Showing posts with label rhododendron. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rhododendron. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up March: The Spring Garden Awakens!

Welcome March! 
Spring is arriving and it is an exciting time of year here in the northeast! I invite you to join me on a tour of my zone 7a Long Island garden for another Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and Foliage Follow-Up, the day of the month in which we all walk out into our gardens to see what surprises await. This has been one of the most unusual winters I can remember, with temperatures in the 60's in February, followed by our first and only accumulating snow of just two inches on February 28th, to a calm start to March with daytime temperatures fluctuating from the mid to upper 50's to the 40's and back again. To add a little excitement, a nor'easter with large sprawling snowflakes and enough snowfall to cover the garden came to us on the 14th, which was Mother Nature's way of saying, "I'm not done yet!" Even with the unpredictable weather, every day continues to bring new foliage, buds and blooms! Let's start the tour!
Crocus vernus ‘Flower Record’ 
The first stop is at the front garden berm where my favorite cluster of crocus in the garden grows, displaying a deeper purple bloom when compared to others. This variety is known as 'Flower Record' and it continues to thrive after many years.
Crocus vernus 'Remembrance 
In the back perennial border are Crocus vernus 'Remembrance' with their pretty lighter purple blooms to bring in spring!
Hellebore 'Champion' 
The various varieties of Hellebore have been blooming since the beginning of January. This variety is Helleborus 'Champion', which blooms from February through March and possibly into April.
Allium 'Globemaster' Coming up!
The Allium bulbs in the pool surround are coming up much earlier this year. This one is 'Globemaster', which will display large purple blooms in June, so keep on the look out!
Sedum Rosettes
Sedum 'Brilliant' is a wonderful plant even for its foliage, which emerges as mini rosettes in late winter-early spring. Deep pink blooms will appear in late summer.
Weeping Pussy Willow (Salix caprea 'Pendula')
A sure sign of spring are the fluffy white catkins on Weeping Pussy Willow. FUN FACT: Pussy Willow are dioecious, meaning they are either male or female. Male plants have larger catkins that open to expose longer filaments and more yellow looking flowers, while female plants have smaller, thicker catkins with greenish flowers.
Shade Garden! 
Venturing over to the shade area, here is Magnolia 'Royal Star' with a backdrop of Leucothoe 'Axillaris' and Golden Sweet Flag. The moss and lichens on the tree are much more prominent this year with the mild winter and will slowly disappear as the weather warms.
Happy Visitors!
In this same garden, the bird visitors keep me busy filling up the feeder on a regular basis, as they are loving their new seed mixture containing and assortment of seeds and nuts for some culinary delight!
Nandina 'Obsession' 
Moving along to the back foundation garden is a combination of Dwarf Cryptomeria and Nandina 'Obsession'. The foliage of this dwarf form of  Nandina has been a vibrant orangey-red all winter.
Rhododendron Buds! 
Back in the pool surround is Rhododendron 'Elegans', as it prepares for its early spring bloom!
Black Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus)
Here is Black Mondo Grass in a planter in the back perennial-patio border. Mondo Grass remains evergreen all winter and in early spring I remove any damaged foliage to allow for new growth.
Pieris 'Cavatine' Buds!
In the back raised island bed, Pieris 'Cavatine' is getting ready to show off its beautiful white bell-shaped blooms in early spring, while the structure and foliage of Weeping White Pine keep the garden going all year long. 
Weeping White Pine and Golden Japanese Sedge in Pool Garden
The Golden Sedge seems to have taken a beating this year with the fluctuating temperatures, but should pop back up in spring. Once the temperatures warm up, I will remove any damaged foliage so that new foliage can emerge. HELPFUL TIP: Golden Japanese Sedge remains evergreen in zones 6-9 and does not get cut back, except for the removal of winter damaged foliage.
Daylilies Emerging! 
Another early arrival this year is Hemerocallis (or Daylily). Along the back patio, you can already see clumps of green foliage emerging above the ground!
Front Lawn
As we come to the end of our stroll, here is a March view the front lawn with Blue Atlas Cedar, and a glimpse of the front walkway. This is perhaps the last glance of the bright red bark of Coral Bark Maple before its foliage arrives.
Front Walkway
As outdoor blooms become more widespread, new blooms continue in the indoor garden. 
Indoor Garden: Thanksgiving Cactus Still Blooming!
The Thanksgiving Cactus has continued to bloom throughout winter and into spring, putting on quite a show...
Indoor Garden: Echeveria Blooming!
and the succulents are blooming too! Here is Echeveria with its orange bell-shaped flowers.
Indoor Garden: More Succulent Blooms!
The new planter I created over the winter with a combination of succulents is thriving in the bright west facing window and it is fun to watch flower stalks appear, followed by delicate white blooms!
Thanks for Visiting!
I hope you enjoyed your visit to my March garden and as always, I look forward to your comments and seeing what you have growing in your garden! Special thanks go out to our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who had hosted Foliage Follow-Up, a meme I will continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday FotosFriday Bliss at Floral Passions, Macro Monday 2, Mosaic Monday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf, Nature Notes at Rambling WoodsImage-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday with NC Sue and Gardens Galore Link Up Party every other Monday with Everyday Living. I am also happy to join the Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden. Wishing all a wonderful 2023 planting season with gardens that thrive!

