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Spring impressions

organicgardendreams

15 years ago

Hi everybody,

here are some pictures of my garden, most of them taken yesterday at the beginning of spring. My garden is still very young, but it gives me such a pleasure to watch how everything is growing and flowering, especially at this time of the year.

First bud of Pope John Paul II

Camelia Nuccio's Gem

Gunnera chilensis

Climbing Iceberg

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Iceberg

Guest

Dianthus 'Rosy Cheeks'

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Chrystal Fairy, my first rose flower this year on a very promising band from Heirloom

Garden scene front yard 1

Garden scene front yard 2

Thanks for looking!

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Comments (18)

lilgreenfrog
15 years ago
Wow, thanks for sharing! That camelia is really lovely; those smell wonderfully, yes?
I'm also very jealous of your visitor!

Lara
organicgardendreams
Original Author
15 years ago
lilgreenfrog - unfortunately this white camelia doesn't smell at all, but for me her perfect beauty makes up for that. There are some camelia varieties out there that have a great scent though, but not too many.
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Is the hydrangea really that shade of mixed pink and purple? (Sometimes colors don't photograph well.) If you want something short to puddle at the feet of the taller plants I could see Nierembergia, which might well winter over for you, though for me it's treated as an annual. A short Campanlua like 'Blue Clips' or 'White Clips' would serve the same function. Both have enough flower power in my experience to be seen from a distance if planted en masse but are well behaved and come in blue and white. If you want other spikier plants, there are some Campanulas like persicifolia that might work, though I don't know if seeding is a problem for them or if they have enough flowers for your use. This also is available in blue and in white. There are some shorter summer-blooming "tall" phlox on the market now that would be a bit shorter than the daylilies and would sort of match the shape of the hydrangea flowers, but later in the summer. Don't know what colors those come in. A shorter daylily in front might work also. Some of the yellow hostas seem fairly sun tolerant and might work here if deer aren't a problem for you, depending on how much shade your part shade is and what time of day. I find the yellow foliage stands out against the greens. My Siberian iris can be pretty stunning in mid to late spring and the foliage is neat the rest of the year, but it looks similar to the day-lilies as far as foliage. Some of the shorter rhodies and azaleas might look good here if you don't mind the short season of bloom and have the room. How tall are your daylilies? That's what has occurred to me so far - don't know if any of those meet your requirements and taste.
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zeffyrose
15 years ago
I love all your touches of spring----Delightful !!

Florence
kathy9norcal
15 years ago
Great photos! Looks like a red-tailed hawk--nice. Isn't it interesting how exciting buds can be before the blooms start? I take endless walks looking at the plants and find it fascinating.
A young garden means plenty of room left, lucky you!
Kathy
organicgardendreams
Original Author
15 years ago
Florence - thanks for your nice comment!

Kathy - thanks for your kind words!
It looks that we are alike, I also check my roses in the bud stadium at least daily and get a kick out of it!
You are right, I enjoy that with my young garden I am able to try some new roses, without feeling guilty, because I have no place to put them :-).
canadian_rose
15 years ago
I really miss that daily checking and anticipation of what is to come. Your pictures are most welcome! :)

Carol
bgrose
15 years ago
Spring is the best season together with autumn for me! Very lovely pictures, please post more :)
organicgardendreams
Original Author
15 years ago
Carol, I hope spring reaches your garden soon, so that you can start the "daily checking" yourself, again.

bgrose, my favorite season is definitively spring here in California!

The photos below are all taken taken today, around 2 weeks later than when the first pictures were shot. What a difference already, don't you think? In the meantime the buds of Our Lady of Guadalupe have already started to open. She is the first rose planted in the ground that flowers for me this year.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Garden scene front yard 1, Our Lady of Guadalupe to the left

Garden scene front yard 2
bgrose
15 years ago
Yes, very beautiful! your flowers become more and more beautiful every day!
senko
15 years ago
The color of your rose and carnation matches very well, which gives them both more substantial look. Well done. Very pleasant.
organicgardendreams
Original Author
15 years ago
bgrose, thank you for your kind comment!

senko, I am glad that you liked my combination of the rose with the dianthus'!
bgrose
15 years ago
Is the pink flower carnation or dianthus? When I saw it I thought it is carnation. I will check on the net now what the difference is.
gnabonnand
15 years ago
Really enjoyed these photos!

Randy
texaslynn
15 years ago
Beautiful flowers and photography! But I almost think my favorite is of the Guest! Truly magnificent! And it's funny that he is stuck in the middle of the flower shots....you're scrolling down looking at the flowers...and then Bam! A large bird appears!

I have Our Lady of Guadalupe too (not sure why I didn't put a picture of mine on my posting?!) and it is really one of my favorites. The coloring of the flowers is unusual among pinks, I think.

I love those carnations that you have - I'm not sure how they do here. I am always eyeing the "Grootendorst" (sp?) roses because they are supposed to have the carnation type blooms.

Happy Gardening (and now it's time for me to take a walk around the garden and check my buds and blooms! See what water hose I accidentally left on during the night. Why can't I remember anything anymore?)

Lynn
mashamcl
15 years ago
Great pictures! Do I see a variegated hebe on one of them? I love carnations, I wish I had more... How did you do the shot of OLOG with the dark background?
Masha
bethnorcal9
15 years ago
Beautiful pics! I love the camellia. That last photo, is that purple plant alstromeria? I have a red one, but would love to find purple!
organicgardendreams
Original Author
15 years ago
bgrose, I believe Dianthus is the name for the genus and carnation is the common name.

Randy, glad that you liked my photos!

texaslynn, thanks for your kind words. Carnations are pretty easy to grow for me here. As far as I know they like slightly alkaline soil and good drainage.

Masha, I am unfamiliar with variegated hebes, so maybe you mean the plant of my neighbor, peeking over the little wall?
Actually I didn't "do" the shot of OLOG with the dark background. It was just a lucky coincidence, that the palm growing behind the rose was shading her background. In reality the shade looked much lighter, but what you see on the photo is what my camera made out of the situation.

Beth, you are right the plant is an alstromeria. I was looking for that purple color for quite a while. The plant didn't do anything the first year, but this spring it is flowering its head off. I am hunting for a white alstromeria, now.

Below are some more photos of the same plants or areas of the front yard, taken in the last three days. I think the progress is astonishing, especially on the photo with the white irises now open!

Our Lady of Guadalupe with Dianthus 'Devon Rosy Cheeks'

Bearded iris 'Platinum'

My pest control: ladybugs

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Garden scene front yard 1

Garden scene front yard 2
mashamcl
15 years ago
Lovely pictures. Your border is very beautiful, I like the variety of plants and restrained colors (I can't do that!).

Masha

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