Captivating Clematis…. in my Garden

Oh, the lovely captivating simplicity of a clematis bloom. How can anyone resist this elegant yet tough vine growing up a trellis, embracing a climbing rose, or meandering through small trees, shrubs or perennials in your garden. This versatile vine can even be grown in containers, given routine care and choosing the right variety. And to top things off, if you cut their flowers for indoor arrangements they will last for days. Of course, with so many beautiful clematis to choose from, I’m sure any gardener would likely be able to find the right one(s) to grow in their garden.

Well, I certainly couldn’t resist this ‘Queen’ of vines. Hence, I have once again embarked on another plant obsession, adding already to my rose, conifer and Japanese Maple one. These last couple of years I’ve planted more than 50 clematis (the majority I got from Dan Long, at Brushwood Nursery) and somethings tells me I’ll be adding more of these beautiful charming vines to my garden in the future.

Naturally, since I already have several vertical elements in my garden, clematis seemed an obvious plant choice for me to explore—here’s a peak of a few of them….

Kordes climbing rose ‘Laguna’ and Clematis “Gipsy Queen’

One of the most stunning and largest of the viticellas is Clematis viticella ‘Venosa Violacea‘. Very dramatic in my garden with its contrasting purple-violet and white flowers. Lovely!

Clematis viticella ‘Venosa Violacea’

Clematis ‘Niobe’

Clematis integrifolia ‘Rooguchi‘ has captured my heart…. lovely ink blue flowers shaped like a hanging bell.

Clematis integrifolia ‘Rooguchi’

Clematis ‘Nelly Moser’

Large flowering clematis “Crystal Fountain’

Wow! Clematis ‘Crystal Fountain‘ is blooming beautifully in my garden right now.

The flowers are spectacular- 4 to 5 inches wide with a frilly center (resembling a fountain-like spray) against its rich lavender blue star shaped flowers.

Blooms May-September in my Zone 7b garden.

‘Crystal Fountain’

Clematis ‘Ruutel’

Large flowered Clematis ‘Ruutel’ has simply shaped red flowers that blend well with my autumn ferns.

C. ‘Ruutel’

Clematis texensis ‘Princess Diana’

Clematis texensis ‘Princess Diana‘ has stunning deep redish pink flowers.

The exquisite tulip-shaped flowers are a fine tribute to the late princess.

C.texensis “Princess Diana’

C. ‘Victoria’ and C. viticella ‘Etoile Violette’

The striking combination of Clematis ‘Victoria’ and C. vitcella ‘Etoile Violette‘ climbing up one of my many large pine trees…makes for a nice camouflage don’t you think?

C. ‘Victoria’ and ‘Etoile Violette’

Clematis ‘Rouge Cardinal’

Clematis x ‘Starry Nights’

Beautiful massive 8 inch bicolor blooms on a relatively new variety-Vancouver Starry Nights Clematis. I have Starry Nights growing in a large container that’s placed next to a trellis.

C. viticella ‘Etoile Violette’ and ‘Grande Dame rose

Growing up my stone arbor is C. viticella ‘Etoile Violette’ elegantly accompanied by the nodding blooms of Hybrid Tea rose ‘Grande Dame’.

In all honesty, I’ve just begun my journey with growing clematis so I will confess that I’m no expert. I just plant them in good amended soil, give them reasonable moisture, a good organic fertilizer and shade their roots and they are pretty happy. At least that’s what works for me in my Zone 7b garden.

2013 06 01_9629 copy

For more information on selecting and growing clematis check out these links:

http://www.clematisinternational.com/index.html

http://www.gardenvines.com/

http://www.clematisqueen.com/

Growing my Roses—Up, Up and Away ….

May27

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Climbing rose ‘Don Juan’

For many years in my garden, I have been dealing with the challenge of growing roses with the forces of nature in its ‘animal‘ form. The deer, rabbits, voles, moles and those rascal squirrels, have caused a lot of frustration to this gardener. It was very disheartening to have lovely blooms or fresh new growth on my rose bush one day only to have it completely devoured by the next day. Sometimes, I could hardly believe my eyes– one day my rose garden was full of colorful blooms and the next it becomes just a bunch of lifeless sticks!

