Each Little World

Overwhelmed by weather

We've pretty much gone from endless frosty nights right into high summer. We had our first 90°F. (32.22°C.) day on May 1st and we're currently in a cycle of extremely hot days with no rain in sight. The garden is bone dry having barely gotten 5 inches of rain since April 1st. I know that sounds wonderful to some of you (like Kris Peterson in Southern California) but it is definitely not our normal. Nor are these temperatures.

I am a woman who is happy at 75° and starts fading fast when the temperature moves into the 80s. We had such cold temps in May that I put off planting many of the things I got online and even some local purchases. Now with the hot, dry weather it looks like I have my own nursery there are so many potted plants wanting attention. 

We are moving forward with our garden projects, but the weather makes everything a slog. I am out before 7 a.m. watering and then working in the shade to the degree possible. 

I've been using all my energy to plant and keep the garden watered. And to help Mark when he needs it. This is all a long-winded way to explain why I haven't been blogging here or commenting on your posts. Hoping to get this gorgeous Buttonbush planted today. It has grown at least five times the size it was when it arrived from White Flower Farm. Very excited to add this native shrub to the garden. 

Early May meander in the garden

Monday's rain has the garden in fine fettle. Things are popping up, opening up and standing up tall. I keep going out almost hourly to check on the progress of my plants. Here's a sampling.

Paeonia obvata var. alba

Dicentra spectabilis 'Valentine' has taken more years than I expected for her to finally attain some stature. (I know the plant has a new name, but I am not making the effort to learn it . . .)

Epimedium 'Lilac Fairy' is a very floriferous variety that bulks up fast, so you can get a nice patch of it fairly easily.

I've been growing Iris pumila 'Cherry Garden' since about 1990; a great plant with an equally great color.

Every time I notice one of these downy yellow violets in the garden — Viola pubescens — I dig it up and move it to a spot where they are slowly filling in. Just added a yellow-flowered Trillium luteum to the mix.

I have two different Ladyslipper Orchids about to bloom. It took me years before I found the right locations for them; places where they were happy, settled in to grow and finally produce flowers. 

I find ferns unfurling endlessly fascinating. (Say that quickly three times!) This is the Cinnamon fern, Osumunda cinnamomeum.

This Cinnamon fern is only inches away from the one above and yet is at a different stage of opening. 

I have a bad habit of always taking photos that are "plant portraits" and never taking wider shots. I am making an effort this season to take wide views every week; mainly to remind me of what is there that is an ephemeral or very late to arrive.

Mail order plants

Saturday (5/01/2021) the temperature got up to 90°F with high winds and fire warnings. Sunday was better, only 85°F and breezy. Barely any rain this spring so the garden is VERY dry. I started watering yesterday which may be a first. Usually in the spring I am indoors because it's too cool and wet.

The temps had my species peonies opening in one day and their petal being blown off by the wind. Many things are blooming almost two, sometimes three, weeks ahead of last year.

As a result of the odd weather, my potting bench is full of plants, purchases from local nurseries and three groups from mail order nurseries. I decided it is too dry to plant them; in part because then I have to wander all over the garden watering them. Leaving them on the bench means I can water them at once. I'm also planning on re-potting some of the smaller things into larger containers to grow on a while before I put them in the ground; some tiny primroses in particular.

I ordered a number of shrubs online and I had to laugh at the different sizes they've come in; even within one nursery. I pay attention when it gives the pot size when I order, but it is always fascinating to see what they look like once I unpack them.

You can see exactly what I mean lwhen you ook at these four shrubs (from left): Viburnum dilatatum 'Tandoori Orange' (Tandori Orange Viburnum), Salix helvetica (Helvetica Willow), Cornus sericea 'Pucker Up' (Pucker Up Red Twig Dogwood) and Weigela middendorffiana (Middendorf Weigela).

I am pleased I was able to find these shrubs and they all look happy and healthy so the size is not really a concern. The Viburnum is the first one with orange berries; the willow has soft silver foliage; the Cornus is more compressed than C. compressa and grows as a fat shrub rather than columnar. The Weigela, a plant I usually don't like, has the most lovely delicate little creamy yellow flowers with an orange throat. Looking forward to watching this one grow!

Now, if we would just get some rain . . .

The dotty line

My lovely Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty' is surrounded by babies. I kept referring to them as "seedlings" until I realized this plant spreads by rhizomes. It sends up erect growing stems from buds on the rhizome which produce a single, umbrella shaped leaf. You don't, however, get flowers until there are two leaves.

I had to laugh once I figured this out as it is so obvious from this photo. Look how all these new plants are growing in a row, shooting up along the length of the rhizome which I've indicated with that green line. At least that's how it looks to me. There is a similar line of spotted babies on the other side of the "mother" plant. In a few years this will be a spectacular clump if I'm lucky.

Good news for gardeners from Great Dixter

Readers of this blog likely know that many of the elements of our garden design were influenced by Japanese gardens. Thus, for the last twenty years, I've planted many treasures from Asia. But climate change and habitat loss have all gardeners looking at their garden with new eyes.

I'm happy to be able to say that I've composted kitchen and garden debris, mulched with chopped leaves and haven't sprayed or used many chemicals over the years. I have an old Bur Oak tree and a crop of seedlings that I'm nurturing (below), along with every fern native to Wisconsin happily romping around my garden.

But I am not a native plant aficionado nor do I want to give up all the lovely non-natives I've planted over the years. That's why I was thrilled with the information that Fergus Garrett, head gardener at the famed Great Dixter estate in the UK, shared with those of us who signed up for his webinar as part of Olbrich Botanical Gardens spring lecture series, "A Gardener's Call."

