Each Little World

Crossing my fingers

Last weekend temps got up into the 80s followed by overnight lows hovering at frost levels. Day time temps have been chilly with mostly gray skies. We're supposed to hit 60°F. today and tomorrow and then drop back into the 50s for the next ten days.

The good news is that the overnight lows are all expected to be in the 40s, so I can plant the four mail-order shipments of perennials that are sitting in the living room, front hall and basement sink. 

A friend and I went window shopping for trees and shrubs at our fave nursery, K & A, on Tuesday. We bundled up, but we were still freezing. Here's the reality of our weather: All the perennials at the nursery were under covers and many had to be moved back into the greenhouse as we all wait for Spring to decide to stick around.

Two pots of tender bulbs on the left. First time I've tried to grow these and I'm nervous about how long it's taking for them to appear; as well as how long they've been stuck in the house. On the right are Orchids and Cyclamen: house plants waiting to go outdoors for the summer. In the middle are a mix of plants ready to go in the ground today.

I was expecting this small package of Cyclamen and Primula from Edelweiss Perennials but had not noticed the alert that I was also getting a package from Broken Arrow Nursery. Actually two big packages from them filled with evergreen and deciduous shrubs. Both nurseries sent beautiful plants wonderfully packaged. Can't wait for it to warm up a couple more degrees and then I'm off to plant and play in the garden. 

Hellebore season

Our weather has been so up and down for so many day that some of my Hellebores are fully up and blooming while others are barely pushing up buds. This is only a sampling of the crazy numbers of this plant I grow.

In my Zone 5 climate, there is no other plant that rivals it for early arrival, flower color and size. Unlike spring ephemerals, it makes a statement in the landscape. Note that I used thin twigs to hold most of the flowers upright in order to photographic them.

Helleborus 'Sandy Shores' from the Honeymoon series. This plant is a significant size having only been planted in 2020.

H. hybrida 'Cotton Candy'

H. 'Red Racer' 

I think the outer petals of 'Red Racer' are even more glorious than the inner ones. 

H. orientalis 'Ivory Prince' has somewhat smaller flowers but they're outward facing. 

And the flowers are equally attractive on the other side and the leaves are beautifully patterned.

I bought three plants of H. hybridus 'Jade Tiger' after seeing it in Loree Bohl's garden. Well, actually her garden blog posts!

Luckily the reverse of the blooms is equally beautiful as these guys are really hanging deeply downward this year.

H. hybridus 'Pine Knot Selected Foliage Forms'. I adore this one as the color is so different from any of the other Hellebores I'm growing. 

Here's the reverse.

H. torquatus 

H. hybridus 'Mardi Gras Black'

H. 'New York Night' from the Honeymoon Series. I'm waiting for H. 'Onyx Odyssey' to bloom so I can determine which of the three is the darkest color.

Hot pink

A gorgeous weekend has the garden suddenly bursting into bloom. 

Acer tschonoskii ssp. koreanum

Paeonia mairei

Not quite "Wordless Wednesday"

I can't get enough of lichens, moss and rocks. Perfection.

Learning from Jeff: Containers

Jeff Epping has been the Director of Horticulture at Olbrich Botanical Gardens here in Madison since the 1990s. During that time, he and his staff have transformed the gardens and continue to do so. His own home garden has undergone an equal number of transformations over the years. It's always a thrill — and a must see — when his own garden is open to the public. 

This private space is hidden from view at the front corner of the house. 

The next three photos go from left to right across the back steps of the house that lead down to the deck.

No matter where you look, there is an idea to inspire. 

Keeping all your prunings on site to decompose or to be used in various ways is a concept that is new to many of us. I love how all the logs from a tree trimming are put to use in a sophisticated display here. It is an idea that would not have occurred to me without seeing such a successful display in person.

Containers are a feature in the seating area on the deck. Note how he has plants interspersed in the paving.

Jeff always seems to have interesting evergreens potted up. Love how this merges the foreground and background. 

This row of pots — with those sweet baby containers interspersed — has been a feature on the porch railing every time I've visited Jeff's garden. The plants may change, but a great idea is worth replicating.

Easter greetings

GBBD: 4.15.2022

The week began with temperatures in the 60°'s, leading me to expect a lot of blooms to showcase today. Alas it was downhill from there with a week of freezing overnight lows that began on Wednesday, followed by very high winds all day yesterday. So the garden looks pretty much the way it did at the beginning of the week. We're both still waiting for pleasant spring weather to stay here for more than a day or two.

Crocus (above)

Iris histrioides 'George'

Iris reticulata 'Harmony'

The garden is awash in Chionodoxa; stems are visible everywhere but few flowers yet.

Hellebores are attractive at every stage. This is H. 'Sandy Shores' from the H. Honeymoon series.

I moved the two Hellebores (above and below) a few years ago and they've settled into their new home nicely. 

