Ever notice how most of the blooming shady characters strut their stuff in white? Here is an exception:
When I bought one 4″ pot of this from Barbara Ashmun at her open garden several years ago, she warned me of its loose ways. I loved the dark chevrons on acid green leaves. Late in August it surprised me by producing long wands of teensy fiery red petals (so small, in fact, that they virtually disappear until the light catches them to produce fireworks). They do seed freely, but I love the way they fill in amongst the ferns, hostas and such:
When it threatens to overshadow something like the spike moss, it is not one of those stubborn thugs that digs in its heels and refuses to be plucked out. It used to be called Tovara virginiana, but now I think it goes by Persicaria something-or-other.
And speaking of ‘Fireworks’:
This goldenrod earns that common name.
Those darned Phygelius. First ‘Moonraker’ seduced me into yellows, now ‘Trewidden Pink’ is threatening to do the same for pinks.
Speaking of pink, the first bloom of Weigelia florida ‘Wine and Roses’ is tooo much pink, but this second time around sparse bloom on the burgundy-leaved shrub suits me fine, especially with the peony foliage just beginning to take on russet hues.
Do these ‘Northern Sea Oats’ seed heads count as blooms? They sure do add something to the pond’s edge…and to late season bouquets.
Several local bloggers have been having trouble keeping Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’ happy. This one is in a berm with filtered sun, if that helps. It really is worth repeated tries, don’t you think?
We have a problem spot on the south side where R planted a honeysuckle vine in hopes of creating a screen. I caught it at its most fetching moment, after which it started to get ratty looking.
But it does form these glowing berries.
I’ll say goodbye with fuchsia ‘Golden Gate’…a feast for the eyes as well as for the hummingbirds. Go to my blogroll and click on May Dreams Gardens if you want to get in on this Bloom Day thing.
Showoff with your pretty E. ‘Blackbird’! (smiley face here) and smart you to include your Sea Oats, I wish I would have thought of that! They are fabu aren’t they!?
Pretty persicaria whatever! I have it in a pot, and have just unleashed a few starts into the garden…hope I’m not sorry! The euphorbia is also lovely. I have a fuchsia magellanica in a pot that looks a lot like your “Golden Gate”. It’s such a lovely combination of yellowy-green and, well,… fuchsia!
Oh, and what are the cool blue-black objects hanging over the persicaria?
The plant in the first photo is very nice! I love the little flower wands – like a coral bells kind of flower, right? I would imagine the foliage could really light up the shade.
I love the euphorbia. The colors are great. My friend tried to grow this, but also did not have much luck.
I have a Northern sea oats grass too. I love the little dingles dangling.. I’d call them blooms. 🙂
Hi Ricki, I loved playing catch up here! That Persicaria is wonderful, love the goldy leaves with the red flowers. I will look to see if a name can be found for it, but they do keep changing those dang names. I love the book too, lucky you and good kharma for sure! The dragon tale stole my heart, for I have a dragon loving son, now in his late twenties and married, as well. He has a figurine collection of dragons begun when we was quite young, that are still his heart’s delight. Smaller than ten feet, thank goodness. 🙂
Frances
Loree: I had a tough time getting the sea oats established, but now they are throwing up new shoots all over the place. Love ’em, so I don’t mind their profligate ways.
Jane: That’s my bottle bed…nice hit of color when everything else goes away (just blue bottles slipped over rebar stakes driven into the ground). I had great plans for continued use of those wonderful bottles, but on my last trip to Trader Joe’s they had started using PLASTIC for their bottled seltzer with a hint of lime. sigh. Guess my only alternative is to start drinking sake.
Wendy: Even smaller and closer to the stem than heuchera. See all those little seedlings in the photo? Keep a hoe handy.
Frances: Welcome back! Oh goody…it would be nice to know the current name. And once a dragon lover, always a dragon lover…sure sign of the young-at-heart.
So I’m not the only one with E. blackbird acting fussy? Well that makes me feel both better and worse. I guess we’re not the perfect climate for them. I have one out of three that’s performing okay, but the foliage is nothing like the lovely maroon it was when I got it last year. I must have some of those sea oats. I’m on the lookout for them at the sale this weekend.
I had a dark-colored Euphorbia in a pot that reverted to green. I think we all deserve our money back! Well, maybe you don’t, if you have figured out the secret. Hope you had fun at the sale, tout Portland seems to be going, as you said! I think Persicaria is lovely but I am afraid of it. I just bought a Vancouveriana that may act the same, whoops. Lovely blooms and the sea oats count for SURE!
someone mentioned you might have information or postings about Berms in Portland?
Albert: I hope you come back here, because I had no luck leaving a comment on your blog…it kept rejecting my info. I’ll be posting soon on berms, with links to past posts on the subject. Keep checking, it will show up soon.
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