Too Many Straight Bladed Plants-Time for a Redesign & Blue Star Memorial

From In the Garden

Too many straight bladed plants? Can you have too many? This is how my 'Rear Sidewalk Garden' looked in May of this year. It is not too bad really, but when you look at it now can you see the problem?

From In the Garden

You don't have to look too hard to see it, that's for sure. The issue is with all the straight bladed plants-too many of them so there is no contrast and interest in this garden and other plants are crowded. Back in May the straight bladed plants were well behaved and actually did not look half bad, but now they don't look so good. They've had a really good year and have grown beyond their bounds and are crowding one another and other plants in this garden. Believe it or not these are not all the same types of plants. Starting from the left next to the peony there is a mystery iris, then gladiolus, scads of 'Lucifer' crocosmia, and finally an ornamental plume grass. Too much straight blade overload for me so it was time for a rework. I will not even tell you the story of how this mess occurred but it had something to do with trying to plant the right plant in the right spot-namely a sunny area. I forgot about the surrounding plants being the same type:( Fortunately the situation can be fixed rather simply.

From In the Garden

I dug divided and replanted the irises a bit further away from the peony. I'll be posting on them Monday because I need some help identifying them. I completely removed the glads and the crocosmia. They have found homes in pots for the time being. I then added a catmint plant and stood back to look at my work. I like it so much more now that most of the straight bladed plants are gone. I did leave the ornamental plume grass as a focal point in the center of the bed as a divider. This garden looks completely different on the other side of it but we'll perhaps save that picture for another post.

From In the Garden

What you don't see are the pink lady bulbs under the soil. If you look in the first picture you can see the foliage that looks pretty nice in May. The picture above actually shows the pink lady bulbs in bloom in July. They are a bit crowded and lost aren't they? Yes, it was indeed time for a rework and redesign in this 'Rear Sidewalk Garden'. Now that the straight bladed plants have been removed all the remaining plants have some breathing room and room to shine....

in the garden....

Any gardening design issues you are working on this fall?

Remember when I posted on the Blue Star Memorial Marker in January? Monday marks the dedication of Clarksville's very own Blue Star Memorial Marker. All three garden clubs will be represented. The bugler and color guard from Fort Campbell will also be present. As a veteran of three wars and a member of one of these garden clubs (Beachaven) I am most proud this dedication has come to fruition. Many thanks to all who worked on the project in all three (Beachaven, Clarksville, and Les Candides) garden clubs. As a personal note I'd like to thank Peggy, Lola and Sandy for working on the project as part of the committee to plan the dedication. I'd also like to thank Lola's husband (Harold) for getting the bugler and color guard to participate. Hope to see you all there, Monday 10:30 at the Montgomery County Courthouse. Come show your support for the veterans AND the gardeners (us!) just in time for Veteran's Day.

Speaking of veterans, it is with great sadness we learn of the shootings at Fort Hood. I remember when this happened at Fort Bragg in 1995 (one killed and 20 wounded) and I can tell you it is a terrible thing for soldiers everywhere to think they can be targeted while on base and doing normal everyday activities. It is an especially horrific thing for these days in this time of war. Such a senseless loss for us all.

Bloom Day-May 09

The month of May sees many, many plants blooming in the garden. I am normally a fall type person, but I must say that with all the rain and cooler weather we've had here, I am in love with spring. Everything is so fresh and new and colorful! Enjoy.

An unknown passalong peony given to me by Margie, a really good gardener who lives south of Clarksville. I've never met a gardener who would part with their peonies, but Margie offered these to me and did not even know me! Sorry to the roses, but peonies have to be the most beautiful flower! I have lots of them on today's post.

An unknown cultivar of clematis. I really must stop buying clearance plants or I'll never know what I have planted here!

'Immaculee' peonies and White Irises. I have found 'Immaculee' to be an awesome peony for holding up its heads with little or no support. It does not have a strong scent however.

'Globemaster' alliums, and an unknown peony. The 'Globemasters' are easily 4 feet tall, and 6-8" in diameter. I really love this cultivar as it is very reliable. This is their third year in this spot. I like this combination too. This is the second year these peonies have been in place. Verbascum leaves are the large gray things to the left of the peony, and to the left of them is what I believe to be 'Walking Iris'. Maybe someone can tell me further down on this post.

