward on these incredible reddish colored stems. Once finished flowering the spent flowers continue to add architectural interest well into winter. Normal or sandy soil that is on the dry side is best for this plant. Full sun. Height: 90-120 cm (35-47 inches), Spread: 45-60 cm (18-23 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9.

Peony lactiflora 'Krinkled White' + False Indigo, Baptisia 'Purple Smoke' in the distance

Perennial Sage, Salvia nemerosa 'Amethyst' has tall spikes of rosy-purple flowers mid-spring. Full sun and well drained soil. Height: (12-30 inches), Spread: (24-36 inches). USDA Zones: 5-11.

Purple Smoke Bush + Astrantia + Allium

Purple Smoke Bush, Cotinus is a shrub that left to its own devises can grow into a tree. It can reach a height of 12 feet and can spread to 12 feet. It requires full sun and can be grown in a variety of soils. USDA Zones: 4-9.

I have never grown these, but believe them to be Stars of Persia, Allium christophii.

Stars of Persia, Allium christophii are a bulbous perennial.  They have grey-green leaves and a flowerhead with star-shaped flowers that have a slight metallic sheen. Flower heads dry well. Full sun in rich, well-drained soil. Height : 45-60 cm (18-24 inches), Spacing 15-22 cm ( 6-9 inches) USDA Zones: 4-9.

False Indigo, Baptisia (Specific yellow colored cultivar unknown) + the tall pink spires of Phlomis tuberosa 'Amazone' + blue colored Baptisia australis (on the left).

Some yellow cultivars of Baptisia you might want to consider: Baptisia 'Solar Flare', Baptisia 'Carolina Moonlight' and Baptisia 'Lemon Meringue'.) 

Unknown peony cultivar. Quite likely Peony lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt'

Unknown single white Peony.

Unknown variety of Catmint. Here are two cultivars you may want to consider:

Blue Catmint, Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' is a long blooming perennial (if regularly deadheaded) that has a mounded, bushy habit. It has grey-green foliage and blue flowers. Full sun. Height: 60-90 cm (23-35 inches), Spread: 75-90 cm ( 29-35 inches). USDA Zones: 3-9.

Nepeta x faassenii 'Blue Wonder' is a bit more compact. Height: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches), Spread: 38-45 cm (15-18 inches). USDA Zones 3-9.

Catmint, Nepeta + Salvia x sylvestris 'May Night'

Many thanks to the Fling Committee: Helen Battersby, her sister Sarah Battersby, Lorraine Flanigan, and Veronica Silva. Thanks also to all the bus captains and other volunteers who worked so hard to make this year's Garden Bloggers Fling so much fun! 

To see some other Fling highlights check out the Garden Blogger's Fling Facebook page.

Many apologies, I am well behind on returning visits. 

I promise to catch up with everyone in the next few days.

Late Bloomers & other treasures at Lost Horizons

Do you have a garden muse? 

I have several in the books that I like to flip through for inspiration, but I have to say that the ones that inspire me the most are the local gardens that I can actual go and visit. The pictures in a book are a delight to the eyes, but a garden speaks to the soul! 

The display garden at Lost Horizons Nursery is one such garden muse. Though I have been there many, many times I always discover something new along its rambling pathways; a new plant, a pretty plant combination or an interesting play of textures, shapes and colors. I always come away determined to do better in my own garden (and a little poorer having filled the trunk of my car with plant purchases!). 

Gathered here are some of the images from recent visits, with a focus on perennials that shine late in the gardening season.

The red flowering plant in the right, middle foreground is Mountain Fleeceflower, Persicaria 'Firetail' Height: 60-90 cm Spread 45 cm Care: Will grow in a variety of soils, full sun to part shade.

Miscanthus sinenis 'Variegatus' Height: 150-210 cm Spread 80-90 cm 

Care: Will grow in a variety of soils. Full sun.

Rudbeckia triloba 'Prairie Glow' This is a new selection with bi-color blooms. Height: 120 cm Spread: 60 cm Care: This is a short-lived perennial with a tendency to reseed. It is easy to grow in average, moist, well-drained soil. Full sun. 

Dogwood berries have been left for the squirrels and chipmunks that visit the garden. Cornelian Cherry Dogwood, Cornus mas Height 6-9 m. Care: Sun/part shade

Annual Poppy

Persicaria virginiana 'Lance Corporal' is a woodland plant with apple-green leaves. This plant has dark flower spikes with tiny red flowers that appear in late summer. Height: 40 cm 

Partial to full shade Spread: 30 cm 

 Acer campestre 'Carnival' is an award winning Hedge Maple with green leaves edged in white (on the right). Height: 3 m Spread: 2 m

The display garden has a variety of Phlox paniculata. 

This is a native variety of Cardinal Flower, Lobelia siphilitica. It has bright blue flowers in late summer that are a magnet for butterflies and hummingbirds. Height: 91 cm Spread: 61 cm Care: Full sun to part shade in average, moist or wet soil.

A pretty combination of colors and textures.

Cassia marilandica is a native plant found in moist areas. Yellow pea flowers are followed by these incredible seed pods. Height: 180 cm Spread: 120 cm 

Japanese Anenome

Salvia sclarea is a short-lived perennial that will self-seed around the garden. It has fuzzy leaves and soft cream and mauve flowers. Height: 100 cm Spread: 40 cm Care: Sun and gravelly soil.

Salvia koyamae is a little known Japanese species of salvia. It has heart-shaped leaves and soft buttery-yellow flowers in summer. This is a woodland plant that spreads by rhizomes. Height: 60 cm Spread: 40 cm Care: Part sun to shade.

I bought this woodland plant and promptly lost its plant tag. Can you I.D. it?

(Update: Thank you Janneke and Joy for the I.D. This is the Kirengeshoma palmata. Height 90-120 cm Spread: 75-90 cm Care: Likes moist soil.)

Corydalis ex.'Du Fu Temple' has sky blue flowers with a blush of mauve and blooms from spring into late fall. It will readily self-seed in the garden. Height: 30 cm Spread: 30 cm Care: Part sun to shade.

More Information and Links:

Lost Horizons Nursery has one of the most beautiful display gardens in Ontario. The nursery itself, offers over 3000 plants from around the world, many extremely rare. Visit the nursery's blog here.

To visit the Lost Horizons website click the link.

Lost Horizons Nursery and Display Gardens are located just west of Toronto on Highway 7, two miles west of the town of Acton, Ontario.

For complete driving directions click here.  In the off-season their hours are more limited. Right now, I believe they are Wed.-Sun. 10-5pm.