The "call" refers to the idea that gardeners need to "recognize and respect all beings’ contributions to healthy garden ecosystems." If we do that, then we will be able to support all life in the garden. I totally agree with that concept which is why I sat up and took notice when Garrett showed us that ornamental horticulture does that very well. 

Photo by Andrew Montgomery/Gardens Illustrated magazine

Garrett decided that Great Dixter needed a comprehensive biodiversity audit that would then provide the knowledge that he felt was critical to managing Dixter in the best way. It wasn't really news, he noted, when the survey showed the meadows, ponds, pastures and woodlands on this old estate were extremely rich. 

Photo by Andrew Montgomery/Gardens Illustrated magazine

The big surprise — and what excited me — was the fact that the survey found the richest part of all was the ornamental garden (above). The survey clearly showed the garden, even with its fancy floral displays, supported an extraordinary amount of wildlife. Though Garrett hadn't specifically gardened with biodiversity at the forefront, it was there as a by-product.

That means I don't have to tear up my garden and start over. I can leave my non-natives in place and add more if I want. The big lesson is having as much diversity as possible. The things I've ordered online, or plan to buy locally, range from grasses to shrubs to bulbs and perennial plants; all of which means I am moving in the right direction for diversity. Add in the fact that almost half of them are native and I no longer have to feel guilty for wanting a garden that showcases non-native plants.

So far, so good

It's always fascinating to see plants in autumn putting effort into the following Spring. What will happen over the winter will determine the results no matter what appearances suggest at the moment.  

This Helleborus foetidus is the first one of this variety that has survived and thrived in my garden. I was so happy with this success that I ordered two named varieties in 2019.

Helleborus foetidus 'Red Silver' is from well-known gardeners and breeders, Ernie and Marietta O'Byrne. It has held its pewter leaf color nicely through the summer. It did not flower this first spring, but I bought it for that fabulous foliage, so I will be OK if it  never flowers. I merely need the plant to make it through our highly changeable winters. 

On the right side of the path is a Digitalis I planted this spring which will flower next year. All along the left side of the path, Digitalis seedlings have rooted and are looking fabulous. I foolishly tried to move one of them as they are in a rather awkward location. Big mistake. I think I will put flags where they are growing so I don't step on them as they emerge next spring. This is the best crop of seedlings I've ever had, so I am very excited. 

Rhododendron yakushimanum 'Yaku Angel' is loaded with buds. Last spring's late frost killed them all, so I am hoping for better luck next spring. 

IVOM: Late August blooms

I decided to clip a few flowers to save them from the hot and windy weather we've been having. A storm was forecast so I went out as the sky got darker. Alas, the storm passed us by again. So no rain, but at least we can enjoy a bit of beauty in the house.

Our gardening neighbor grows a Kiwi vine on the fence between our gardens. It crawls over onto our side in the most wonderful way. But I tend to clip the long tendrils that want to rise up into the adjacent trees. I decided it was time to bring one of them indoors to showcase. 

I added a lichen covered branch and a wand of hips from Rosa glauca.

The Kiwi leaves started to fade quickly, but they were fun while they lasted.

The Lohan has been patiently waiting for a new bouquet.

Fennel flower heads, Kirengeshoma palmata Koreana group, Hakoenechloa grass and a large quilted leaf of Hosta 'Inniswood.'

Though I've done a lot of watering, a month without rain has caused much of the foliage in the garden to burn and begin to brown. 

A quick arrangement for the table of Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta, the flowers of garlic chives and a few Hosta blooms. 

Still no rain but at least the temperatures have moderated, so I am out to the garden again to plant some of the things that are lined up on the deck awaiting their new homes.

Something new

I planted a number of new Tricyrtis varieties this spring and T. 'Taipei Silk' decided to bloom its first year. 

Last year Thalictrum 'Splendide' shot up into the Korean maple that grows next to it. At about ten feet high it started to hang down, mimicking a whispy lilac curtain.

This year it climbed into the tree again but tried something new. It flopped horizontally in the tree branches at about 7' above ground. It still has that wonderful whispy effect, but it's no longer blooming above my head. This year it's more like a skirt than a curtain. 

Bloom Day a little late

We had a big storm Tuesday night and rain again on Wednesday, so I never snapped any photos to share on Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. The main flowers in my garden at the moment are daylilies, but here are a few other plants adding to the show. 

Ligularia 'The Rocket' with Carex 'Bowles Golden' in front

Syneilsis aconitifolia aka Shredded Umbrella Plant. Last fall I divided my huge specimen into three and spread them around the garden. It will take them a few years to make a statement again. In the meantime, I'm enjoying the subdued floral production. This is the bud stage which I like more than when they open.

Lilium lancifolium 'Flore Pleno' is a plant that I have a love/hate relationship with. I pulled out most of them last fall but left a few just in case the love proved stronger than the hate! A dramatically large Astilbe taqueria 'Superba' offers a color and texture contrast.

Thalictrum rochebruneanum 'Lavender Mist' is one of a trio; all just starting to open. One of my favorites and one of the stars of the summer garden.

Last fall I planted a pair of oak leaf Hydrangeas, H. quercifolia 'Pee Wee'. Both came through the winter beautifully and are doing very well. I even got a flower! Currently they are about one foot tall and twice as wide. At maturity they will be 4' x 4' which is enough to make a statement without overwhelming the rest of the bed. 

Waiting for some flowers

The garden is filled with budding stems but few flowers at the moment. Deinthe cerulea is looking the best it ever has. It finally is of a size to make a visual impact even before it blooms.