Peonies, Roses and More

Itoh Peony 'Bartzella'

Bartzella

 

Late May is such a wonderful time of the year for flowers! Peonies, roses, clematis, azaleas, wildflowers, just about everything seems to bloom at this time of the year. After the recent rainy spell, my garden looks fabulous! That is, as long as you don't look too closely at the weedy lawn.

My peonies put on  a gorgeous show this spring: the yellow Itoh 'Bartzella'  produced seven huge, dinner-plate size blossoms. 'Duchesse de Nemours' is so heavy with blooms that even with grow-through wire supports, the recent rains broke off a few stems. The perfect excuse to cut and bring them into my house to fill a vase for sketching.

 

Peony 'Duchesse de Nemours'

'Duchesse de Nemours'

The pink peony in the front bed by the driveway was the first peony I planted in my garden, and it has been putting on a show since then. Peonies are long-lived plants, and usually bloom in greater profusion every year if they're happy in their location.

 

Pink peony in front bed.

 

Pink peony, alliums and shrub roses in bed by driveway.

Shrub rose 'Petal Pusher' with blue Fescue and yellow alliums.

 

The sunny bed by the driveway with the pink peony is fuller this year with yellow alliums, and the roses are now starting to bloom. I don't recall the tufts of blue fescue grass blooming so profusely before, they are stunning this year!

 

Red 'Double Knockout' rose by the front walk.

Ground covers by the front walk.

The red 'Double Knockout' rose by the front walk is lovely with its first flush of bloom, and will keep on blooming until the first frost, if not as profusely--I only wish it had some perfume! The rest of the ground covers and shrubs along the walk are lush too; the Persian carpet effect I wanted here is coming together nicely. The blue-green foliage of woolly thyme and Juniper contrasts nicely with the yellow-greens of the sedum 'Angelina' and a miniature golden Hinoki false cypress, and the fresh green of Greek oregano, accented with the clump of magenta pink dianthus flowers.

Clematis 'Etoile Violette'

 

My clematis 'Etoile Violette' took a beating last year when the climbing rose 'New Dawn' was blown down off the porch pillar during a storm. The rose had to be pruned back severely, which I don't think hurt it any. This year it looks as if 'New Dawn' will bloom a bit later, so the two will not coincide. I like the color combination of these three plants: the deep purple clematis with a golden Hinoki cypress and a dwarf Colorado blue spruce. 

 

East garden in the evening.

Moving along the east of the house, three Japanese maples provide shelter for shade-loving plants like the Rhododendron and two azaleas. The photo above was taken last week, the one below a few days later. The Japanese maples are a red-leaved 'Bloodgood', a full-moon maple 'Shirasawanum', and between these two, a small-leaved one I grew from a seedling found in the grounds of the office building next to the one I used to work in.

Same bed in morning light, pagoda dogwood on the left, fringe tree on the right.

'Blue Barlow' columbines with Fringe tree and Japanese maples.

 

The Virginia Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginianus) and Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) blooming at the same time with the columbines really made this area of the garden sing this year. The great blue Lobelias are spreading all over this bed, competing with the 'Blue Barlow' columbines. Later in the year the Lobelias will cover the bed with their blue spikes of flowers.

 

Dutch iris, 'Major Wheeler' honeysuckle and double flowering Quince

In the back yard, the deep blue Dutch iris sets off the honeysuckle 'Major Wheeler' while the double flowering quince continues to bloom in the long island bed. In the same bed, the elderberry 'Black Lace' and other plants bloom, waiting for the Asian lilies to make their entrance.

Clematis 'John Warren'

Elderberry (Sambucus 'Black Lace')

Pentstemon 'Electric Blue'

Foxglove Pentstemon

Last fall I transplanted one of the foxglove Pentstemons to the Herb bed and another to the back bed, where they are flourishing. Meanwhile, the Badlands shine with the same foxglove Pentstemons and the blooms of 'Coppertina,' a ninebark tree (Physocarpus opulifolium 'Coppertina).  The deer eat this shrub back every year so it doesn't seem to get any bigger, but they seem to have stopped devouring my other ninebark tree, 'Amber Jubilee' in another bed, allowing it to produce its first blooms this year.