Thankfully, due to those first hand formative years, I’ve learned how to control some of these ‘hungry rascals’. One way is by faithfully applying deer repellant (Plantskydd is a good organic one) to all my roses. This can become costly and very time consuming but it does seem to work.

Another way, which I did often in my previous gardens, was to venture into the world of vertical gardening. Roses are especially at their most dramatic when they are growing up and spilling over a vertical support. It evokes a feeling of romance and antiquity to my garden and keeps them out of harms way from my ‘rose eating predators’.

So, I’ve slowing started investing in vertical structures to add to my garden. Mostly arbors, trellises, and obelisks. Many of my trellises and obelisks were purchased online and a few of the wrought iron arbors I had custom made as to add to the architectural flair of my home and garden. Presently, I’ve got four arbor structures, four obelisks and several trellises, as well as, eye hooks and fishing line for my three ‘Don Juan’ climbing roses. I’m sure I’ll add more over the years, but for now my climbing roses are safe…that is until the Japanese beetles arrive!

Here’s a few photos of my roses climbing these vertical structures in all their splendor and glory this beautiful month of May….

Beautiful climbing rose Eden graces my wrought iron arch once you enter into my backyard. Eden climbs on one side while a newly planted Lady Ashe is being trained up the other.

Climbing rose ‘Eden’

Climbing rose ‘Lady Ashe’

Hybrid Musk rose 'Buff Beauty' gracing one of my three obelisks.

Hybrid Musk rose ‘Buff Beauty’ gracing one of my four obelisks.

Climbing here on another wrought iron arch is Kordes climbing rose ‘Laguna’. These photos do her no justice. She is a beauty!

Kordes climbing rose ‘Laguna’

I’ve planted purple clematis ‘Gyspy Queen’ to accompany her…

Kordes climbing rose ‘Laguna’ and clematis ‘Gypsy Queen’

This arch was attached to the stone pillars of my upper deck area. ‘Laguna’ is being grown on both sides in large containers.

’Don Juan’ climbing up my front entrance archway. Eye hooks and fishing line were used to attach the canes.

Climbing rose ‘Don Juan’

Making a spectacular display each spring is my lovely climbing rose ‘New Dawn’. Her romantic presence will always be welcome in my garden….

‘New Dawn’

Free standing trellises were installed by my husband and I for her to climb upon. Later, eye hooks and fishing line are put in place to keep her in bounds….

Double arch planted with climbing roses: ‘Rev d’Or’ and Kordes ‘Golden Gate and ‘Moonlight’.

You would never guess that I purchased this double arch only two years ago. The climbing roses were only 3 feet tall when I planted them but with the faithful application of HavenBrand Manure and Alfalfa tea these climbing roses grew by leaps and bounds!

Rev d’Or

Climbing rose ‘Moonlight’ (Kordes)

Climbing rose ‘Golden Gate’ (Kordes)

Double arch, ‘ New Dawn’ and ‘Laguna in background.

Red climber growing up a trellis and spilling over my stone wall.

Climbing ‘Iceburg’ growing against a trellis.

Thanks to vertical gardening I can enjoy my roses for years to come.

Sorry my furry friends, but I’ve outsmarted you this time….

May GBBD is Coming Up Roses…in my Garden

May16

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‘Lady Ashe’ climbing Hybrid Tea

David Austin ‘Benjamin Britten’ shrub rose

‘Iceburg’

Miniature rose ‘Diamond Eyes’

Climbing rose ‘Eden’

‘Distant Drums’ shrub rose

Climbing rose ‘Moonlight’ (Kordes)

Kordes Climbing rose ‘Laguna’

Climbing rose ‘Golden Gate’ (Kordes)

Floribunda rose ‘Love Song’

Climbing Noisette rose ‘Rev’d'Or’

David Austin ‘Evelyn’

‘Compassion’ climbing rose in full bloom

‘Marie Pavie’ Polyantha rose

Hybrid Tea ‘Moonstone’

Many thanks to Carol at May Dream Gardens for

hosting Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day

Carol at May Dreams Gardens

Flirting in my Garden….my Fringe Tree

May9

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Nobody likes a show-off but in this case I’ll make an exception. All week my Fringe trees have been grabbing everybody’s attention with their showy creamy white blossoms flirting in the breeze- even glowing in the evening under the moonlight…

~Fringe tree~

Size: 8-20 feet tall, 8-10 feet wide

It is found in USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9.

