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Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Iberis sempervirens - Candytuft


Well, today I planned on writing about seating areas in the garden but all that went out of my head. It's all because of those darn weather forecasters. Being a gardener, the only person I can blame for this crazy weather is a weather forecaster.

Today's feature is a perennial named Iberis sempervirens, it's nickname is Candytuft. Why am I writing about it? Because it's white and looks like snow. Snow? Did you say snow? It's snowing outside!!! What's going on here? The first time it started snowing this morning I called my husband who is in an office only 4 miles from here. It was not snowing outside his office. Are the weather gods only mad at me?

Now it's started snowing again. I came inside, checked the local forecast for our exact zipcode. According to the national weather channel website it's 42 degrees and cloudy outside. There's a 20% chance of precipitation. Don't they look out the window? Don't they even scroll down and look at the rader just inches below which show almost all of Long Island under a green band of precipiation? Duh?

So, back to Iberis. I have Iberis in my garden. I know it's easy to propigate but I just haven't had the right luck with it yet. I haven't figured out if I should take cuttings before it blooms, after it blooms, layer the long pieces on the ground or if there's something better.

One thing I can say about Iberis is that it's beautiful when it blooms here in late April. I'm lucky that it's in a spot where the biennial Lunaria has selfsown. Don't they make a wonderful combination!

Ok, the snow has stopped for now. Back out to attack the garden, brrrrr

If you have any tips on dividing Iberis, please leave me a comment!

9 comments:

Unknown said...

the weather is crazy this spring. We had freezing temps last night in NC! Some snow is possible and lots of it too for some areas here.

Joanne said...

Hi I have just found your blog through Botanical. I love your style of gardening and writing I will be back for more.

Seeing you talk about Iberis made me sad. I was given some when we moved in about 28 years ago by my then Mother in law a dear friend Dizzy. I seem to have lost my Iberis about the time she died a few years ago what a pity I didn't take better care of it although it never did as well as your lovely picture.

our friend Ben said...

I love candytuft too, Melanie! And it's been snowing like that here, too (grrrr). And yes, I've been trying to work up the whatever to post about garden seating and landscape clutter issues for about two weeks now! One of these days...

Becca's Dirt said...

Sorry you are having snow. I tell ya I am so tired of cold weather. We are starting to warm up though. Hopefully that was our last cold snap.

Anonymous said...

Yes, Melanie it was snowing here a few blocks from Main St. (in downtown beautiful Huntington)

I was picking burgundy rosettes of overwintered lettuce from my 4x4 mesclun box, getting it ready to reseed.

I'm wondering if the lettuce is edible (cooked) as it was under all that snow we had last time (not today's LOL)

Just checked in here yesterday , after months, and YOU are here again. Welcome Back.. I look forward to buying from you. Good luck!

Gail said...

I love iberis and one of my favorite shots of my garden is the iberis blooming with the Iris cristata. I think you are having that strange weather we had yesterday! So sorry. gail

Lona said...

The candytuft is so pretty. We can forgive it for looking like snow :-) The purple and white together is just beautiful.

Sheila said...

Candytuft is one of my favorite plants for adding 'sparkle' to an otherwise dull area in the garden!

jenny1948 said...

Hi, I have Iberis growing freely in my garden every year. When it finishes flowering, I scatter the seeds and they take care of themselves. Apparently you can only sell it here in the UK if you have a special licence - I raelly don't know why.