Clematis 'Henryi'

March 18, 2010

Lots of healthy leaf axil buds. 

This morning I spent a little time cleaning up the vines and pruned just a little off the top of the longest vines.  I also reworked some of the vines around the trellis. 

After reading a little bit on the web tonight I realized that I can and should do a bit more clean up.  I should remove all the dead leaves.  I had just raked up the ones that fell off the plant as I was working on it.  I can also be a little more assertive about pruning some of the weaker vines.  Apparently, I can even cut the dry petioles off if I need to unravel vines from around each other so I can get them situated better on the trellis. 

If I get around to it, great.  Now I know what I'm doing.  If I don't get around to it, that's okay too.  It will keep and I've managed to keep the clematis alive and thriving with  minimal spring care and attention up till now. 

I need to look up which clematis I have planted as a companion.

'Henryi' is a Group 2 (or a repeat bloomer) clematis.

It has large, lovely, white flowers between 6 - 8 inches across.  

We love that it is a repeat bloomer and have been suprised with blooms into late November!

Phlox 'David'

March 18, 2010

Red Charm Peony

March 18, 2010

This is why rabbits and I do not get along

Last spring I finally gave in and dug up the azalea.  It had never been happy.  I amended the soil, I treated it annually with extra special care and attention.  It didn't care.  It didn't thrive.  It didn't put out lovely flowers. I had given it a good six years of my life and figured enough was enough.  So I planted a lovely variegated euonymus. 

I Know. 

What kind of trade off is that? 

I just wanted something that would bring a little interest and a little light to the corner by the yews.  Just something quietly dependable with a little personality.  Nothing loud or demanding.  Nothing that needed extra special attention or care.

Variegated Euonymus seemed to be a lovely fit.  It seemed to be everything I was hoping for. 

I put the garden to bed in the fall and didn't think about offering the euonymus any extra protection during the winter.  The neighborhood rabbits hadn't even tasted it once during the spring, summer or fall. 

How was I to know that come winter they would not just nibble, but would devour that shrub? 

Now I can't prove it was rabbits.  They didn't leave any evidence (and usually when they have eaten on shrubs in past winters they leave broken twigs scattered on the ground), but I have seen them damage enough things in my yard and garden that I am willing to accuse and convict them of this crime.  GUILTY until proven innocent! 

Three summers ago we had owls in the neighborhood and very little rabbit damage.  Two summers ago we had a feral cat slinking around the neighborhood and very little rabbit damage.  Last summer I didn't hear the owls or see the cat and the rabbit population increased. 

I wish I knew how to invite the owls or the cats back and am happy to take suggestions.

Spring Has Definitely Sprung

These are the first blooms in our garden. I love the bright white and yellow. It's a perfect combination to combat the grey that tends to stick around Chicagoland just a little too long at the end of winter.

I planted these last fall underneath the crab apple tree.  The bulbs had sat in the garage since I purchased them at Farm and Fleet in the fall of 2008, so I wasn't sure if they would come up or not.  I thought planting them was better than putting them into the compost (just in case). 

Looks like I made the right decision.

Coral Nymph Salvia

full sun
height:  24"

Graceful flower spikes of salmon coral and white blooms until frost.

Euphorbia 'Breathless Blush'

Chamaesyce x hybrida
full sun
height:  8" - 12"
spacing:  10"

This elegant and durable new series includes the only red-flushed leaf form on the market plus a White with terrific branching and denser flowering. Heat tolerant Breathless fills in fast, makes stocky and mounded plants, and displays a showy mass of self-cleaning flowers all Summer across a wide range of conditions. The long lasting, free-flowering plants are well-suited to solo and mixed containers.  From BallHort.com

I will definitely use this plant again.  I loved the blooms!  These plants bloomed all summer long - (even through mild neglect) and who doesn't love self-cleaning flowers.  It's nice to know that some plants live up to expectations.   

Chocolate Mint

Mentha x piperita
full sun
height:  24"
spacing"  18"

I planted this in spring 2009 in my herb container for fun.  I had hoped to harvest enough to dry it for peppermint tea, but I think I had too many plants in the container because (amazingly, for a mint) it just didn't take off this summer.  This container got the best care of them all because it was on the deck just outside the kitchen door. 

I have only planted herbs for the past couple of summers.  Since I have no sense of smell I don't really remember to think about using them.  I'm trying to be more proactive in this area.  A. did like the scent once I led her to the whole "mint, mint & ...., choc-o-late...." 

Salvia 'Black and Blue'

Salvia guaranitica
full sun
height:  48"
spacing"  18"

Ansidontea 'Very Cranberry'

Cape Mallow
Proven Winners
full sun
height:  24" - 36"

heat tolerant, drought tolerant, deadheading not necessary

Since this plant (according to the Proven Winners website) prefers cooler temperatures it really did well this summer.  If I'd bothered to fertilize the containers regularly I think it would have been really spectacular.  I will definitely be looking for this plant again next summer. 

Here it is with Cordyline 'Red Sensation' and Coleus 'Tiny Toes'. 

Excuse the focus, I'm still learning how to use my camera and ended up focusing on the Cordyline instead of the flower.