A Report on the Back Corner
In March , I blogged about the Northwest corner of my garden; an area that I purged over winter and fall, more than ready for a do-over . There has been progress, though slow primarily due to plant availability. I decided what I wanted here and for once I didn't waver from my design (term used loosely) due to gardeners impatience syndrome-a condition for which there is no cure but which can be managed with the all-natural medication known as Discipline.Discipline is readily available but often unpalatable. So, I ordered and waited. Mail order plants that come in spring can be small, but this was my expectation and the important thing was the vigor of the root system. No disappointment on that front.
Here is the area this evening..The most growth from the newbies has been Passiflora caerulea which is on the redwood trellis. I may live to regret this purchase, but I promised myself to be diligent in monitoring it's activity and taking action (up to and including removal) if needed. The dieback it will experience in winter I am hoping will keep it in check, and in fact if the winter is cold enough it may not survive. It wouldn't be the first Passion Vine I've lost to 20 degree temps.
In front of the Passion Vine is this triumvirate : Lobelia tupa at the top, Rudbeckia 'Green Wizard' next to the stake with the little blue flag, and at the bottom right Digitalis obscura 'Sunset Foxglove' . The unsightly soaker hose will be covered with mulch shortly.
A close-up of Lobelia tupa , such as it is at this point. I do confess to inspecting it frequently.
Looking from the opposite direction, the stakes are the potentially sites of Penstemon 'Raven' . The stake under the drooping variegated Wiegela was in an open position when I put it in the ground in March, so I expect only one will be planted at the stake in the foreground. There is another 'Raven' in this area but out of view in these photos as it was cut back very hard this winter and is still quite small. 'Raven' is dusky purple with a white throat ( the white throat seems to be variable) and I find it to be less floppy than P. 'Midnight' in my garden. The cute little mound in the center of the image is a variegated Lavender called 'Platinum Blonde' .This view can be seen from another angle in the top photo.
I hope to bring home P. 'Raven' this weekend - a trip out to Digging Dog Nursery is on the agenda for Saturday.
Here is the area this evening..The most growth from the newbies has been Passiflora caerulea which is on the redwood trellis. I may live to regret this purchase, but I promised myself to be diligent in monitoring it's activity and taking action (up to and including removal) if needed. The dieback it will experience in winter I am hoping will keep it in check, and in fact if the winter is cold enough it may not survive. It wouldn't be the first Passion Vine I've lost to 20 degree temps.
In front of the Passion Vine is this triumvirate : Lobelia tupa at the top, Rudbeckia 'Green Wizard' next to the stake with the little blue flag, and at the bottom right Digitalis obscura 'Sunset Foxglove' . The unsightly soaker hose will be covered with mulch shortly.
A close-up of Lobelia tupa , such as it is at this point. I do confess to inspecting it frequently.
Looking from the opposite direction, the stakes are the potentially sites of Penstemon 'Raven' . The stake under the drooping variegated Wiegela was in an open position when I put it in the ground in March, so I expect only one will be planted at the stake in the foreground. There is another 'Raven' in this area but out of view in these photos as it was cut back very hard this winter and is still quite small. 'Raven' is dusky purple with a white throat ( the white throat seems to be variable) and I find it to be less floppy than P. 'Midnight' in my garden. The cute little mound in the center of the image is a variegated Lavender called 'Platinum Blonde' .This view can be seen from another angle in the top photo.
I hope to bring home P. 'Raven' this weekend - a trip out to Digging Dog Nursery is on the agenda for Saturday.
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for your Lobelia tupa. It's such a stunning plant once it has established a big clump. My experience with it has been that it grows slowly. The whole "Sleep, Creep, Leap" thing that they say perennials do doesn't seem to apply. So far mine have been in the ground for 3 years, and they're still doing a lot of creeping. No sign of leaping yet.
ReplyDeleteIt's slow so far Alison, and I don't expect much this year. Hope the location works for it !
DeleteI'm impressed. I utterly lack discipline when it comes to gardening - I make regular resolutions, only to watch them collapse. However, like you, I do like to buy my plants in small sizes so that their roots have a good chance of healthy development before the plant takes off. I look forward to seeing how this area develops - it looks as though you're off to a good start.
ReplyDeleteI tried to focus for once here Kris. Maybe if everything turns out great I 'll be reformed !
DeleteDiscipline is such a tricky thing to imbibe isn't it? It's shaping very nicely Kathy and in no time at all the space will fill in and hopefully meet your expectations :)
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed! I'm monitoring all new plantings closely -so far the best outcome is the absence of weeds-small victories !
DeleteDiscipline is readily available? Not where I shop. Thank goodness!
ReplyDeleteThe Lobelia will be a sight, when it gains some size---as to the whole area--you did good!
Thanks Hoov...yeah it's available, but I don't often go down that aisle !
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