Gardening and Gardens

My Iris are blooming profusely in the garden right now. Their tall, slender stems emerging from wide, fan-like leaves and topped off with gorgeous pops of color. They remind me of popcorn that has suddenly burst open from it's kernel. They variety I have (below) is referred to as a Bearded Iris. Bearded Irises are the most popular type, but the Siberian and Japanese types are gaining in popularity and can be equally as stunning.  Bearded Iris in my Port Washington, NY garden So where is the beard? If you look closely on the lower petals which hang downward (these are called "falls," while the upright petals are called "standards") you'll see little fuzzy parts in the center. These are the beards. Bearded Irises are easy to grow, require full sun and will multiply over time. They come in a variety of colors including pink, blue, red, yellow and purple. The Siberian and Japanese Iris do not have the fuzzy beard and hence, are considered beardless. Most ...

Today is Garden Bloggers Bloom Day! Here's a look at what's growing and blooming in my Long Island garden this month.  The pretty flowers of the Viburnum shrubs are starting to show.  More Rhododendrons continue to pop open every day.  A pretty, shady spot for the Columbine, Hostas and Ferns.  The red Azalea in the front yard is a show-stopper this year. And purple Iris are just starting to open up - so lovely! As always,  any thanks to Carol over at  May Dreams Gardens  for hosting the monthly  Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day . 

I have always admired shade gardens. Varying shades of green, different textures and even a few delicate blossoms to enhance the woodland effect of such a garden always intrigued me. After we did the renovations last year, I suddenly had mostly sunny areas to plant. I wondered if I'd be able to find a spot to grow my lush woodland garden. But then, I noticed a rather boring spot along the side of my front yard that was covered with English Ivy. It is shaded by a Kwanzan cherry tree on one side and a Forsythia hedge on the other. I knew it was the perfect spot for my long awaited shade garden. The first task was to remove the ivy. Judging by the spread and depth of the vine, I'm guessing it was here for a long time. Their roots are not very deep, so its relatively easy to pull out, but it was still a big job, given the amount of it. The ivy was removed and the area was raked clean. The soil beneath had not seen the sun in many years and was quite compacted. I laid a nice ...

Across many lawns and under trees these days I see a cute little yellow flower. Sometimes there is a whole blanket of them covering a large patch of grass. It looks so pretty - a sea of yellow on a spring day! It's hard not to be seduced by this cute little flower putting on such a spring show, but it can be very invasive! It's called Fig Buttercup or Lesser Celendine ( Ranunculus ficaria ). Fig Buttercup has a basal rosette of dark green, shiny, heart shaped leaves and the flowers are a bright yellow with eight petals, borne singly on thin stalks that rise above the leaves. Fig Buttercup may be confused with Marsh Marigold ( Caltha palustris ) which bear a similar resemblance. However, Marsh Marigold has glossy, rounded leaves with 5-9 petaled flowers on stalks that are 8in or more in height. It does not produce tubers or bulblets like Fig Buttercup and therefore, does not form a continuous carpet of growth. Locally, it turns to brown mush in June before going...