Tag Archives: Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’

North Bed End Of June Update

Partial North Bed on 6-19-25.

Hello everyone! I hope this post finds you well. We’ve had a hot few days then it started raining and cooled things off a bit. The bed along the north side of the house has been looking GREAT, so I thought I would take a few photos and write a post. Umm… It took longer than expected because photos would get out-of-date fairly quickly. Then, I would take more photos. Time goes by, you know.

So, here we go, in alphabetical order… As always, you can click on the name of the plant to go to their own page (if they have one). Oh, and I’m not using Grammarly right now, so please excuse any goofs. 🙂

Aegopodium podagraria (Snow-On-The-Mountain) on 6-20-25, #1062-2.

The Aegopodium podagraria (Snow-On-The-Mountain) has been behaving itself so far. I had idea I could just keep it growing along the foundation… Maybe if I ignore it. 🙂 It doesn’t help when it is the first on the list in alphabetical order… No page yet.

Astilbe x arendsii ‘Fanal’ on 6-20-25, #1062-3.

I don’t think the Astilbe x arendsii ‘Fanal’ liked me moving it forward in the spring of 2024 because it has certainly showed its disapproval. It was in front of the Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ which was getting so large it started covering the Astilbe within no time. So, I moved where I thought it was halfway between the ‘Empress Wu’ and the Achillea millefolium. Apparently, the Achillea moved again… Closer to the Astilbe… I really like this plant, so I hope it snaps out of it.

Geranium pratense ‘Boom Chocolatta’ with 32″ tall flower stems on 6-20-25, #1062-4.

The Geranium pratense ‘Boom Chocolatta’ has grown beyond my expectations. It has become rather bored with the Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) next to it, though. It complained somewhat, but I said it was there first. Actually, I didn’t put the Achillea in that spot. I put it closer to the house several years ago and it just traveled to where it liked the light much better.

The plant without the flowering stems was around 22″ tall x 30″ wide when the above photo was taken on 6-20-25. The top of the tallest flowering stem was 32″!

Geranium pratense ‘Boom Chocolatta’ with 8 1/4″ wide leaf on 6-20-25, #1062-5.

I looked for the largest leaf and found this whopper that measured 8 1/4″ wide…

Geranium pratense ‘Johnson’s Blue’ on 6-19-25, #1061-4.

The Geranium pratense ‘Johnson’s Blue’ on the other side of the step has also done great. Although not as robust as ‘Boom Chocolatta’, it is well suited for a front of the border or stand-alone plant without taking up a lot of room. ‘Johnson’s Blue’ is a very old cultivar that is still available.

The mound measured around 14″ tall x 18-20″ wide, while the tip of the tallest flowering stem was 21″ tall on 6-19-25. It is a bit sprawly on one side, so I had to hold the flowering stem up to get the measurement…

Geranium sanguineum (Bloody Cranesbill) on 6-20-25, #1062-8.

After flowering up a storm, the Geranium sanguineum (Bloody Cranesbill) is still looking great. I always have to mention I bought the ancestors of the plants in this bed in the early 1980’s when I was living in my grandparents old house (across the driveway). When my parents moved into the new house and the old house was torn down, dad moved them here to this spot.

Geranium sanguineum (Bloody Cranesbill) leaves on 6-20-25, #1062-10.

The leaves are a nice dark green…

Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ on 6-20-25, #1062-11.

The Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ has done quite well and has been flowering for a couple of weeks. The dark leaves of this plant and chartreuse leaves from the Lysimachia nummularia ‘Goldilocks’ look very good together.

Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ on 6-12-25, #1056-6.

Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ has 32″ stems!

Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ on 6-20-25, #1062-12.

How’s that for a dark leaf

Heuchera ‘Venus’ on 6-20-25, #1062-13.

The Heuchera ‘Venus’ has been an attention grabber with its size and the color of its leaves. It’s flowers aren’t much to talk about and its tall stems lay down on the job. Well, heck, some of them were over 50″ tall! Soon, I will remove the stems and tidy ‘Venus’ up a bit.

Heuchera ‘Venus’ on 6-20-25, #1062-14.

‘Venus’ is very proud of her leaves…

Heuchera americana ‘Dale’s Strain’ on 6-20-25, #1062-15.

The Heuchera americana ‘Dale’s Strain’ continues to do very well. I measured its flower stems a while back at 51″ tall! Umm… The flowers in the photo definitely do not belong to this plant… No page published yet.

Heuchera americana ‘Dale’s Strain’ leaf on 6-20-25, #1062-16.

The Heuchera americana ‘Dale’s Strain’ definitely has colorful leaves. NICE!

Heuchera sanguinea ‘Coral Forest’ on 6-20-25, #1062-17.

While not a large plant by any means, the Heuchera sanguinea ‘Coral Forest’ has made up for it with its continual show of bright flowers.

Heuchera sanguinea ‘Coral Forest’ on 6-12-25, #1056-10.

It is STILL producing bright flowers and they last A LONG TIME. The flowers are the WOW factor for this plant. It likes sharing them with nearby plants, too (stems won’t stand up straight).

Heuchera sanguinea ‘Coral Forest’ on 6-20-25, #1062-18.

It has smaller marbled leaves that are somewhat fuzzy… No page published for this one either. I’m working on it…

Now for the Hosta…

Hosta ‘?’ on 6-20-25, #1062-19.

This Hosta ‘?’ has been a great performer for several years after bringing it home from a local garden club plant sale. It wasn’t labeled, but I wanted it anyway. I’m not even sure what year it was and the first photo I took of it was in 2024. To me, it looks exactly like the former outstanding cultivar I had called Hosta sieboldiana ‘Elegans’ that succumbed to mole issues in the shade bed and didn’t return in 2020. Click the link and have a look and tell me what you think. There are a lot of cultivars that look similar, especially when H. sieboldiana ‘Elegans’ is a parent to many other great cultivars.