Bloom time: Flowers from April to May with masses of beautiful drooping white flowers

Exposure: Full sun to partial shade; seems to perform well with some afternoon shade in my Zone 7b garden.

Excellent in a woodland garden

A new addition to my garden this spring is Chionanthus retusus ‘Tokyo Tower’ Chinese Fringe tree. Perfect for smaller gardens or tight spaces. I have mine planted at the edge of my ‘moonlight’ garden surrounded by my Annabelle and Snowflake hydrangeas, white camellia, Casa Blanca lilies and other white flowering shrubs and flowers.

Wordless Wednesday…. early evening blooms in my garden….

Apr24

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‘Love Song’ Floribunda rose

‘Love Song’ Floribunda rose

‘Bee’s Knees’ Miniature rose

‘Mystic Beauty’ Bourbon rose

One of my ‘Don Juan’ climbers

Alluring me into my garden…. the spring colors of my Japanese Maples and Conifers

Apr23

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Planting season has arrived in my zone 7b garden. I’ve been working hard these last few weeks designing and planting the many flower beds and containers in my garden.

Of course, there is still so much to do (there always is) but this spring I’ve been drawn to the amazing colors that my Japanese maples and conifers are showcasing. In order to capture their alluring brilliance, I decided to take a breather from gardening today so I could share a few photos with you.

I do believe their colors are simply amazing this spring….what do you think?

Above and below photos: Acer palm. ‘Baldsmith‘, Acer palm.”Ornatum‘, Acer palm. ‘Twombley Red‘, Acer palm. ‘Mikawa yatsubusa‘, Acer palm. ‘Beni otake’, Acer palm. ‘Oku Kuji Nishiki’, Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Saligna Aurea‘, Cupressus leylandi ‘Golconda‘, Picea abies ‘Frohburg‘, Picea omorika ‘Pendula Bruns’, Juniperus chinensis ‘Daubs Frosted‘, Weeping Blue Atlas cedar, Pinus strobus ‘Niagara Falls‘, Chamaecyparis nootkatensis.

Trees in the foreground are: Acer palm. ‘Shishigashira‘, FringeTree, Acer palm. ‘Watnong‘.

Acer palm. ‘Bloodgood‘, Cedrus deodara ‘Feelin Blue‘, Picea orientalis ‘Skylands’.

Large dissectum ‘Crimson Queen‘.

Acer palm. ‘Waterfall’, Acer palm. ‘Baldsmith‘ Acer palm. ‘Beni Otake’, Formosa azaleas.

Cedrus deodara ‘Sanders Blue‘, Chinese Snowball viburnum.

Acer palm. ‘Koto no ito‘, Acer palm. ‘Bloodgood’, Cedrus deodara ‘Feelin Blue’.

Acer palm. ‘Koto no ito’ leafing out in my garden. ‘Koto no ito’ means ‘Harp Strings‘ given that name due to the very fine linearlobum leaves. This Japanese maple is a new addition to my garden. An upright graceful tree that I’m sure will become a favorite.

Acer palm. ‘Twombley Red‘ keeps its red color even during the summer.

Acer palm. ‘Oku Kuji Nishiki‘, Formosa azalea.

Acer palm. ‘Oku Kuji Nishiki’ is a lovely variegated JapMaple.

Above and below photos: Acer palm. ‘Red Feathers’. The photo above is back-lit by the late afternoon sun giving ‘Red Feathers’ a glow. A collector’s specimen in my garden. Lovely.

Acer palm. ‘Shishigashira‘ translates into lions head. It’s branches are covered in curly leaves. Another new addition to my garden. A fine specimen.

