Tag Archives: Hosta ‘Empress WU’

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 Umm… It took longer than expected because photos would get out-of-date fairly quickly.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.

 

 

 

 

Doing Well Even Though…

A few Alocasia doing GREAT!

Hello everyone! I hope this post finds you well. To say this summer has been ordinary would be quite misleading. I don’t have photos of well-maintained beds because there aren’t any here. I have managed to keep up with beds on the north side of the house and just so with the shade beds. The only deterrent with the shade beds has been the mosquitos because of grandmas old goldfish pool. It always has a little water in it which is a mosquito paradise so I have to work quickly and quietly.

The mole repeller has worked wonders in the shade bed and I have no complaints about it at all. The other one quit working a while back, but it did help for a while. I am supposed to write a review at some point, and the company was supposed to send their “upgraded” model to replace the one that stopped working. What I am wondering is how I write a new review on a model that has been replaced? Hmmm…

The Japanese Beetle traps have worked quite well with a few issues that I don’t think is any fault of the company. Most people don’t have as many beetles as there are here. They have slowed down now, but for a while, I was having to empty 2-3 traps about every day. I am not sure what kind of an impact the traps will have on next years population because even though I have eliminated many, there are still thousands that have probably managed to lay eggs. I even see Japanese Beetles when I am taking photos of wildflowers in the back of the farm and on Kevin’s farm. They eat flowers and leaves of quite a variety of plants.

 

Northeast front porch.

I took a lot of photos of the potted plants earlier but they didn’t make it on a post. I became involved with wildflower ID for a while which took a lot of time. The potted plants are all doing very well and are very easy to manage. The Alocasia are thriving as always and look great! The plants in the above photo were repotted last summer and are doing well on the front porch while the larger pots are next to the shade bed (in the first photo). I still haven’t figured out how offsets from Alocasia ‘Portora” and Mayan Mask’ come up in the same pot… One might think they are cross-pollinating when they flower but that is nearly impossible since they don’t flower at the same time if at all. Alocasia ‘Calidora’ flowers more but there have been no step-children showing up in their pots. Weird…

 

Billbergia nutans flower on 8-11-19.

The Queen’s Tears or Angel’s Tears (Billbergia nutans) has been flowering for a while and is always AWESOME. If you recall, I divided the HUGE POT last year and gave away many. I still have three pots to give away.

 

Colocasia ‘Coffee Cups’ on 8-11-19.

Although the Colocasia ‘Coffee Cups’ seemed to have gotten off a little slow, it is doing very well now. I really like the smaller dark cup-shaped leaves and dark stems. They have a little water in their leaves from somewhere most of the time. You would be surprised at how many insects I have seen drinking water from the leaves. If you haven’t tried Colocasia ‘Coffee Cups’, I suggest you do.

 

Colocasia ‘Distant Memory’ on 8-11-19.

I must say Colocasia ‘Distant Memory’ has been pretty impressive. I planted one of these in a planter at a friends home and it was growing better than this one. I thought maybe it was because the planter was full of Miracle Grow Potting soil so I found the bag of fertilizer Mrs. Wagler had given me last year and mixed a little in the soil in this bed. Normally, I do not use commercial fertilizer but I decided to give it a shot. Well, you can see the results. It is now bigger than the one in the planter. 🙂 The leaves have become a little more “puckered” but not near as much as photos of this plant online. The leaves are also supposed to be much darker when grown in the sun, and this plant gets plenty of that. Whether or not this plant is even a Colocasia ‘Distant Memory’ is somewhat debatable. I have grown Colocasia ‘Black Magic’ in the past and their leaves have always been much darker even in the shade. I am not complaining because this is a really nice plant no matter what it really is.

 

Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ on 8-11-19.

Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ has been AWESOME as always.

 

Hosta ‘Guacamole’ on 8-11-19.

Hosta ‘Guacamole’ is now flowering and doing very well. The Hosta in this bed are mainly under a large maple tree and are still doing very well. Except for Hosta sieboldiana ‘Elegans’ which has been struggling all summer. I really miss its awesomeness and it may not survive this winter.

 

Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’ on 8-11-19.

Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’ is doing OK and has several buds. The plants in the corner shade bed are all doing OK because they still have good shade. The ones on the other side are a different because they are usually shaded by the elms whos leaves have been pretty much dissected by the Japanese Beetles.

 

Leucocasia gigantea ‘Thailand Giant’ on 8-11-19.

