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Monday 23 July 2012

Favorite Plant This Year ?

We are still TRAPPED in this unrelenting heat, humidity, and NO rain cycle .. I seriously wonder if it will end! ... but we all have been trying to water and keep most of the garden alive.
So I am going to talk about my favorite plant of the year and ignore the catastrophe with lack of rain.
"Little Lime" paniculata hydrangea was something I was NOT looking for .. it wasn't on my wish list .. it wasn't on any radar I think of perpetually .. it was a complete surprise to me in fact !

This picture was taken just 2 days ago and looks like one of the best scenarios of my garden right now.
Green ... healthy .. no signs of fatigue from heat and lack of rain.
Green on green with some blue green and "white" green thrown in?
 It is even trying to "flower" it's little head off !
A hint of blush is finally showing up as well ..
What I love are those little white buttons in the middle of the flower .. like little pearls?
This grouping shows the different stages from a green flower all the way to the blushing stage.
I love this little hydrangea to bits .. the size and how hard it works to look good are top notch characteristics for my garden.
It is a Proven Winners selection so I know it is going to be totally up to the job.
So if you are looking for a small but brilliant hydrangea that has colouring on the "cool" side with out screaming pink or blue ... this is the little star for YOU!
BTW ? what has been your favorite plant this year ?

15 comments:

Diana Studer said...

For a garden fighting the heat, that vignette looks like an oasis.

Nadezda said...

Joy, Is this hydrangea "Lime Light"? I've got one too.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

You are right Joy, Little Lime is a trooper. The leaves on mine gotten badly chewed by something but the flowers are great. My Limelight has also weathered thid heat better than any of the other hydrangeas. Endless Summer is the least heat tolerant.

Eileen

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Joy, your pick of the year is a good one. I have Lime Light hydrangea and it is holding up and blooming in this heat and drought. Your header photo is a beauty too. We will just keep on watering and praying for rain. My favorite? I will have to think about this. Everything looks so drab this summer due to these harsh conditions. It is difficult to think about a favorite. They all seem like favs since I am watering so much.

Kukkaiselämää said...

I have three hydrangeas in my garden too. I like them. Two of them are little "bushes" and one is a vine.

Leslie's Garden said...

Hi Joy! That certainly looks like a winner. I love the little "dot" in the center of each flowerette, so cute! I guess my favorites were the lilies and a beautiful, huge white caladium that has deep pink veins. It has not skipped a beat in the heat and drought. It's a real winner. Too bad it's not a perennial! In early spring I have a salvia, I think it's name is Blue Moon, that blooms like mad and is such a pretty color blue. Have a great evening!

Barry said...

Well. Getting right to the point aren't we? I was tempted to do a post on the favourite new plant for the first half of the garden season, but like you, I'm afraid that the garden season might be over sooner rather than later! But getting back to the question at hand.....HMMMM. You'll have to visit my blog to find out! [Sort of like Tag, you're it!] As for Little Lime, yours is adorable, and I too like his little button nose!

Jennifer AKA keewee said...

I like this little hydrangea, I will have to look around my local garden center to see if I can find one.

Patty said...

I never really looked at the little lime hydrangea before either. However once you pointed out those little pearls I was smitten. It is on the list now.
My fave plant is a new dwarf Canadian white pine with yellow variegation on the needles (sorry can't remember the long name). The new candles were yellow, very attractive next to the green, and eventually they turn green keeping some variegation.

Randy said...

Joy, everything looks healthy and green to me in the photo so you must be doing a great job watering!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Diana (sorry I typed Dianne on your blog) .. loved the little plant you highlighted as more precious than rubies .. it is a beauty !

Nadezda this is a sport of it's parent Lime Light .. smaller for smaller gardens like mine : )

Eileen girl your plants look gorgeous and all of those Phlox are amazing .. do they all have scent ?
I don't have Endless Summer .. but I have smaller hydrangea that are not setting a flower head even yet!! .. don't know what that is about ;-(

Hello Lisa girl !
Thank you so much girl : ) .. we finally , after MONTHS ! have a rain day and I am so happy I could cry .. I am still in pain from my last watering mission .. this is such a relief : )

Hello Sadun/Satu ?
Yes the hydrangea seem to be coping much better than other garden plants/shrubs ... so they are a great choice in the garden : )

Hello there Leslie girl : )
Isn't that little pearl/dot precious ? LOL .. I will have to look for that salvia .. and maybe next year I will do some caladium for a change .. I have to work on next year's plans soon ! haha

Sweetie that button nose is just too cute to pass up right ? .. hey .. I know you are in love with Betberg and I don't blame you .. I am too! haha
We actually have water falling from the sky here .. it has been months so this is a GIFT !

Jennifer I highly recommend it .. I actually have 3 of these .. yup .. couldn't have just one ..they are all doing well and I am a happy gardener with them : )

Patty you will love this little jewel .. it is blooming its head off right now .. you have to have one girl ! I would love to see a picture of this pine !

Randy .. I am so glad for the rain today because the watering is killing me ! LOL
Your new car is a beauty : )

Marguerite said...

I can see how you love this plant, I adore the parent Limelight and have two of them. Very hardy they are as well. I planted them in the meadow and have ignored them since and they are growing and blooming without regard. My favourite this year is Astrantia. Bloomed in spring but new to my garden this year and I am just pleased as punch with them.

GRACE PETERSON said...

When I was younger (and not very smart) I thought all hydrangeas were boring. Not any more. I love the color variations, the almost succulent leaves, the fact that the flowers persist for a long time and that the shrubs are practically maintenance-free. What's not to love about that? Your little guy is a winner all right.

I can't say I have a favorite plant right now. I've weeded out (pun not really intended unless you want to take it that way) so many plants that don't perform up to standards and many others have died on their own so what is left is doing okay. Plus we've had a mild summer and right now I'm going to send a cool, breeze your way. I hope you get some relief soon.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Marguerite your post with so much of your garden and plants was great! I really enjoyed it and the kitty was perfect : )
I need to get another astrantia .. mine disappeared. Big yes to have wonderful hydrangea are and they keep getting better and better from the breeding !

Gracie girl you rouge photographer!
You took some fantastic shots girl!
That Japanese Blood grass with the sedum was amazing .. so many of the hell strips were shocking with what we think those plants need is shade and moisture right ? and the cat in the planter was perfect !
I was a bit off with hydrangeas in the beginning too, but now I have quite a few and they are beautiful to me : )
A rain day finally here .. such a relief !!

♥ Łucja-Maria ♥ said...

I love hydrangeas!
Your photos show their beauty.
Great photos and blog ...