The Dawn of Summer, Part V



Hello again. I hope your Memorial Day was a sunny one, though I know it wasn't for many. Today I approach the end of my walk through summer's start.

 

As you can see, these variegated hosta just glisten in the sun. I'd love to see these in bloom! I wonder what color their flowers are.

Though blurry, you can see how lovely this peony is. This bloom allows us a view of what I imagine to be its stamens (in pink).

This display of irises is what inspired me to take all these pictures. I was impressed with the sheer variety that was stuffed into this space. It's a hodgepodge, but it's tastefully done.

Let's explore all the colors that come together to compose that hedge. First are these royal purple and white irises. I like these because the contrast accentuates both of the flower's colors.

These "antique" pink irises have a much milder color, so they aren't striking, per se. However, these are the best example of an elegant iris that I've seen to date.

 

 

These yellow irises take up most of the strip of grass. They aren't as bold or dainty as the last two. They're kind of in between. However, a hedge composed solely of bold flowers or solely of dainty flowers wouldn't be as interesting as this combination is, so the yellow blooms do add to the whole.

 

 Lastly are these maroon and gold dwarf irises. While the first thing that I think of upon seeing these is Harry Potter (yes, sadly I was one of those middle schoolers with a Gryffindor-striped tie), they're pleasing even outside of those thoughts. Maroon isn't a typical flower color, so it attracts the eye more than the yellow alone would.

What do you think about that iris collection? What combinations of colors would you choose, if you could choose any of them? (Personally, if I could have a hedge of irises, I would like some of the yellow and maroon, some lavender, and some of the purple and white for a sunset effect.)

Next post: the end of the beginning.

Another Spring Plant Sale! (Part 1)

Today is not another Horticulture Club plant sale: it's the school's primary summer bedding sale. That means it's a large-scale operation. Much larger-scale. Also exciting is that this collection of plants has been in the greenhouse for a long time. I transplanted some of these. I've watered them all at one point or another. I drove most of these plants to the sale this morning. So today I get to show you a little slice of my work life.

Before that, though, here's a pretty flower I saw this morning.

When I returned to the sale to take pictures, these coleus were the first plants to grab my attention. The large-leafed coleus is called 'Emotions Passion,' or something similar. A floriculture professor remarked on these (paraphrasing again): "This is a case where people have created something nature never intended. Sure, these really grab the eye, but they get too tall to support themselves and end up falling over." Now we know. I like the kinds of coleus that smell sweet the best. My favorite coleus colors are deep violet and bright green.

Here's another coleus mix. This is a very diverse plant group, as evidenced by the various leaf sizes and margin shapes.

The silver-leafed plant here is a 'Looking Glass' begonia. I would have put this cultivar on my moonlight garden list, but I didn't know what it was called at the time. The leaves look gray in this picture, but they shine in person. And, like the Japanese painted fern, they provide contrast with their deep red undersides. This would also be valuable in a moonlight garden because it would break up the predominance of white and gray.

This plant is a cultivar of canna. The cultivar name might have been 'Tropical Bronze Leaf.' At any rate, I found the leaves beautiful. All the adjacent veins are slightly different shades of brown. This annual is typically purchased for its flowers, which I think is a shame. If I could get a perennial version of this plant as a houseplant, I would drool at it all the time.

This next plant might also have a place in a moonlight garden. This is Euphorbia 'Breathless White.' Its flowers are not overbearing, which would make it a perfect accompaniment to a more forceful flower.

I have no idea why I didn't put Dusty Miller on my moonlight garden list. It is a faux pas in the gardening world nowadays, but I like this silvery foliage plant regardless. I'd like the texture of the leaves, which to me feel like puppy ears, even if I didn't admire the color.

I was never a huge fan of marigolds until I found out that they repel aphids and other pests. I should have gotten a couple to plant near my tomato for this summer, but I wouldn't have anywhere to keep it in the meantime. There was an astonishing variety of these flowers at this sale, though! There were at least six different kinds, judging by flower coloration.

There are quite a few plants available in one-gallon containers. The hosta and the hellebores stood out to me (and that's coreopsis to the left). You can't tell from this picture, but these hellebores bloom white, yellow, and green, which would be refreshing to see in early spring. The hosta have a light purple color to them, which is nice. When I was growing up, we had a LOT of hosta, but they were all white-blooming.

Now we're moving on into the herbs. There was lavender on the perennials bench (as opposed to the herb bench), but since it falls under both categories, it works. I don't think the lavender bushes we have at home are of the 'Munstead' cultivar.

I didn't get the tag in this picture, but I believe these plants are rosemary.

The rest of the herbs and the vegetables are coming tomorrow! Plus bonus flowers! All these plants for sale just make me want a garden. Everything does, though.

Next post: plant sale, continued!