Acer palm. ‘Orange Dream’

Acer palm. ‘Beni otake‘, Acer palm.”Ornatum‘, Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Saligna Aurea‘, Weeping Blue Atlas cedar, Pinus strobus ‘Niagara Falls‘, Chamaecyparis nootkatensis , cedrus deodara ‘Snow Sprite, Tsuga Canadensis, Picea abies ‘Pusch‘.

Well, I’ve given you a peak of just a few of the Japanese Maples and conifers that I grow in my garden. I have over 38 Japanese maples and well over a hundred conifers in my landscape. Yes, I am a Conehead’ and ‘Maplehead’. Perhaps sometime during the hot and humid dog days of summer, when I limit my time working in the garden, I’ll find the time to go through my photo catalog so I can designate a blog post just for identifying many of the other specimen conifers and maples I have in my landscape.

Till next time- Happy gardening!

Blooming now …..climbing rose ‘Don Juan’

Apr19

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In bloom right now in my garden is the lovely ‘Don Juan’ climber. I have several growing against the brick exterior of my home. Two are gracing the archways of my front entrance and the third is climbing up an exterior wall on the side of my home. All are just starting to show the beginnings of their spring flush. It’s taken three years of cane growth to get them to the point were I can espalier them against the house. Definitely worth the wait. I think this year ‘Don Juan’ will give me a dazzling show!

Climbing rose ~Don Juan~

{1958}

Large flowered Climber

Growing Zones: USDA growing Zones 6b thru 9b

Mature Plant Height: 12 ft. to 14 ft.

Petal Count: 30-35 petals

Fragrance: intense perfume

Bloom Time: Repeats, blooms in flushes throughout the season

Highlights: Sensational velvety crimson blossoms and dark green foliage. The flowers have a hybrid-tea form appearing both singly and in clusters. One of my absolute favorite red climbers for my Zone 7b garden.

GBBD…A TuLiP SpRiNg FLiNG….in my Garden

Apr15

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My dazzling tulips are having their annual ‘Spring Fling’ in my garden. I must admit, I wasn’t sure how many of the tulips I planted (see post here http://www.thegracefulgardener.com/?p=3336) would be participating in my ‘Spring Fling.’ Not to my surprise, the deer decided to have a party of their own this year by eating many of my tulip buds as their gourmet main course! (Note to self: Next year put out deer repellant in February not March.)

However, lucky for me I planted around 1200 tulips, 650 were gobbled up by the deer, but that still left me with several hundred to share with you. Even though my tulip blossoms are fleeting- many blooms just lasting a few weeks- it’s still something I look forward to every year in my garden.

Here’s a peek…..

Many thanks to Carol at May Dream Gardens for

hosting Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day

http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/search/label/garden%20bloggers%20bloom%20day

Profiled by Author/Writer Rona Simmons: An Artful Gardener – Brenda Addington | Women @ Word

Mar31

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An Artful Gardener – Brenda Addington

~ by rona simmons

A Discriminating Eye and a Garden Trowel

(An Essay by Rona Simmons)

I visit gardens when I travel, whether they are public gardens, private gardens, arboretums, nurseries (not the box stores but the old-fashioned kind, the ones owned by people with rough hands and dirt under their nails), garden exhibitions, or even local enthusiasts’ plant sales. These venues are marvelous places, full of beauty and inspiration and often a kindred, sometimes eccentric, spirit, or two, meandering about. Rarely do I leave without an idea to implement in my own garden.
As you might expect, I’m smarter now than when I first began my garden journeys.
At the outset, like other novices, I’d return from a foray with a new plant in hand and sink it into what I deemed to be its rightful place in the garden. With a minimum of effort (including those tiresome but no less important things like weeding, watering, pruning and fertilizing), a modicum of time, and a large dollop of good fortune, nature rewarded me when she chose with wondrous blooms.
My garden awakening came with the purchase of my third or fourth treasure. Suddenly I realized I had to take a step back and consider the larger picture—the canvas, you might say.
Did the color of the new rose, or camellia, or azalea compliment the established ones? Would they bloom at the same time, exploding in one single burst of riotous color but leaving me with nothing but dried leaves and bare boughs in the long winter months ahead? Would they surprise me with something new each time I ventured into the garden, heralding the circle of seasons? Was the arrangement defying the principles of design or did it adhere to the tyranny of triangles?
Sinking further into my self-imposed form of madness, I began to obsess over textures, scents, and associations. Was there variety in my garden—magnolias with their wide, glossy leaves and boughs studded with lemon-scented summer flowers that spoke of the old south as well as pines, three and five-needled cultivars with cones to collect and toss on a winter night’s fire? Were there pathways through my garden that drew the visitor’s eye, teasing them to take a first step then another, tantalizing and engaging them?
I came to realize that I wasn’t merely gardening. I was creating a work of art–a painting on a canvas of earth, a short story in colors and textures and living things. For inspiration, I sought role models from a different sort of gardener, those with a discriminating eye and experience with a trowel. Artists who garden.