Ninebark tree 'Coppertina'

Ninebark tree 'Amber Jubilee'

I'd forgotten to show you my 'Kousa' dogwood, which has more blooms this year, despite the ravages of the 17-year locusts last year.

 

'Kousa' dogwood in back bed.

I can't wait to see what marvelous new blooms the season will bring forth soon!

Iris Bathing

Purple and peach bicolor iris.

 

The term "forest bathing," became popular in Japan in the 1980's, and has made inroads here in the U.S. in the past few years. "Forest bathing" is a translation of the Japanese word shinrin-yoku. As I understand it, it's a way of immersing oneself in the spirit of the place: the trees, flowers, ferns, the whole atmosphere of the forest. Mindful meditation might be another description of the practice, slowing down and getting away from the ordinary distractions of modern life. Only the Japanese would codify it into an art!

Since I love irises, and wish to immerse myself in the spirit of this lovely flower, particularly its perfume, today I invite you to go "iris bathing" in my garden. Just think of yourself submerged in a tubful of iris flowers--everyone should try it!

 

Regal purple.

This regal purple beauty didn't bloom last year, and I feared it might have disappeared somehow, but it is offering a few blooms this spring. My front bed of iris is getting overcrowded and shadier, it has not been as floriferous this year as in previous ones. I'll have to thin out this bed in late July or August when the plants are dormant, and create a new bed for the cuttings. 

 

Iris bed in front.

Yellow Iris bed

 

On the other hand, my yellow irises in the bed on the opposite side of the driveway are spectacular this year! Combined with 'Pink Attraction' and some Dutch iris, they look stunning! Some giant Alliums fill out the display.

 

Lavender Dutch iris

'Pink Attraction' iris.

Yellow and pink iris.

White iris with beard tongues.

I love these white irises with pale blue beards that have little tongues on the ends--some folks refer to these as horns. I've not learned what variety they are, these were acquired with a group of unlabeled varieties. 

In the back yard, the old-fashioned iris from my mother's garden have not bloomed as profusely this year either. They may be getting crowded out by the arbor vitae that have grown so large in the last few years. It may be time to dig some of these up and re-plant them elsewhere, or expand the Little Indians bed forward to allow them more room to grow.

 

Old-fashioned iris from my mother's garden.

 

'Victoria Falls' reigns in the Long Island bed in back this year. Earlier in April, the dwarf variety 'Bluebeard' produced some lovely blooms, but I was so busy I never took photos of them. The bi-color 'Blatant' seems to be resting this spring again, and has not produced any blooms. It put out a few flowers in the fall, so late that the frosts did them in, but they have not recovered from the attack of a beastie (ground hog or other garden pest?) that ate the rhizomes the year before last.

Iris 'Victoria Falls'

 

The one color of the spectrum my iris garden lacks (hah!) is a good purple-pink or mauve shade. I'll be looking in my gardening catalogs to see which varieties might fit the bill, and perhaps there will be some new bi-colors to try out too. It's looking like it will be the time to prepare a new iris bed in the fall. The more irises, the better the iris bathing!

Flowers Galore

My front yard on April 24

 

Here's my annual photo of the front yard with its Kwanzan cherry tree in full bloom, which I like to post every year. This year the cherry blossoms didn't open fully until last Sunday, a full week after Easter Sunday. In other years it has bloomed a couple of weeks earlier, so that the progression of the other flowers in the front changes according to the timing of the cherry: the narcissi, the creeping Phlox, tulips and the dogwood have bloomed simultaneously on some years, on others, not so much.

This is the most beautiful time of the year for me, when just about everything comes into bloom. On the east side of the house, my Carolina Silverbell tree grows more beautiful every year! The 17-year locusts damaged the Japanese maples quite a bit last year, and they lost some growth at the tips of their branches, but hopefully they will recover this year.

