Plant of the Month-April 09

From In the Garden

There are so many good plants in bloom this month that I had to narrow my choice down to one single question:

What is a show stopper in the garden right now?

The answer to that question has to be the Japanese Rose, aka Kerria japonica. My particular cultivar is 'Plenifora'; which is a double kerria that grows to about 6 feet tall and spreads slowly by suckers. It is growing in a spot where it only gets afternoon sun and it is doing great! I planted this shrub last spring and rarely watered it last summer. Despite neglect it bloomed off an on all summer and fall. And just look at it now! I think a showstopper indeed. Especially more so since it is sited under mature oak trees.

According to this website the kerria is hardy to Zone 5. Yeah for northern gardeners! This plant is a must have in all gardens. I like the green stems in the winter and I like its ease of care and long period of bloom. On my recent trip to McMinnville with my friends Judie and Phil, I insisted they should also get a kerria, and they did. You see, kerrias are poisonous and are listed as rarely damaged plants when deer maraud your garden. A good thing for gardeners with deer problems like my friends Judie and Phil. So far I do not have a deer issue here, and my dogs do not eat my plants so I do not worry about the kerria being poisonous. If you have plant eating children or pets take care when planting the kerria.

I also wanted to show you some other plants in the running for the coveted title of Plant of the Month in my garden. Last April's Plant of the was pulmonaria, a stellar performer even this year but not quite the showstopper like the kerria.

Grape hyacinths are a real stunner this year. I love the blue of them.

Camellias are still blooming strong. This particular one is a Camellia japonica. It is one of only two japonicas I grow and only because it was a markdown plant.

The 'Perfecta' bergenias I recently planted are trying to bloom.

Pieris is an outstanding shrub in the garden. I posted on this plant this time last year.

The tulips look pretty good. I enjoy them each year though hybrids are not my favorite. A post will come concerning the differences between species tulips and hybrid tulips at some point. Stay tuned.

Candytuft, aka Iberis sempervirens is hard to beat no matter the month of the year. I love this perennial very much!

Hyacinths are wonderful this year. I planted several hundred bulbs last fall. These were all marked down to cents at Rural King and I think I bought them out. The results show. And the bonus of hyacinths is that they will return each year.

Sorry about the other plant pictures, but I thought I'd use these as part of my bloom day post too and I also thought some of you might have these plants growing in your garden. I bet one of them could be your choice for your 'Plant of the Month'-so do let us know which one it is or if it is one not pictured....

in the garden....

Plant Me a River

My latest design kick is to design some rivers into my landscape. Rivers of plants because actually installing a river in my garden would be out of the question for me. Actually, designing a river is not my latest kick, just one that has finally come to fruition of late.

Rivers can be planted with any type of plant and the plant need not be blue, as in the first picture of the Muscari armeniacum, aka Grape Hyacinths. I also like my river planted with 'Ice Follies' Narcissus, as pictured in the second picture. The daffodils look a little weak on the right side because they have recently been divided and replanted. I do this while they are in bloom as it works best for me so I can see the effect. It is probably best to wait until they are done blooming but dividing while the bulb is in bloom does not hurt the bulb. Be sure to add some bulb booster to the hole.

I have lived here for six and one half years. I have always envied the established gardens I see in various places. I could never figure out how to get mine that way in a short time on a limited budget. In the readings I have done I've found some information on how long it takes to establish gardens. Some estimate 3-5 years, some even longer. I set my sights on 3 years on the basis that a perennial sleeps the first year, creeps the second year, and leaps the third year.

Since I really started this garden in late 2003 when I came back from Iraq and was able to fully dedicate my time to the garden, I have gardened here intensely for about five years. When 2006 came and my garden was not established, I set my sights on the five year mark. 2008 marks five years and I can honestly say it is getting established. Done, no, but established and always changing still. So I am thinking it will take at LEAST five years plus to fully realize your garden's potential with fully grown perennials and design elements in place simply based on what I have done. Remember though, I do garden intensely so if you do not garden as much, it may take longer. I only say this to hopefully help others to avoid disappointment when the magic number comes and goes with little observed progress.

The last picture is of Chionodoxa luciliae, aka Glory of the Snow. I love this little bulb. I planted it in 2002 on a built up hill on the southern side of Mr. Fix-it's garage. The area is seriously neglected and grows nothing but weeds, mainly moss, wild strawberries and who knows what else. Each spring this bulb rewards me with tons of small wildflower like blooms. The foliage actually emerges in the fall, just like with the established muscari. I divided these bulbs this year and planted a new river along the lower edge of the hill. Whenever I divide bulbs or anything really, my rule is to move the plants only within that area. I don't know why but it works for me to add to the fullness of the gardens. I look forward to a nice 'river' growing here next year.

in the garden....