The other stuff


It has been tulip season on the GWI property, as this post demonstrates. But there are many other longstanding stalwarts of the spring garden that have been providing pleasure over the past weeks.


I bought this pulmonaria last year, and have been steadily adding spring-blooming perennials with good foliage to shady spots (as I remove pachysandra). It’s in a bed with hellebores, astilbe, hosta, and so on, all common shade plants, but more interesting when mixed. And by this I don’t mean they necessarily look better; sadly, a solid bed of the same plant is more restful on the eye. If boring.



Elsewhere other workhorses like the sweet woodruff are doing their reliable thing. And just imagine, my wisteria is in nearly full bloom! Against most wisdom, I mangled it pretty good with some dull loppers a couple weeks back and it seems to have liked that. Most of the blooms face the south, so are best enjoyed from the alley, not the patio, but there are a few that I can actually see. Yes, it still needs a lot of trimming, but it's difficult to get up there.


Predictions around here are that everything will be two weeks early, but I’m not so sure. People say that every year. This day-late Bloom Day post is a chain reaction brought about out friend Carol at May Dreams Gardens.


I even have pansies.

Comments

Kathy said…
It would be nice to think the last frost is behind us, but they're predicting 31F for tomorrow night. I will be pickier about what I cover, I think.
Unknown said…
I have no pansies yet, Elizabeth, isn't that scandalous? But I do have trillium, and woodruff, and pulmonaria, and primula, and and and...spring is finally, truly here.
Elizabeth — have you tried native pachysandra (Allegheny spurge/pachysandra procumbens)? Much prettier leaf (kind of mottled like tortoise shell) and not so shiny. I tried some little species tulips this year and am loving them. Alas not one photo taken of them for blogging purposes! Just enjoyed them ....
EAL said…
I think I heard of that, Linda. I'll check it out.
I have such trouble getting pulmonaria to grow here. Can't figure why. I do love to see those speckled leaves in the garden as well as the blooms.

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