Your MAY 2023 highlights
Siberian Corydalis:
I really like this plant. And I like that is goes dormant sometime in June. The one in the picture is 2 feet wide and maybe 18" tall, 'squishing' against a Japanese Maple ;) and yet it will "vanish" in the next month.
Hellebores:
If I have a space in a shady locale and am not sure what I can squeeze in, in goes a hellebore ;)
A Brunnera (maybe Silver Heart?):
They always look so pristine this time of the year. (The one in the picture will span 3 feet.)
Maybe the only one of our lathyrus-latifolius which wasnt eaten down by rabbits :(.
Comments (64)
rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
11 months agoRelated Discussions
Spring Plant Swap 2023 SA May 13 11:00 Berthoud
Comments (22)Hi Alyssa, Here are the directions to private message me to get the address. BE SURE you have Private Messaging enabled on Houzz! To do that: Click on your screen name to go to your “profile page,” then, in the upper right corner hover over “Your Houzz,” then, in the drop-down menu click on “edit profile and settings.” From there, in the left side menu click on “advanced settings,” scroll all the way down to “privacy settings” and in the “who can message me” box, on the drop-down menu click on “allow anyone to message me.” Then click “update” on the bottom on the right side! Also, since houzz took over, when you PM somebody the person who receives the message will NOT get your personal email address unless you put it in the BODY OF THE MESSAGE, so when you send your PM to the host BE SURE you include your email address in the message! Thanks Arborwolf...See MoreShow Us Your Landscape and Gardens-A Photo Thread - May 2023
Comments (32)Marie, I love your Merry Bells. I just bought one of those and I’m looking forward to next year with it. It’s already past bloom right now and not in the ground yet. Sorry to hear about your Redbud. I had the same trouble with my Japanese Maple ‘Bloodgood’ this year for the first time. It has leafed out but a LOT of dead branches up there in the canopy. I’m going to try to keep it watered well this season which is not easy if we are not getting rain. How do you irrigate your garden? Love your Calycanthus. I added one a few years ago and it was small, it was still getting established and the rabbits ate it down to the ground over the winter. It has come back up and is about 8” high now, but I wonder what the point is if the rabbits will repeat that next year. Thanks for reminding us of Claire! The forum hasn’t been the same without her. I miss her ocean views and her birds, her kind thoughtful posts and her consistent participation. Deanna, Your Sagae looks great, compared to mine, that the rabbits have nibbled around a number of the leaves. Is ‘Blue Moon’ a woodland Phlox or Phlox paniculata? Poor Azalea! I feel like that is going to be my story with the rabbits and my Calycanthus. That ‘pot ghetto’ doesn’t look so bad. I had mine down to zero last year, but I’ve done a lot of transplanting and moving around this spring and I have one started again. Soon to have a LOT more added to it. [g] I’m so sorry that you are having trouble with posting to Houzz. Not in the least surprising, but sad, because there seems to be no hope of them straightening themselves out to offer a better experience. I continue to think they are short staffed and I won’t be surprised if we go to post one day and it doesn’t exist any more. I seem to be able to post and post photos without any issues. It’s only when I need to do a search of the forums that I start getting frustrated. Or try to use the messaging function. And my notifications on comments is hit or miss. But I use my laptop - an Apple. I know some people use a tablet. If you have one, it might work to post from there. I haven’t been posting in part because I’ve been too busy. I was able to hire someone to help in the garden and I have been able to tackle some projects that have been on the back burner for awhile. And I’ve been ripping apart some of my beds, so they haven’t really been great for photos. We are also in the process of getting some of our fencing replaced and I’m going to need to move a LOT of plants that will be in the way, that I don’t want to get trampled in the process. Which is not a bad thing, because it is along a border that needs a complete renovation any way. I’m almost finished with my front bed, except for a new vegetable area that I’m stuck on. I have to do something to protect it from rabbits and the ideas I had to do that are just not working out. But something will work out, it’s just time consuming and not the fun part of gardening. In the mean time I have opted to grow more vegetables in containers this year. My raised beds in the back are just not doing the job any more. Not enough sun, tree roots, and 9 year old wooden beds. That’s about it from here. I would take a few photos but it’s very windy here today. A nice breeze to sit out and enjoy the day but not great for photos. I’ll take some and start a June thread this week. Hope everyone is enjoying the Memorial Day weekend!!...See MoreWhat are you reading? May 2023 Edition