IN THE NEWS:  It's that time of year for the Great Grow Along Virtual Garden Festival running from March 10th to the 19th. You can still register for an abundance of gardening workshops and tours. Search for “The Great Grow Along Virtual Garden Festival” to register for this free conference. Gardens make the world a better place!

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

This Month in the Garden: Welcome LI Master Gardeners!-May 18th. Garden Tour

LI Master Gardeners Tour

Welcome to This Month in the Garden! The month of May was an exciting time here in my Long Island garden as the tour that had been planned before co-vid by the Long Island Master Gardeners had finally taken place. The Long Island Master Gardeners (LIMG) is a non-profit organization dedicated to uniting those interested in gardening while educating its members and the public about the importance of horticulture. The organization is involved in the improvement of the surrounding communities of Long Island in the establishment and/or maintenance of public gardens and runs regular monthly meetings for its members. After a long time of planning, the morning of May 18th ended up being one of the nicest days we have had with blue skies and comfortable temperatures for visitors to enjoy a tour of my  personal property here in zone 7. The weather had been cool, but a few blooms opened just in time for viewers passing by.
Greeting the Visitors
Introduction

Chat and Breakfast Time
More Garden Chat & The Tour Begins!

Front Island Bed
The front island bed consists of a Weeping Norway Spruce as the focal point, with dwarf Cryptomeria, Dwarf Norway Spruce, Slowmound Mugo Pine, Osmanthus, Hosta, Spirea, Dwarf Japanese Andromeda and Anna's Magic Ball Arborvitae.
Front Lawn
Two Weeping Japanese Maple trees are along the front street, Acer Acer palmatum dissectum 'Tamukeyama' and Acer palmatum dissectum 'Viridis'. Each one is now approximately 7-8' feet tall.
Front Lawn & Walkway
Here I tell visitors the story of how I brought home this Blue Atlas Cedar in the back seat of a Ford Probe back when I first started off as a landscape designer. It was five foot tall back then and now reaches over 30 feet.
Patio Herb Garden Rosemary Blooms!
The Rosemary bush along the back patio was blooming for visitors to see...
Back Patio (False Indigo)

and Baptisia (False Indigo) was blooming as well.
Back Pool Area (Allium Globemaster)
Here is Allium 'Globemaster' blooming for the month of May. Behind the Allium is Spirea 'Limemound'. The Allium is surrounded by Daylily so that when the lower leaves of the ornamental onion die back, the foliage of the Daylily camouflages it.
Back Island Bed
Along the back island bed is Crape Myrtle 'Sioux', Juniperus 'Gold Lace' and Hinoki Cypress 'Compacta', with Blue Globe Spruce in the foreground along the back walkway.
Shade Garden
In the back shade part of the garden, Rhododendron and Azalea are in bloom...
Pool Garden
and here is a broad view of the back lawn.
Patio Garden
Here we are by the patio garden discussing the care of Japanese Golden Sedge, Osmanthus and Salvia...
Plant Talk!
and the plant talk continues...
The Tour Continues-Question/Answer Time

Gardening News & Wrap Up
I hope you enjoyed This Month in the Garden! I was honored to be selected to show my property and enjoyed every moment chatting about plants with like minded individuals! Be sure to stop by on the 1st. and 15th. of each month as I continue to share gardening tips, information and horticultural adventures! 
May 18th. Garden Tour

🌳Visit the Long Island Master Gardeners website for more information.

Saturday, June 15, 2019

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow Up June 2019: Blooms, Blooms, Blooms!