 

East yard with Japanese maples and Carolina Silverbell tree.

Carolina Silverbell flowers.

My hybrid Rhododendron 'Southgate Brandi' has just opened its flowers. This one is growing nicely, thanks to the winter protection of my barriers--otherwise deer would have devoured the buds as they were developing.

Rhododendron 'Southgate Brandi'

Ajuga 'Black Scallop' ground cover.

 

I am hoping soon to see the flowers of another Rhododendron I planted several years ago, 'Anna Rose Whitney' has not produced any blooms before.

The back yard from our deck.

The redbud tree in the back yard was in full bloom this past week along with the double flowering quince. The border of narcissi in the back bed looks fuller this year than last. Sadly, my beautiful Korean fir 'Horstman's Silberlocke' died sometime during the winter--probably from lack of water during February's dry spell while I was away. I didn't know that when clay soil dries out, it can actually begin a reverse osmosis process where the soil will take moisture away from a plant's roots. Last week I received a new tree to replace the dead one--hope springs eternal in a gardener's heart!

Lewisia longipetala 'Little Peach'

Lewisia

 

The Lewisia continues to bloom prolifically, it's such an interesting plant. Originating in the alpine areas of California's Sierra Nevada, it's quite rare in its native environment, but the modern hybrids, such as this one, are a great addition to rock gardens. I keep mine in a pot because it needs excellent drainage which my clayey soil can't provide.

 It's so wonderful to see tender green shoots sprouting everywhere! Lots more blooms to come in May!

Easter Monday Snow and My Sketches

Kwanzan cherry tree blossoms.

 

It snowed earlier in the week on Easter Monday, just as my Kwanzan cherry tree in front was starting to unfurl its lovely blossoms. Rain had been predicted, but snow--I was surprised, to say the least! Many trees were just starting to bloom: the Carolina Silverbell tree, the redbud, the flowering quince, the dogwoods, all those delicate  and precious flowers...fortunately the temperature was hovering just above the freezing point, so I hope the blossoms haven't been too damaged. I'll have to check on them later on today. Another frost is coming tonight, so there's even more chance of frost burn.

 

The back yard on Easter Monday.

Easter Monday snow on the front yard.

I like to take photos of my Kwanzan cherry tree in bloom, which usually happens around mid-April. On some years that coincides with Easter time. This year's shot is all the more memorable because of the snow!

Sometime last week my yellow Magnolia 'Butterflies' managed to produce a few of the blossoms that had lagged behind enough to escape the frost burn that blighted the rest. It was disappointing to lose so many flowers, the tree had been covered with buds--so sad!

 

Yellow Magnolia 'Butterflies'

My neighbor's weeping apricot tree was such a vision of loveliness last week that I asked permission to cut a branch for the sketch below. I used colored pencils, but didn't get an exact color match--the blossoms really are a little more coral and strong in color. But the delicate frills and details of the flowers would not have "read" if I hadn't used a light touch.

Weeping apricot tree blossoms, colored pencil sketch.

Mahogany tree seed pod (Swietenia mahagoni)

Above is a seed pod of the mahogany tree which a friend form Florida sent me--she sent a box full of fascinating seed pods and botanical oddities collected at the Montgomery Botanical Research Center in Miami that I'm trying to identify. The amazing geometry of the mahogany seed pod was very challenging--I re-worked my drawing completely several times in order to draw it accurately, and realize that I still didn't get some details of the curvatures correctly. The actual seeds are arranged inside the capsule in such a way that each winged seed fits in like a jigsaw puzzle inside each section.

 

Lewisia 'Littel Peach'

The Lewisia 'Little Peach' that I bought last year is covered with buds that have started to open/ The small flowers are a lovely soft yellow fading into peach. I couldn't resist making sketch of it for my botanical journal.

 

Lewisia sketch in my journal.

Recent pages from my botanical journal.

Rebirth of Spring

Daffodils and Thalia narcissi in front.

