The garden went nuts while we were gone.
My trillium, after two and a half years, finally multiplied. At this rate I should have a nice clump in about 40 years.
I think it's finally time to admit that I can't cram many more ferns into this area. I'll still try but I really shouldn't.
Hooker's fairybells! Thank goodness I didn't weed these when I forgot I planted them.
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| Disporum hookeri var. oreganum |
Shooting stars bloomed. I still wish they were broad leafed starflowers.
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| Dodecatheon hendersonii |
The black tulips all finally bloomed . . .
. . . and the 'Flair' tulips and hyacinths went to the big wooden shoe in the sky. Hyacinths don't go gently; these keeled over dramatically, all of them at once, and then turned brown overnight.
I am very excited about what the hesperaloe is about to do. That stalk doubled in size while we were gone.
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| Hesperaloe parviflora 'Brakelights' |
And the dogwood out front started to blossom! This is the time when I get to put my money where my mouth is. Orange door, pink dogwood, purple maples. Oof.
We've had trips and meetings and so many fun things eating up our weekends lately that I feel completely scattered. The front yard is still a mess, I need to install baseboard in the kitchen, and I really meant to rebuild the kitchen's screen door this winter. Pretty soon warm weather will be back and I won't have a screen door in the kitchen to usher it in.
But we will have that swimming pool we've always wanted.
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| I think I dug the rain garden too deep. |
ITYS. I'll let you figure out what that stands for. P.S. Welcome back! Portland's spring waits for no one.
ReplyDeleteI still like it :P I have no regrets! (But it's still good advice.)
ReplyDeleteYour garden is brill! I love all the ferns. And those hooker's fairybells (besides the name giving me a giggle) are so delicate looking. Super pretty. I have no idea what a hesperaloe is, but the stalk's pretty impressive. Curious to see what blooms from it (does anything bloom from it?) Anyway, looking good!
ReplyDeleteThat name cracks me up too! The hesperaloe puts out a really pretty flower that hummingbirds love: http://www.highcountrygardens.com/index/page/product/product_id/4542
ReplyDeleteI am *so* excited for that thing to start blooming.
Totally love it: it's but a brief moment in spring, who cares? Besides, those blooming hookers in the garden are lovely. And black tulips!
ReplyDeleteI want to have a garden party and call it "Blooming hookers in the garden." :)
ReplyDeleteYou leave the plants alone for a weekend or two and look what happens! Pink dogwoods don't have to go with anything else, they take up all the attention with their brilliant color and it doesn't even matter what is nearby for several weeks in spring, the dogwood is the star.
ReplyDeleteThey're like diamonds, right? They go with everything!
ReplyDeleteI love all the ferns...I think you can always squeeze a few more in, right? I've been amazed how everything seems to have exploded in the past week or so. There's nothing quite as dramatic as those spring bulbs when they are done...just droppin' leaves and keelin' over...such divas. I believe I also have a tendency to dig too deep...but figure as long as I don't hit the gas line, it's all good.
ReplyDeleteYou can never have too many ferns. And as much as I love my tulips, I'm wondering how it's going to look when I have all those dying leaves hanging out all summer. Hopefully other things will grow and camouflage them!
ReplyDeleteFrom now on I'm using 'hooker's fairybells" as an exclamation. "HOOKER'S FAIRYBELLS this soup is hot!!" I think it'll catch on.
ReplyDeleteOh my god, LET'S MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
ReplyDeleteYay for a double trillium! I have a +30 year old trillium grandiflora that is a nice little clump (12" wide) of leaves but only a handful of flowers. I have since planted a bunch of other trillium (both graniflora and not) and they are not doing so hot. A few have foliage every year with no bloom. One has a double bloom but they are like miniature blossom size compared to the big clump.
ReplyDeleteI've never even heard of hookers fairybells but I'm wondering how a name like that even came to be?! LOL someone must have drunk when they picked that out.
I think there was a botanist named Hooker because there are a lot of NW natives with "Hooker's" in the name. I *hope* that was the case!
ReplyDelete"HOOKER'S FAIRYBELLS your garden is hot!" See...it's already catching on.
ReplyDeleteMy black tulips look peaked compared to yours.
Ha, I love it!
ReplyDeleteI envy you your white trillium. I bought one once at ruinous expense and it died - never tried again. I have some red trillium that does well but not as lovely as white trillium in the wild.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, there is a Hooker's Door to the Massachussetts State Capitol. My sons thought that was hilarious, but it's named for Gnl. Joseph Hooker. Though other possibilities do suggest themselves.