They're both probably H. 'Royal Heritage' strain

H. niger 'Sunset Group,' a rare Hellebore whose flowers face outward.

Hepatica 'Apple Blossom'

Hepatica nobilis 'European Pink'

A wonderfully quirky-colored Iris reticulata hybrid — 'Mars Landing' — that is 5 years old and has not increased. I need to find a source to get more. 

To see what's blooming in other gardens, visit Carol Michel who hosts the monthly meme: Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

Wordless Wednesday

Caging season

Last fall, my gardening friend, Ruth, and I visited Ken Nordlund's beautiful garden. We bombarded Ken with questions, including wanting to know how he kept rabbits out of his mostly unfenced garden. His plants did not appear to have been randomly munched as in my garden.

He took us inside his garage to show us his plant cages. While I was spending lots of time hooking cut edges of wire together to make round cages, Ken slipped a pair of bamboo stakes through the coasted material he used to bind his cages together. Then he pushed the stakes into the ground. When he didn't need the cages, he flattened them and piled them up in the garage. 

Ruth and I both went right out looking for material similar to Ken's. I bought a small roll of plastic poultry netting. I already had a stack of old bamboo stakes. As it was the end of the season, I didn't make any cages with this new material last fall. When I discovered rabbits had already munched on the emerging foliage of a trio of Viola 'Irish Elegance,' I grabbed my green netting and went to work over the weekend. 

The net is 2' wide and I cut it in half as that's much taller than I generally need. The cut edges are still sharp but I put that end on the ground, since most of the cages had a smooth edge as well. 

I made five cages in two sizes in nothing flat Saturday afternoon. I made a few more yesterday as I saw Tulips and Fritillaria thunbergii pushing up. I know those plants are rabbit candy. I am thrilled at how quick and easy it was to make cages using Ken's method.

I used sod stakes to hold the other edge of my cages securely to the ground as I have lots of those. At this point the green cages are much more visible than my old wire ones. But that means I can see them, so I am less likely  to trip over them. I'm hoping they will be less visible as bigger green plants grow up around them. Truthfully, these were so much easier and quicker to make, that it is unlikely I'll go back to making wire cages. Thanks again Ken for showing us your cages. 

Between the raindrops

Tuesday afternoon was warmer and sunnier than it's been for a while. I worked in the garden for a couple of hours, mostly cutting back Hellebore foliage as the flowers are quickly pushing up. Also caged a few plants that I know the rabbits will eat if I don't protect them. I'm already seeing some new foliage that has been munched. 

Helleborus torquatus

Helleborus x hybridus 'Kingston Cardinal' from Dan Hinkley of Heronswood Nursery fame. This is an longtime stalwart in my garden, planted in 2008. I think Hellebores are like species Peonies: attractive in all seasons. 

Helleborus niger in the front garden. It's had buds hidden under the snow for weeks, if  not months. 

These flowers always look more fragile than the Hellebores that bloom in the spring. This is a late fall/winter bloomer and has been waiting a long time.

The snowdrops looked perfect in the brief warmth and sun. This is Galanthus gracillus ex. 'Montrose', bulbs I got from a blogging friend who is also a Galanthophile. The plastic milk carton is protecting Martagon lily bulbs while I make cages.

Galanthus 'Straffan'

Clearly I added a clump of new snowdrop bulbs to a spot where I had already put a few G. 'Magnet'. Magnet is twice as big with a very distinctive look. 

This little gem popped up next to the deck where I don't recall planting any snowdrops. I have planted two different varieties with yellow markings over the years, but have had little success with them. So it's frustrating to finally see them and be unsure as to what I am, in fact, seeing. Is it 'Blonde Inge' or 'Primrose Warburg'?

 Luckily the folks over at the Snowdrops in American Gardens FB page said it's G. 'Blonde Inge.' This is a great group and I love seeing the incredible variety of unusual snowdrops and rare spring ephemerals the members post. 

Galanthus 'Magnet' is my favorite and is easily identified by the flower shape and the way it dangles off its pedicle. 

G. woronowii has distinctive foliage: wide and shiny. 

Galanthus 'White Dreams'

I don't like the look of labels all over the garden and there are few that are readable after a winter or two. So I make notes about where I planted things on the back of the id card for each plant. This spring I am taking wider shots to help me remember just who is where. 

Not much else is showing so I've left the dead Hellebore foliage as another aid in indentification.

Across the path, I've noted two main plants in this area and where I'm widely spreading some snowdrops. The Paeona japonica is pushing up but I always leave stalks so I don't accidentally step on them at this point. 

As these area fill in I want to take another set of photos where I can see the surrounding plants and the clumps of snowdrop foliage. Even a rough idea of where these bulbs are planted will be helpful as I work on this bed and the one above this year. 

Alas, I woke up to snow this morning and looks like it will continue for a while. Temp is currently 32°F. with the high today only getting up to 36°F. I'm taking it as a sign that I must stay indoors and make some new cages for the plants that are likely to start appearing this weekend when it warms up.