The Japanese maple made an abrupt disrobing this week, the costume landing prettily and obligingly over one of the 'problem' areas. The best this corner of the garden has looked all year, however fleeting.
Is that the Pacific Frost hellebore? And when are they going to breed a heuchera with leaves the color of your fallen maple leaves? Then again, maybe it's better to have that color for this one glorious moment.
Those who know me well are aware that I am somewhat child-phobic. My own offspring are now grown up-humans, and thrusting myself into situations where I am likely to encounter large herds of small fry is something I avoid. I make exceptions for Disneyland, because well, I love Disneyland. As a Disneyland aficionado I have a strong appreciation for well done 'pretend' environments.Last weekend after my visit to Deannes , I turned the rental car northward and headed for Boothbay Maine for a return visit to Coastal Maine Botanical Garden. My first visit was in July of 2009 , with my Idyll friends on the occasion of our annual summer get-together. At that point the garden had only been open 2 years, but had been in development since 1996. I was ready to return about ten minutes after we drove away in 2009. Since our visit there have been expansions and improvements to the gardens , among them was the Bibby and Harold Alfond Childrens Garden which opened in summer of 2010. Thou
In Ginny Davises' garden plants are incidental, providing calm green relief from the the color blast . Nothing is subdued here-starting with the house . Not sure I've seen so many cool birdhouses in one place .. A very restrained vignette. Heading up the stairs.
This was my weekend to perform my version of the Chelsea Chop, which in my garden involves cutting back all the spent spring stuff and deadheading the roses. Yard waste toters are full. I cut a lot of odds and ends for this weeks' vase- the Nigella seedheads are plentiful and in the dead middle I stuck a Allium christophii that had an encounter with (I suspect) a racoon, and along with a blob of chicken wire it provides the support for the arrangement I decided to try a few blooms I don't usually cut for vases-it will be interesting to see how they hold up. I'm especially interested to see what happens with the Phlomis -I have allowed that plant to get completely out of control and if the bloomed out flowers perform well they will make a good structural element all summer and into fall. The Phygelius 'Moonraker' is another of which I always have an ample (sometimes too ample) supply. The flowers on the plant don't hold that long, so I picked stems
That's beauty worth waiting for.
ReplyDeleteSure beats the tiny brown leaves our privet drops!
ReplyDeleteAll that variegation looks spectacular smothered in reds and yellows! It's hard for me to believe this is a problem area.
ReplyDeleteSaucy, this is the corner of my garden that gets way too much shade, thus a problem area !
ReplyDeleteThrow in some rich compost and embrace the shade loving plants! You've got a great start.
ReplyDeleteIs that the Pacific Frost hellebore? And when are they going to breed a heuchera with leaves the color of your fallen maple leaves? Then again, maybe it's better to have that color for this one glorious moment.
ReplyDelete