(Foxgloves are just amazing when they begin to bloom. One day they're just sitting there and almost over night they throw up these huge bloom laden stalks. Listen closely and you'll hear the echo of the big fat bumble bees as they slip in and out of each bell-like flower)The weather has been absolutely perfect for gardening. Warm enough that you don't need a bulky extra layer and yet not so hot that everything wilts the second you dig it out.
Although I got a late start yesterday, it turned out to be a banner day in the garden. Lots of clean-up and organization, the lawn was mowed, and more potting. I can finally say the potting craze has left me. There are enough plants here that I can slow down and putter my way through the garden.
"Putter" gardening is great. You go from area to area, checking out your plants and suddenly you notice something that can be dug and potted up. These are the jewels of the garden that don't necessarily give you huge clumps to work with. Two pots of this, three of that, somehow I love those plants the most.
For the first time ever I was willing to dig up a clump of my all-time favorite, Stachys monierii. The only nick-name I could find for this plant is Betony but to be honest, I don't know if that's what people really call it. I could count on two fingers the times I've seen this plant in other gardens and I've visited hundreds and hundreds of gardens. Last year the plant market was finally hit with a variety named Stachys monierii 'Humello' which of course I had to buy and turned out to be a lovely purple bloom. The monierii variety I have is a pale pink, I bought years ago at Franks nursery. Four lucky people will go home with a nice big chunk of this beauty.
(The foliage on these Geranium sanguiniums has a delightful way of winding it's way through nearby plants and using them gently as a support without strangling anything.)The hardy Geraniums are such wonderful additions to the garden. I have so many different varieties here, it's a wonder that they're not more popular. Many have lovely foliage besides their wonderful blooms. A Geranium sanguinium called out to me that it needed to be potted up. Surely I'll find more of them today. I'm also toying with the idea of taking out one whole clump of Geranium cantabrigense, I've got clumps of the pale pink variety of 'Biokovo' and also of the darker pink 'Karmina'. They are wonderful clumpers for the front of any border garden and look totally amazing if planted along a rock wall. Unfortunately they look horrendous in pots and I practically had to twist people's arms to get them to buy them in the past.
(Just look at these beautiful hardy geranium blooms! This is the variety 'Biokovo')Of course I'll continue to dig daylilies. We still need a white variety and 'Ice Carnival' has been selected. Another yellow variety would be nice too and I've been leaning towards 'Floyd Cove'. Hmm, we'll also need some more dark purples and dark reds. The darker colored daylilies look so beautiful in a semi-shaded border and so many of the gardens around here have shade.
(Nepeta subsesslis is a tall, dramatic flower that has been on my "to-dig" list for a week now. There will only be 3 or 4 pots of this great plant because I just can't bear to part with too much!)Ok, the itch is driving me crazy. I must get out in the garden!
See you later,
Melanie
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