Where did the time go you say ? .... it went SLOWLY but I have to admit the light values are changing FINALLY .. it is lighter earlier (so Garden PA says and I have no reason to doubt him, other than he must have his two coffees to really focus on "what day is this ?")
So .. I'll "dive" right in and talk plants since I am driven by it at this very moment.
I grew Big Blue sea holly aka eryngium ... last year and wow .. I fell in love with it.
It truly was the bluest one I have seen yet .. through the years I have grown a few other varieties .
Miss Willmott's was one that really rang my bell .. huge collared head .. amazing !
*All pictures other than what I specify as my own .. were found on the web .. my awknowledgements to the photographers !*
Miss Willmott's Ghost A regal beauty !
Then I read about Big Blue ... and I was curious ... or was that ... OBSESSED !
This is my picture from last year ...
Every day I said I would cut some to dry , but I just couldn't .. they kept becoming more gorgeous.
I'm not sure if it will come back after this crazy winter .. so to be safe I am ordering another plant to be sure I have it for this year ... I am stuck on it !
That isn't the end of it though ... there is another cultivar out there I want to try, isn't there always ?
Neptune's Gold ... yes, a gold foliage variety ... not so many years ago I would have found the combination .. hum ... a little too in your face ?
But now I am FASCINATED ... have I been in winter mode too long ? ... probably ...
This is a peek of what it looks like
These plants are perfect for punishing sites .. lean soil, pounding sun, dry conditions (after establishing) The meaner you are to them, the more they smile .. kind a creepy eh ? haha
You have to love a plant like that.
14 comments:
Creepy but funny, Hey, it's a while since we had eryngium in the garden, I also love them. (What was the name of it again? your comment page has taken me away from your post) Big blue. I think, I'll go back and have another look.
So pretty. Glad we survived January. My docs now think it is possible I a blood clot in my lung. Now I have been taking it really easy, lots of rest and not much energy for anything.
so deliciously blue and silver - yes, yes, yes!!
My nickname was Mrs Willmott's Ghost as I used to threaten that I'd throw seeds into other peoples' gardens and plots but I never did, hahaha.
I love sea holly. I got a few last year too and they all looked so cool. I think they are coming back. I was looking at them a few days ago. We are having a heat wave here. 70's(-: I'm sure the Winter will come back some day but for now I am enjoying going outside! I have never heard of a gold one. I am going to look that up.
The crow fountain is available online to order. Just look up crow fountain! Amazon has one but it is more expensive then what I paid. Here's a video you can watch so you can see how it sounds. I found it on youtube(-: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ns5-KpfyyQ
Hello there Alistair .. plants can make such an individual impression on us .. funny how we can attach certain feelings about them eh ? Big Blue has been the prettiest so far but now the Neptune variety has me totally curious .. have to see what it is like !
Cat I am so sorry you are going through such hard times with your health .. you have to really take GOOD care of yourself and do what the doctors tell you to do !
Carrie you are big trouble in a little package ? LOL .. I really loved that sea holly it was huge and a perfect Halloween flower for sure .. yes to spread seeds to unknowing benefactors, how fun would that be right ? haha
Cindee I can't wrap my head around how fast you have landed from Spring to almost summer ?
No wonder the plants are growing like crazy !
Thank you for the youtube link to the fountain .. I have to have a look and listen of it .. it looked so good on your blog you must be smiling at it all the time ? LOL
I don't have full sun but I would love to try this plant. It is spectacular.
Cool plant ! You may have posted and I didn't see what bulbs you ordered last fall. Guessing I'll find out soon...just gotta stay in touch. :)
Hello Lisa girl ! .. it really is an amazing plant and will be really gorgeous even dried .. I hope to remember to actually do that this year ! haha
Patsi girl .. I should do a little post on that even though it was a huge Fall planting .. I have to dig up my log and see what I got up to ? haha or down to ? stay in touch girl !
Hey sweetie. I've been thinking about you and have an email coming soon. I won't discuss the weather because you'll hate me. But I too love Eryngium and although I've never grown Miss Wilmott I've always admired her. I have Eryngium variifolium ‘Moroccan Sea Holly’ that I got as a seedling years ago from my friend Carol. Blue flowers yes and nice variegated, ground-hugging foliage. What's not to love. I hope you have compatible gardening weather soon. Hugs.
Hello Gracie girl !
Please don't say a WORD about your weather girl !!!!! hahaha .. it is snowing and blowing here so you know where my head is (the freezer ! LOL)
You would LOVE Miss Wilmott .. the flower heads are magnificent .. I wished I had dried some .. I am going to have to try her again some time. For now I am watching to see if Big Blue comes back for me this year ... and the anticipation of Neptune has me excited to see how that one makes out. I looked up your sea holly and it is a perfect Halloween flower of course LOL
I like the neat habit for sure .. all pluses !
Garden weather for us will take months yet .. I will try to hold on to my sanity until then?
Beautiful blooms! I don't have a single Eryngium in my garden. Somehow, I associate it with weeds.... Sorry, it's my childhood memories - we had it growing around and it was considered to be a weed. But, there are several beautiful varieties, and I might change my mind one day.
Have a warm, sunny, beautiful weekend!!!!
Hello Tatyana girl ... your post on the garden show was very nice to see !
No worries on what are diversified tastes are in plants .. that is what makes each individual gardener so interesting .. if we all liked the same thing it would be pretty darn boring right? .. haha
I have a thing for these because I think they are the ultimate Halloween flower .. something from my childhood I guess ..
I would recommend Big Blue of the varieties to look at .. it is truly a gorgeous blue !
It is snowing right now .. and will continue for some time yet ... BIG sigh ! LOL
Oh Joy, Eryngiums are gorgeous and once you have one, you'll want more. Miss Willmott isn't perennial here but supposedly reseeds. (I save seed and plant it myself just to be sure. Check out Eryngium alpinum. So blue, so big, so frilly. http://www.growyoursecretgarden.com/eryngium-alpinum-superbum-seeds--alpine-sea-holly-1431-p.asp
Hey there Mr. TOG : )
WOW ... is that really what it looks like ? it is FABULOUS ! .. it always cracks me up when they have "superbum" attached in the name .. what is that about ? .. but I would totally LOVE that one for sure !! .. have you had it ?
I did love Miss W. she was a large dramatic flower .. should have dried some darn it !
I am going to try and remember to do it this year.
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