Hmmm… While I am sure this is a Leucocasia gigantea ‘Thailand Giant’ this year, it seems it should be much bigger. I am not sure how tall this one is, but the previous one was 54″ tall on 8-29-17. If you remember, the one I bought last spring turned out to be a Xsanthosoma robustum… The Leococasia gigantea ‘Thailand Giant’ I had in 2017 grew HUGE but it was closer to the porch where the soil is better. Maybe a little of Mrs. Wagler’s fertilizer is on order. I was reserving the space closer to the porch for the Xanthosoma sagittifolium a friend was supposed to send me but it never arrived. The X. robustum from last year rotted. I had plans for this bed but…

 

Colocasia esculenta on 8-11-19.

The Colocasia esculenta are doing great as always even though not as large as usual. The top part of the rhizomes rotted before I set them out, which never happened before. As a result, I have many offsets with no main plant.

 

Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant) on 8-11-19.

The Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant) is strutting its stuff now but the wind and rain knocked some of the plants over. It is flowering really well now, but something is a little weird…

 

Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant) flowers on 8-11-19.

Ummm… Its flowers are PINK! Normally, they look white with just a hint of pink. Some photos make them look pinker that you can see with your eye, which is a little strange. I remember taking photos before that turned out pink and I thought, “Why do they look pink? They aren’t pink!” Well, folks, this time around they are definitely pink!

Supposedly, the Obedient Plant gets its name from the flower stems staying where you put them if you bend them a little. I tried that and it didn’t work. I began to question whether or not this was actually an Obedient Plant but research proved they are definitely Physostegia virginiana. However, mine are disobedient.

 

Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’ on 8-11-19.

Well, the Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm‘ are flowering up a storm now. It was strange how they didn’t spread that much until I moved a few to the northeast corner of the old foundation. Now they have gone banananananas.

I don’t know if I mentioned it before, but PREVIOUSLY Rudbeckia fulgida and Rudbeckia sullivantii were two separate species. PREVIOUSLY this cultivar was simply Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’.

 

Ruellia simplex (Mexican Petunia) on 8-11-19.

The Mexican Petunia (Ruellia simplex) is doing really well here in the north bed by the steps. There are 2-3 more stems but they seem to be laying down on the job. I need to put a little more dirt around them so they will stand up and because their roots are showing. The one in the photo has a few buds and it will have blue flowers. The plants I had in Mississippi (and brought with me in 2013) had pink flowers, so I was glad Mrs. Wagler and the blue “variety” in her flower bed. HOPEFULLY, they will survive the winter. IF they produce offsets I am going to dig them up and overwinter them inside. They actually do well inside if they are small enough. It may be possible to grow these in pots and bring them inside although I haven’t tried it.

 

Salvia coerulea ‘Black and Blue’ on 8-11-19.

The Salvia coerulea ‘Black and Blue’ have really been impressive. This is the first year I have had this cultivar and I have thoroughly enjoyed them.

 

Zantedeschia aethiopica on 8-11-19.

There is always a lot going on here and sometimes I get caught up with this and that that I may neglect to notice something interesting. In June, the owner of Wildwood Greenhouse gave me this pot of Calla he had grown from seed. He had several pots and he couldn’t get them to grow or do much of anything. I brought this pot home, put it in fresh potting soil and it did nothing except not die. Every time I looked at it, it was the same. Then, when I was taking photos on the 11th, I noticed it had perked up! You just never know!

 

Before I close, I want to introduce to, ummm… OK, let me start from the beginning… This kitten showed up at Kevin’s, a friend I have been working for. You know, the guy I have been spraying and digging thistles on his farm, the farm I have taken a lot of wildflower photos on, the guy I have been taking care of his landscaping for him. Yeah, that guy. Anyway, this kitten showed up, obviously from being dumped. He saw it several times and one evening he saw it trying to catch bugs under a porch light so it could have something to eat. Kevin said he could tell it was doing its best to survive so he bought it some kitten food. Eventually, it began coming up to him so he put it in a bathroom so he could tame it down. Then, he attempted to get me to bring it home because his sister didn’t like cats and wouldn’t approve when she came for a visit. So, when she was going to come I told him I would take the cat home and see how it went. On the way home I stopped by the store and bought a litter box and cat litter. GEEZ!!! As soon as we got home, I filled the litter box, put the cat litter in it, then put the cat in the litter box. Even though she probably never saw a litter box, she automatically knew what it was for and she has never failed to use it.