Fortunately, I have had the privilege to come to know one particularly artful gardener, Brenda Addington. Brenda approaches her garden as an artist first. She brings to it both an inherited sense of grace and craft from her father, a highly skilled artisan in another media, and her own eye for color and line.

She is not one to sit inside and admire her garden through the window. I know. On one of the coldest days of the year, I found her planting a few of the thousands of bulbs she had special ordered, just the right colors for just the right spaces. In the spring, if she’s not tending to the dozens of containers that accent her garden, she’s photographing them for her website or blog. And, in the fall, she’s likely to be constructing a cascade of pumpkins on the stairs leading from her front door to her garden.

Brenda’s garden embodies all of the aspects of an artful garden. It is a delight for the senses. Her colors flow, huge white blooming Annabelle hydrangeas yield to beds of pink Angelique then mutate again to a stand of mauve tulips. Her textures weave together seamlessly—a burnished iron frog sits above delicate tendrils of a Mandevilla vine in one corner, peach-colored roses soften the blue needles of a deodar cedar in another, and, in a far recess, a stone bridge carves a path to the graceful threads of a lime-green conifer.

Try as I might, my garden just never quite measures up. Thankfully, Brenda does not live too far away allowing me the opportunity from time to time to view what she has created and see where I’ve gone wrong.

- – – -

Note: All photos courtesy of Brenda Addington.

via An Artful Gardener – Brenda Addington | Women @ Word.

My ‘Fantastic Foliage’ Container–a Finalist winner for Fine Gardening’s 2012 Container Design Challenge….

Mar23

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For the second year in a row, one of my containers has been a finalist in Fine Gardening’s - ‘Fantastic Foliage’ 2012 Container Design Challenge.

Please check out my container and many other beautiful containers created by other finalists, as well as, the winner in Fine Gardening’s May/June 2013 issue .

http://www.finegardening.com/item/26815/2012-container-design-challenge-results-fantastic-foliage/page/all

My container selected as finalist for Fine Gardening’s 2012 Container Design Challenge ‘Fantastic Foliage’ .

Here’s more of my containers : http://www.thegracefulgardener.com/?p=2854

‘HaPpY SpRinG’ from my garden to yours…

Mar20

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Painting my Garden with Beautiful Roses ( Part I)…. ‘My Pretty in Pink’ Roses

Mar5

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Over the years, I have planted many, many roses in my garden, painting it in a rainbow of colors. My rose collection consists of several Climbers, Floribunda’s, Hybrid Tea’s, Noisettes, Polyantha’s, Bourbons, Hybrid Musks and Shrub roses. Most of these roses have been in my garden for several years, while some I’ve just planted recently. My inventory topples well over a hundred roses which is quite a challenge for I live in deer territory. Weekly spraying of deer repellant is a necessity to keep my roses from becoming their smorgasbord! This weekly technique seems to be working, even though the deer repellent does leave an unsightly residue on the foliage of my roses, but at least I have an abundance of blooms.