Hosta ‘?’ with 34″ stems on 6-20-25, #1062-20.

I measured the flower stem at 34″ on 6-20-25. Like H. sieboldiana ‘Elegans’, it has white flowers.

Hosta ‘?’ leaf on 6-25-25, #1064-2.

NICE LEAF! Look at the puckering!

Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ on 6-20-25, #1062-22.

The Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ is doing much better now, but still a far cry from what it was several years ago in the old shade bed. It’s a survivor, so I know it will continue to do better.

Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ on 6-20-25, #1062-23.

The leaves of the Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ are very “puckered” and kind of cup-shaped. I haven’t seen any slugs for MANY years, but they are also snail resistant.

Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’ on 6-20-25, #1062-24.

The Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’ has been doing great adding its bright color to the bed. The one that fizzled out in the shade bed usually flowered in June. One year it started sending up a bud the end of May. This one is doing great, so I guess it will bloom when it gets ready. I only took two photos of it in 2024, one when I brought it home and the other in July. The July photo doesn’t show any signs of a flower stem. Hmmm… I guess we’ll just have to wait and see if it decides to bloom or not.

Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’ on 6-20-25, #1062-25.

It’s leaves are fairly thin so they do have a few holes…

Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ on 6-20-25, #1062-26.

The Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ is a magnificent plant and is still growing… I am usually speechless when it comes to this plant. Imagine that!

Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ on 6-20-25, #1062-27.

It has several flower spikes and this one was 42″ tall when I took the photo.

Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ on 6-20-26, #1062-28.

The leaves are getting larger, too. They have a good thickness, but sometimes a critter still likes to have a nibble.

Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’ on 6-20-25, #1062-29.

The Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’ is one of the nicest Hosta in the bed. I like its dark green margins and the bright centers. The plant has a very good shape!

Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’ on 6-25-25, #1064-3.

I took a couple of updated photos on the 25th. It is really strutting with its new flowers!

Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’ leaf on 6-25-25, #1064-4.

I forgot to take a photo of its leaf before, so I looked under some of the leaves to see if I could find a bigger one. I think they just keep growing as the summer progresses. It appears to be more green in the center, perhaps because it has been out of the sun… Hmmm… Well, I may have to do a re-take…

Hosta ‘Guacamole’ on 6-20-25, #1062-31.

The Hosta ‘Guacamole’ has been its always AWESOME self and grabs a lot of attention. It’s a great performer no matter what! I know you may think there are weeds on its right side, but they are Commelina communis var. ludens (Asiatic Dayflower). OK, so maybe they are weeds in some respect, but I kind of like them…

Hosta ‘Guacamole’ on 6-20-25, #1062-32.

How’s that for a leaf. The specks on the leaves are grass clippings from mowing… I mowed the area in front of the bed with the push mower, but a friend mowed it again while my riding mower was broke down… He didn’t know the “rules” about getting grass clippings in the bed…

Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’ on 6-20-25, #1062-33.

This Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’ has been doing quite well, but isn’t exactly like the last one. It’s leaves don’t have the “silvery glow” for some odd reason… OK, so maybe the “silvery glow” is called bloom…

Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’ on 6-20-25, #1062-34.

It’s leaves are very nice with a thick substance making it pretty snail resistant.

Hosta ‘Patriot’ on 6-20-25, #1062-35.

The Hosta ‘Patriot’ is a brightly colored plant nestled among the Geranium sanguineum (Bloody Cranesbill). Both have done quite well… I have noticed that, while not a large plant, ‘Patriot’ likes to spread out.

Hosta ‘Patriot’ on 6-20-25, #1062-36.

The leaves of ‘Patriot’ have nice dark green centers with a bright white margin. I’m not finished with its page yet…

Hosta ‘Potomac Pride’ on 6-19-25, #1061-10.

The Hosta ‘Potomac Pride’ has been doing GREAT in spite of the Ostrich Fern’s advances. It doesn’t believe in boundaries. ‘Potomac Pride’ has been an impressive companion since 2009 in Mississippi, being moved here to the shade bed in 2013, and to the north side of the house in the spring of 2023. It is very glad to be safe from nibbling deer, too. At least so far…

Hosta ‘Potomac Pride’ on 6-19-25, #1061-11.

It has had a new bud starting when the above photo was taken.

Hosta ‘Potomac Pride’ on 6-20-25, #1062-37.

I really like the large dark green, puckered leaves of the ‘Potomac Pride’.

Hosta ‘Whirlwind’ on 6-20-25, #1062-38.

The Hosta ‘Whirlwind’ is doing quite well now, but for a while was hidden by surrounding plants. Actually, it was slow to come up and I had problems finding it. It seems to think I forgot about it, but the truth is I forgot where I put it because I couldn’t find it. I had to look at photos from 2024 to figure it out… I really like this plant, but sometimes I think I put it in the wrong place, but the Heuchera‘s ‘Dale’s Strain’ and ‘Coral Forest’ were added last spring and weren’t as prolific. OK, so I’m trying to find words to pacify ‘Whirlwind’ so it won’t feel so left out. After all, in alphabetical order, it is last on the list. I’m off the hook for that argument since I didn’t name the plant…

Hosta ‘Whirlwind’ on 6-20-25, #1062-39.

I always compliment if for having such nice leaves, though. Makes it smile…

Lysimachia nummularia ‘Goldilocks’ (Creeping Jenny) on 6-20-25, #1062-40.