For several days she hid behind my boots in the bathroom. I would reach down and pet her, but she wouldn’t come out when I was around. I told her if she came out I would allow her to come into the bedroom. I couldn’t let her in the rest of the house because Nathans two cats are here now. The next day, she came out and didn’t go hide like she understood what I had said. So, I opened the bathroom door and she came into the bedroom. BUT, she hid under the bed. The next day I told her she couldn’t be hiding under the bed because it was too hard to get her out. Apparently, she understood that, too, because she didn’t do it again.

She has been here several weeks now and last week I let her in the rest of the house. Jade, Nathans female cat, didn’t approve at first and would run from her. Simba, his male cat, has been staying outside. When he first saw her, she was in the hallway and he was in the kitchen watching her. He started talking to her and the kitten came into the kitchen. Simba just watched her and the kitten eventually came up to him. They smelled noses and neither one of them hissed or growled. The problem is, Simba is quite interested in her and would really like to play but he is very big… Once the kitten gets bigger, that may be OK… One of them is going to have to go to the vet, though. 🙂

It has been a long time since I had a kitten to bring up and she is a certainly a fur ball of energy. Everything that moves becomes her toy. When she isn’t playing or sleeping, she wants my attention. Trying to get on the desk where I am working is very annoying. Teaching her not to get on the table or swing on the curtains has been a challenge. Now, she knows better but still does it when I’m not looking. She likes watching me when I wash my hands and shave and darn near gets in the sink. Last week she came in when I was using the restroom and jumped in the toilet… Not kidding! How she thought the lid would have been shut when I am using the toilet is beyond me. She often jumps on the seat when I am at the sink, but never when I am in front of the toilet. I think we both learned a valuable lesson that time, and from now on I make sure I close the door behind me. Of course, when I leave my computer I have to make sure my keyboard is unavailable. Even though the knows I don’t want her on my desk when I leave the room the first place she goes is on the desk. One day she sent messages on Skype. Of course, it wasn’t actual words, but it was evidence that she had been there. Yesterday, I opened the refrigerator and she had to have a peek inside. I left the door open because I was taking items out. I told her NO several times, and she would always back out. She knows what that means but she is somewhat confused about it. Next thing I know, she is IN the refrigerator. She looks at me and meows like she is saying, “See, it is safe.” HMMM… NO to her means to try when no one is looking.

My computer desk is next to my bed where she likes to lay down after she gets worn out from playing. Next thing I know, I can see her out of the corner attempting to get on the desk. I will say “NO” and she backs up. After about the tenth try, she gets on the floor and starts rubbing on my legs. I put her back on the bed and tell her to lay down. After the third try at that, she then jumps on my lap. So, then we go through that ordeal a few times. GEEZ!!!

I am not sure how much stuff she has brought into my bedroom, or even where it all came from. When all is quiet and she isn’t in the bedroom playing with something, sleeping on the bed, or trying to get my attention, I have to wonder what she is doing. Then I go check and she follows me back into the bedroom to repeat the cycle all over again! 🙂

Hmmm… Wonder what she is doing now?

Well, that’s it for this post. It is sprinkling now and that is good and relaxing. Maybe I should go to bed. It is 1:42 AM…

Until next time, be safe, stay positive, be thankful always and give some a big HUG!

Heuchera and Hosta Update

Heuchera ‘Lime Rickey’ on 4-23-19, #562-4.

Hello everyone! I hope this post finds you all well. The Heuchera and Hosta are all doing good for the most part. We have been having cool temps this week but nothing serious.  Some of the perennials are growing like weeds now while others are casually taking their time. If you grow several different Hosta cultivars from different size groups, you will find the larger cultivars grow at a much faster rate than the miniatures. At least that is the way it is here.

You can click on the names of the Heuchera and Hosta to visit their own pages.

The Heuchera ‘Lime Rickey’ in the above photo was a little off at first but it seems to be doing much better now.

 

Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ on 4-23-19, #562-5.

The Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ is being weird again this spring. I don’t understand how some plants can do great their first year and then go downhill after that. I dug it up, checked its roots, made sure there wasn’t a mole tunnel under it, amended the soil with cow manure, then put it back in the ground at the proper depth. So far it is still being weird!