David Austin- ‘Huntington Rose’

Since I’ve been growing and tending roses for over 2o years, I have learned a few things regarding the selection of roses for my garden: They must have good disease resistance (I don’t spray chemicals, organic girl here), they must be tolerant of my hot and humid Zone 7b climate, and if possible, they must give me lots of blooms during their growing season (there are a few exceptions of course for the must-have one time bloomers). Sometimes, my roses are selected for their color, as to blend into my existing landscape.

I use only organic fertilizer’s on my roses during their growing season. My favorites are: Mill’s Magic Mix, Fish emulsion and Haven Brand Manure Tea which I brew in 5 gallon containers. I also occasionally use mushroom compost and horse manure .

My rose collection adds an aura of Southern charm to my garden with their endless combination of colors— from the lovely pinks and charming peach and apricots, to the the purest whites and creams, to the brightest reds, oranges and yellows which add an explosion of drama to my landscape.

Here are some of the roses that I grow in my garden that I have categorized by color and in multiple posts:

My ‘Pretty in Pink’ Roses

(Pink, pale pink, deep pink)

‘Queen Elizabeth’- medium pink Grandiflora. Size: 5-10′h x 3′w. Zone: 5-9.

‘Queen Elizabeth’- medium pink Grandiflora. Size: 5-10′h x 3′w. Zone: 5-9.

‘Queen Elizabeth’ has won more awards than most modern roses, including, in 1978, the World Federation of Rose Societies ‘World’s Favorite Rose’. I have two of these and they stand majestically in my garden reaching 7 or 8 feet . The flowers are hybrid tea in shape borne in large clusters in a warm pale pink color . Great for the back of the border. Beautiful rose that repeats well.

‘New Dawn’ Climbing rose

‘New Dawn’- pale pink Climbing Rose. Size: 10-20h’+ x up to 8′w. Zone: 5-9

‘New Dawn’ is one of the easiest climbers to grow. Few Climbers can surpass ‘New Dawn’ for its hardiness, disease resistance, and profusion of light pink blooms. I love this rose. It conveys such a romantic feel in my garden. ‘New Dawn’ is very vigorous in my Zone 7b garden, even in part sun where mine is planted, so make sure you provide a sturdy structure for ‘New Dawn’ to grow upon and do her gracious climbing. This climbing rose is a one time ‘show-off’ in my garden, but so worth it!

‘New Dawn’ Climbing rose

Ideally, ‘New Dawn’ should be planted in full sun, but it will also thrive on as little as four or five hours of sunlight a day that it gets in my garden.

‘Grande Dame’ Hybrid Tea

‘Grande Dame’- deep pink Hybrid Tea. Size: 4-5′h. Zone: 5-9

I absolutely adore this rose and its old-fashioned blooms. I even dedicated a post to her- ‘The Old Romance of the Grande Dame’. An exquisite hybrid tea rose.

Two ‘Grande Dames’ grace my garden. This rose has great disease resistance and is a good repeat bloomer.

‘Grande Dame’- looking lovely in my crystal vase.

Bourbon rose ‘Mystic Beauty’

‘Mystic Beauty’- light pink Bourbon rose. Size: 2-4′h. Zone: 6-9.

I acquired this rose from Roses Unlimited. Having purchased three of these bourbon roses; two are planted in large containers and one in my flower border. The blooms are beautiful and it has a lovely fragrance that teases your nose to smell its blooms. New to my collection and so far a very good performer.

David Austin ‘Huntington Rose’ - deep pink shrub rose. Size: 4′h x 3′w. Zone: 5-10.

David Austin- ‘Huntington Rose’

The beautiful pink blossoms are quite fragrant and it’s a non-stop bloomer in my garden so far. I love David Austin roses and and this one is a keeper.

David Austin rose link describing this rose : http://www.davidaustinroses.com

‘Distant Drums’ Shrub rose

‘Distant Drums’ – Brunette buds opening to orchid pink/tan. Hybridized by Griffith Buck. Size: 3-4′h x 3′w. Zone: 5-10.

’Distant Drums’ is one of my favorite shrub roses because of it’s amazing color. The blossoms start off in a ochre-toned color which then turns into a mauve pink. A real performer in blooms and flowers repeatedly. A beautiful rare and unique rose colorwise. Grows much like a Floribunda in habit. It is rather thorny though and has occasional black-spot which I control by picking off the infected leaves.