I really enjoy the way the Lysimachia nummularia ‘Goldilocks’ (Creeping Jenny) creeps around in the bed. Sometimes I accidentally pull it up when I am weeding. but I just stick it back in the soil and it continues growing like nothing happened. It is certainly a happy are carefree plant. It does creep out into the grass, but that’s OK…

Matteuccia struthiopteris (Ostrich Fern) on 6-20-25, #1062-41.

Hmmm… I think I may have planted a monster when I put this Matteuccia struthiopteris (Ostrich Fern) in the bed. It has grown by leaps and bounds! I guess all I have to do is move some it to another spot or two.

Matteuccia struthiopteris (Ostrich Fern) on 6-20-25, #1062-42.

I really like the leaves!

I started this post several days ago and it is finally finished. We have had plenty of rain so far, but soon that will likely change. We have had a few hot days with hot wind, then it rained again and cooled off. Soon, that will change and it will get hot and the rain will stop for a while. It always does, but for now we will enjoy the break.

So, what will I write about next? Well, let me see… I did repot several of the cactus and succulents that may make a good discussion. I took plenty of photos and they aren’t likely to grow so fast to make them out of date like the plants in the north bed. I kept taking photos, then more, because they kept growing, then started flowering, so I would have to take more. GEEZ! Well, now this post is finished, so I better hit the publish button.

Until next time, be safe, stay positive, stay well, always be thankful, and GET DIRTY!

North Bed Comes Back To Life…

Most of the flower bed on the north side of the house on 4-29-25.

Hello everyone! I hope this finds you all well and out and about. Spring is a great time of year and filled with so much energy. The grass and other plants are growing, but so are the weeds! I know I have been absent from posting for a while, but I am still alive and well.

I did have a couple of setbacks last year but I seem to have recovered well. From past posts, if you remember, I normally always avoided going to the doctor and taking natural food supplements, trying to eat well, etc. I thought I was fine, but I injured my shoulder last April and things got weird from there. I had insurance, then not, then again. I went to the doctor and my blood pressure was VERY high. He put me on blood pressure medicine and gave me a shot in my shoulder. Well, it helped, but not always. Some nights the pain would be unbearable, so I would take a couple of pain pills and go to bed. The pain would stop and I would be OK for a few days. The blood pressure thing persisted and one day I had to go to the walk-in clinic locally. My blood pressure was WAY HIGH and my medication was doubled… One night, the pain wouldn’t stop and was all across my chest and up to my chin. I drove to the ambulance garage, it was around midnight. They checked me out and rushed me to Research Hospital. Once there, they were ready and waiting… They said I was “having a heart attack. Hmmm… Anyway, they put in three stints on October 4 and I was ready to go home after surgery. I felt great! Well, they had other plans. I had to stay for a few days and was told I needed two more in a month! My blood pressure meds had to be decreased by half, but I am taking a total of 10 different prescription meds! GEEZ! They want me to take that many for a year! Let’s just say I have a new respect for modern technology.

I’m not sure what happened, but I think the shoulder injury and pain contributed to the high blood pressure in the beginning, then somehow half of my heart wasn’t working due to my arteries being plugged or something. How can I feel GREAT until my shoulder issue? Well, I had a lot of questions and my shoulder issue is is still somewhat bothersome, but usually no pain. Still taking a shot for that once a month or so. An X-Ray showed arthritis back in April last year, but the insurance company wouldn’t pay for an MRI. Still can’t have one because of the metal in the stints, and the magnetic pull from an MRI wouldn’t be good for a while… GEEZ!

Then a couple of months ago I came down with the flu which led to more meds. I thought I was going to die for a few days, but after a week I felt better. Then, one day my breathing was weird. Went back to the clinic and they took another X-Ray and said I had bronchitis… More meds! The X-Ray showed I has a nodule on my lungs and some other weird stuff. That led to a CT scan and a visit with a pulmonary doctor… He said all that stuff was likely from the flu. He scheduled a breathing test (can’t remember the name of it) followed by another visit with him. He said the test results were perfect but wants another CT scan in July.

Thank God for insurance! Thank God for the doctors, the surgeon, and all the staff that have cared for me and all they have done. I’m still alive and I feel great now.

My main computer started going whacky a while back, so I transferred all the photos and documents to the old computer (2009 iMac). That took a while… I took the main computer, which was a 2012 iMac, to the shop. I called a couple of days later and the tech said, “Do you want the good news or the bad news first?” I’m not going to tell you what happened to the computer, but I wound up with a newer 2017 iMac out of the deal that cost me $100. It works like a charm so far. The few days I had to use the old computer almost drove me batty… If I hadn’t transferred all the stuff to it, though, it would have been a disaster. The only problem is that hundreds of bookmarks I saved from research were lost as well as an important document that seems to have disappeared. Well, it was an entire list of species I have identified and all the notes that went along with it. The document was transferred to the old computer fine, but somehow it disappeared after I transferred it to the new one. Between the photo folder, another list, and the blog, I am making a new list like the one that disappeared.

I am now teaching the new computer botanical language. It thinks I’m illiterate… I haven’t installed Grammarly on this one yet because it also thinks I am illiterate… So, forgive me if I have misspelled something while on a roll typing. The spell check works very well without Grammarly and it doesn’t try to correct my grammar. 🙂 We all have our own style of writing and at 64, I think I’m doing OK. I can spell just fine, it’s just that sometimes I hit the wrong button and don’t notice it. Enough babbling and on with the post!

Astilbe x arendsii ‘Fanal’ on 4-29-25, #1039-2.

I moved the Achillea x arendsii ‘Fanal‘ forward last spring because it was getting covered up by the increasing size of Hosta ‘Empress Wu’. Now it has the Achillea millefolium to contend with… Maybe I moved it to far…

Geranium pratense ‘Boom Chocolatta’ on 4-29-25, #1039-5.

I was very glad to see the Geranium pratense ‘Boom Chocolatta’ return this spring. I really like its dark leaves!

