A Garden in Bethlehem PA: forget-me-not

Showing posts with label forget-me-not. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

A Delicate Combination

Pastel pink and baby blue - I would have never planned this combination thinking it too bland. I think it works here because neither bloom is overpowering. The quantity of forget-me-nots seems to balance the larger mum flower.

The self-sowing Forget-Me-Not seeds followed gravity down the mulch slope over the winter and geminated in the Clara Curtis Mums. It’s what I love about the self-sowers. Every year I see surprising combination without any effort at all.

Mum ‘Clara Curtis’, Dendranthema zawadskii, planted in 2004 from Wayside, blooms all summer. I cut it back just a little in late fall. In spring it has always started to bloom early and continues to bloom until frost.

Annual Forget-Me-not ‘Blue Bird’ Myosotis dissitiflora, planted directly in the garden in 2006 with Ferry & Morse seeds.

Mum ‘Clara Curtis’ info from Suite 101 here.

Forget-Me-Not info from Backyard Gardener here.

Saturday, April 09, 2011

Late Spring

Not late spring as in - the end of May.

Late spring as in - late.

It seems to be taking forever to be spring this year.

Low temperatures, dipping to the 30’s at night, have slowed spring (and this gardener) considerably. I compared plants this year with some pictures from April 4, 2010.

Lilac 2011 – barely showing any color in tiny buds.

Lilac 2010 – opening nicely.

Hyacinths 2011 – struggle against the cold.

Hyacinths 2010 – in fragrant glory

Brunnera (Forget-me-not) 2011 – plants just visible.

Brunera 2010 – starting their blue profusion.

The forecast for the next week is considerably warmer. That should rock me out of my cold-induced stupor.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Forget-Me-Not

Cynoglossum amabile, Chinese forget-me-not .

One day my husband asked, “What are those blue flowers?” “That’s forget-me-not,” I told him. “Oh," he said, "I forgot.” – a funny man.

My forget-me-not fits the description of Cynoglossum amabile. I got the seeds from a co-worker about 10 years ago but I didn't write it down. They have self-sowed and bloomed every year without any special care - one of the few blue flowers in my garden.

The prickly little seeds stick to socks, pets, jeans or any piece of cloth they come in contact with. I try to keep them back from the paths. In spring, I pull the plants that are near human traffic (although I don’t have the heart to pull them all).

It is almost inevitable that I’ll be picking seeds out of my shoelaces later this summer.

I’m willing to put up with the seeds for the brilliant blue flower.

Rob’s Plants from his Lehigh Valley Gardening blog has a good description and great photos.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Digging

.
From this

to this

and this. (The upside down pot marks the place for the little pink azalea’s new home.)

My friend, Cindie, stopped by and helped get some of my plants dug and divided. Don’t you love when a friend is also a gardener? We got the hosta divided into 4 pieces and replanted. Cindie is dynamite with a shovel!

We dug some Tansy for Cindie’s garden.

And potted the Red hot poker.

We also removed some Lily of the Valley, Dead Nettle (Lamium) and False Forget-Me-Not (Brunnera). An altogether good work day. Thank you Cindie.

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Divide and Conquer

I’ve been busy helping my mom through some rough times so I haven't had much time in the garden. I managed to get out in the other day and snap some pictures and make a plan.

Divide

The small variegated hosta (above) needs to be divided now before it gets any bigger. I’ll cut it in four pieces and plant 3 pieces in the new garden and put a small piece back in the same spot. I know it will take a hatchet or a small saw to divide it.

Liriope, planted quite a few years ago, needs to be divided. Can you believe the size of it? I’ll plant several small pieces along the garden edge. The extras will be given away or composted. Tool of choice will be a hatchet or saw. This is one tough little plant.

This Brunnera, perennial forget-me-not, re-seeds - even though I deadhead after blooming. It makes pretty sea of blue flowers in spring but they are taking over the area.

The Red Hot Poker, planted near compost bin (temporarily) many years ago, is in the shade and doesn’t bloom. I’ll be delighted to pot it for a friend.

I had a request from a friend for a piece of this tansy two years ago. I will finally get around to it this year.

Another friend requested a bit of the Sheffield Pink mum. It is creeping out of its boundary. Over the years, it has become shaded by a dogwood so I’ll move some to a sunny spot in my garden too.

This little pink ruffled azalea is barely visible behind the daffodils where I put it (temporarily) several years ago. It will also move to the new garden.

I divided a tall (6’) yellow coneflower Rudbeckia nitida 'Herbstsonne' and put some in another temporary spot in the garden. I’d be willing to share some if I can find a taker. I also have yellow (not Stella) and double orange daylilies that I potted in fall and looking for a home.

Conquer

So now that I have a plan. I need to get out in the garden and dig. Hopefully, I’ll be able to conquer this part of my garden in the next two weeks.

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Dreaming of Spring

OK. I’ve started lists for spring. I love making lists. I find great satisfaction in checking off items one by one. It also keeps me from trying to do everything at once, organizes priorities and helps me remember what I want to get done. So here are the lists I started for spring.

To move list:

- Pink azalea to new garden – I put this pretty azalea in a shaded area about 4 years ago. I meant to find a permanent place for it. This past spring it looked dead – broken branches looked gnawed. The other day I saw green growth peeking out from under the hosta leaves. I’ll put a wire fence around it this winter and move it to the new garden in spring.

- Blazing star (Liatris spp.) – another plant I stuck in the ground about 5 years ago until I could find a permanent place. I’ll move this lilac colored flowering plant next to the white liatris near the new Casablanca lilies.

To give away list:

- Red hot poker or torch lily (Kniphofia uvaria) – an extra plant that I don’t have room for. I’ve got a taker for this one. I love when that happens.

- Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) I’ve had a request for a piece of this ferny leafed herb so I’ll dig some out for my friend in spring.

- Perennial Forget-Me-Not (Brunnera macrophylla) - The mass of pretty blue flowers in spring is getting too crowded. They have spread and reseeded throughout the area. I don’t have a taker for them yet. I’ll have to find someone who wants Brunnera or they will become compost.

To divide list:

- Hosta - The hosta is overgrown. I’ll move some to the front of the new garden.

- Liriope (Liriope muscari) – As the hydrangea grows, it’s getting a little crowded. I like liriope’s winter color – deep green leaves with black berries. I’ll see what it looks like over the winter and decide if I will divide and spread it out at the edge of the garden or pot some up to give away – probably both. I’ll need to use my hatchet to divide this tough little clumping plant.

So there are the lists so far. I’m looking forward to another busy spring!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Busy Garden Days

This week is crazy. There are seeds to plant, pots to fill, annuals to put out, weeds to pull, community gardens Blumenplatz and Burnside to plant. And, we’re going to our first Iron Pigs AAA baseball game tonight.

I got to run away from it all yesterday and visited Felicita Gardens in Harrisburg. I’ll post some impressions on Saturday.

The spring garden is exciting. The lilacs and azaleas are at their peak. The re-seeding garden is full of forget-me-nots, cleome, snapdragons, sweet alyssum, red poppies and portulaca. It’s exciting to see what has seeded from last year’s plants.

It’s not so exciting to plan removing and moving the seedlings. Gravity

makes the seedlings end up in the path or too near the edge of the garden. I’ll need to move some and remove others. The removing is easy. I can remove a lot of plants in the wrong place with my hoe. The moving takes a little time. The seedlings are too small to move now but, in a week or so, I’ll start my annual – dig them out here and put them over there. Then I can mulch the area and wait for blooms.