End of May Views: Irises & Peonies

 

Welcome friends!

I garden in Eastern Washington state, zone 5.

 

Usually there is a lull in my garden around this time of year: the spring bulbs have all finished and the roses have yet to start. This year has been a little different. A warm spring has brought about early roses blooming, and my poppies really stepped it up this year to fill in that gap.

 

Must have more poppies! 

 

p.s. Just heard a loud thunderclap. Guess I won't have to water tomorrow! Yes!

 

Back Flowerbed

Back bed overview, deck looking to fence.

'Yellow Topaz' rose blooming early

I love the scent of these roses, but they shatter so easily that I don't try to pick them any more.

Mockorange starting to open up.

Back bed overview, looking toward deck.

These penstemon right in front are bee magnets!

They are always humming every time I walk by.

I haven't seen any hummingbirds sipping from them, though I've heard they attractive to hummingbirds. Maybe I don't have enough planted.

The poppies always look really orange in pictures.

In person they're more of a peachy pink.

Either way I'm loving them!

 

Back Slope

For anyone new here, my back slope has terraced vegetable garden beds, then the rest is pretty much weedy grass, some wildflowers, and aspen trees.

These geraniums are not wild--I moved them from the back bed after we moved here a few years back. They are thriving in the dry shade on this side of the slope.

I don't even pick out the long weed grass that comes up between them anymore.

Or the dandelions, as you can see.

Wild daisies and lupines.

Isn't this one pretty?

I think my wild lupines back here are hybridizing.

I've never seen a bicolor like this one blooming back here before.

I just planted several pink ones, hoping that they will be able to live in the clay soil like their wild counterparts. (And also hoping to get some more hybrids!)

 

East-side Terrace

 

Ninebark blooms.

I didn't realize that this pretty little shrub would bloom. Bonus!

 

 Front Terraced Flowerbeds

Have you noticed how everything is terraced?

Welcome to my world!

 

The potentilla in front is always a pretty little accent to the stars of the show: the irises!

I added the alliums last summer, so I'm glad to see them blooming.

Not sure what variety they are, since they were a pass-along.

Peonies in back: 'Top Brass' (the white) and 'Paula Fay' (pink).

The white ones smell exquisite, while the scent of the pink is faintly reminiscent of a rotten potato.

Up front, the pink salvia is a volunteer from the other side of the flowerbed! 

The purple doesn't seem to mind so I'm leaving it for now.

 

Close-up of the 'Top Brass' peony.

This flower is sort of funny-looking, and I mean that in the nicest way.

White skirt, poofy yellow middle, then that awesomely ridiculous little fluff of pink on the very top. It's like a cupcake decorated by a 3 year old!

It makes me smile every time I see it!

Geranium 'Rozanne' (I think)

Front corner.

 

Now for those gorgeous irises!

 

 

More of the alliums I put in last summer.

I just love these flowers!

 

I'm not sure which variety of iris these little white ones are.

They were also a pass-along, so if you know, do tell!

{sigh}

Love it.

 

Street view.

'Rose Glow' barberry adding some color to this part of the terrace.

 

Columbine, wild daisies (yes, in my flowerbed!), and the sorbaria playing so well together.

 

Front Porch Bed 

 

 Last but not least, I've been enjoying the subtler colors and patterns of this little flowerbed, whenever I can tear my eyes away from the irises, that is!

 

Heuchera and euonymous

 

spirea in bloom

I like how the white on green echoes the foliage of the euonymous right now.

No, I did not get the both in the same picture.

Next time!

 

Thanks for taking a look around with me!

Check out other gardens at: The Patient Gardener

I hope to hear from you again soon!

They made it!

 I revamped this small flowerbed next to the porch last summer, pulling out dead bushes and improving the soil, before adding some new plantings in: hydrangea, astilbe, a couple of hostas, and some heucheras.

I also put in one dicentra--bleeding heart.

I tried planting dicentras in my back shade bed a few years ago, but they didn't survive.

This poor thing was transplanted from a friend's yard to begin with, then moved AGAIN when I realized that it was too far out and would be walked on. I didn't get my hopes up.

 

By the end of last summer, I wasn't sure which of my new plantings had survived.

The astilbes had withered away to practically nothing, as had the dicentra, and the ferns.

I knew heucheras and hostas were as tough as nails and could take dry shade, so I wasn't too worried about them.

 

This spring I have been pleasantly surprised to see all of the plants in this bed coming back!

 

Well, well, well. What have we here?

Hooray!

This euonymous wasn't in danger of dying off, but I'm delighted to see how much new growth it is putting on this spring! It looks better than it ever has.

Astilbe! Yes!

Astilbe number 2 (in back), plus 'Lime Marmalade' heuchera.

Oh and a few dandelions. (ahem). I guess they made it too.

 

The 'Ruby Slippers' oakleaf hydrangea is also putting out new leaves.

 

May they all live long and prosper!

(Except the dandelions.)

A Study in Contrasts: Garden Appreciation Society

I never would have thought to use hosta leaves in a bouquet until I saw Erin do it for the Garden Appreciation Society.

Once I decided to use them, then I started seeing the other leaves around that were green and white, which led to the euonymous.

The first round of Shasta 'Becky' daisies is about done, so I gleaned a handful from there. Then since we had large and small leaves, I thought it would be fun to have large and small daisies as well.

The dog fennel (also called Mayweed chamomile) is blooming like crazy along our east side, where we need to put grass in this fall.

Hey, nothing like using the weeds--um, wildflowers at our disposal! 

The roses were to add a little sparkle and color.

 

As a sidenote, I just planted the Burgundy Iceberg Rose this year, and I love it!

The deep purple and red tones are gorgeous next to the other plants in my front flowerbed.

 

Top View

This is not a bouquet for sniffing.

Dog fennel is called that for a reason! It stinks!

Fortunately, you have to get up close to really smell it; otherwise, I wouldn't have brought it in the house!

Bush moved

New location by the shed.

Where it used to be--yes, needs weeding.

Garden Tour

My first attempt at growing grass. I'm using the Scotts brand Lawn Repair stuff.  It kind of looks like moss or something.  You loosen the soil a few inches down, then put this over the top in a thin layer. I'm supposed to water it twice a day, and already I've forgotten at least 3 times. {sigh} I keep telling myself that even if only half of it grows in, it will look better than the big bald spot filled with dead crab grass.  Pretty much the whole lawn is weeds in back, too, but I just can't face it at the moment.  The things I will do to get our house sold...

I thought this was interesting: one branch of plain green leaves, and all the rest variegated.  (This is the euonymous bush out front.)  I love the bright green colors of the new growth.

Apple blossoms!  Hooray!

The apple tree is only blossoming on about the bottom third of the tree. I wonder why?

Peonies are getting bushy, and buds are growing fat and round.

This one has 8 or 10 buds on it!

These are the only tulips that have come back this year.