Gardening and Gardens

I’ll admit it, impatiens were never at the top of my list of favorite garden plants. Everybody and anybody plants impatiens. Sure, they are cute and easy to grow, but I've always been drawn to the slow growing/bloom-for-only-a-few-weeks type of perennial.   Bottom line, they didn’t excite me. For the past eight years, I’ve lived in rental houses where I was forced to grow plants only in containers. I vowed that when I finally bought a house, I would not plant impatiens. Being a horticulturist, I knew there were other, more unique and intriguing plants out there that would thrive in the shady areas. Impatiens walleriana Nevertheless, after buying our first house this winter, I found myself drawn toward impatiens for my yard. I have come to realize there really is a place for this showy annual among the perennials and shrubs in one’s garden. A bland spot under the hedge in the front of my house needed a punch of color and within week, bam! the “Salsa Mix” Impatiens  ...

It's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day! Here's what's growing and blooming in my new garden this month: Flower box just outside the front door is blooming with Lobelia, Petunia and Bacopa. This little beauty is just starting to bloom. Looks like a Pee Gee Hydrangea to me. Do you agree? Finally my Impatiens have filled in. I love the mixture of pinks and oranges. It's called "Samba Mix." Hot and spicy! I love this combination of purple Russian Sage and the yellow Black-eyed Susan. Another Hydrangea starting to bloom. This one looks more like the Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata 'Tardiva' maybe?) At the curbside garden, the Hostas along the sidewalk (to the right) are getting too much sun. The leaves are yellowing and it doesn't look healthy. I'm not a big fan of this type of Hosta and its flower stem is long and wispy. But the Hosta in the back (left foreground), I like.  The leaves are green with yellow margins. T...

As I walked around the gardens this morning, I noticed beaded drops of water on everything. The humidity in the air was keeping the dew on a little longer today. The song "Morning Dew" by The Grateful Dead popped into my head. And so, that song, along with the beauty of the early morning, are the inspiration for this week's post.  Walk me out in the morning dew my honey,  Walk me out in the morning dew today. I'll walk you out in the morning dew my honey I guess it doesn't really matter anyway.