Astrantia rewards close inspection.
The wands of blossoms on the Heucheras have an ethereal quality that is hard to capture, but you can get an idea of the colors in this bed, with the Astrantia nearby, and a Hydrangea that will soon pick up the bruised tones.
On the other side of the entry, hot pink blossoms complement the dark foliage of Weigelia ‘Wine and Roses’.
As you can see, I really go in for the dark stuff (the garden, you may be glad to know, is pretty much where my noirish tendencies leave off). Sambucus nigra ‘Eva’ anchors another bed. I love her near-black foliage, but she is also pretty when she puts on her pink party dress.
Next to ‘Eva’, Physocarpus oputifolias ‘Summer Wine’ steps back a couple of notches to deep bronze foliage and covers herself in clusters of paler pink flowers.
Out along the fence line, the iris are in full swing. Normally, they would be finished by late May. This blush-colored one is the first to bloom,
With this sort of generic two-toned purple hot on her heels. I’m wondering if anyone knows if iris tend to revert to this color? I seem to have way more of them than planted, and fewer of what I thought I would get. Speaking of which, I ordered up a collection (mail order rhizomes), only one of which produced a flower looking anything like the photos in the full-color brochure.
Here it is, the only one to come true, and thus the only named iris in my “collection”, ‘Immortality’. The buds are a very pale ice blue, opening to pristine white.
The others must be content with names like “bronzy-yellow”,
“mahogany”
and “champagne”.
I can almost smell the Philadelphus just by looking at the picture.
…and speaking of fragrance…
The cute little pinwheel design of the buds on Oxalis adenophylla
open to this.
Whadda ya know…the tree peony ‘Gold Sovereign’ is, for once, in bloom for GBBD.
I could go on and on, but we all know about the “embarassment of riches” that is June. Instead I will leave you with an indoor shot of an orchid that I found abandoned and nursed into bloom. If you are still wanting more, click here. Thanks, Carol!
No! Go on…please!
Would you be surprised to learn that I love Iris? Mind you I don’t have any in my garden but I get all giddy when I see them in other peoples gardens. Your color collection is wonderful! I have no idea about the reverting thing but my mom and grandma were always trading them back and forth and that color really seemed to be the most prevalent in both of their gardens.
As for your agave (sorry I just got back to read your reply) no! I don’t think it’s a gonner…the center cone looks good which is most important. Hopefully the forecast for next week will hold and a little sun and warmth might be just what the doctor ordered!
Very envious of your Astrantia…mine, a clump of green
Oh…I’ll send off the Mrs. W. with philip Friday.
Loree~No, not surprised (those sword shaped leaves qualify in my book as spiky). If you ever want any of the ones you see here, just let me know. They are divided regularly. The mahogany is the one I have potted up, and blush will get the treatment this year.
Sun and warmth: best prescription ever!
Linda:I found several seedlings when I weeded around it yesterday. I will baby them along and pass them on (with any luck).
I can practically smell that two-toned purple iris. I love the scent. Congrats on the yellow tree peony–gorgeous!
Grace~Funny, I never noticed the scent until a rainstorm knocked them all over and I brought the inside for a bouquet. It has a haunting quality unlike other, more expected, smells from the garden