I continue to lack knitting content because of the end of the semester hysteria and work frenzy. I think I've heard from more students today, the last day of the semester, than I have the entire semester: "Hey, I was offered overtime and had to take it, can i still turn in my paper that was due last month?"
Perhaps, if you learn to capitalize the word "I."
Spring/summer semester begins almost immediately, and we are transitioning to a new online course management software platform, so I have to spend the short four day break converting everything I've done for the last four years in one marginally used and somewhat unknown platform to another marginally used and even more unknown platform. Ah, well, it's back in the classroom for at least one class in the fall anyway, so I guess I shouldn't complain.
I do have some images for my sister to help her in her decision about new garden design and plant choices for ground cover. As always, click to embiggen the images.
If you can tell from this slightly out of focus picture, these lovely ajuga plants have an interesting fan-shaped leave with lots of texture; the leaves start out light to medium Kelly green, and then when the plant begins to bloom, the leaves turn a shimmering, almost iridescent, dark black-green with little faint hairs, creating a pleasing color and textural contrast somewhat reminiscent of wet seaweed. Plus they have purple flowers ~ so a very nice combo of my two favorite colors ~ purple and green.
They are lowish ground cover, growing only up to seven to nine inches high, that are very forgiving and can be grown in full or part sun.
They are touted as fast growing, similar to mint as they are part of the mint family, but I haven't found them to be fast whatsoever.
My mint could certainly become invasive over the period of one summer if allowed, but these ajugas have been here for three years now (I think), and aren't spreading that rapidly.
True, I do need to make more space because my hostas and lilies are taking over, but once I scooch things around, these dainty purple ajugas might have more room to multiply. They will get a bit taller and much more purple as we head into June.
My other favorite ground cover are snow in summer, which are a lovely light sage color with delicate little white flowers.
They spread like wildfire under the right conditions and are hearty beyond compare. I simply love them! If you put some chicken wire right next to them, they will grab onto it and spread all over, covering and following the placement of the wire. Or they can be put at the edge of a box or bricked in planter and spill over the top.
I suppose these pink neon star dianthus aren't really considered true ground cover, but they do spread quite rapidly and quite splendidly.
Very soon now, they will have cute, little button-like pink flowers that have the most wonderful aroma ~ almost like Sweet William, but these are perennial in our zone, while Sweet William are at best biannual. These will also produce flowers well into August if you deadhead them.
Even if you click on this image to make it bigger, you likely won't see much but the little start of my balloon flower ~ but you might be able to read the tag info. This is a fairly rapid spreading plant that might be considered a flowering ground cover of sorts, but maybe not. It is very unique, though, with a box-like petal arrangement that opens in the sun and closes in the dark, almost like tulips in cold and warm shifts in temps. Before the flower blooms, the petals look very boxy and air balloonish, hence the name, and again, they are dark blue purple, so of course necessary to my happiness.
The little balloon is directly behind the ajugas, so it too, will need some extra room to spread its groovy purple flowers.
Here are all of them together:
And here are my salmon tulips that have really reproduced well this year:
I ordered these bulbs from
Brecks several years ago, and they were the most marvelous, freshest bulbs I've ever seen in my life! I HIGHLY recommend their bulbs and intend to get more later this year and perhaps some daffodils.
You might remember last year I was concerned about their viability as I had them in planters for a year and transplanted them to the ground the following year in spring. This photo is from last year and a more accurate color representation of the salmon with red-gold tips:
I was worried because they didn't grow too tall and seemed stunted compared to all the neighbor's tulips, but this year they look very tall and stately and have really multiplied in number. I guess the potted environment wasn't best for them, plus I had the bulbs indoors during the winter when I first got them because I never got around to planting them when they arrived.
Brecks ships according to your local zoned planting time for its bulbs, usually twice per year: spring and fall. Like I said, they are the most incredible bulbs, and they look as if you just pulled them from your garden, but wonderfully clean and free of any speck of dirt or dark spot. The bulbs themselves are pieces of beauty to behold.
