I caught sight of a pair of dwarf irises (iris reticulata) blooming in B3 yesterday. I snapped this picture this morning; not sure if it’s Cantab or Harmony. It looks like the rain we received Monday night (or was that Tuesday) gave these irises enough incentive to put on a show. I’m hoping to see more irises pop up in both S1 and B3 in the next few days.
Also, as I was doing some yard clean up yesterday, I spied what looked to be either a tulip leaf or a calla leaf in S1…can’t wait to see what it is.
Now why can’t I follow that advice? I swung by Home Depot after lunch today to purchase some gardening gloves, and walked out with 2 packets of Burpee seeds: Dianthus deltoids Microchip Mix and Centaurea cyanus Blue Boy Bachelor Buttons. I opened the seed packets to see the likelihood of sowing these seeds for spring…as usual, I can’t see how dianthus seeds successfully sprout given their near-microscopic size. The bachelor buttons look more likely to produce some results; I’m looking forward to adding them to S1 and B3, along with Miss Jekyll Blue nigella damascena.
In addition, I rediscovered a seed packet I received from Wildseed Farms last year. Bluebonnet, coreopsis, Indian Blanket, Black-Eye Susan, Lemon Mint, Drummond Phlox, Cornflower, and Corn Poppy are listed. I’m debating the placement of these seeds; I’m uncertain that I want to introduce these into the beds but it may give the flower beds a burst of color for spring, until the lilies and flowering perennials can come into their own.
After spending some time perusing their entire online catalog, I couldn’t help but place my first plant order with Sooner Plant Farm. Their professional site answered all the questions I had, and I’m looking forward to receiving my plants the first week of March (actually I requested that the plants ship the prior week).
The black plant in the garden always makes a statement. I purchased 5 bareroot Ophiopogon niger (black mondo grass) from Brent and Becky’s last year…and while they aren’t as robust as I’d like, they are still eyecatching. That black mondo grass incidentally has gone up in price at B&B, and I’ve since lost 2 of those plants.
Today I’m taking a very close look at sedums and ajuga. Of the sedums, the dark purple-leaved cultivars are particularly attractive. Both Black Jack and Postman’s Pride are border plant/specimen contenders for the S1 bed where their dark foliage will contrast nicely against the white/blue theme setting. Of the ajuga (bugleweed) I’m studying the Black Scallop and the Braunherz, 2 glossy-leaved groundcovers that may see use in the back beds.
Now another “colorful” plant that I’ve used, with some disappointng results two years ago, is the heuchera. The Texas heat proved too much for the Heuchera caramels that I trialed. But the S1 bed has a more controlled water schedule (and some shade protection) which may allow the heuchera to thrive. Some cultivars that drew my attention: Black Beauty, Midnight Rose, Obsidian, Plum Pudding, and the americana Chocolate Veil. The Sooner Plant Farm based in Oklahoma looks like a great place to purchase these plants.
But before I close, let’s not forget the fringe flower, or loropetalum. I’m thinking of filling the hole vacated by a dead nandina in S1 with a short, dark-leaf cultivar…the shortest I’ve found is a “dwarf” called Daruma, which still grows 3-4 feet high. My only concern are its bright pink blooms which might clash with the white and blue theme of S1.
Is it possible that hostas can survive the harsh Texas climate of my backyard? The following report seems to suggest so. I’m thinking of experimenting with hostas in the S1 bed. The white-variegated hostas have particularly caught my eye. From the report, I’m looking at Francee, Albo-Marginata and Patriot…though it seems the Patriot has declined over the 2+ years of the trial. Patriot’s sport, Minuteman, might fare better. Based on the report, So Sweet is looking like a contender…if only it were a more verdant shade of green.
But then again, maybe caladiums are the safer, more reliable option. There are dozens of white-variegated cultivars, Jackie Suthers, White Wing, and Candidum for example, and because of its tropical background (like cannas and callas), stand a better chance of survival in the Texas heat.
I caught sight of a pair of dwarf irises (iris reticulata) blooming in B3 yesterday. I snapped this picture this morning; not sure if it’s Cantab or Harmony. It looks like the rain we received Monday night (or was that Tuesday) gave these irises enough incentive to put on a show. I’m hoping to see more irises pop up in both S1 and B3 in the next few days.