Flowers and foliage May 2008

[Kristl Walek]

Kenneth--lovely picture of the Uvularia---I only have one plant in my garden, and it is native (but uncommon) in my area. Congratulations!

In the garden here today:

Amsonia illustris, the first of the Blue Stars to bloom here.
The little Iris mandschurica.

After this point it's all downhill for the Paeonia tenuifolia.
Ditto for the Syneileses aconitifolia.
I always wish I could freeze it's growth at this point.

I love the well-behaved Lamium orvala.
And I *really* love the beautiful Aesculus parviflora. Even though native to the south-eastern USA, this seed-grown shrub has been perfectly hardly here in the north.

And the Asarum relative, Saruma henryi is one of the toughest groundcovers in my woodland garden, tolerating even the intense dry shade under mature sugar maples. Although the flowers are small, it blooms almost the whole summer.

And I am fond of many of the shrubby peas---Lathyrus aureus, just slightly taller than the well-known L. vernus,  is a relative newcomer to my garden and a beauty. For a pea, it took forever to grow up-3 to 4 years?

[Viola]

Three Viola fom GR in my garden.
Viola jooii and Viola spec. (name?) produce lot seed and ant distribute the seed.
Viola delphinantha

Karl

[Kristl Walek]

Karl, maybe the unidentified Viola is the cultivar V. "Freckles"?

[Viola]

Kristl, thank you.

Karl

[hadacekf]

Kristl,
You are right.

[Magnar]

A couple from today:

Androsace hedraeanthea


Pulsatilla alpina

[Paddy Tobin]

Kristi,

Your love of Aesculus parviflora is one I share in very much indeed. It is an exceptionally beautiful plant. In similar vein and also very beautiful is Aesculus mutabilis induta which is just coming into flower here at present on a plant which is only two feet high, a great plant indeed.

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

In similar vein and also very beautiful is Aesculus mutabilis induta which is just coming into flower here at present on a plant which is only two feet high, a great plant indeed.

Paddy

A chestnut which flowers at only two feet high.... I am astonished! Never thought that could be....not much wonder you are impressed!

[Paddy Tobin]

Maggi,

By way of illustration, I spent some time yesterday digging out daylilies which were making their way too close to this plant. The daylilies were threatening to overwhelm it.

It's late now, too dark, but I must get a photograph tomorrow.

Paddy

[Kristl Walek]

Please do, Paddy--I do adore this genus---but most species are very marginal in my climate.

I don't know how I neglected to post my very favorite spring gentian when it was flowering the second the snow left. G. pumila delphinensis, in bud and open. I was reminded of my neglect when the G. acaulis opened.

The short lived, beautiful Aquilegia flavescens.

I grew this originally as Pulsatilla alpina and apiifolia (but are they?)---looking at your picture, Magnar---and am really not sure.

And the Camassias are starting; this is C. esculenta in bud.

[Kristl Walek]

Some of the American viorna group Clematis have been flowering for a while, with others now following.

This is a group of species that I have a particular interest in. They are all small-flowered, mostly urn-shape species, some shrubby little things, some scrambling, others vining.

[Kristl Walek]

and lastly for today...into the shadier areas...

Fothergilla major is another small and worthwhile North American shrub.

Iris cristata always does well, no matter what, no matter where.
and a small drift of white Dodecatheon meadia.

Scopolia carniolica: Hinkley mentions this potato relative in his "rare plant" tome--I've grown it forever, but am still not sure it's worthwhile.

Primula sieboldii is always worthwhile, although it doesn't grow as easily for me as most gardeners.

[Viola]

Kristl, here pics from Pulsatilla alpina ssp.alpina from Kärnten - Austrian Mt.

Karl

[Kenneth K]

Kristl! Your Clematis pictures are really fine. I believe that Canada are earlier than southwest Sweden. We have no flowers yet on those Clematis.

[art600]

Kristl

Thank you for showing us such a lot of wonderful plants - I particularly liked the Clematis