Heuchera (Coral Bells) don’t have a lot of rules to keep them going. They need well-draining soil, kind of lose and loamy like most plants. They can go for short dry periods but they prefer consistently damp soil, but not to damp. During dry periods they like at least an inch of water per week or they begin to feel neglected. Although they don’t seem to mind Oxalis and Clover to a point, they consider most weedy companions as intruders. They don’t seem to like the pushy Chickweed or Lamium purpureum (Deadnettle) and always ask if I can remove them. Company is one thing, but enough is enough!

 

Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ on 4-23-19, #562-6.

The bigger Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ continues to do very well. The smaller plant next to this one is doing very well also. This plant handed me a “to-do list” reminding me to keep the Virginia Creeper (lower left corner) in check.

 

Heuchera ‘Venus’ on 4-23-19, #562-7.

The Heuchera ‘Venus’… They say a photo is worth a thousand words, but I can honestly tell you this Heuchera looks even better in person. It seems to like its Red Clover companion. That’s good because I can’t remove it. Its stem is right next to the Heuchera with much deeper roots. Heuchera ‘Venus’ is looking better than ever so I don’t think I need to bother it.

Heuchera always looks good this time of the year through most of May. Once the heat of summer sets in and the Japanese Beetles arrive… I have plenty of leaves for mulch that I am going to put on the shade bed, and maybe in the bed in the north side of the house. That will help keep the soil cool and retain some moisture.

Now for the Hosta…

 

Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ on 4-23-19, #562-8.

The Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ is taking its time making sure the coast is clear. She keeps reminding me how I couldn’t find her earlier because I was looking in the wrong place. Then she giggles so I know she is just kidding around. I was looking behind the label instead of in front of it… Anyway, the Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ is alive and well. 🙂

 

Hosta ‘Blue Angel’ ? on 4-23-19, #562-9.

If this is a Hosta ‘Blue Angel’ I will really be surprised. It survived the winter and started leafing out faster than the rest of the Hosta. I have looked at its label several times to verify to myself, and to the plant, that it says Hosta ‘Blue Angel’. The label hasn’t changed and that is exactly what it says… This clump looks like a very nice and healthy miniature Hosta, which Hosta ‘Blue Angel’ is not… Hosta ‘Blue Angel’ grows to a mature size of 36″ tall. Its leaves also do not match Hosta ‘Blue Angel’. So, I need to find out the source of this plant from Mast’s Greenhouse to see what miniature Hosta they have available… I WILL figure it out! I am certainly not unhappy with the plant because it is very good. It just needs to have its proper name.

 

Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ on 4-23-19, #562-10.

It seems to take a long time for the Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ leaves to unfurl. I looked back at last years photos and it seems to actually be a little ahead. Patience is a virtue…

 

Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’ on 4-23-19, #562-11.

What a glowing beauty! The Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’ is definitely a winner! Sometimes I go outside in the dark to check on something, like measure a plant (yes, I really do that). If I shine my light toward the Hosta this one lights up like it is saying, “I am here!” I have had several gold-leaved Hosta on my wishlist for many years but there are never any available locally. I was fortunate to have found this one at Muddy Creek Greenhouse in 2017.

 

Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ on 4-25-19, #562-12.

The Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ has grown by leaps and bounds. It wasn’t the first to emerge, but once it did and the temps warmed up it took off and grew faster than any other Hosta here. I have taken several photos of it already that I haven’t posted because by the time a post is finished it has grown more. Then I forgot to take its photo on the 23rd with the other Hosta which is why this one was taken on the 25th (even though it is in the same folder). Currently, it is already 30″ wide and it just the last part of April!

 

Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’ on 4-23-19, #562-13.

The Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’ is looking very good now.

 

Hosta ‘Guacamole’ on 4-23-19, #562-14.

The Hosta ‘Guacamole’ is doing very good now. I am going to like it much better with it all on the same location.

 

Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’ on 4-23-19, #562-15.

The Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’ is one of my all-time favorite Hosta. I like the color and their vase-shaped habit.

 

Hosta ‘Potomac Pride’ on 4-23-19, #562-16.

The Hosta ‘Potomac Pride’ is an amazing Hosta for sure. It just does its thing and that is growing and looking beautiful! Beautiful large dark green corrugated leaves!

 

Hosta ‘Red October’ on 4-23-19, #562-17.

