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Friday 21 May 2010

Three unsuitable plants that get along ..some how ?

Sometimes buying a plant at an end of season sale is a gamble.
You can't resist the price and surely there is some space in your garden that is crying out for company .. thus the double edged sword of temptation .. you just have to buy the plant and figure out the rest when you get back home and stand looking at your garden with a totally blank expression , thinking where oh where are you going to live dear on sale plant of mine ?
That is what happened with "Polemonium reptans" Stairway to Heaven" .. Jacob's Ladder ;-)
I thought the variegation would be perfect in the shadier part of the garden and I didn't even think of the flowers at the time .. just the foliage was enough to nudge me into buying it.
So .. what happens when you combine it with Black Lace Sambucus and ....
Artemisia ludoviciana "Valerie Finnis" .. now isn't that a mouthful ? and she isn't even supposed to be in the shade .. I have trapped her there and I am sure she will have a temper tantrum some day and hold her breath until .. I can't even think about it !
They are gorgeous together .. whether they are right for each other is another story but in the mean time .. I will admire them happily : )
Now for something completely different ?
I bought an "earth globe" a gazing ball that has a special coating to absorb light and "glow" for a few hours at night .. snail liked the deep brilliant blue of it all and decided to keep it company ..
I love that sapphire ? like blue and it really perks up the interest factor when faced with so many pots to water ? .. You need some inspiration or is it motivation to water all of the kids on the deck .. that you were supposed to cut back on this year ? Go figure .. I do even more ? DUH ??

17 comments:

Rebecca @ In The Garden said...

Great combination! They are gorgeous together, I've been wanting black lace for some time, maybe this will be the year??? The orb is stunning. :)

Anonymous said...

I planted that Jacob's Ladder last spring and it was a no-show. :( Yours is gorgeous. Maybe I'll have to re-order it again. lol I like that trio of plants together & your earth globe is pretty too. :)

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Great combo. Unfortunately I have killed a few too many of those jacobs ladders to try again. Sigh~~

Vetsy said...

I like the New kid on the block or boy in the hood.. I also like the plant and the pot that he is chillin" next to..

Price is always the line and hook for me too" I can't resist an interesting plant if it's on sale or is cheaper than were I saw it some where else!... I can relate"

Anonymous said...

That gazing ball is amazing -- you'll have to take a photo at dusk! Your three-plant combination sure works for me...it's wonderful put together like that. Sometimes the prettiest parts of our gardens are happy accidents. :)

Carrie said...

love those 3 together (ebony and ivory, live together in perfect harmony...)
And I have a small earth ball I got from my grand nephew for my 30th last year. I never see it lit up though cause it's at the lottie - duh.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello there Rebecca !
This Black Lace was moved a few times so its growth was stunted a bit .. but now it is finally coming back .. so I would say, find as permanent a home possible and let it put its roots down .. it will be a little while for good growth but it will happen sooner than mine did for sure ! If you paired it with Sutherland Gold which is also a cut leaf it would be stunning ! I miss seeing the earth globe shine at night .. I'm sleeping by then ? LOL

Racquel girl Thank you !
That happened to me with the regular variety .. a few times .. but this one for some reason has taken so far ! So maybe this particular cultivar is hardier for some reason ?

Lisa girl .. did you try this one ? I have killed a few of the regular ones .. but this one seems to take .. go on .. you know you want to try this one !! LOL

Thanks Vetsy ! The plant is just a pansy with a spike in it but it is pretty : ) Pudder is a funny gnome, he doesn't mind being on his own ? LOL
Yup .. that price and opportunity thing .. too hard to resist ! ;-)

This is going to be one heck of a mission Nancy with that earth globe (I bought it at Home Sense .. do you have that store in NS ?) My garden is FULL of accidents girl ! haha

Too funny Carrie : ) .. it will be a miracle if I get a picture of this one lighting up ! Yes ;-) as you put it that way "Ebony & Ivory" I see it now ! LOL

Rebecca said...

I'm going to try Jacob's Ladder again. I can't find mine. Your post reminded me that I planted it a couple of years ago....

The orb is fascinating. I need to get "out" more! This is the first time I've seen one of that size.

Linda said...

