Wednesday, May 02, 2007

MayTime

The month of May, all two days of it, has been good to me so far. My bulbs have been blooming like crazy.
This variety is actually called "Maytime". It is my husband's favorite tulip.
It is a lily tulip, a very uncommon type. In fact, the only garden that I have seen them in is mine!
I highly recommend them, and I'm sure you can see why.

This is my rodgeria. I got this from a local nursery last year. They didn't actually have any for sale, the owner actually dug this from her own personal stock since it was the third year in a row I had come there looking for it and they still couldn't get any from their supplier. I had planted some about five years ago and promptly killed it the following spring. I hit it with a shovel while digging. Oops!
I was actually worried that this replacement wouldn't make it because I didn't cover it for the winter. It actually did quite well. I started with three stems last year. This year there are at least eight!

The other plant that I was fretting over this spring because I had forgotten to cover it for the winter was my Astilboides tabularis. I was so relieved to see the beginning of three stems over the weekend. What a relief!



These tulips are in my front corner bed (~7 years). Both are from different mixed bags that I got from the Home Depot (Are you seeing a trend here? The Home Depot actually has some really good deals on some very good bulbs. I give them the Thumbs Up!)

I got this China Rose bush as a root stock last year from Jung and never got around to planting it. It seems to be fairly happy in this plastic pot though! It really exceeded my expectations for beauty - and as a root stock it was CHEAP!


We had to move this "Luscious" pear tree from our front woodland garden a couple weekends ago since that garden is soon to be our rain garden. We bought it for about $8 in late summer 2005. Last year we got four plum-sized pears from it, and they were the BEST pears that I have ever eaten! I HIGHLY recommend this variety. It is was developed for northern gardens too! I am hoping that it tolerates the move well and still produces some fruit for us this year.


I forgot what these tulips are - "Apricot Beauty"?

The foreground flower is "Red Riding Hood" greigii. They are a strikingly red multi-flowerer with interesting leaf patterning. I was expecting them to multiply, but they have not. I gave some to my parents. They planted them in almost full shade in zone 3-4 and they say that they are doing swell even 6 years later!

This last bunch is a mixed Darwin variety - well it was supposed to be mixed, but it seems that one variety won out and has been multiplying well over the years (~8years). I liked the way that the peony cage framed them in this picture and the sunlight gives them an ethereal quality - making them a good bunch to end the post with.

I will be posting more pictures as more things come up!


12 comments:

jennie said...

In the background of your very top photo, is that dogwood? I planted two bushes/trees last year and I don't think they've made it. Just checking to see if that is what you have and if there are any tricks to keeping them alive.

Sylvana said...

jennie, that is dogwood. I have had trouble with previous plantings of it - but that was because I was getting the end of the season plants. This one I bought right at the beginning of the season when they are still fresh and I could have my choice of the best plant. Other than that, I have done nothing special to it.

They do like moist soil and I have seen them healthiest in full sun. Mine's in full sun - but maybe not so moist soil - I do mulch though.

OldRoses said...

I love the lily-flowered tulips. My neighbors had some last year in white. Very striking. They are on my list of must-haves. How are your Greenland tulips? I saw your pictures last year, fell in love with them and planted them in my entry garden. They are budded. I can't wait for them to bloom.

Sylvana said...

OldRoses, the Greenlands did EXTREMELY well the first year - simply gorgeous!
But they have not performed as well in the following years. The picture I had wasn't even of them in their glorious first year, so if you liked them in that, I think you will be happy with them.
I think the reason they are no longer doing well has to do with location. They are being crowded by a burning bush that has grown over the years. I keep meaning to move them out into the open to give them space and sun, but I keep forgetting.
Maybe this year.

kate said...

I love the look of your China Rose and your tulips! Your garden is far more advanced than mine, although I live in a zone 2/3 climate ... unfortunately.

You have a great blog!

Ladyseashells said...

Hi Sylvana, looks like your getting some colors now in your garden, compare to your last post pics. I like your Maytime tulips shape and color and your China rose bush. Im interested to see later your rodgeria plant, does it flower or just foliage? Thanks for checking out my post again and Im glad to know that you've already been doing something about Go Green or Eco action.That's great that your work is close to your home and you can walk there. The gas price now is just horrendous, on top of that it pollutes. Us, we traded our car to a smaller one to reduce the cost and pollution. We're not vegetarian yet but we eat seafood twice or once a week. We love salmon fish. Have a good weekend, was it sunny there today? In my place, it wasn't so bad, we got some sunshine and cloudy weather.

Sylvana said...

Kate, Welcome to my blog! 2-3? That's tough. You can always visit my garden!

LadySeaShells, the rodgeria has a flower, but it really the foliage that you grow it for.

It has been REALLY WINDY here!

Ladyseashells said...

Hi Sylvana, I notice that your garden is getting some colours now, compare to your last post. I like the color and shape of your Maytime tulips. Thanks for reading my Go Green post in my garden site and for leaving a note how you do yours. That's good that u work close to your home and that u can just walk there everyday. Us we now use our small car, to help reduce the pollution and cost. The gas price right now is just horrendous, so walking to get to one place is a great idea if we can. I see your tulips and weather cheered u up today. Cheers!

Sylvana said...

LadySeaShells, I'm really diggin all these go-green posts. Yay for the environment!!

vermontflowerfarm@outlook.com said...

Ever locate a source for Astilboides tabularis?
George Africa
The Vermont Gardener

Sylvana said...

George Africa, welcome to my blog! I actually got mine from Funkie Gardens in Prescott, WI. They told me that they don't do mail order, though. The one that I got from them is doing just fine too! Even with our -30F winter weather.

Sylvana said...

Anon, thanks for commenting and for the compliments!