Yarrow Time

I have several yarrow plants that are starting to bloom
now. Two pink varieties, 'Oertela Rose' and 'Richard Nelson'
which is just a more neon pink, and the standard
white yarrow to brighten up the flowerbed. I have a new red
one 'Paprika' but I do not think it is going to do much this
season for some reason. Maybe it needs more time to
settle in.



Meet 'Oertela Rose' Achillea.



Meet 'Richard Nelson' Achillea.








I think one of these has to be moved because my kids
cannot see through the yarrow and I cannot see
the kids for the yarrow.
It will most likely be the kids since the yarrow is happy
where it is.

My Brandywine tomatoes are blooming.
Now where are the honey bees??




Happy Gardening Everyone!

Peonies and Ants - "A Good Thing"

Have spent two days going through my Garden notebook and
getting everything updated and ready for this growing season.
It was a revelation into just how many plants I have collected
over the years. Also it was a little sad in seeing all of the plants
that I killed or had died out. Seems I never threw away a bill
or clipping which is very good when organizing a garden notebook
or journal. That is how I discovered how many plants that has
gone to the big garden beyond. :-) I put everything in a 3 ring
binder like other of you great gardeners have mentioned doing,
so now I am all up to date, all but drawing some new diagrams
of the beds and adding the plants to them. In the plant logs I wrote
where they were planted in lead pencil because I move things
around quite a bit and need to erase and update that sometimes.

I remembered while sorting through things that Grandma always
had several Peony plants in her yard. I believe that they were
popular in her day and everyone had them because they were
shared with your neighbors. I also remembered the big black ants
that use to always somehow be on the buds. What was it that the
ants liked so well when they never gathered on other flowers the
same way? So curious minds wants to know and I was off to find
the answer.
Going to the Heartland Peony Society website I discovered that I
was not alone in questioning this and that they had the answer.

They stated "not to try to get rid of the ants,that it was a natural
and temporary activity. Peonies produce a small amount of nectar
and other ant attractants to encourage the ants to help in opening
the dense double buds that are found on many peonies.
Once the buds open the ants disappear".
That contrary to the 'old wives tale' peonies will not cause
an infestation of ants and that ants are not Required to
open the flowers.

This was all very interesting and new information to me and I wanted
to share it with those who may have not known or may have not
even wondered about ants on their peonies.
So do not spray or try to get rid of the ants because they are
good in this instance and pollinate your peonies.

I only have one Peony plant in all of my flowers. It is old enough
now to be really pretty when it blooms in the early Summer.



Sorbet Peony
paeonia lactiflora Sorbet

It has beautiful pink and white double blooms that are 5-7
inches and is very fragrant. The foliage turns orange in the
Autumn. It grows in any climate and require little care.
It can also reach a height of 4 feet. Sun to part shade.
Zones 3-8. Prune in the Fall after frost.

Treasured Scenes of Summer Pt. 2

This flower was in a flower bed with her Lamb's Ear.
I do not have a clue as to what it was. Does anyone
know this yellow powder puff flower?

Treasured Scenes of Summer

While sorting through some of the pictures I took last
Summer some did not make it into postings.
So here to help bring some color into the end of
Winter re the following shots.

Japanese Painted Ferns

In the front of my home off of the corner of the
porch is a very shady area where I have made a
small pump fountain or pond.
I had the usual Hostas and wood ferns planted
there along with Astilbes for early Spring color.
Of course shade loving Impatiens were planted in
containers to add color for the Summer but I wanted
a plant that would last Spring into Fall with some color
and texture, so I planted two Japanese Painted Ferns
in the bed. They have grown larger each year and are
just the plant that was needed for this spot around the
fountain.

The Japanese Painted Fern, Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum',
is a low maintenance, deciduous fern with soft
grayish-green and silvery dark maroon foliage. Being
the Perennial of the Year for 2004, one can see
why. ‘Japanese Painted Fern’ has a plant spread of 24”
and a height of 24” and a must to any garden. Japanese
Painted Fern requires full shade, however, small amounts
of afternoon sun give the most vibrant color to its foliage.

A well-drained area is best, not allowing
it to dry out.
Perfect as a border plant, planted near streams or
ponds or as an accent plant. I have also since added
Jack Frost Brunnera to the bed to help light up the shady
bed.

Osteospermum "Soprano Purple"

Purple is one of my favorite colors so this Osteospermum
"Saprano Purple" is a favorite that adds a punch to some
of the containers around in the yard. I love it with
the purple potato vine and Argyranthemum "Maderia Pink".




I have tried to start them indoors from seeds but have had
little luck with them. Only two survived my brown spotted
thumb. Maybe they did not have enough light or most likely
were kept to damp.
Has anyone had good results that can give me some tips?
Because I want to let some go to seed to try another attempt
next Spring.

Its daisy flowers bloom all season on compact plants. Keep
them dead headed to encourage them to spread and to keep
it blooming. They will grow in full sun to part shade and to a
height of 8 to 14 inches, with a spread of 12 to 14 inches.
They are hardy to zone 9, so unfortunately are used as
annuals in my zone 5 . It likes rich, well drained soil.

Hot Pink For Hot August Days

The Red Crape Myrtle Bush is blooming earlier this year
and it has been doing well. I call it a bush because it
does not get to the tree or large shrub stage here in Ohio.
The harsh winters causes it to die back to the ground each
year. A cousin from Tennessee gifted me with two of them
about seven years ago. One completely died but this one is
sheltered by the garage from the wind and it is able to receive
the morning sun all year so maybe it was protected better.
Although it dies back in the winter its roots are spreading so
that it does get wider each year if not taller. It is adding great
color to these hot August days.



This Alpenglow Hydrangea just keeps getting prettier.
As it the bloom gets older the shade gets deeper. This is
the first year it has bloomed and I love it.



The new Forever & Forever Pink Hydrangea is keeping
up to its name. Though small in size it is a beauty.



Tall, pink Adonis Phlox.
This one has gone from the creeping to the leaping stage
and the fragrance is so sweet and strong.




Pink Argyranthemum



And Echinacea Conflowers