Talk about a miraculous recovery! I thought the Hosta ‘Red October’ was completely gone. Each time I checked on the Hosta and took photos of them coming up, Hosta ‘Red October’ was nowhere to be seen. The clump had struggled last spring because of a mole tunnel under the roots, so I dug it up. There were only two plants left in the clump so I put them beside two separate Chinese Elm trees. They didn’t do well all summer but they did survive. This spring they were gone. I dug into the soil where I had planted them and nothing was to be found. Then one day, with no camera, I saw they had both came up. Not just a sprout, but the whole plant! It had only been a couple of days since I took photos and they were not there. It was a pleasant surprise for sure! So, I took both plants and put them where The Hosta ‘Rainforest Sunrise’ had been (where one of the ‘H. ‘Guacamole’ had been last year).

 

Hosta ‘Sum and Substance’ on 4-23-19, #562-18.

Hosta ‘Sum and Substance’ is looking GREAT and getting bigger every time I check. This is going to be a great specimen in time.

 

Hosta ‘Whirlwind’ on 4-23-19, #562-19.

Hosta ‘Whirlwind’ is definitely one of those delightful and entertaining Hosta. Emerging in bright colors in the spring then darkening as the season progresses.

 

Hosta sieboldiana ‘Elegans’ on 4-23-19, #562-20.

All of the Hosta are doing very well except for the Hosta sieboldiana ‘Elegans’. This will be our 11th summer together and it has always been AWESOME and has never had a lick of trouble until now. Apparently, with the up and down temps this past winter, its roots heaved up exposing some of the roots. Even with leaves as a mulch, it didn’t help that much because leaves blow off. I dug up the clump and dug the hole deeper, amended the soil with cow manure, then replanted what was left of the clump. Some of the roots are sticking upward which is a little weird… Hopefully, it will get back to its old self and start growing better.

Well, that’s it for the Heuchera and Hosta update. It took five days to finish this post! Today I went to three greenhouses to see what was available. I needed to see if Wildwood Greenhouse had another Leucocasia (Colocasia) gigantea ‘Thailand Giant’ and see what else was available. I went to Mast’s because they were in the neighborhood but I didn’t go to Muddy Creek. Then, of course, I had to check with Wagler’s… So, the next post will be about the new plants which I will start on NOW…

Until next time… Be safe and stay positive. I hope you are getting dirty!

Ajuga, Heuchera, Hosta, Leptinella & Zantedeschia Update

Ajuga reptans ‘Chocolate Chip’-Bugleweed

Hello again! I am back with round two of the update. The Ajuga reptans ‘Chocolate Chip’ has struggled through the winter and probably 80% of has died out. What is left is beginning to bud. Later on, I will have to replant what has died with new plants from what is left. They can spread pretty fast so that won’t be a problem. You have to be careful with Bugleweed as they have a tendency to become too thick which can lead to crown rot.

In an earlier post, I mentioned that only two of the Hosta I bought last year survived the winter. Well, I made a very good discovery Friday… I was looking for the new Hosta behind the tags and they were in front of them. SO, the only one that didn’t return is Hosta ‘Rainforest Sunrise’. The following are in the order the photos were taken.

 

Hosta ‘Empress Wu’

I am very glad the Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ survived the winter. I planted this Hosta last spring by the porch on the north side of the house because I want something there that makes a statement. I have had this cultivar in mind for this spot for several years but I could only find them online. Last spring I found one at a garden center in Clinton but didn’t want to pay over $20.00 for a gallon size pot. Then I found the Colocasia gigantea ‘Thailand Giant’ which I planted there but farther away from the wall because I knew it would get big. Then after that, I found a smaller Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ at a local greenhouse. Well, even though I had kind of used that spot for the Colocasia ‘Thailand Giant’, I still had to have the Hosta ‘Empress Wu’. I planted it behind the Colocasia in the corner. In time, this Hosta will be very big as it is the largest Hosta cultivar available.

 

Hosta ‘Guacamole’

Hosta ‘Guacamole’ appears right on the heels of ‘H. ‘Potomac Pride’. I bought this award-winning Hosta from Lowe’s in the spring of 2014. The clump has spread nicely and it always makes a good show during the summer. It is always good to see it return in the spring.

 

Hosta ‘Red October’

The Hosta ‘Red October’ has been with me since 2009 I brought from Mississippi. Last year it showed some signs of needing help, so this spring I may need to give it some attention. I have lost two Hosta I brought with me and I don’t intend to lose a third which is why I moved H. ‘Krossa Regal’ last spring.