Welcome to my June Garden!
Welcome to the month of June in my Long Island garden. It's a busy time of year, but I try to embrace as much time as possible in the garden. As daily temperatures rise up into the 70's, with frequent night time precipitation, there is something new to enjoy every day and as you know, the garden is what brings me joy. I am so glad you could stop by and visit. Come along and take a look!
Perennial Border June
The perennial border really comes to life in June with Peony 'Bartzella', Salvia 'May Night' and Lamb's Ear, followed in procession by Astilbe, Daylily and Coneflower. The Astilbe will start flowering any day now, as you can see a pink glow to the flower stalks which rise above the foliage.
Itoh Peony 'Bartzella'
A few years back I purchased Itoh Peony 'Bartzella', which is a cross between a herbaceous and tree form of Peony. It displays long-lasting large yellow blooms with a golden-orange center on sturdy stalks. It is by far one of the most enjoyable plants I have in my garden. While I love all my plants equally, this addition provides so much joy from the end of May into mid-June.
Itoh Peony 'Bartzella' Blooms
Here are the blooms closer up.
Japanese Kousa Dogwood 'Greensleeves'
Next is Japanese Kousa Dogwood 'Greensleeves'. This is a newer hybrid of Japanese Dogwood that I became familiar with just a few years back, and of course, I had to have one! It produces a profusion of lime-green blooms during the month of June.

Kousa Dogwood 'Greensleeves' Blooms
The dainty blooms resemble stars and remain on the tree for several weeks, so there is much to enjoy here.
Hosta 'Frances Williams'
This 'Frances Williams' Hosta is located just behind the Dogwood tree. I just realized that it has doubled in size over the past couple of years, probably due to all the rain we have been getting. It now measures two and a half feet in diameter!
Iris Garden
I have made mention of my mother's iris garden in the past and even wrote about it in my latest book, Dream, Garden, Grow! The iris garden exists on the eastern side of the property where my mom had planted it while I was a child. Over the years, some ferns have sneaked their way in, but the original iris still remain. I wouldn't part with it for the world and it is a constant reminder of my mom.
Spirea 'Magic Carpet'
Here is Spirea 'Magic Carpet'. It fits its name perfectly with its array of changing colors of foliage from spring to fall, accompanied by large shocking pink blooms. It puts on quite the show!
Knock Out Rose 'Radrazz'
June is a wonderful time for Knock Out Rose 'Radrazz' with its first fragrant blooms, which can be enjoyed from the moment I walk out onto the patio. I have always believed in the saying that one should always "take time to smell the roses", so I make it a regular routine to do just that. These blooms will repeat themselves all the way through fall.
Pool Surround Garden

The pool was opened just a couple of weeks ago and is ready for summer. I have been tending to the garden doing the routine pruning and weeding. Every year the Weeping Japanese Maple cascades its branches over the juniper below, so some minor trimming is on the to-do list! 
Rhododendron and Azalea

The Rhododendron and Azalea in the backdrop of the pool garden just got finished blooming, but I had to include a view of how they looked. 

Ilex 'Sky Pencil'
Newly added are the Sky Pencil Holly in the pool surround garden. The spirea took a hit with the extreme cold we experienced over the past winter, so it was time for something new. I am enjoying their narrow form, as they are perfect for viewing the foliage of Heuchera 'Caramel' behind them. Next, we need a little mulch refreshing!
Ilex 'Sky Pencil' June Blooms

I never realized that these narrow holly formed pretty little buttercup-like blooms that are inconspicuous until you approach the plant.

Allium 'Globemaster' June
Coming around to the front of the pool garden, Allium 'Globemaster' is making its statement with its large purple balls of star-like blooms, which last from May to July.
Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake'
Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake' is showing off its delicate flowers that resemble snowflakes. This shrub will produce on and off blooms throughout the summer.

Skylands Golden Oriental Spruce

Here is Skyland's Golden Oriental Spruce on the other side of the garden, joined by Azalea and Shadowland Hosta.
Double Red Knock Out Rose
The roses are blooming...the roses are blooming. Here are the Double Red Knock Outs on the northern fence (with southwestern exposure!)
Succulent Planter 2019

Before we end the tour, come check out my use of strawberry planters. Every year I enjoy making up succulent displays for the patio by combining the foliage of Sempervivum along with various species of Sedum. It's fun to just go to the nursery. select a bunch of plants and just play!  I usually produce two planters, one for each side of the patio.
Succulent Planter 2019

Here is the second planter with some other foliage combinations. Each species of Sedum will also produce blooms throughout the season. Each of these low maintenance planters require minimal watering and will provide interest all summer and into fall.
Thank you for Visiting!

I hope you enjoyed the tour of my June garden! Thank you for visiting! Special thanks go out to our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who has hosted Foliage Follow-Up for all these years, a meme I will still continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Macro Monday 2, Mosaic Monday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf, Nature Notes at Rambling WoodsDishing It & Digging It on Sunday with Angie the Freckled RoseImage-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday with NC Sue and Gardens Galore Link Up Party every other Monday with Everyday Living. I am also happy to join the Homestead Blog Hop  and Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays.

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Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2019. All rights reserved.