I discovered that plucky pink primrose growing and blooming in between the flagstone in my front yard flower bed. The species version is blooming out in the wild fields surrounding the neighborhood, but in my flowerbed it is getting bullied by Gregg’s Mistflower. I would love to see more of these Oenothera berlandieri ‘Siskiyou’ blooming in my beds, but I realize I may need to have something blooming that lasts all season, rather than the spring show.
Admittedly it’s not planted in a very sunny spot but I admire it’s determination.
I need help figuring out what milkweed is growing in my beds. I started milkweed in 2018 which found its way into the backyard. I also bought and transplanted other specimens as well.
The only ID I’m certain of is the variegated butterfly weed which overwintered in the garage. The Home Depot version lists as Butterfly Kisses, but it didn’t stop me from picking up another variegated milkweed from North Haven Gardens, Monarch’s Promise. Maybe they’re one and the same.
Previous year potted milkweed2020 New planting of Monarch’s Promise
Anyway, the following milkweed springing up from my beds are defying attempts to identify them properly.
Mystery Milkweed #1 in Long Bed (a)
Mystery Milkweed #1 in Long Bed (b)
Mystery Milkweed #1 in Long Bed
Mystery Milkweed #2 in Rogue Bed (a)
Mystery Milkweed #2 in Rogue Bed (b)
Mystery Milkweed #2 in Rogue Bed
True to the Rogue bed’s name, milkweed #2 appears to have reseeded rogue, with over a half dozen volunteer starts. The young leaves start out green which mature to the gray-green color seen in the pics.
Then there is the one potted milkweed that I can’t recall what it is. But I’m glad it emerged, suggesting that garage overwintering suits these plants. Now if I can only remember what it is. Hint: I bought 3 packets of Botanical Interests milkweed seed — Common (A. syriaca), Showy (A. speciosa) and Irresistible Blend (A. incarnata). If I remember right, one of the 3 proved difficult to germinate and didn’t take to water sowing at all.
Holiday Memorial Day weekend means extra time to work the garden. The man put the finishing touches on his stone layout, then we were off to purchase a rose bush (Neptune) to add to the blue/purple theme. I was then able to finalize our backyard garden and get plants into the ground.
The kids of course were on-hand to clown around and check out the new plantings.
Once the yard project was done, it was time to take stock of what was blooming…
Started the new backyard garden bed this weekend. Want an upper body workout? Start by digging into wet clay…guaranteed to make you sore within the the first 10 minutes.
Then head over to the home improvement store and haul as many bags of garden soil your car trunk can carry (20 cubic ft in a Hyundai Sonata).
Empty about 42 cubic feet of garden soil, compost and landscapers mix into your new bed…and realize you still need more soil.
After all is said and done, watch your adorably cute furkids clown around in the yard.
Despite all the excitement that 2 new furbabies introduces to the household, I did still get to witness some really cool blooms decorating our new front yard landscape. The tall red cypress, red columbine, Crimson Pirate daylilies, and Picasso callas are just some of the vivid sights now showing their colors. Even the waterlogged gardenia managed to push out some blooms…
The highly anticipated Pumpkin Pie Coreopsis in bud and bloom was slightly disappointing for appearing mostly like a typical tickseed, just with a little more orange in color:
