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Thursday 27 June 2019

Garden Overload

June is one overwhelming garden month to handle ..
Too much work (for an aging gardener) and too many photos to keep track of, to make sense out of when you want to do a blog post
Throw in the compulsion to buy more plants, even though you know you don't NEED them and you NEVER space them out correctly .. "future over crowding" come what may, seems to be a mantra of mine.

It is the nature of the beast to fill your garden far beyond capacity, for the satisfaction of seeing said garden over filled, in a lush and productive state that shuns weeds ... mainly because you just can't seem to get to that mulch chore done .. even though you have many bags of it taking space up in the shed speaking to you every time you go in and they *SMIRK* figuring they are safe and sound from being spread on the ground.
I am a poet and don't know it ? .. BIG sigh.
Garden MADNESS in full swing, go figure ?

OK .. enough of that foolishness
One of a number of pleasant surprises .. my Chinese Fringe  tree (aka chionanthus retusus) has finally put out some "fringe" .. fingers crossed it will be even more generous each coming year !

Green Lotus peony became VERY robust this season ..  she is my "wild child"

A surprise "switch" in my order to Gardens Plus last year ..
Dawn could not provide Neptune's Gold sea holly, but she gave me an amazing substitute "Stand By Me" bush clematis .. and talk about a wow factor on that BLUE !
The flower buds are almost black ... now that caught my attention as well.


I took these pictures in the morning shade otherwise the colors would be washed out, they truly are that BLUE !
Thank you Dawn ... otherwise I might never have known how gorgeous a clematis this is !
A new acquisition .. Lemony Lace elderberry was an impulse buy .. I just couldn't help myself ?
On the subject of sea holly aka eryngium .. I acquired "Big Blue" from Canning Perennials two years ago .. it flowered the first year as in this picture .. but not last year for some reason.
However it looks like it has amazing potential this year with so many flower heads for the season
Lesson learned ? never underestimate a plant's under achievement in a non-performing year's cycle?

Overall the garden is running itself with a little occasional  interference from me .. well , by the time I am finished interfering, I am dragging myself up the deck steps mumbling all sorts of naughty phrases and swearing not to try and do so much in one day YET AGAIN ? 

Below picture is right side , back garden view, with the mother of all trees (and extreme trouble maker, with flower buds that "snow" and maple keys that behave like MULCH) but she is a beauty and a life staff to so many birds .
We have had families of Chickadees, finches, robins, wrens ... plus beneficial insects and those not so beneficial insects (BIG sigh !) .. but it is LIFE ... and every aspect is amazing.
So even though I stumble through the intense work it takes, it is beyond satisfying for my garden soul.
I am forever grateful to have the resources to enjoy such an amazing hobby .. a love of plants and birds/animals, that truly give you that innocent wonder at times that you think you have lost.
OK .. enough of the dribble philosophy .. I have to rest up and plan my next garden maneuvers !
A few more pics just for the heck of it ? because I have so darn many of them !
I have two Bowman's Root (aka Gillenia trifoliata) .. one is supposed to be pink but that aspect is not quite working out it seems .. pretty little flower though !
Emperor 1 Japanese maple and Warsaw Nike clematis .. and yes ... it is that dark !
A return on a fern I thought I had lost
Goats Beard (aka Aruncus dioicus) by Purple Leaf Sandcherry .. great colour contrast

 Another Emporer 1, so you can see again how dark that foliage is .. just a little vignette with my rain barrel trying to hide behind the Englemann Ivy .. which can become a monster if not PRUNED to make it behave .. gorgeous scarlet in the Fall !

9 comments:

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

Everything is so beautiful and lush. But OMG the clematis! I need that one(-: And of course you can never have to many plants. I tell myself that all the time(-: Also my sea holly is a temperamental plant. It doesn't bloom every year either. I don't know why. I think it might this year. Who knows maybe something eats it.(-: Happy Gardening!!!!(-:

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Your garden never ceases to amaze me at the many different plants in it. You do a spectacular job of design. I cannot agree with you more about the feelings one gets in the garden. I nearly cracked up about your comment regarding those bags of mulch. ha... Have a great weekend. Maybe I will get a new post up soon. It is daylily season here.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi Cindee girl : )
Thank you so much ! and yes , isn't that an eye candy clematis ? LOL
I just can't seem to say no to plants until I start to lay down and cry about how do I squeeze them in ??? haha .. I really love those crazy sea hollies .. I love Miss Willmotts Ghost for it's huge flower .. had that one year .. must do it again .. but glad to hear yours is temperamental too ! garden on girl ! LOL

Lisa girl you are sweet ! thank you !.. I was a bit , hum ... not quite awake when I did the post so the sillies were poking their head out on my wording ? haha
Hey .. I left a comment again on your last post and said I thought you were the Daylily Mistress ! LOL .. wish I had some here to fix some designs with .. it is on my to do list because I think yours are spectacular !

Margaret said...

You have so many interesting plants in your garden! The Green Lotus Peony is lovely as is the striking colour of the Japanese maple. And a bush clematis? I didn't even realize there was such a thing - does it have a long blooming period like the climbers?

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi Margaret : )
Thank you ! .. I miss the mail order company (that was out of Ottawa) that had extraordinary plants available .. but now I just have to stick with luck of the draw ? haha
Yes bush clematis behaves just like most vine clematis .. I have a white one called Twinkle, that as it ages forma a blue outline to it's petals .. that was my first one and the two together are really pretty.

Nadezda said...

Joy, I love your path between fence and house. Lovely colors!
Green Lotus peony is so amazing and unusual for me. I have no this one and I'd love to.
You're right - we must enjoy our pretty hobby every day, it gives calmness and pleasure. Unfortunately I had no much time to see my plants in June, I was ill (heart) in a hospital. I must go on in my garden now.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Nadezda girl ... I am so sorry you have been ill ... I hope you are improving and feeling much better by now .. just rest and restore yourself !
Thank you ! .. I love this view too .. it has taken many years to get it to this stage : )
Green Lotus is special .. I don't have an opportunity to collect unusual plants any more since there are so few distributors for mail order with plants like this .. that makes me sad, but I will make do with what I have ! LOL
I hope you are able to enjoy the peace and beauty of you garden now .. take care !!

Jason said...

How do you get your Goatsbeard to stand so straight? I love the bush Clematis. I planted Bowman's Root for the first time this year, I'm quite excited about it. Also, we have the American Fringe Tree, C. virginicus. Another great small tree.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi Jason .. I actually have two great and actually quite Goatsbeard along this pathway .. I do a staggered planting against the fence, so there are plants upright to help it stay that way. But again the secret to most of these plants is not too rich a soil and the right amount of sun. I really love these guys .. Bowman's Root is a really nice littler herbaceous perennial shrub with such tiny delicate flowers .. I have to move both of them because the light ans spacing is not quite right .. poor things have been moved a lot .. I don't know how they survive me ! .. I have had this Chinese Fringe tree a long time .. ever since it was a "twig! So patience with that has been an asset.