Gardening is all about growing plants, so from time to time I like to profile super good plants. The last one I profiled was Allium 'Millenium' and this month it is 'Pretty Lady Emily' Japanese anemone.
It seems like at the end of the growing season each year there are several pots of the 'Pretty Lady' series anemones left over in our local big box stores. Since I love Japanese anemones and I love a bargain plant as well, I always tend to pick these perennials up. I have to tell you though that I've never had luck with them coming back in my garden until this year.
Even before our house was finished last fall I happened across several pots of these pretty little anemones. I immediately bought them and planted them in a foundation garden at the edge of the sidewalk. I seem to recall it was in October of 2014 that these plants were planted. I honestly did not have much hope for them because the soil where they are planted is not the best and they were planted fairly late in the season. It was also a tough winter for perennials last year. Despite these little not so perfect conditions this anemone came back wonderfully. Even where the original plant had died out the plant managed to put on new growth from the roots near the original plant. Slowly, but surely, all spring and summer these plants filled in. They actually got quite a bit of good leafy growth and I believe I'll be able to divide these soon and increase my stock of them due to all the growth.
It was sometime early last month that the numerous buds began to open. Slowly at first then with more speed, so much so that the plants are now covered with pink blooms. They are an attractive edging along the sidewalk and just happen to be planted near my pink garden so they really work out well for me. Now that we are in October the plants are still blooming but the older blooms have declined quite a bit. They are still pink but not so much in their prime as they were a few weeks ago. I absolutely love these perennials! This particular anemone is more compact than most and stays in its allotted space fairly easy. I've allowed about one square foot of space for them and they'll get about that tall as well.
I never watered them at all this summer and we have had some serious dry spells but that did not seem to faze these guys. I have them growing on the east side of my home where they get the full morning sun until about noonish.
This pretty lady is a great addition to perennial beds for late season color....
in the garden....