Geranium pratense ‘Johnson’s Blue’ on 4-29-25, #1039-3.

I was just as glad to see the Geranium pratense ‘Johnson’s Blue return. It is in a spot nothing has ever returned before for more than 2 years. Hopefully, it will continue to enjoy it here. Both of the above cultivars were new last spring. Ummm… I don’t have a page for either one YET…

Geranium sanguineum (Bloody Cranesbill) on 4-29-25, #1039-6.

The old Geranium sanguineum (Bloody Cranesbill) is still alive and well after being here for over 40 years! I planted it in a bed I made behind my grandparent’s old house in the early 1980’s and dad moved it here when they built the new house. There are several clumps of it in the north bed now. Soon it will be alive with color!

Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ on 4-29-25, #1039-7.

The Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ is ready for 2025. I brought this one home in 2014… I like its dark leaves! It is a later bloomer…

All four Heuchera (Coral Bells) returned for 2025. Well, they are kind of evergreen, so I knew they would spring to life once temps warmed up…

Heuchera ‘Venus’ on 4-29-25, #1039-8.

The Heuchera ‘Venus’… Kind of at a loss for words! All winter, no matter how cold it was, this plant was letting me know it would’t stay cold forever. On warmer days, it would perk up a little, and on cold days it would be flat. Once the temps were more agreeable, its color came back and it started growing like mad. It is getting close to flowering now… I brought this one home in 2017.

Heuchera americana ‘Dale’s Strain’ on 4-29-25, #1039-9.

I bought the Heuchera americana ‘Dale’s Strain’ and the one below last spring. This plant has grown A LOT and has its eye on ‘Venus’. The plant above didn’t have a tag but there were some flats that did. Well, the tags were all mixed up and I wasn’t sure what was what… Being they were small and in May, they didn’t bloom last year. There were three different tags to choose from, so I brought home one of each to try and figure them out… Well, I ruled one out.

I thought the one in the above photo was H. sanguinea ‘Coral Forest’ but apparently not…

Heuchera sanguinea ‘Coral Forest’ on 4-29-25, #1039-10.

This one is “likely” Heuchera sanguinea ‘Coral Forest’. Information online says it is supposed to have red flowers and ‘Dale’s Strain’ is supposed to have white flowers. The leaves of both species are also different and so on… If the one I am calling ‘Dale’s Strain’ doesn’t have white flowers, I will still be confused… Heck, with the tags at the greenhouse like they were, neither one may be right. It’s not the greenhouse’s fault. They came that way from the grower and the flats were bought at an auction… No page for either one until I make up my mind… GEEZ!

NOW, for the Hosta! All 10 came up!

Hosta ‘?’ on 4-29-25, #1029-11.

I brought this Hosta ‘?’ home from one of the local garden club’s plant sale several years ago and put it here in the north bed. It was unlabeled, so I have no idea what cultivar it is. It has aways done GREAT and has a great color and awesome leaves. There are so many cultivars that look so much alike I will likely never figure it out. As long as it is happy, I am happy. 🙂

Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ on 4-29-25, #1039-12.

The Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ made it up but the clump isn’t as big as before. It had its ups and downs in the shade bed the last couple of years it was there, but it did much better here last year. I brought it home in 2017 and I really like its leaves. It was the American Hosta Growers Association Hosta of the Year in 2014.

Hosta ‘Dancing Queen on 4-29-25, #1039-13.

I had to bring home a new Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’ last year after the old one had a battle with the deer and didn’t make it through 2022. I was really glad I found it because it adds so much brightness. I was glad to see it return this spring. Just look at how bright it looks nestled among the Viola sororia (Common Blue Violet).

Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ on 4-29-25, #1039-14.

The Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ didn’t raise any time strutting its stuff. It keeps growing and growing. It was reportedly the largest growing Hosta in the world, but I’m not sure if that is still the case. It is a spectacular plant for sure! If you can bring one home, I would highly recommend it!

Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’ on 4-29-25, #1039-15.

The Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’ is looking great!. Actually, I couldn’t find it at first and forgot where it was until I saw if behind a photo of the Heuchera sanguineum ‘Coral Forest’ from last year. I went and checked and found it starting to come up. The tag was gone on several of the Hosta, including this one, so I made a new one for each plant… I have had this one since 2017.

Hosta ‘Guacamole’ on 4-29-25, #1039-16.

I replaced the old Hosta ‘Guacamole’ I had since 2014 with this new one last year. The old one had issues with moles in the shade bed and didn’t return in 2023. The new one was a good-sized plant when I brought it home and took right off. As you can see, the new one is off to a great start for 2025! Always a nice plant!

Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’ on 4-29-25, #1039-17.

This Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’ is another one I brought home in 2024 to replace the old one that didn’t return in the shade bed in 2023. I had the old one since 2009 and brought it with me when I moved from Mississippi. I was glad I found this one in 2024. I always like the vase-shape growth habit of this cultivar and its leaf color. I grew my first H. ‘Krossa Regal’ in the early 1980’s.

Hosta ‘Patriot’ on 4-29-25, #1039-18.

This Hosta ‘Patriot’ was new last year and doesn’t have a page. It was a great performer in 2024 and is already looking bright and lively. This one was easy to spot when it started coming up because it had purple sprouts. Now I need to make a page for it…

Hosta ‘Potomac Pride’ on 4-29-25, #1039-19.

Hosta ‘Potomac Pride’ now has the privilege of being the oldest Hosta in the group. I bought it in 2012 while I was in Mississippi and brought it with me when I moved back here in 2013. It likes it here much better! It also likes it here in the north bed better without the deer nibbling on it leaves and the moles playing with its feet in the shade bed. It is a great cultivar for sure and one worth trying.

