So Bright, It Can Be Seen From Space

Well, actually, it's aggregate of all the plants of Phlox pilosa 'Eco Happy Traveler,' a named cultivar of Gail's beloved "Practically Perfect Phlox." When in full bloom, they would easily show up in a satellite photograph. I've struggled to get my camera to capture the color accurately. Finally, I figured out I had to take the photograph in the middle of the day with strong sunlight. These plants are in the front (and the middle and heading toward the back) of the faux-prairie garden, where they bridge the gap between the early spring bloomers and the peak season of summer in this garden. ("It can carry a border all by itself!") Their foliage turns a good burgundy in autumn. They also provide a good contrast to the dark purple flowers of Baptisa 'Purple Smoke,' now blooming for the first time.

Snow in Late May?

Horrors!While the weather has been cooler than normal, it hasn't been that cool. I'm just having a little fun here. It's not snow, but the petals from my neighbor's Black Cherry tree, which is in full bloom. We've had what the Brits call some "heavy weather," which has blown the tiny petals off the tree and scattered them all over the garden. While I'm happy it rained, did it have to come down in torrents while I was buying annuals for my mom at the nursery? Am I the only one, or does anyone else shop for plants in the rain?

The Curious Incident of the Yellowwood in the Spring

Generally, Yellowwood trees (Cladrastis kentukea), bloom every other year. This is the year for mine to bloom. I have been checking the progress of bud formation on the tree and was pleased to note the abundance of buds. This evening, I discovered that the more precocious buds, on the western side of the tree, have shriveled. The other buds, which are not as advanced, seem unaffected. Is the unusually cool weather to blame? Or is this the result of some disease? Will the other buds also fall victim? Stay tuned for the continuing saga.

A Visit to Rich's Foxwillow Pines

I had to be in Crystal Lake last week, so I figured I might as well head over to Rich's Foxwillow Pines, in Woodstock, to see if I could catch the Magnolia grandiflora in bloom. I was in luck. I don't know how they do it, but not only do they keep this huge tree alive, they also get it to bloom. This tree is not supposed to be hardy so close to the Wisconsin border and away from Lake Michigan. Good thing the tree doesn't know that. Here's another photo with my hand as a reference for the size of the bloom.It's not called "grandiflora" for nothing.
(I apologize for the quality of some of the following photos, but I was there at midday in the sunshine.)
Even if the Magnolia had not been in bloom, the trip still would have been worth it. The display garden is such an inspiration.(I think I really need some kind of Purple Beech.) Most of the trees here are field grown and waiting to be dug. The conifer on the right in this photo had a price tag on it, indicating that it was available for purchase. The assortment of conifers is staggering, from the large to the small, many of them unusual.
The abundance of Japanese Maples causes me to question my reluctance to try growing one.

In between the trees are perennials, such as this Tree Peony. It looked like it would be in bloom this week, but even without blooms, it's a beautiful plant.

There are also container and balled and burlapped plants available. The tour group shown in the photo was from a local garden club.I wish I had more time that day. There are so many interesting plants to see.
It's been such a busy time both in and out of the garden. I've gotten behind on blog visiting, commenting, and posting. Cloudy May weather means planting, so lots of that and plant division have occupied my time. There are still so many spring garden tasks that need to be completed, yet summer is right around the corner.
During this last round of planting, I finally got around to the Tiarella 'Pink Brushes' I bought at the Morton Arboretum plant sale. This is why I always bare root my potted plants. Instead of one big plant, there were two little plants in the big one gallon pot. That's fine, as I was having trouble choosing between two spots to plant it. Now I can put it in both places.

(edit. 2/09 Rich & Sue at Rich's have advised me that the Magnolia is actually Magnolia tripetala.)

Chicagoland's Weed Axis of Evil

A weed is not always simply an unwanted plant, a plant growing in the wrong place or a plant whose merits have yet to be discovered. There are those weeds that have shown, by their actions, that they are bent on World Domination. These I call the Axis of Evil (with no apologies to Dubyah).

The first offender, which goes by the nom de guerre of "the Bane of Barrington" is Buckthorn, or Rhamnus cathartica. This nasty woody was well established when I purchased Squirrelhaven. Only by employing a Zero Tolerance policy has this bad boy been eliminated from the garden. Fortunately, its seedlings are quite distinctive, allowing me to train the children from an early age to recognize and pull the "little bow ties."

The second arm of our Axis is a relative newcomer, but sheer seedspread has made it a serious contender for Worst Weed. It is another Alien Invader of woodlands, Garlic Mustard. It's frothy white flowers cause it to be mistaken for a wildflower. The only good thing about it is that it is a biennial. If it can be kept from going to seed, it can eventually be eliminated.

The third arm of the Axis goes to another woody plant, but this one isn't an alien. It's a native pest, Boxelder a/k/a Manitoba Maple, or Acer negundo. Weedy, weak-wooded trees would crowd out all other plant life if I didn't yank out each seedling, wherever it pops up.

Finally, the Darth Sidious/Emperor Palpatine of Weeds: Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). On the surface it seems attractive, even friendly, with its pretty pink and white Morning Glory type flowers. But beneath the surface it extends its grasp in a stealthy ploy for expansion and ultimate World Domination. This wicked weed can't be pulled or burned. The only way to destroy it is to use a stronger evil power, the Darth Vader of weed eradication, herbicide.

These are the weeds to be feared, these are the weeds that must be stopped. A policy of appeasement will lead only to disaster. Nearly every day, throughout the growing season, vigilance must be practiced. The Fate of the World is at stake! (Okay, maybe just of the immediately surrounding neighborhood.)