 

Hosta sieboldiana ‘Elegans’

Hosta sieboldiana ‘Elegans’ is another award-winning Hosta I bought in 2009 while living in Mississippi. This clump gets larger every year and the plant keeps getting more dramatic. It is a beautiful blue-green Hosta with AWESOME thick, puckered and corrugated leaves!

 

Hosta ‘Potomac Pride’

Hosta ‘Potomac Pride’ is always the first to appear in the spring so it is always the one I check first. I brought this cultivar with me from Mississippi, too. It keeps getting bigger every year and has never ceased to be AWESOME!

 

Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’

I bought this plant from an Ebay seller in 2009 while living at the mansion in Mississippi, too. I actually bought my first Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’ after I moved to the farm when my grandpa passed away in 1981. I always liked its vase-shaped growth habit and leaf color, kind of a powdery blue-green. I had to relocate this clump last spring so I divided it while I was at it. I was a little worried at first this spring because it looked like most of it didn’t survive. Fortunately, it appears all the plants from the division have made it now.

 

Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’

Thank goodness the Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ survived the winter. I bought this cultivar in the spring of 2014 but I thought it was a gonner in 2016. Fortunately, it came back again in 2017 so I moved it in front of where I moved the Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’. Hopefully, it will do better this year. Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ was the Perennial Plant Association’s Perennial Plant of the Year in 1991. It was also the number one selling Heuchera for 20 years straight.

 

Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’

Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’ was new for me last spring and my first gold-leaved cultivar. It is certainly a show stopper with its bright leaves you can see from far away. I am anxious to see how well it does this year.

 

Iris fulva-Copper Iris

I brought this AWESOME iris from Mississippi where I found it growing in the backyard at the mansion. I couldn’t leave without bringing several tubers with me and they have spread nicely. This past winter proved they are hardy down to -10° F!

 

Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’

“HERE I AM!!!” I almost S–T!!! It isn’t every day your Hosta calls out to you like that. Just look how big it is already!!! I was looking behind the tag this whole time and it was in front of it instead covered with leaves. GEEZ! WOW, was I glad to see it!

 

Hosta Abique Drinking Gourd’

Since the Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’ was in front of its tag, I look in front of the lag for H. ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’. Sure enough, there it was, too! Very good! This cultivar was the 2014 American Hosta Growers Association Hosta of the Year. It has thick puckered leaves that are cup-shaped. I am looking forward to seeing what this plant can do as the years go by. It will be AWESOME!

 

Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’

Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ is just sitting there looking like it has the last three times I have taken its photo. I am not complaining because at least it survived the winter and without much mulch a lot of the time. It is on the end and the wind seems to blow its cover off and on and it isn’t as deep as the others so some of its roots are exposed. I cover it up and it disappears. Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ is a MULTIPLE award winner and am glad I found it last spring at Lowe’s. This Hosta was introduced 18 years years ago and is still very popular.

 

Heuchera ‘Obsidian’

I wasn’t worried about the new Heuchera surviving the winter because there were visible signs of them the whole time and they all came through with flying colors. Heuchera is a Terra Nova introduction and is supposed to be the “blackest” Heuchera. It did very well last summer and I have no doubt it will be great in 2018 as well.

 

Heuchera ‘Venus’

Heuchera ‘Venus’ sure looks different when it first starts growing in the spring compared to how it looks in the summer. The leaves will be a silvery-green with maroon veins. Well, that depends on the light and time of the year. Heuchera ‘Venus’ is part of the Planet Collection hybridized by Wijnhout from the Netherlands and introduced in 2003. I had several similar cultivars on my wishlist but I had not heard of this one until I found it at Lowe’s last spring. It was a very good performer last year and had the tallest flower stems.

 

Heuchera ‘Southern Comfort’

The Heuchera ‘Southern Comfort’ is another Terra Nova introduction I found at Lowe’s last spring. Earlier during the winter, something dug a hole in front of this plant. I filled the hole in but whatever it was kept coming back. This plant is kind of on a slope which didn’t help either. Fortunately, it wasn’t affected by having its roots partially exposed off and on. The wind kept the leaf mulch blown off this plant, too. This cultivar is fun to watch during the summer as its leaves change color with age. It is a very nice Coral Bell for sure!