Hosta ‘Whirlwind’ on 4-29-25, #1039-20.

The Hosta ‘Whirlwind’ has always been slow to come up, so I was beginning to wonder. Finally, it showed up! This is a new plant with kind of twisted leaves with a great color. It is a smaller Hosta that doesn’t take up a lot of space…

That’s it for the Hosta so far. There is always room for more…

Lysimachia nummularia ‘Goldilocks’  (Creeping Jenny) on 4-29-25, #1039-21.

I should mention the Lysimachia nummularia ‘Goldilocks’ (Creeping Jenny) since it is an important part of the north bed and it has been here since 2014. I really like the way is meanders through the other plants. It has a very shallow root system so it doesn’t compete for moisture from the other plants. It hugs the ground so it doesn’t cover up other plants. The bright chartreuse color is an added bonus.

Matteuccia struthiopteris (Ostrich Fern) on 4-29-25, #1039-22.

Last, but not least, is the Matteuccia struthiopteris (Ostrich Fern). When I started taking photos of the plants in the north bed on April 9, the Ostrich Fern hadn’t even sprouted yet. The “stumps” were firm so I knew there was something in there. Then rained for a couple of days, and the next thing I knew they were a foot tall! Now they are growing like mad and spreading a little. I planted one root here several years and it came up but then didn’t come up for a couple of years. Then, in 2022 it came back to life and has done fine since…

That’s all I have for this post! Until next time take care, stay positive, stay well, and always be thankful! Oh, yeah… GET DIRTY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2020 Spring Update: What Is Coming Up?

Anaxyrus americanus (American Toad)

Hello everyone! I hope this post finds you well. I thought it was a good time to post about the perennials coming up. A few plants have not come up yet that are somewhat slower and several may not come up at all. You just never know… I forgot to photograph the Achillea millefolium but they have been up for a while.

I mowed part of the yard then saw the toad while I walking from the barn to the house. I only saw a few babies last summer so I was glad to see this whopper. I was also glad I didn’t run over it with the mower. While I had the camera out I went for a shooting spree.

In alphabetical order (except for the toad)…

Ajuga reptans ‘Chocolate Chips’

The Ajuga reptans ‘Chocolate Chips’ (Bugleweed) made it through the winter without any dying out like last year. Of course, that means there is A LOT more than before. It is a spreader.

 

Armoracia rusticana (Horseradish)

The Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) growing in the corner bed behind the old foundation spreads a little more each year.

 

Astilbe ‘Fanal’

The Astilbe x arendsii ‘Fanal’ just started coming up last week and has grown A LOT! I brought this plant home from Muddy Creek Greenhouse in 2018 so this will be its third season.

 

Astilbe cv. ?

The smaller Astilbe cv. ? I brought home from Lowe’s in Sedalia in 2014 is still alive and kicking. The label in its pot was not Astilbe but I didn’t realize it until I got home. It is virtually impossible to figure out the cultivar name at this point… I have narrowed it down to a few. This will be its seventh season.

 

Baptisia australis cv. ?

The Baptisia australis cv. ? (Blue False Indigo) I brought home in 2017 made it through another winter. If you remember, it was supposed to be a ‘Lunar Eclipse’ that was incorrectly labeled which I didn’t know until it flowered in 2018. I know… La dee dah… This will be its fourth season.

 

Cylindropuntia imbricata (Tree Cholla).

The Cylindropuntia imbricata (Tree Cholla) was actually nice while I was removing some Chickweed around it. It usually grabs me a few times but this time I didn’t get stuck once. It is already growing a few new appendages. I asked it if it were going to flower this year and the answer was “NO”. GEEZ! I was hoping for a “YES” or even a “MAYBE” since this will be its 6th summer.

 

Echinacea purpurea cv. ? (Purple Coneflower)

Another “cv. ?”, the Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) I brought home from the business up the street is all coming up. It is possibly the cultivar named ‘Magnus’. The plants I transplanted in the raised bed behind the old foundation in “the other yard” are all doing well, too.

 

Heuchera ‘Lime Rickey’

The Heuchera (Coral Bells) started growing new leaves a while back but H. ‘Lime Rickey’ seems to be having some issues. Actually, is started struggling late last summer but so far it has survived. Maybe it seeds some fertilizer and/or some of the “Good Stuff” (composted cow manure). I am not sure what its issue is… This will be its 3rd season.

 

Heuchera ‘Obsidian’

Even though much smaller than the others, Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ is alive and well. This will be its 4th summer.

 

Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’

The Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ is in its 7th season now and is doing very well. Even the smaller one is strutting its stuff!

 

Heuchera ‘Venus’

Heuchera ‘Venus’ is definitely one of the top performers no matter the conditions. The way its leaves change color is pretty neat. This is also its 4th season.

 

Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’

Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ appears to have spread quite a lot. Spring is a great time of the year to tell how well your Hosta are doing as the new sprouts come up. This is its 4th season.

 

Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’

The roots of Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ normally heave up during the winter, but this time it sunk like the plants on the opposite side of the bed. One reason is because there are no moles in the bed (which you will find out why later). This is its 4th season.

 

Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’

NICE! Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’ is up and has spread very well. This is its 4th season. This is the brightest Hosta in my small collection.

 

Hosta ‘Empress Wu’

I had begun to wonder about the Hosta ‘Empress Wu’. Early last week there was no visible sign of it while the others had been sprouting for a long time. This is its 4th season and it should reach its mature size in the 5th. It will definitely be worth watching.

 

Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’

I only two sprouts for the Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’ so I did a little poking around and uncovered a few more. This is its 4th season.

 

Hosta ‘Guacamole’

Hosta ‘Guacamole’ back in action for its 7th season… No moles to bother it like they did last winter. It was almost a goner.