Meme Alert: turn this into a meme by posting about your nastiest weeds. Win Bindweed seeds (just kidding!).
(edited 5/22/08)

By Request - The White Chaenomeles

Frances asked for it, so here it is, one of the many Badly-sited Plants that Came With the House (BPCWH). (Pardon the unsightly fence that desperately needs replacing.) While it is not clear from this photo, there is a stepping stone path between the Quince and three overgrown Barberries, a sensation not entirely unlike that of a pincushion. I wish whoever planted it had given some thought to its location and tried to espalier it. It's probably too late for that, so every year I put on my thickest gloves and a denim jacket & cut it back. Not the ideal situation, but we have enough other overgrown BPCWHs that need removal. Besides, it's hard to get rid of it when it flowers like this.

On an entirely unrelated note, I fear that my beloved Tree Peony will not bloom this year. I was prepared for the first night of frost in late April and I covered all the buds, but the next night's frost was not forecasted, so I had no warning. This is what it looked like last year.It's not that the buds are blackened, just that there's been no growth on them since that night. I'm not optimistic.

The Eagerly Anticipated (by Me at Least) May Bloom Day 2008*

Warning: the following post contains material which may be unsuitable for those who can't handle an excessive amount of shade garden perennials and wildflowers. The poster is solely responsible for this overflow of photos. Some plants have been manually manipulated as noted.


Here it is, the one I've been waiting for since last Autumn, a Bloom Day post with more than three flowers! (I'm metaphorically jumping up and down right now.) The Scilla, Sanguinaria and Hepaticas are all done blooming, and the last of the daffodils, 'La Vie En Rose' (shown above with Malus 'Prairiefire') has faded to white and is nearly done as well.

Although there's not much happening in the front garden, only the seedheads of Pulsatilla vulgaris

and the about-to-open seedheads of prairie smoke (Geum triflorum),

the Woodland Garden is at its peak. Something will be blooming in it for the rest of the season, but now is when it is an explosion of color and bloom.

Leaving the front garden, the small shaded border on the north side of the house is at its best with the Pulmonaria 'Roy Davidson' adding to the hellebore blooms.All the hellebores are still blooming except for Helleborus niger.
Through the gate is the woodland garden.
First, a photographic overview:Normally, the crabapple is not blooming this late, but it decided to burst into full bloom just in time for Bloom Day.
Turning left past gate are the Podophyllum peltatum. I confess that I flipped up a leaf and the hood in these photos.I returned both to their normal condition afterward. (Hey, they're my plants, I can play with them if I want.)
Next to the Arisamea triphyllum is this little grouping.This is Dicentra 'Candy Hearts' and the aptly named Phlox divaricata 'Clouds of Perfume,' both of which were new to the garden and that spot respectively.
By the arbor is the ubiquitous Labrador Violet with the native Geranium maculatum.

This particular plant is a seedling that I selected for its more intense flower color.

This grouping is on the other side of the Heuchera 'Lime Rickey'. Shown from left are Polemium reptans 'Stairway to Heaven' with Epimedium 'Lilafee'.

Behind this group are the Little Merrybells, Uvularia perfoliata.It has wandered across the path and now blooms under this group.Dicentra 'Zestful,' the mother ship of Phlox divaricata 'Clouds of Perfume,' and Smilacina racemosa in bud.
Another fragrant plant is Corydalis 'Blackberry Wine'.There used to be three plants, but one died.

It's Tiarella and Heucherella time at Squirrelhaven. This is the first of them to bloom, Tiarella 'Oakleaf'.That is followed by my favorite-named plant in the garden, Tiarella 'Iron Butterfly' (seen here with the double Anemonella and, yes, the Labrador Violet). I can't see this plant without hearing in my head Harry Shearer's stentorian voice intoning "'In the Garden of Eden' by I. Ron Butterfly'" (from an episode of The Simpsons). The foliage of Heucherella 'Burnished Bronze' plays off the color of the neighboring hellebores.This is Heucherella 'Sunspot,' which I prefer to its sibling 'Stoplight'. I just can't resist neon pink flowers with yellow foliage, it's so subtle.

For everyone who has ever accused me of impatience, here's the evidence to refute that charge:I have waited over 10 years for this Trillium grandiflorum to bloom. I moved it from its original spot over half a dozen years ago. It is magnificent and it even has a scent. (That's Dodecatheon media 'Alba' and, yes, Labrador Violet blooming with it.) So many things in the garden this May have a wonderful scent that all I have to do is step out back to be surrounded by a heavenly perfume.
It's the start of Iris season here at Squirrelhaven. The first to bloom are these mystery Bearded Irises that were here when I bought the property.

Opening just in time is the much smaller Iris cristata 'Eco Little Bluebird.'Here it is growing with, once again, Labrador Violet.
Not all native woodland wildflowers are small and dainty.

Case in point, the Celadine Poppy, Stylophorum diphyllum. This is such a great plant, as it is not ephemeral and blooms sporadically throughout summer.I have planted it in several places throughout the garden. Here it provides a contrast to the blooms of Brunnera 'Hadspen Cream' and the last of the Mertensia.
There is no way I could possibly post photos of everything blooming right now, so here is a list of those plants blooming but not pictured:
Dicentra 'King of Hearts,' Geranium macrorhizum, Geranium sylvaticum 'Mayflower,' Viola sororia, a just-beginning to bloom Aquilegia vulgaris, Thalictrum thalictroides and T. thalictroides 'Rosea' (Anemonella), Bergenia 'Bressingham White,' Lamium 'White Nancy' and a mystery pink Lamium, Forsythia (just a few flowers left), Anemone nemorosa (also nearly done), Phlox divaricata 'Plum Perfect,' and a white flowering quince.

*Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day is the sole creation of Carol at May Dreams Gardens. Anyone else claiming credit does so at the risk of being throttled by a hoe.