‘Distant Drums’ Shrub Rose

‘Chicago Peace’ – Hybrid Tea

‘Chicago Peace’ - pink blend Hybrid Tea. Size: 3-4′h x 3′w. Zone: 6-10.

This Hybrid Tea has lovely huge vibrant pink blooms with lavender overtones in almost perfect form. A sport of the ever popular Hybrid tea “Peace’ rose. Wonderful fragrance and excellent repeat bloomer. Mine is grown in a large container and is very healthy. Gorgeous rose and great for cutting.

‘Pink Double Knockouts‘- Size: 3-4′h x 3-4′w . Zone: 4-10.

Pink and Red Knockout roses

My Knockout Roses are a definite blooming factory in my garden. They have great disease resistance, are easy to grow, are low maintenance and bloom from spring until frost. Having planted a few dozen in my front yard landscape, on a difficult hillside , I must admit they provide long-lasting color in that area of my garden.

‘Pierre de Ronsard ‘ (aka Eden) pink large flower climber. Size: up to 8-10′ h x 4-6′w. Zone: 5-10.

‘Pierre de Ronsard rose (aka- ‘Eden’)

Newly planted in my garden, this rose is the epitome of romance with it’s romantic old fashioned pink blossoms. I just planted four climbing ‘Eden’ last spring next to several 8′ Rose Obelisk’s and can’t wait for them to grace these pillars. At the moment, all four climbers are about 6 feet tall and very healthy, one bush actually produced several blossoms.

My new 2013 pink rose additions are:

2- ‘Frances Meilland’- light pink hybrid tea

2- ‘Peter Mayle’- deep pink hybrid tea

‘Perfecta’- pink blend Kordes hybrid Tea

‘Cupcake’- medium pink miniature rose

2- ‘Laguna’- deep pink Kordes climbing rose

‘Jasmina’- violet & pink large flowered Kordes climbing rose

Next Post: Painting my Garden with Beautiful Roses (Part II)…My ‘Sultry Red’ Roses

Camellias- ‘Winter Roses’ in my garden….

Feb17

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I’ve always been amazed with the delicate beauty of camellias. Their flowers, in my opinion, often resemble those of a rose. Of course, everyone knows I love roses, so during the winter months my camellias become my ‘winter roses’.

My camellia collection consists of a dozen- 9 Camellia japonicas and 3 Camellia sasanquas. Of course, by choosing both species I can have the best of both worlds with blooms in the fall, winter and spring.

Presently, I am enjoying the glorious splendor of the Camellia japonica’s in my garden…

Camellia japonica ‘Nuccio’s bella rosa’

Nuccio’s bella rosa is one of my favorites. I planted two medium sized bushes a few years ago and it never disappoints. Beautiful formal, 4 inch red blooms almost all winter. Gorgeous!

Camellia japonica ‘Nuccio’s bella rosa’

Camellia japonica
‘Nuccio’s Gem’

Another favorite that I’ve grown for years is ‘Nuccio’s Gem‘. I must say what a gem it is with its sparkling white formal winter blooms. Mine is 6 feet tall and situated in a protected area in my garden. Right now I’m enjoying its blooms until we get a hard freeze…

‘Delores Edwards’

This X williamsii hybrid grows well in my Zone 7b hot and humid climate. ‘Delores Edwards‘ has beautiful large semi double orchid pink flowers. Lovely.

My garden hat full of camellia blossoms blooming in my garden now….

Please click this link for a previous post on my fall blooming Camellia sasanquas .

A ‘ Valentine Serenade’ from my Garden Frog Prince

Feb14

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‘Valentine Serenade’ from my garden to yours… Happy Valentine’s Day!

Awaiting ‘Lady Diana’s Spring Grace in my garden…

Feb12

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Having planted this planting bed with hundreds of bulbs this year,

I am awaiting the emergence of tulip blooms to once again grace my ‘Lady Diana’.

My 2013 Bulb Selections….

