I thought I’d take another tour through the flower beds before they get ahead of me. Everything seems to want to bloom at once this year. Clematis is one of my favorite flowers. Nothing could be easier to grow than these virtually no maintenance vines. I planted one on each side of my front steps many years ago and haven’t really touched them since. In spite of my neglect they still reward me with flowers like that in the photo. Clematis are in the buttercup family. The well-known wild virgin’s bower is a clematis. Dianthus is a huge family of fragrant plants which carnations belong to. Pinks like in the photo above are also dianthus, and are called pinks not because of their color but because the petal edges look like they have been trimmed with pinking shears, giving them a frilly appearance. These flowers are among the most fragrant in the garden. The leaves of garden pinks are usually a grayish blue color. Bowman’s root (Gillenia trifoliate) isn’t often seen in gardens and that’s too bad because it is a beautiful plant in the rose family that is covered with fragile looking, 5 petaled, white flowers. This plant is native to the eastern U.S. and is also called American ipecac for the purgative power of the roots, which Native Americans are said to have used. English colonials called Native Americans “bowmen” which explains the other common name. This yellow bearded Iris was given to me by a friend several years ago and is a favorite of mine. Unfortunately it is also a favorite of Japanese beetles whose damage can be seen on the petals. Since I don’t use pesticides, we share and learn to get along. On a bearded Iris a fringe or “beard” runs down the center of each of the three petals that fall or hang down. This is an example of a beardless iris that is most likely a yellow Siberian iris (Iris siberica.) When this flower is compared to the bearded iris it is easy to see that they are very different. Meadow anemone (Anemone canadensis ) is an old fashioned garden favorite that has much larger flowers than our other native wood anemone. This plant is also called crowfoot because of the foliage. Native Americans used this plant for many different medical reasons. When I was a boy I used to find Tradescantia, or spiderwort, growing along the railroad tracks. I’d pull them up to take home and plant in the yard along with asters, goldenrod and anything else I could find that had flowers on it. My father couldn’t understand what I wanted with those “damned old weeds.” Wouldn’t he be surprised to know that most of those “weeds” are now grown in gardens! Tradescantia is another native that has gone to the gardens because true blue flowers are so hard to come by. The common and well known house plant called wandering Jew is a tradescantia. Weigelia is an easy to care for shrub that is originally from Asia but has become quite common in American gardens. A little pruning to maintain its shape is all it really needs. Weigelia flowers can come in white, yellow, lavender, red and pink. I grow the pink one seen here in my yard and the hummingbirds love it.The blue false indigo (Baptisia australis) is in full bloom now and is another plant held in high regard for its hard to find clear blue color. This is another tough native plant that bees love. Black seed pods full of loose, rattling, seeds will follow the flowers. Hyssop (Hyssopus) hails from Europe and Asia and has been under cultivation for so long that it is mentioned in the Bible in the book of Exodus. In the mint family, today it is used as an herb in soups and on meats. It is yet another plant highly valued in the garden for the blue of its blossoms. Peony (Paeonia) is a flower with a scent close to that of old fashioned rugosa roses. Much loved and used for hundreds of years in American gardens, their only drawback is their weak stems which, unless staked, will leave the flowers dragging in the mud after a rain. I’ve come across old field stone cellar holes along long forgotten, overgrown roads that still have peonies blooming in what was once the front yard. Plants have been known to last for well over 100 years. Here is the owner of the scent that peonies seem to mimic. I grew up with a hedge of Rugosa roses in the yard and the fragrance of so many blooms was almost too much to bear. Unfortunately Japanese beetles love this flower and come from miles around to feed on the blooms, which is why it is almost impossible to find a blossom without damage. If you have ever smelled the fragrance packet on a Japanese beetle trap then you know what Rosa rugosa smells like. This rose is originally from Asia. I thought this white peony that was just opening was a beautiful thing to behold. If a white peony is floated in a bowlful of water into which a few drops of red food coloring have been added, the flower will absorb the colored water and the veins in each petal will be seen. Peonies have been grown in Asian gardens for thousands of years.
In joy or sadness flowers are our constant friends.~ Kakuzō Okakura
That’s it for this trip through the garden. Isn’t it interesting how many native plants we have adopted to grow in our gardens? Thanks for visiting.
Quite a showcase of flowers Allen! I usually seem to find a place for dianthus in my flower bed, but this year I didn’t remember to get any.
I love the smell of dianthus. Fragrance in the garden is important.
Such a great variety. I have inherited a peony with this house and just love it. So beautiful. Reading in the comments about your garden made me think of my mom’s garden in California. She would just stick plants anywhere and everywhere… it turned out full and beautiful! I miss it.
Maybe a good way to remember your mom’s garden would be to re-create it for yourself. A peony is a good start, and with a new plant or two each week it wouldn’t take long. Thank you Dawn for stopping by.
These are all gorgeous! I’m familiar with the iris, peony and rose, but not the others. I especially wish the anemone grew here: it’s just so pretty! Your photo of the white peony is just beautiful!
Thank you Montucky. I’m glad you enjoyed them. The anemone might not grow there naturally but I wouldn’t be surprised if it would grow in your garden because it is a tough plant.
What a beautiful post, Another Trip Through the Garden! I thought the first flower, Clematis, was my favortie until I saw the blue false indigo! It is a lovely color, trust me. 🙂
And you caught the white peony just at the right time, perfect!
Be sure and take us on more trips through your garden, OK?
Chris
Thanks Chris. You can be sure there will be many more trips through the garden-it’s just getting started. It sprawls around a bit, but I like the false indigo too.
So many pretty things! I have never seen spiderwort, except in photos. How large are the blossoms?
The blossoms are about the size of a quarter-maybe slightly larger. Tradescantia has a reputation of being “messy” because the stems don’t stand upright for very long before they flop over, so it’s not for those more formal gardens. It can also be a bit invasive, but isn’t that hard to control if you have a regular weeding schedule. I’ve always loved it because of the color.
I love spiderwort too! any plant that looks great in all climates of the country is a winner in my book!
I agree. It’s a “plant and forget it” plant, and I love those!
You have a beautiful garden filled with some interesting plants!
What you said about finding peonies at old homesteads reminded me of something. My ex would go along with me on some of my outdoor adventures for one reason. She would find flowers growing around old farmhouses and dig up a few to transfer to our gardens. We got some very nice flowers that way.
Thank you! That’s a great way to “recycle” plants. I wish I’d have thought of it because I’ve seen some beautiful old roses, lilacs, peonies, lily of the valley, etc. just growing off in the middle of nowhere where nobody can see them. Seems like kind of a waste.
I agree with Lemony above…absolutely beautiful tour. Are all of these plants from your own garden/yard at home, Allen, or a nursery, or various other places?
Thank you Scott. Most of these plants are in my garden but some like the peonies and Bowman’s root grow in a local park. I should have made that clearer in the post. I often see plants in parks that I then get for myself and the Bowman’s root will most likely be one of those because it’s a beautiful plant.
You’re welcome, Allen…have images of what your garden looks like and wondered if I was imagining it correctly. 🙂 Sounds beautiful…..
It’s a hodgepodge of colors, sizes, textures and shapes, much like a cottage garden. If I see a bare spot I put a plant in it. “Nature doesn’t plan (where to put plants,) so why should I” is my motto. I think I spent too many years fussing over other people’s gardens to do the same with my own-the last thing a professional gardener wants to do is come home and garden!
I can understand all of that. 🙂 And it does sound beautiful.
An absolutely beautiful tour!
Thank You!