Raspberry Splash Pinks, aka Dianthus 'Devon Yolande'

Clematis viticella 'Betty Corning'. A purchase from Maine.

I think this iris is known as a 'Walking Iris'; which are not supposed to be hardy here. I really don't know. Does anyone recognize it? It is taller than bearded irises.

Peony 'Festiva Maxima', also blooming: 'Immaculee', 'Sarah Bernhart', and an unknown red one, along with a single pink.

My little quartet of baby robins. They have 'flown' the nest, but still nearby.

Pansies and 'Homestead Verbena'

Pink Flower or Chinese Indigo, aka Indigofera amblyantha

Dutch Iris, probably 'Holland White'. I planted a mixed bag last year. Also blooming are white and yellow (Apollo) and blue (Purple Moon).

Unknown purple colombine. I sent seeds of this to other bloggers and to friends, so some of you may have this growing in your garden. It is very easy to grow from seed.

'Mt. Airy' Viburnum dilatum. I purchased some other cultivars of viburnums in hopes of getting good pollination. Oddly enough only 'Summer Snowflake' and the 'Snowball' viburnum are blooming right now. I am not sure if they will pollinate 'Mt. Airy', but I hope so. The red berries of this viburnum are quite showy and beloved by birds.

False Indigo Baptisia, aka Baptisia australis

My little Orkin. She is a bloom in the garden-resting on my basket of newspaper used for mulch. Odd cat.

'Meadow Clary' Salvia pratensis

Dutch Iris, most likely 'Purple Moon'. These are all new to me so I am still learning these irises. Also blooming are dark purple Siberian irises. My friend who gave them to me called them Japanese irises. I am sure that is not so though. One of these days I'll post on them.

Yellow and purple irises, along with a wild red rose. I simply love this color combination. I will be donating many of these purple irises to the Montgomery County Master Gardener Plant Sale, to be held on May 30th.

Unknown clematis in a tree. I tried to find the cultivar with no luck.

Front Foundation Garden. Here we have blooming: 'Raspberry Splash' dianthus, 'Darling' shasta daisies, unknown Pink azalea, 'Chardonnay Pearls' deutzia (chartreuse foliage behind the lamb's ear), and 'May Night' salvia in the background. This garden always has something going on in it, and is a bit more formal than most of my gardens.

Irises, a passalong

Old fashioned bleeding hearts, also blooming are the white ones, and 'Luxuriant'

'Dropmore' Honeysuckle, aka Lonicera bella

Peonies and Irises

'Florida Flame' Azalea, aka Rhododendrum austrinum

'Chardonnay Pearls' Deutzia, aka Deutzia gracilis

'Roseum Elegans' Rhododendron, also blooming is 'Nova Zembla', a red cultivar.

'Globemaster' Alliums and Irises

Iberis, Dianthus, Irises, Azaleas

'Summer Snowflake' aka Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum

Clematis, Unknown Cultivar

This dogwood was purchased at Don Shadow's Nursery last May. It was supposed to be 'Little Princess', a dwarf white flowering variety. Big surprise! I like the red better though.

Japanese Snowball Bush, Viburnum opulus. This is going by now, especially with all the rain we've had.

Also blooming not pictured: zonal geraniums, catmint 'Walker's Low', heucheras, coreopsis, yellow twig dogwood, ninebark, Bulgaricum alliums, and other alliums (a post will come), white bleeding hearts, 'Darling' shasta daisies, 'May Night' salvia, 'Blue Hill' salvia, 'Miss Huff' lantana, bromeliad, Red hot pokers, Common sage, German chamomile, some unknown and fragrant lily that looks like a daylily, 'Barbatus' dianthus, goutweed, lily of the valley, hardy geraniums, sedum 'Acre', oxalis, silene 'Rolly's Favorite', heucheras, weigela, yellow foxgloves, amsonia 'Blue Star', 'Mouse Eared' coreopsis, Snow on the mountain, spiderwort, and love in a mist.

Changes from last year: strawberry begonia, delphiniums, evening primrose, bachelor buttons, and calycanthus are all not blooming and were this time last year.

There are a few new additions this year. They include: lantana, and 'Meadow Clary'.

I hope your Bloom Day is going great.

in the garden....