Jan2

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Of course, as in previous years during this holiday break, I’ve been frantically planting the thousands of spring bulbs that I ordered so enthusiastically last summer. As I’m writing this, I still have a few hundred left to get in the ground once it stops raining.

This time I ordered 1,900 bulbs, that’s about 1,500 less than last year. The task of planting all these bulbs (which I plant all by myself I might add) is overwhelming. However, last year I started using an auger attached to my cordless drill which makes this task a lot easier (at least that’s how I convince myself). Naturally, my main motivation and drive stems from knowing that in just a few months, my garden will be an explosion of color from the hundreds of tulip, daffodil and hyacinth blooms in their full glory!

Here are some of my selections for Spring 2013….

‘Angelique’

‘Angelique’- Every year I plant ‘Angelique‘ in my garden and containers and every year I am always amazed by her beauty. Very romantic and feminine in appearance, this tulip closely resembles peonies when in bloom. The double blooms range from pink to pale pink to almost white.

‘Angelique’ with blue Starflower

‘Angelique’

’Big Eartha’- This year I decided to plant ‘Big Eartha’ tulips instead of the red tulips I normally plant in my front-yard island beds. These beds usually require at least 500 tulips so it makes quite an impact. ‘Big Eartha’ is a beautiful pink tulip with 20″ stems. Perfect for cutting. Can’t wait for my bouquets…

Tulip ‘Big Eartha’

‘Strike Me Pink’

‘Strike Me Pink’

‘Strike Me Pink’- is one of my favorite tulip mixes sold by Colorblends. Last spring I mixed them with snapdragons and hyacinths in my Lady Diana statue garden bed. I’ve done the same this year. Love the colors!

‘Dordogne’

‘Dordogne’- is a newcomer to my tulip collection this year. This tulip has been described as rose colored with yellow edges on the outside and fiery red with soft orange edges on the inside. Sounds like it puts on quite a show in the garden. A photographers dream…hope I can capture some of it’s exquisite beauty in my garden this spring.

‘Marilyn’

’Marilyn’- Oh, Marilyn! What a striking tulip. A pure white, lily-flowered tulip with strawberry flames. Wonderful in borders and containers. ‘Marilyn’ has once again been ‘sprinkled’ all over my garden….

‘Queen of the Night’

‘Queen of the Night’- I’m ecstatic that I was able to obtain this tulip this year for it seems to be sold out alot! Even though it’s described as a ‘nearly’ black tulip; its probably more of a deep, deep maroon. ‘Queen of the Night’ has large goblet-shaped blooms on strong 2 foot stems. Late spring bloomer. I plan on pairing her with ‘Maureen’ (see below) for a stunning display.

‘Maureen’

‘Maureen’- This will be my 2nd year planting ‘Maureen’ in my garden. A pure white late-blooming beauty. ‘Maureen’ does especially well in containers too. Combining her with ‘Queen of the Night’ this year.

So, these are all the bulb picks for my garden this year. I hope I’ve encouraged some of you to get a few in the ground before it’s too late!

Springtime is the most exuberant time of the year in my garden. Here’s an early ‘taste’ of Spring with some photos of my garden from last year…

Front yard island beds with red tulips.

‘Strike Me Pink’ Lady Diana statue planting bed.

Spring bulbs surrounding my conifers and Stonebridge.

My son, Nicholas amongst hundreds of daffodils.

A Southern Style Christmas in my Garden..

Dec8

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Nothing says Christmas more like the fragrance and color of fresh greenery at Christmastime.

Your garden is probably the best source for fresh greenery and berries. I look around my garden this time of year and start collecting fresh greenery to add to my existing containers. I always try to mix natural greenery with some faux to give a lasting holiday season in my southern garden.

Use fresh evergreens from your own garden, as I have, for an inexpensive way to decorate. Holly, cedar,cypress, nandina, pine, boxwood and magnolia are all amazingly abundant in my southern garden.

So use your garden as a way to inspire your holiday creativity or head to your local nursery and pick up some inexpensive “leftovers” to use in your Christmas garden.

Bring holiday cheer to your home….