 

Hosta ‘Hmmm’

What can I say? Remember this one? It is the one I brought home from Mast’s Greenhouse in 2018 that was labeled Hosta ‘Blue Angel’. It was weird buying a plant that was supposed to be a giant and turned out to be a miniature. You never know… Maybe the supplier used too much growth regulator and it will have worn off by now. Maybe it will grow and be ‘Blue Angel’ after all. Hmmm… That’s why I call it that now. Seriously, when I first saw it at the greenhouse, it looked like a miniature clump that was several years old but the tag said otherwise. While I do want more miniature Hosta, I was in the market for a big one for a certain spot. So, since the tag said Hosta ‘Blue Angel’ I put it in a spot behind other Hosta where it can grow and spread. If it continues to be a miniature it is completely in the wrong spot. Hosta ‘Hmmm’…

 

Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’

There are three clumps of the Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’ since I moved and divided them in 2017. They have done very well since then and this will make its 12th season. I bought this one in 2009 when I lived at the mansion in Mississippi and brought with me when I moved here in 2013.

 

Hosta ‘Potomac Pride’

Once it starts there is no stopping the Hosta ‘Potomac Pride’. I noticed it started sprouting the last of January when I peeked but didn’t start growing until it warmed up. I normally don’t check the Hosta until later but since we had a mild winter I was curious. I was surprised! This is another one I brought with me from Mississippi and it will also be its 12th season.

 

Hosta ‘Red October’

I had some difficulty locating Hosta ‘Red October’ at first in the Chickweed but finally found it among a few clumps of Common Violets (Viola sororia). I tried to pull up the violets but that didn’t work so well and wound up just pulling the leaves and stems off. I will have to dig up the Hosta and remove the violets. Believe me, there are plenty of violets. Hosta ‘Red October’ is now in its 12th season, starting out in Mississippi in 2009. We have had our ups and downs and the clump looked great until the spring of 2018 when I discovered a mole had almost killed it over the winter (from tunneling under it). Last spring I put the two clumps back together.

 

Hosta ‘Sum and Substance’

Ahhh, yes… Hosta ‘Sum and Substance’… I am so glad this one returned because it will make a bright and lovely specimen. It has doubled in size, sprout wise, since last year. I brought this one home last year so this is its 2nd season.

Hosta grow so fast this time of the year as temperatures cooperate.

 

Phedimus kamtschaticus ‘Variegata’

Last summer the “Phedimus kamtschaticus” ‘Variegata’ flowered up a storm then darn near fizzled out afterward. I was glad to see it showing signs of life. We have had our ups and downs over the past nine seasons since I brought it home from Lowe’s in 2012 when I was still in Mississippi. The scientific name of this species has been jumping from Sedum kamtschaticum to Phedimus kamtschaticus and back again several times. I checked again before writing this post and it is still in the Phedimus genus since, ummm, sometime last year. I’m sure the Phedimus people appreciate the acknowledgment since they didn’t appreciate several species being moved back into the Sedum genera (back and forth). Several genera besides Phedimus have gone through the same battles. Crassulaceae is definitely a complex family.

 

Phedimus kamtschaticus

The Phedimus kamtschaticus, the non-variegated one, has spread somewhat the past couple of years. I have been wondering for a while if one or the other is actually a Phedimus kamtschaticus. Maybe this one is Phedimus aizoon… The reason I have been wondering is because of their growth habit. This one is more of a clumper and then it sprawls. The variegated one doesn’t do that. Phedimus aizoon leaves are larger and this one’s leaves are bigger than the variegated one, too. Also, they don’t flower at the same time. I think I need to do some more investigating. I think I bought it from Mast’s Greenhouse in 2016 when I was temporarily without a camera and it was unlabeled… So, this is its 6th season.

 

Phedimus spurius ‘Dragon’s Blood’ ?

This one is another one that mystifies me as far as the actual cultivar name goes. I believe it came from Wagler’s Greenhouse, unlabeled, in 2015. All I know for sure is that it is a Sedum spurium, I mean Phedimus spurius, and it is likely the cultivar called ‘Dragon’s Blood’. Hmmm… I need to update the name on its page.

 

Phedimus spurius ‘John Creech’

Hmmm… The Phedimus spurius ‘John Creech’ is trying to conquer more territory all the time. It is having a population explosion but it had a plan. It had started spreading into the cast iron planter and is using the Cylindropuntia imbricata (Tree Cholla) for protection. GEEZ! This is its 4th season.

 

Phlomis ‘Edward Bowles’

Phlomis ‘Edward Bowles’ made it through the winter and is looking OK. He still thinks I am overprotective of him during the winter but I tell him to get over it. I know I say it every spring but I will say it AGAIN… “I HOPE it flowers this year.” This is its 8th season…

 

Rheum x hybridum (Rhubarb)

Usually, only one clump of the Rhubarb does well, but this spring two of them are pretty big already.

 

Salvia nemorosa ‘New Dimensions Blue’

I was REALLY glad to see the Salvia nemorosa ‘New Dimensions Blue’ coming back up since it almost died last summer. This will be its 4th summer.

 

Salvia x sylvestris ‘Mainacht’/’May Night’

The Salvia x sylvestris ‘Mainacht’ or ‘May Night’, whichever you prefer, is looking good as usual. It is always one of the first perennials to come up and this will be its 7th season.