 

Leptinella squalida ‘Platt’s Black’-Brass Buttons

I was just thrilled and overjoyed that the Leptinella squalida ‘Platt’s Black’ survived the winter. It is without a doubt one of the most dainty plants I have ever grown and here it survived a very cold January, even down to -10° F temperatures on more than one occasion. 🙂

 

Zantedeschia elliottiana-Golden Calla Lily

A few weeks ago I noticed the Calla Lily sprouting where I had it stored in the basement. It was really nice last summer in the shade bed, but I will put it where it will get a little more sun this year. I guess I need to put it in a pot, huh? I had a pretty large clump in Mississippi from bulbs I found in a box of Suzanne’s but it turned out to be pink. I used to remove them and bring them inside for the winter as a houseplant until I found out it was pink. After I started leaving it outside, it spread like crazy! It was a different species because the leaves were solid green. The species name on the label from this one says Zantedeschia hybrida. GEEZ! It is without a question, a Zantedeschia aethiopica hybrid because it has spotted leaves. It also has very yellow flowers. 🙂 Ummm. I don’t have a page for the Calla yet…

So, the only Hosta that didn’t survive the winter was the Hosta ‘Rainforest Sunrise’. Maybe someday it will come up after all.

I think that is it for now. I went out earlier and took photos for the next post. It will be a tour of the yard (s) and where all the beds are. I know I get confused how to explain where the beds are and when I talk about “the other yard”. Maybe I will draw a map. 🙂

Until next time, be safe, stay well and positive. Oh yeah… GET DIRTY! 🙂

 

Seeds For The Garden and NEW Plants

Hello everyone! On Monday (May 22nd) I stopped by the garden center in Clinton to buy seeds for the garden. I was there on April 24 when i bought plants and no seeds. I bought ‘Black Diamond’ Watermelon, ‘Hale’s Best’ Cantaloupe, 3 varieties of carrots (Danvers, Nantes and Tendersweet), ‘Red Burgundy’ Okra, ‘Red Russian’ and Dwarf Blue’ Kale AND ‘Broad Windsor’ Fava Beans. I had perviously bought ‘Top Crop’ Bush Snap Green Beans and ‘Incredible’ Sweet Corn.

Of course I had to browse around the plants AGAIN and wound up buying two Coleus. The one in the above photo is Coleus ‘Songbird’. This one will grow around 28″ tall and favors either shade or sun.

This one is Coleus ‘Spiced Curry’. It is from the FlameThrower series introduced by Ball Seed Company. This one will do well even in full sun and grows to around 12-18″ tall.

Tuesday I went back out to Muddy Creek Greenhouse…

I want to introduce a very special Hosta to you… Hosta ‘Empress WU’. I know right now it doesn’t look so impressive but just wait and see what happens. Hosta ‘Empress WU is the WORLD’S LARGEST HOSTA growing 4 feet tall x 4-5 feet wide! The leaves can grow to 1 1/2 feet wide! The flower stems can grow up to 5’ tall. I have wanted one of these for several years and now I am delighted to have one. This cultivar is a seedling of Hosta ‘Big John’ and was introduced by Brian and Virginia Skaggs in 2008. It will take approximately 5 years for it to reach it’s massive size.

I also bought a Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’. This is my FIRST gold leaved Hosta, not that there aren’t many on my wish list. This Hosta was developed and introduced by Kent Terpening and Alttara Scheer in 2005 as a seedling from Hosta ‘Split Personality’. It’s gold leaves can grow up to 13″ long, are heavily veined and have a rippled, pie crust edge. They produce pale lavender flowers in midsummer.

NOW, I get to have fun deciding where to plant what. I had it all figured out, for the most part but that kid of sorta changed. I planned on putting the Hosta ‘Empress WU’ next to the side porch. In fact, buying a Hosta ‘Empress WU’ for that area had been on my mind since the spring of 2013. BUT  I put the new Colocasia gigantea ‘Thailand Giant there.’ It would still be possible to put H. ‘Empress WU’ behind it since it will be several years before either one will maturity. HMMM…

It seems so weird that I started this post on Tuesday and now it is Friday. I have taken several photos, planted the garden, had a new calf, planted the Hosta… I have a lot of catching up to do!

SO, I guess I will publish this post and move on to the next one. But first, I have to go outside and GET DIRTY! I hope you enjoyed the post and are GETTING DIRTY yourself. Take care, be happy, healthy and prosperous! Take time to appreciate your accomplishments, make plans, and embrace your gifts from God and the universe.