What caught my attention in our backyard today

Even though our property is on the small side, I go exploring every day—sometimes twice a day—to see how things are coming along. Changes are coming fast and furious at this time of year, and I’m finally making a systematic effort to document as much of it as I can.

110428_hosta_june lamium
While our climate isn’t really conducive to hostas, they are among my favorite shade plants so I keep trying. This is a cultivar called ‘June,’ surrounded by a sea of Lamium maculatum .’Purple Dragon’.
110428_hosta_sagae
This hosta ‘Sagae’ just came up a few weeks ago—really late because of the cooler than usual weather. To the right is a variegated farfugium (Farfugium japonicum ‘Argentea’) just planted this spring.
110428_hakone
My favorite shade-loving grass, bar none: Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’). After four years in the ground, it’s finally put on some size (about 15 inches high).
110428_meadow_rue
Meadow rue (Thalictrum aquilegifolium) starting to bloom
110428_columbine_mckanas_giant
First flowers on this columbine ‘McKana’s Giant’ (Aquilegia caerulea ‘McKana’s Giant’)
110428_nasturtiums2
Trailing nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) in all their glory.
They reseed reliably every year.
110428_nasturtiums
Nasturtiums in our backyard succulent bed.
110428_elderberry_black_lace
‘Black Lace’ elderberry (Sambucus nigra ’Black Lace’). Planted three years ago from a 4” container, it’s finally coming into its own. Very difficult to photograph because of its purple-black foliage against the redwood fence. It’s just now starting to bloom, and the flowers are stunning.
110428_elderberry_black_lace2
‘Black Lace’ elderberry flower head.
This is one of my wife’s favorite plants.

I can’t wait to see what I might discover tomorrow!

How often do you check for progress in your garden?

Comments

  1. Love the look of the Lamium carpet, but doesn't it need consistent moisture (or am I thinking of another plant)? Glad to see my Hakonechloa isn't the only one that's a slow-grower. I think I'm going to have to get a 'Black Lace' now -- it's beautiful!

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  2. Alan, yes, the lamium likes moist soil. It receives the overspray from a lawn sprinkler. It has now formed a thick mat that locks in the moisture.

    We have two Black Lace elderberries and they're both doing really well this year. They take pruning/shaping really well.

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  3. Your garden is beautiful. The nasturtiums look really colorful and beautiful against the wall of the house. My favorite photo is the hosta with surrounding Lamium...stunning. I check my garden every morning to see what's blooming and what needs tending. Sometimes I check it in the afternoon as well. This is such a wonderful time of year because there is always something new blooming or leafing out.

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  4. Sage Butterfly, thank you for your kind words! Glad to know that there are other gardeners out there checking their garden for progress at least once a day.

    The lamium is beautiful but it's a quite vigorous, especially at this time of year. I have to regularly hack it back to keep it away from the hosta and other plants.

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  5. Your garden's looking beautiful Gerhard, especially like that Lamium :) I agree they can be vigorous but easy enough to keep in check with twice yearly hacking back.

    I check the progress of the garden up to several times a day, just not good at taking plenty of photos recently.

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