Creeping Phlox and Thalias.

Our front yard

 

Ahh, spring! Thus far it's been a changeable one, with the usual ups and downs in temperature: one beautiful mild sunny day here and there, interspersed with drizzly or wind-blasted ones, and bloom-burning frosts. Every year I find the seasonal progression of plants and flowers as they come into bloom in my garden ever more marvelous.

Prince Alfred daffodils with Forsythia in the back yard.

A week later the daffodils in the back bed are in bloom.

Blue grape hyacinths (Muscari armeniaca) among Mt. Hood daffodils.

Same bed a few days later.

 Every day is full of surprises as I discover plants I thought had perished are sprouting, while others that were doing so well have disappeared, eaten by the usual garden pests. The daffodils and narcissi predominate at this time, along with the grape hyacinths. Sadly, my yellow magnolia 'Butterflies' was frost-burned this year--no flowers to enjoy except for the branch I cut to paint indoors.

The buds of the Kwanzan cherry in front are still a week to ten days away from opening, yet other plants are starting to show signs of life. I'd all but forgotten about the Grecian anemones I planted two autumns ago, what a charming surprise to see a few of them popping up!

Tiny purple anemones

"Pink Charm" daffodils in the back bed.

The back bed a week later.

 

Spring truly is the season of rebirth! So many more flowers to come in the next months, I can hardly wait to see what surprises my garden will bring this year!

Thalias by the driveway.

My neighbor's weeping flowering apricot tree.

Muscari at the base of  the Zelkova tree.

Yellow Magnolia 'Butterflies' Studies

Buds on a branch from by botanical sketchbook.

 

A heavy frost was predicted in my area for Monday morning, so on Sunday afternoon I cut a small branch with some buds from my yellow hybrid Magnolia 'Butterflies' to study and paint. I rarely get to paint this lovely flower from life, since most of the time the flowers get blighted by frosts before I have a chance to paint them.

The first sketch above was done in my botanical journal (the second notebook in this series) with Copic pens and colored with watercolor pencils just after the bud had shed its scales, which is the technical term for the furry outer covering on the buds.

 

The flower in three stages, three media.

 

The following day the first bud began to open, and I captured its progress in a larger sketchbook, showing the petals starting to unfurl. For the sketch on the upper left I used only colored pencils. 

On the third day, the petals (technically tepals) were completely unfurled, and center of the flower was visible, with its pinkish stamens still tightly closed, while the greenish pistils in the center are extended. In nature, an insect would visit the flower and deposit pollen from another flower on the pistils at this point, while they are receptive. The flower would close up for the night, perhaps trapping the insect inside. Indoors, of course, there weren't any insects available for pollination, but the flower's exquisite lemony perfume advertised its receptivity. An added bonus to painting these magnolias!

For the rendition on the middle right, I used only conventional watercolors. Another bud lower on the branch was starting to unfurl, and I drew it lightly in pencil on the lower part of my paper.

On the fourth day, the petals of the first flower had begun to fade to a pale cream, but now the stamens in the center were unfurled all around.  At this stage, in nature, the pollinating insect would be covered with the pollen and when the flower re-opened in the morning, the insect would be released to visit and pollinate another flower. 

This is the strategy the flower uses to avoid self-pollination. The version on the lower left was done with watercolor pencils only, connecting the opening bud that I'd drawn the day before to the upper flower.

By the fifth day, the flower was completely spent: the tepals had turned brown and were falling off. Such is the short-lived glory of a magnolia flower!

I read that this hybrid variety of magnolia was bred as a cross between Magnolia acuminata and Magnolia Denudata. M. acuminata is our native Cucumber magnolia from the Appalachian area, one of the largest trees of the American species. M. denudata is an Asian tree known as the Yulan magnolia. My tree has grown to about seven feet or eight in height and canopy, in time it should eventually reach 12 to 15 feet in size, perhaps a bit more. It's a lovely tree even if the flowers often get frost-bitten!