Garden

The Church Flowers Aren't Shut Down

IMG_2291
Knockout Yellow Rose

 

IMG_2291
Nepeta

 

IMG_2291
Clematis
IMG_2310
Phenomenal Lavender

 

IMG_2310
Knockout Red

 

IMG_2310
Creeping Thyme

 

IMG_2310
Clematis

 

IMG_2310
Iris with budding Peony



The weather has been generally kind to the church plants and gardens, with many of them just beginning to bloom, except of course, the daffodils and narcissus which have spent their moments of glory. 

The plantings around the church walkways are beginning to mature. The boxwoods are in generally good shape, and the fragrant plantings we added at the staircases and paths are coming in nicely. The westward facing slope of the lawn at the bottom of the south east stairway was replaced by plantings of lavender, fragrant knockout roses and creeping thyme. These weathered winter well and are already adding size and stature.

Nepeta around the campus has been a sure bet. Most of it is Walker's Low and gets bigger and bigger each year, defying the drying winds around the church. 

The plantings around the Mary statue need a bit of grooming, but they also are becoming established. The mixture of boxwood, lavender and roses near the meditation bench can be quite relaxing.

The clematis are still trying to make their way up the pergola. One brave plant barely reached the top last year, and if we can keep it from being blown down, it may begin to establish a roof.

I think the clematis plants on the trellises against the carriage house were rescued from pots at the base of the pergola since they weren't getting watered by the sprinklers. They had a rough couple of years, but have already bloomed and are reaching for the sky.

 


Hmmmm

I've haven't been lucky to enough to catch more than a fleeting glimpse of hummingbirds over the years, but finally after planting gardens to attract them and other pollinators, I watched one hover around the blooms this morning for several minutes. With all the dragonflies around this year, I almost mistook it for a large dragonfly. It was iridescent green and blue. Humm2
Humm2


Beautiful Gardening Day

The gentle sunshine coaxed the Yellow Knockout Roses into bloom, with many more buds to come. After one recent rocky year, they seem pretty hardy, resistant to mildew and blackspot and unlike their red and pink knockout cousins, have plenty of intoxicating fragrance. YellowKnockout1
YellowKnockout1

RosaRugosaRubra
Rosa Rugosa Rubra

 

RosaRugosaAlba
Rosa Rugosa Alba

 


Annuals and Perennials

Annuals
Annuals
AnnualsIt's too beautiful a day not to take at least a few pictures of God's blooms. Some of the perennials in the rectory front yard are coming on strong, not bad since they have only had a couple of years to get going.

In the meantime, a wildflower mix of annuals has provided some color while the lavender, Russian sage and clematis become more established. The stand of coneflowers is really impressive this year; I was relieved since while they were growing I thought they might be weeds!

 


Garden Time 2018

IMG_1271
Common Witch Hazel

 

IMG_1271
Rosa Rugosa, sp. These roses are pretty hardy around these parts, but this particular variety is quite fragrant - this one bloom (also inset) spreads a sweet aroma many feet away from the plant.

 

IMG_1271
Clematis augustifolia

 

IMG_1271
Mock Orange

 

IMG_1271
Border with Walker's Low Catmint, Phenomenal lavender, Japanese Iris, Red Knock Out Roses

 

IMG_1271
Perennial Blanket Flowers in front row. You may be able to see lavender plants and Russian sages in two rows behind them.

 

IMG_1271
Hosta Sum and Substance, Phenomenal Lavender, Daylillies, Husker's Red Penstemon, Forget-Me-Nots

 

IMG_1271
Hedge Row of Carefree Delight Roses, Mock Orange, Rosa Rugosa and other plantings.

 

IMG_1271
? Tulip and oregano

 

IMG_1271
Five Spot. Good self-seeder.

 

IMG_1264
Purple Phlox

 

IMG_1278
Knock Out Yellow Rose. Extremely fragrant!



Many of the plants in the front yard of the rectory are now three years old. They were started from young seedlings, cuttings or seed plugs so they have taken a while to get growing. Add a few unsual storms the usual crop of bunnies and deer and you've got the usual recipe for some plants succeeding and others failing. A few clematis vines which met up with the weed wacker last year are back and look like they're happy. So perhaps this summer will be a good year for flowering and more mature plants.

The show of daffodils was delightful and they were only planted last fall. The varieties I selected were quite fragrant and the trumpets were bold and yellow. 

I try to select perennials for their hardiness and the annuals for their capacity to self-sow. Gardens are, after all, partly for us to enjoy and partly for future generations too.

May we all have good luck with our gardens and have at least some of our efforts rewarded! 


Not The Best Weather For New Plantings, but They're Still Beautiful

IMG_0757
IMG_0757
IMG_0757
IMG_0757

The evergreens will eventually completely hide the playground fence. The boxwoods near the entrance stairs were not doing well and have been removed. They will be replaced with a more hardy variety. 

We'll take care to be sure these plants are watered thoroughly every day until established. Happily, the sprinklers are functioning well and should provide backup.

 


Holy Cross Gardens

I missed the first Springtime blooms, but here are some early summer blooms which are still going strong. It is good to see many of the perennials planted in the new areas around the church take root and get going. 

IMG_0743
Oak Leaf and Big Leaf Hydrangeas by the Carriage House

 

IMG_0743
Heather at the foot of the cross survived the winter and is growing

 

IMG_0743
Monarda, Lavender, Liriope, Boxwood and shades of green

 

IMG_0743
Nearly florescent daylillies. Ours don't even last a day because we have solitary nighttime deer which visits for dessert.

 

IMG_0743
The clematis vines at the foot of the pergola have finally begun to climb!

 

IMG_0743
"Five Spots" from the Rectory Garden.


IMG_0743

IMG_0743
Some Russian sage

 

IMG_0743
Monarda and Phenomal Lavender around the fountain

 

IMG_0743
Autumn sedum and lavender in interesting analogous colors.
IMG_0729
Oregano flower

 

IMG_0729
Oregano and Lavender

 

IMG_0729
Marigolds and Lavender in complementary colors. VanGogh would be proud!





Suddenly Spring

 2,000 blog post - a nice round number. Here are some blooms around the rectory garden. The prayer garden is a little immature, but the plants there are growing!

 

Background to foreground: akebia vine, nepeta, bearded iris, sky pencil boxwood, New Dawn climbing rose, white rugosa rose, creeping thyme, shasta daisies, Russian sage, various heirloom roses, Husker's red penstemon
Background to foreground: akebia vine, nepeta, bearded iris, sky pencil boxwood, New Dawn climbing rose, white rugosa rose, creeping thyme, shasta daisies, Russian sage, various heirloom roses, Husker's red penstemon.

 

IMG_0077
Walker's Low nepeta has thrived everywhere I've planted it. This is a three year old specimen.

 

IMG_0077
Lupine from seed.

 

IMG_0077
Fourth of July Climbing Rose

 

IMG_0077
Yarrow, yellow and red

 

IMG_0077
Hops. For a couple of years, this plant puttered along. I think this year it's making it's move!

 

IMG_0077
Three year old Julia Child rose. Extremely fragrant. Deep rich yellow flowers and dark green leaves.

 

IMG_0077
John Paul II rose. He and Julia have been good neighbors.