Edith J. Carrier Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Pt. 1

 

While on Vacation on the last day we went to visit the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum and Gardens.
It was a lovely  getaway setting right in Harrisonburg, Virginia amongst the James Madison University.

While walking on the trails around the arboretum and looking at some of the trees that were still in flower  we saw evidence of remnants of how beautiful it must have looked  in early spring with all of the daffodils, flowering shrubs and azaleas that were planted.

In spots along the trails it was not uncommon to come upon many lovely statues that were tucked in here and there.
Along with the sound of the birds chirping and the quiet surroundings even in midst of a bustling Campus it still had such a peaceful atmosphere.

We sat upon a few of the benches on our walk around the arboretum and just soaked it all in or watched a chipmunk scampering around looking for its lunch.

  
Although the azaleas had lost their blooms there were several late blooming Rhododendrons blooming in the shade of the trees.

The leaves of this ‘Autumn Gold Maiden Haired’ tree were so pretty shimmering where the sun was filtering in upon them.

Aruncus ‘Goats Beard’ were in bloom and helped lightened up the shady paths and trails.

And there were many native plants along the trails such as these ‘Indian Pipe’s’.

Woodland ferns and some ‘Citronella’ Heuchera’s were planted where a just a touch of sunlight broke through the trees.

With heavy rains the night before the waterfalls and the pond had overflowed.

The pond was muddy from the rain but it was still such a lovely spot.

With college graduations that day there were several students and their parents coming to the pond area to get pictures of the newly graduated in their caps and gowns.

With many benches all around the pond it was a great spot to set and have a bit of lunch and spend a few hours watching the wildlife. Or if you like to jog there was a running trail where we saw many people were out for a run that day.

This floating planter in the middle of the pond was the favorite sunning spot for the water turtles.

This mother duck had nine little ones swimming around in the pond. I do not know if they were all hers or if she was babysitting.

He was not help at all. LOL!

They took no notice of us and we could walk up real close to them but one little toddler was trying to catch them and they were not sitting still for that and took back to the water.

 
I will share some pictures of the Botanical garden and plants in another posting because I took too many pictures to try to cram them into one posting.

Happy Gardening,
Lona

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Long, Hot, Dry Summer?

 

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.
It seems that Florida is really getting the rain and flooding while we up here in Ohio are parched. If we could only get this weather to spread out and skip the extremes we could all have a lovely summer.

The Japanese Beetles have arrived with a vengeance and are eating every bloom they can find. I cannot knock them off fast enough and squash the little monsters. I will be glad when they are gone because the roses are getting ready to put on another flush of blooms and I do not want them to be meals for the beetles.

Nikko Hydrangea
The plants are not doing as well now and are getting stressed out with just the watering from the hose and watering cans. I can understand it because these hot days in the nineties are making me welt too.

Alpen Glow Hydrangea
All we can do is try to keep the gardens watered as best we can and expect some losses but my how the farmers are hurting because the fields are dry and cracking now.

Blueberry Parfait Hydrangea

So in this dry weather what do I do? I buy some clearance plants and plant them and then have to try to keep them going. Santa Rosa Gardens was having such a great sale online on perennials that I took the chance. The plants they sent were very healthy specimens so I think they will be alright but may not grow as well as they might have if we could get some rain.

Dwarf Forever Pink Hydrangea 

The rain barrel and backup cistern has been in use a lot already this spring and summer and stand the chance of running dry this year. What a difference from last year when I only used them to water a few  times and neither went dry.

Enough about the weather!!! The lilies, hydrangeas and coneflowers are what are stealing the show in the garden now.
Some of my Asiatic lilies are just about finished now but the daylilies are taking their place.

Some of the tall phlox are starting to bud now also.

 
This is ‘Katherine’ phlox who looks a lot like ‘Franz Schulbert’. In fact I cannot tell them apart. LOL! It is all in where you buy them I guess.

 
This Dianthus ‘Fire Witch’ is looking a little stressed out but has great neon pink blooms. I got this plant free this spring with an order of plants from New Garden Plants.

The Old Fashioned Sweetpeas are finishing up their blooms.

I have "’Becky’ Shasta daisies stuck all around in the garden beds here. Mainly because they do not mind my hard clay soil, bloom for a long period, and spread fast. So I am always dividing them and adding them to bare spots in the garden where only weeds grow. Does that make them a weed? LOL!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe week.
Happy Gardening,
Lona

Friday in the Garden - 6/22/12

 
The 90 degree weather is over now after a few sprinkles of rain this morning. It was one hot week here in the hills. At 85 degrees out there now it feels a little better but  it looks like the water hoses will still be in use with receiving so little rain. I hope other parts of the state got some much needed rain.

There are still some Astilbe’s starting to bloom. I have them in several shady spots around in the garden to add some color.  This unknown pink one is later than some and is just now starting to bloom.

This is a new Echinacea in the garden that was planted this spring.
’Raspberry Double Scoop’ is a double blooming coneflower that is just starting to bloom now.

This one is ‘Lucky Star’ Echinacea.

 
The Japanese Beetles have taken over the rose garden now and are munching on all of the remaining blooms. I was glad I got this picture of the new Eyconic rose bush ‘Pink Lemonade’ before they found the bloom.

Along with all of the Shasta Daisies blooming now this double beauty called Wirral Pride is blooming.

‘ Red Fox’ Veronica

Pelargonium ‘Aristo Petticoat’ is an ivy geranium that was over wintered in the house.

‘Harlequin’ hydrangea is not one of my favorite hydrangeas with its mix of colors in the petals and blue eyes.

And this is ‘Pulchella Dazzler’ Gaillardia that were grown from seeds this spring.

‘Little Business’ daylilies are looking pretty down in front of the garden shed.

Another dayliliy ‘Pardon Me’ looks happier in its new spot in the garden. It was divided and moved to the Hippy bed last Fall.

“Windsor Castle’ daylily.
Two more daylilies in the Siloam series that are blooming now are:

Siloam ‘Double Classic’ and

Siloam ‘Merle Kent’

 
‘Lavon’ an orienpet lily looks a little rough around the edges in its first year of blooming along the woodland bed.

and ‘Satisfaction’ is another orienpet lily.
In three years both of these lilies will get to about six feet tall or taller with many blooms on their sturdy stems. I have a two year old one that is about to bloom and it is over five feet tall now.

The ‘Red Elfin’ impatiens are filling in nicely now in the tipsy pots.

The bee balms are starting to bloom now also and this ‘Purple Rooster’ Monarda is a vibrant shade of purple and has showed no signs powdery mildew as yet.

I wish I could say the same for this older pink Monarda.
Mildew is showing up on a couple of my tall phlox plants again this year despite the doses of fungicide that have been sprayed onto them.

The Lantana plants that were also over wintered in the basement are starting to bloom but I am wondering where all of the butterflies are this year that love these plants. I hope the spraying for the Gypsy Moths have not killed a lot of them.

Rudbeckia ‘Cherry Brandy’ was started from seeds last summer and now they are blooming in their second summer. Their rich velvety petals are so lovely.

And along in the sunny section of the woodland bed Black Eyed Susan’s are budding out in large patches where wildflower seeds were tossed.

 
While on vacation we ran across an old Mill in Harrsionburg that sold Fairy Gardens and accessories.

So I could not resist getting another Fairy to set on the bench in my Fairy Garden and also a gazing ball and a couple of teeny solar ball stakes. I think the Fairy garden is about full now and I have it the way I want it. (I think? LOL!)

Everyone have a wonderful weekend and…
Happy Gardening,
Lona

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