Comments (63)Rho, I did not care for Lessons in Chemistry at all. It was a silly attempt to shoehorn a classic autistic-but-goodhearted modern protagonist complete with 21st century feminist values into a 1960s setting. And some of the plot contrivances simply were impossible to accept Came here to share something I am happily absorbed in, a book recommended in the NYT summer reading guide. Courting Dragons is tons of Tudor mystery fun complete with a very winning protagonist. Will Somers was an actual person, King Henry VIII's fool, who served him for many years. The book makes Will the focus of a mystery in Henry's court, set during the King's Great Matter AKA the effort to get Henry divorced from his first wife Catherine of Spain so he could marry Anne Boleyn. Will is a terrific character-sharp witted, warm hearted with a VERY active bisexual love life which is a bracing new angle for fans of Tudor England LOL. Definitely recommend this for all of us who love books set during this period of history. Lots of details about life at court, personalities of the great nobles including the King, Anne etc. ETA: This is the first of a new series and the authors note says she is already working on the second book...See MoreMay 2023 Week 2
Comments (32)Impressive, Larry! Once again, I love how everyone has different gardening goals and reasons for gardening. All reasons are good. I would probably enjoy that large type of gardening if it was my fulltime job--and the produce was going to market. I'm not sure how any individual would have time to preserve all of that. Or even eat it all if they didn't have a large family. It IS impressive, tho. Jen, you do have a full day tomorrow. Our butternut squash and pumpkins and cucumbers have just popped up, so you're probably right on time for planting squash and cukes. I had some time this evening to keep clearing out the hoop house, which basically means inventing places to put things. The only things remaining are a couple of borage, Dawn's zinnias, one cup of basil from Rebecca and the basil from Megan. Oh, and a Heinz tomato-just one. As soon as I pull the lettuce and broccoli out of the hoop house beds, I'll put that Heinz in the hoop house. It's a determinate. I put Dawn's tomatoes at the end of the butternut squash and cantaloupe rows. Rick has a couple of superhot peppers left as well. Mostly things look really good. Some things are being chewed on, but I won't go into the details of that. Back in the day, this was a forum to troubleshoot with others, but not any longer. And that is okay. It's more of a conversational forum. My dumb foot flared up. It's not been this bad in nearly 5 years. I do NOT have time for this. The only treatment is rest. There's no time to rest. But, I did learn the hard way nearly 5 years ago, that if I push it, I'll end up unable to walk and stuck sitting on the couch. That was awful. I simply couldn't stand or walk without support. It's when I discovered Roots and Refuge, being unable to walk, I watched videos. I have been working but carefully. Asking Tom to carry things here and there to save me steps. Not exercising or walking Josi. Sitting more at my jobs. We're all planned up for our trip in a month. Our niece was going to stay at our house, but her brother (my nephew) is graduating from boot camp (or something like that) and they'll be going to San Antonio for that. Luckily, my neighbor is going to handle our animals. Josi is so neurotic, that I'm afraid to board her anywhere even with Jen. Diana is mean, Juno is also neurotic, Finbar and Sturgeon don't get along. But, my neighbor can handle it all. She has many animals herself. Rick will water the gardens if we don't get rain. Hopefully I won't lose any flowers in pots, etc. My Mom will come out on the days she's not at my nephew's graduation and will water those things. We really have to downsize on animals and rethink gardening. If E stays in Oregon, we'll be making trips there obviously. The chickens are the easiest. The dog is the hardest. So...no more dogs. And only one cat. In the future. We didn't get much rain last night. Maybe a 10th. Maybe not that much. Hoping for some rain over the next couple of days. I don't want to drag the hoses around with the stupid foot thing. I'm very distracted by work and our life changes,, but still am excited about the gardens. But, I have to be excited in my own way. Normally I cater to everyone in all areas of my life, but there's no time to do that this year. If someone is excited about something, they can be excited and I'll support them....but I cannot be actively involved in everything that everyone is excited about. If that makes sense. I'm having to say "no" to people a lot more than normal. Don't y'all hate that? Our daughter is currently in Venice. So pretty. Just left Tuscany--wow! There's a place to garden. So beautiful. Tomorrow is the OKC Flower and Garden Fest. I will be going even if Tom has to carry me around. I've been looking forward to this for months. Anyone else going?...See More
lovemycorgi z5b SE michigan
11 months ago
GardenHo_MI_Z5
11 months agoForgot to add my ‘Lavender twist’ weeping redbud. Started with a 12” stick : ) Not the best bloom this year due to heavy pruning last season. Next year should be better....
- rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) thanked lovemycorgi z5b SE michigan
- rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) thanked cecily 7A
HU-918119203
11 months agoDespite an overall disappointing peony year here, I did have one huge Itoth bud open the other day
rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) thanked HU-918119203
Markay MD-Zone 7A (8A on new map)
11 months agoSeed grown Dianthus ’Arctic Fire’ with Allium.
Dianthus ’Georgia Peach Pie’
Clematis ’Prince Charles’
Poppies
rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) thanked Markay MD-Zone 7A (8A on new map)rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
11 months agolovemycorgi z5b SE michigan
11 months agoTiarella “Sugar and Spice”. I’ve had it for several years, and it seems to be most happily sited in part-sun, about four or five hours a day.
rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) thanked lovemycorgi z5b SE michiganrouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
11 months agolovemycorgi z5b SE michigan
11 months agoMarkay MD-Zone 7A (8A on new map)
11 months agorusty_blackhaw
11 months agolovemycorgi z5b SE michigan
11 months agoGeum ”Totally Tangerine”. Hard to get a good photo of this beauty, it’s very pretty in person!
rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) thanked lovemycorgi z5b SE michigan
woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
11 months agorouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) thanked woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., CanadaGardenHo_MI_Z5
11 months agoAlliums are just starting....
Found my forgotten froggy in the garage : )
rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) thanked GardenHo_MI_Z5lovemycorgi z5b SE michigan
11 months agorouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
11 months ago
Esther-B, Zone 7a
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agoHere's my front yard, looking away from the rose bed. The hanging basket on the porch has a pink verbena which is coming on gangbusters and some pink dianthus. The unusual orange striped salvia in the window box on the narrow end of the porch is thriving, as is the now-blooming portulaca, its box-mate. The newly-repointed stone garden planter is still too newly planted for the residents to be peeking their heads above its walls. My yucca plant, planted last year, is now sporting two blooms-to-be, so I guess it likes its pot. My latest addition, the terracotta pipes I stuck into the ground, contain various succulent bloomers which are blooming their heads off. The little bed to the right of the porch has a Neon Flash and a Candy Corn dwarf spirea which are just starting to bloom. And on the far side of the "swoosh" bed is Magic Carpet dwarf spirea, already covered in pink blooms. Its buddy, Flutterby Fruiti Tutti buddleia, has grown a lavish set of leaves but no blooms yet. And the sod really took well, giving me a velvety carpet I have to mow every few days. My milk can cornucopia of lantana, dianthus, and marigolds is also thriving, as is the blue-green hosta on the porch. Have no idea of what variety that hosta is--looks like possibly Blue Angel. And finally blooming behind the milk can is my gaillardia, Arizona Sun.
rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) thanked Esther-B, Zone 7acecily 7A
11 months agoOpuntia growing in coastal NC. The opuntia that I see in Northern VA clay soil are pathetic little guys who look deflated until July (Hey buddy, who let the air out of your cactus?) but in NC beach sand they are truly happy.
Trash can included for scale.
rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) thanked cecily 7Arouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
10 months agoI can 'squeeze' in two more!
Liberty hosta 'muscling' in on Olsen's Frosted Strawberry Japanese Maple
Bloomerang Lilac:
lovemycorgi z5b SE michigan
10 months agoRoses and salvia looking pretty this morning, and Caesar’s Brother looking handsome against the backdrop of quickly expiring rhododendren blooms. (so hot here in SE Michigan!!)
rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) thanked lovemycorgi z5b SE michiganrouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
10 months agorouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
10 months agogetgoing100_7b_nj
10 months agoThanks rouge, it started out with 26 buds in its first flush! I have never had a more productive rose in a 3 gallon pot. And the color variation is a delight. I scored it from Lowes for $4 last fall. 😊 Now, if I could find a yellow/orange/red of similarly strong genetic makeup I would not kill 3/4 roses every year. Yes, the hydrangea is in a 10" hanging basket, trying to be purple this year. I got it as a blue one in a 6 inch pot from Trader Joe's early last spring. It didn't need a bigger pot when I checked in early spring but probably does now. I am trying to decide whether to defer it until the buds have had a chance to fully open.
rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) thanked getgoing100_7b_njCadence Nickelby
10 months agoCadence Nickelby
10 months agolast modified: 10 months agoGardenHo_MI_Z5
10 months ago
woodyoak