I love your earth globe Joy, such lovely colours. I have a couple of Jacob's ladder plants. One I bought for a quarter at a garage sale and it grew lovely and even climbed up a little ladder. I thought I had lost it in the basment digging, but it seems to be growing okay in the pot I transplanted it to. I also bought another one this spring, just in case the first one didn't survive. It is already in bloom. Both plants are the same but different, if you know what I mean. Enjoy the long weekend.

Carol said...

It seems there is some deep intuition at work in us sometimes Joy... for your selection on sale works grandly with your Artemisia and Elder... both beautiful in themselves. Lovely textures and colors and the light in your photographs is magic... which I have a feeling you are into from the looks of your dragons and glowing globes! Now snail will have a night light! I wonder if it will attract the fireflies. Oh, I wish I could tell you the name of my weeping j. maple... but alas so many years ago and not good records... not that I can find. I will call the nursery I bought it from and see if they can help. ;>)

Kyna said...

Wow, that's so pretty! I'm jealous, I've always been terrible at container planting, because I'm bad with knowing what to combine. lol Guess that's how my husband feels when he says he doesn't know how to put together an outfit...LOL

Lona said...

Sue girl they look beautiful together. If only my garden planting would turn out so well. I just planted the Stairway to Heaven this spring so it is a baby yet but like you the foliage was enough to get me buying one.I am wondering though if my Jacobs Ladders are in too much shade. The one planted last year does not look too good. Looks puny LOL!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Rebecca, I tried a standard version of Jacob's Ladder a few years ago and it just didn't take the way it should have .. so I thought "oh well" .. forgot about it .. then last year I saw this one on sale and decided this has to be the one ! .. That might just work out for you too ! .. I have a big gazing ball on a stand INSIDE the house still because garden renovation is still going on and I have to have the perfect spot for it yet .. but this mini one was perfect .. get out of the house girl ! LOL

Hi Linda .. I wondered how your plants near the foundation were doing with the reno .. that is great with the surviving one .. and yes .. I know what you mean about the other one being slightly different .. they have personalities girl ! LOL
Number one son said it was HOT out there (2:30 PM) I was awake at 4 this morning and had to go back to bed .. so I am hiding in the house ..away from the heat .. I worked in the garden all day yesterday so I know it can do without me for a couple of days phew ! have a great long weekend girl !

My goodness Carol girl ! Thank you : )I think snail does appreciate a night light .. although husband and I have yet to see it light up ? LOL .. Oh my gosh I haven't seen fireflies since I was a kid .. that would be awesome ! .. I was curious about the weeping maple because "Fred" my newbie weeping maple has got me looking for his family ? LOL .. he is of the Red Dragon clan : )
Thanks girl !

Kyna ! too funny : ) we can always draw conclusions from what men can't do ? LOL .. container gardening is mostly herbs that can bake in the sun and not complain .. I swear you will be totally safe with them !! Give it a try ;-)

Lona girl .. are you trying to tell me I should be a "Sue" hahahaha ! OMG I'm laughing here .. you must be tired ! I know I am with garden marathon work !
I'm wondering about how much shade these three are in myself .. the shade has become a deeper shade with the maple growing and growing .. it won't STOP! eeekkkk !
It is always something right ? LOL

Anonymous said...

That earth globe would love dandy in my garden!! Blue is my favorite color.

I started jacob's ladder from seed once, but wasn't really happy with it, so I gave it away. Now though, I wish I had transplanted it to the field. My wildflower guide shows it as an east coast mountain wildflower.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Sandy I have yet to see my earth globe "glow" yet .. I am always asleep by then ? haha
I'm not good with seeds at all .. but yes it is surprising how many plants from the garden have ties to native origins !

Rose said...

I love the blue of that earth globe--gorgeous! I'm so glad you posted the photo of the Jacob's Ladder. I just planted one this spring; I bought it for its foliage, and I had no idea it would flower one of these days--now I'm really happy! Yours looks great with the Sambucus. My best combinations are always happy accidents, too, instead of anything I planned.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Rose girl and thank you !
I swear an alter ego who is a much better gardener than my present mind ? LOL , thinks of these combinations and just takes over my body to plant them ? Gardener Jeckle vs. Gardener Hyde ? haha
Glad you have one of these pretty plants too !