 

Sempervivum ‘Killer’

The Sempervivum ‘Killer’ looks like it is getting off to a good start. Hopefully, none of them will flower this summer because they just die afterward then the colony goes to crap. This will be our 4th summer but is seems longer…

 

Mole repeller ‘Thor’

Before I end this post I need to tell you about this gizmo. Last spring I saw a message in the spam comments from Steven Liu, a pest repeller company from China, who asked me to test a mole repeller. He said he would send two for me to try out if I would write a review. Well, there were two areas I had in mind that would be perfect so I agreed. They arrived and put one in the shade bed where the newer Hosta are and one on the east side of the north porch. The moles in both areas drove me nuts. Well, the one next to the porch stopped working after a couple of months but the one in the shade bed has been performing nonstop. All summer, through the fall and winter, and it is STILL working. Not only are there no moles in the bed where it is, but there are also none clear around the other side of the old goldfish pool in the other Hosta bed. The chicken house is a good 60 feet away and that area always had a lot of moles… There are none! There are no moles in the yard between the shade bed and the garden and that whole is mole free. So, does it work? This area WAS mole heaven because of the elm trees that attract the Japanese Beetles who lay their eggs in the yard. When I put the Japanese Beetle traps up, the beetles would swarm from the grass. So, Thor really does work. The company, Shenzhen Visson Technology Co., Ltd., makes a lot of different types of ultra-sonic pest repellers that are solar-powered. Now I suppose I better write a proper review since I know how well it works. You can buy direct from the company, but I also noticed their products on Ebay. The mole repellants have been upgraded so Thor is not available. Maybe he will send a few more for me to try out. I could use 10. 🙂

Well, that’s it for this post. I hope you are all doing well and learning to cope with the restrictions because of COVID-19. We are still doing well in this area but you never know what lies ahead. Just hang in there and be safe and stay positive.

 

 

 

 

The Usual Joys & “Are You Serious?”

Allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum (Elephant Garlic) on 6-9-19, #585-1.

Hello, everyone! I hope this post finds you well. It happens every year… Some perennials come up earlier than others and some you have to wonder about. Then there are the re-seeders you have to wait on to see if they are going to come up at all. You are ready to get the beds tidied up and make decisions about what you are going to do with the beds. You go plant shopping to see what is available and bring home new plants. Some plants you liked the year before aren’t available so you get to try new cultivars and new plants.

The Elephant Garlic (Allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum) in the above photo is now flowering in the south bed. A great example of having your cake and eating it, too.

 

Alocasia ‘Mayan Mask’ on 6-9-19, #585-2.

A few of the older Alocasia went dormant and this Alocasia ‘Mayan Mask’ is FINALLY waking up. Two others are still thinking about it.

 

Hmmm… Last spring I bought a Siberian Bugloss, Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’. It did very well and was a beautiful plant. Once the Japanese Beetles really set in on the Chinese Elm tree and changed its environment, it started ailing. By the end of July, it was completely dead. I didn’t see anything online about this species going dormant so early, so I just contributed its demise was because of the heat and increased light. I left the label in place just in case it returned in the spring because you never know. I always say, “Just because it is dead doesn’t mean it is dead.” I have been surprised many times. Well, there is a plant coming up beside the label but there is a weed with similar leaves, which I haven’t bothered to ID. So, this is either the Bugloss returning or a weed trying to fool me… Most likely, the latter is the case. But, I am keeping an eye on it. 🙂

By the time I am finished with this post, which is likely to take several days, maybe we can tell what is really going on here.

 

Celosia argentea var. spicata ‘Cramer’s Amazon’ on 6-9-19, #585-6.

Waiting and waiting… Then all the sudden, “OH, CRAP!” Almost time to transplant the Celosia argentea var. spicata ‘Cramer’s Amazon’ and Talinum paniculatum (Jewels of Opar).

 

Talinum paniculatum (Jewels of Opar) seedlings on 6-9-19, #585-22.

It happens every spring… It seems I need to work on the south bed but I always think I have to wait for the Celosia and Jewels of Opar to come up. Last spring the Rudbeckia hirta ‘Denver Daisy’ came up in abundance from self-sown seed but barely any came up this spring. In fact, I am not so sure any did and I was beginning to wonder about the Celosia. But when they did come up, they really came up! I think I am pretty safe if I don’t even worry if they will come up and just go ahead and do whatever I want with the south bed when I am in the mood. The Celosia and Jewels of Opar will come up when they are ready and it doesn’t matter where I dig. I will still have more than enough.

 

Colocasia esculenta on 6-9-19, #585-7.

The Colocasia esculenta are finally coming up in the north bed. I didn’t post photos, but something terrible happened with the BIG rhizomes… The biggest ones had crown rot but the majority of the rhizome was OK. It just made the smaller eyes come up around the rhizomes instead of the main one from the center. Hard to explain but maybe you get the picture… It was unusual, but the small Colocasia esculenta I planted in the front of the Canna bed overwintered with leaf mulch and came up long before the rhizomes I planted… I don’t know what the Xanthosoma robustum is going to do because it sort of had the same problem only in a different way. It rotted from the bottom instead of the top. Last time I checked, the top sprout had broken off but there is some kind of activity on the remainder of the rhizome… Time will tell. The temps have been weird and the soil has remained cool and damp which they don’t like…

 

Conoclinum coelestinum ‘Aunt Inez’ on 6-9-19, #585-8.

TRIPLE GEEZ! The Conoclinum coelestinum (Blue Mist Flower) I call ‘Aunt Inez’ always comes up so late. It is a perennial or sorts but these always come up from seed. Supposedly, they are an herbaceous perennial that “spreads aggressively” by rhizomes and self-seeding. Dad got his start from Aunt Inez (his mother’s sister) many years ago. They were in a good-sized group on both sides of the steps but they have declined, which may be partly my fault. I have been panting other plants where they grow which had led to their seeds being lost or not being able to come up. It was kind of tiresome waiting for them to come up then having to move them around a bit. (GEEZ! That is like in the south bed!). Then after I get the beds planted, a few come up… I am not complaining at all, and I am thankful that at least a few have made an appearance. I have tried to relocate a few in the past, but they never return the next spring. As far as them spreading “aggressively” by rhizome, I have never had that happen and it would be a good thing if they even tried. They are a nice plant with neat flowers. The worse thing about their seedlings is that one might think they are a weed and pull them up by accident. My dad used to keep an eye on me and was quick to point them out. He would say, “that’s one of those flowers. You have to be careful not to pull them up.” 🙂

 

Echinacea purpurea (Purple Cone Flower) on 6-9-19, #585-9.

The Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) “are” now budding. They have done very well and are getting very tall. I am so thankful I have these now! I failed to dig up a few of the Echinacea paradoxa (Yellow Coneflower) along a back road which I wanted to plant somewhere on the farm.

Grammarly thinks “are” should be “is”. I had to remind it “are” is a present and plural form of “be” and “is” the singular present form. 🙂 We are at a stalemate and it is thinking about it.

 

Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ on 6-9-19, #585-10.

The Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ is looking MUCH better now. I was beginning to wonder for a while if it would make it.

 

Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ on 6-9-19, #585-11.

The very nice Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ is going to bless us with its first flowers this year. It’s first!

 

Hosta ‘Blue Angel’ wannabe on 6-9-19, #585-12.

Hmmm… The Hosta ‘Blue Angel’ wannabe is getting a little bigger. It is driving me NUTS not knowing the true cultivar name. I am going to turn the label around so it can read that it says “Hosta ‘Blue Angel’.” I am sure it will tell me, “Yes, I am blue (well kind of) and I am an angel. But I am NOT Hosta ‘Blue Angel’.” 🙂

 

Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ on 6-9-19, #585-13.

The Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ definitely has no identity crisis. Its flowers are just as compact, neat and tidy as the whole clump.

 

Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’ on 6-9-13, #585-14.

The always glowing Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’ is further dazzling us with buds.

 

Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’ on 6-9-19, #585-15.

Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’ is looking especially AWESOME this year and flowering right on schedule. I took photos of the Hosta on 6-9-2018 and it didn’t have buds, but it did on the 14th. So, we are pretty much right on schedule.

 

Monarda didyma ‘Cherry Pops’ on 6-9-19, #585-16.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE! I had almost forgotten about the Monarda didyma ‘Cherry Pops’ (Bee Balm)! I saw it had sprouted a while back, but the Creeping Jenny had completely covered it it. When I was taking photos on Sunday, it said “HERE I AM! DON’T FORGET ABOUT ME!” I smelled its leaves to make sure it was really it. 🙂 I am very thankful it came up. Now, we’ll see if it flowers.

 

Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper) on 6-9-19, #585-17.

The Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) is one of those “I fooled you” plants when they are very young. You can easily mistake it for a Viola and not pull it up. Sometimes their second set of leaves may even resemble Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), which fooled me for several years at this stage. I had plenty of both in Mississippi and was always getting a little rash after pulling weeds in the back yard even though I didn’t see any poison ivy where I was working. Then one day I noticed the Violets I didn’t pull had three leaves so I thought Poison Ivy started out looking like Violets. Well, that is not the case. Small Poison Ivy starts out with leaves of three while the Virginia Creeper starts out looking like Viola species. By the second or third set of leaves, you can clearly see the five-leaved Virginia Creeper.  Some people break out in a rash similar to Poison Ivy from the sap of the Virginia Creeper as well.

One interesting thing about Poison Ivy is that it is not an Ivy at all. Believe it or not, it is in the family Anacardiaceae with Cashews, Mangos, Pistachios, and many other ornamental trees that produce “fruit” that are drupes. Many of the plants in this family produce sap with urushiol which is what causes the rash. Virginia Creeper (or Woodbine) is in the family Vitaceae along with grapes. These plants produce raphides (crystals of calcium oxalate) which can also cause irritation by puncturing the skin of sensitive people. Umm… I mean people with sensitive skin.

 

Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’ buds on 6-9-19, #585-19.

The Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’ is starting to bud now. There will be A LOT of flowers because they really like it where the biggest patch is now.

 

Rudbeckia hirta buds on 6-9-19, #585-19.

I think buds are especially neat on some plants. Here the native Rudbeckia hirta (Black-Eyed Susan) buds resemble brown balls wrapped in golden-yellow petals.

 

Salvia nemorosa ‘New Dimensions Blue’ on 6-9-19, #585-20.

The Salvia nemorosa ‘New Dimensions Blue’ seems to be having some difficulty expressing itself this spring. It was like it couldn’t speak for a while and was always looking over its shoulder. Then I realized maybe it is the Elephant Garlic… The Salvia x sylvestris ‘Mainacht’ in the other end of the bed had the same difficulty until I removed the garlic next to it. This year it has gone bananananas! Maybe the smell of the garlic and the scent of the Salvia don’t mix well. Chemical reaction. LOL!

 

Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ears) on 6-9-19, #585-21.

The Lamb’s Ears (Stachys byzantina) are blooming once again. They seem to like this spot and I am going to attempt something… I have a plan… Top secret. 🙂

 

Vitex agnus-castus ‘Shoal Creek’ (Chaste Tree) on 6-9-19, #585-23.

The beautiful Chaste Tree, Vitex agnus-castus ‘Shoal Creek’, is looking great and starting to flower. I really like this shrub but it can be weird sometimes. It made it through the winter like a deciduous shrub instead of having to come up from the bottom like a perennial. It has been a few years since it did that. There are a few advantages to that including their stems are much stronger. Last spring it came up from the ground and next thing you know all the stems were flat as a pancake and growing horizontally because the stems were weak. I have photos to prove it. 🙂 So, I am very thankful it growing normal this year.

That’s all for this post. Until next time, be safe, stay positive, be thankful and you know the rest.