Clematis 'Blueboy' - Plant Tag Information

'Blueboy' Plant Tag Information
Perennial
Clematis integrifolia 'Blueboy'
Blooms: Purple 4-5" flowers, June through September
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Mature Height: 5-6 feet, 1.5-2 m
Prune Hard Group C: Group C varieties bloom only on the current year's growth. Plants should be cut back in late February or March to two strong sets of leaf buds on each stem, normally within 12" (30 cm) from ground level
Watering & Fertilizing: To promote healthy growth, wait until the top 3" of your soil is dry before you water. Water thoroughly but not too frequently. Summer heat combined with overly frequent waterings or automatic irrigation can create and environment for unwanted fungi. Clematis enjoy a well drained soil, a neutral PH and a moderate to heavy feed.
Planting Directions: Dig 18" x 18" hole. Place 6" of well rotted manure mixed with good top soil in the bottom. Add a layer of good top soil and if soil has high clay content, add peat moss to this layer. Place plant in hole with top of root ball 6" below ground level. Backfill with good quality top soil mixed with a handful of bonemeal. If soil is high in clay, add peat moss to the backfill as well. Clematis need something to climb on: sweet pea netting, trellis or suitable host plant such as roses, shrubs or trees. Carefully but securely attach vine to cane and lead into the support. Where practical it is a good idea to plant a small shrub to shade the roots of Clematis.

Aquired: 2008
Planted Here: In Bird Sanctuary along white fence between Lilac and bird bath rock.

My notes: It has never done well in this spot but is the only Clematis that has survived a winter for me. I am trying two others this year and we will see what happens. To date, however, I do not like to grow Clematis. It seems fussy and is a LOT of work for the result when you consider that, although the flowers are pretty, so many other flowers are just as pretty with added scent and the bonus of being much easier to grow. It is not that I can't do the work, it is more that if I am going to invest the time, I'd rather invest it in something else equally fussy, like Tea Roses. So Clematis will have to figure out how to survive in my garden next year or it will come off my plant list. The decision is made and I am going to let it go. Famous last words, I suppose.

Knautia 'Mars Midget' - Plant Tag Information

'Mars Midget' Plant Tag Information

Perennial

Blooms: Red, June through September

Light: Full Sun

Height: 16 inches, 41 cm

Spread: 12 inches, 30 cm

Tag Notes: Long blooming plant for the garden or for cutting. Grow with bold textured or light coloured plants for best effect.

Aquired: 2004

Planted Here: in lower level Boardwalk Garden and clumps moved to Sun Gardens, in 2010

Daylily 'Stella de Oro' - Plant Tag Information

'Stella de Oro' Daylily Plant Tag Information

Perennial

Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro'

Bloom Time: early Summer to Fall

Exposure: full sun or part shade

Water: adapts well to dry or moist conditions

Height: grows to 12" (30 cm) tall

Spacing: 24" (61 cm) apart

Hardiness Zones: USDA Zone 3 (-40F) to USDA Zone 9 (20F)

Tag Notes: A profusion of fragrant, long-blooming flowers attracts butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden. Ideal for shrub plantings, perennial gardens or massing as a small-scale groundcover. Attractive combined with spike flowers or bold foliage plants.

Aquired: 2004

Planted Here: Added to Sun Gardens when moved out of Orange Lily Garden in 2010.

Creeping Thyme - Plant Tag Information

Creeping Thyme Plant Tag Information

Perennial

Thymus serpyllum (TY-mus ser-PILL-um) 'Pink Chintz'

Best uses: Good for small groundcover areas or filler between stepping stones.

Soil & Water: Loamy, dry to moist, well-drained.

Size: 3" x 18" wide

Spacing: 12 - 15" apart

Bloom Time: Early Summer

Flower Colour: Pink

Temperature: Hardy to -40

Other Attributes: Deer resistant, Evergreen.

Tag Notes: There are a great many selections of Thyme grown in gardens, all of them with some degree of spicy fragrance. 'Pink Chintz' is a flat-growing variety that features fragrant fuzzy green leaves, smothered by soft salmon-pink flowers in summer. A strong grower, ideal as a drought-tolerant lawn substitute or for planting between flagstones, tolerating moderate foot traffic. Easily divided in spring or early fall, and even small pieces will take root and grow.

Important Planting Instructions: Dig a hole slightly wider and deeper than the pot. Remove the plant from the pot and place into the hole. Replace the soil around the plant making sure the crown is level with the existing surface. Water thoroughly and continue to water regularly until plant is established.

Aquired: 2009

Planted Here: in Bird Sanctuary along right side of bird bath rock path beside white fence.

A Beautiful Day

We finally have beautiful weather and I spent the day cleaning up the Front House Garden. I lifted the 'Hot Lips' Dahlia and one of the Calla 'Flame'. I also planted Egyptian Onion in the Front House Garden and Lamb's Ears by the slide to the house side of the new Clematis from Calgary.I figure it should shade the root and it is far enough in front that it shouldn't interfere with the Clematis. Both the Lamb's Ears and the Egyptian Onion are divisions from Judy's Garden. Looking forward to another good weather day tomorrow when it is supposed to get even warmer!

Sweet Pea Seeds

The Sweet Pea seeds from the front plants are 'Miss. Willmott'.

2011 Sun Garden Dahlia

Plant together: 'Ferncliff Midnight', 'Wine & Roses' and 'Kari Fruit Salad'

Weird Weather Year

Well, now that the gardening season is over, I can officially say... what a weird weather year! In fact, we have mushrooms, large mushrooms, in our front lawn. I can never remember a time when we had mushrooms in our lawn in Saskatchewan. Same with so many slugs in the garden. Normally, we are far too dry to grow mushrooms anywhere but under trees and slugs, if a problem at all, are usually a small problem. Not this year. Slugs and mushrooms but no need to worry about watering. I think I'd rather go back to watering more often next year and have no mushrooms with few slugs. If I am given a choice, that is my vote.

Frost Arrived

Good thing the Fall foliage is still so pretty because frost destroyed the garden last night. Spent the day cleaning that up. Dahlia will have to be dug next week. Calla will come in tomorrow.

Preparing

Overnight forecast is for -4 which means frost tonight if they are right. I went out and cut all of the Dahlia flowers that were worth taking and made arrangements for the house. It is full of flowers in bowls, vases and even a juice glass! I also cut buds in various stages to test at what point they will not open but die in the vase. I don't normally cut buds unless I am going for a specific look and they are well into starting to open. Better they are in the house with a chance to open than outside tonight and dead in the morning. Looks like digging Dahlia tubers is on the agenda for early next week along with bringing in the Calla this weekend. Oddly, I found a fully open Lupin flower and two buds by the 'Therese Bugnet' roses. Obviously, it is confused so I cut the flower and left the buds just in case the forecast is wrong. It has been a very strange weather year and although the rain was mostly appreciated, we had far too much of it and not nearly enough sun. This year was closer to gardening at Linda's than home. Wet, wet, wet. Maybe that will mean late snowfall. Let's hope.

Sweet Pea

This is the Sweet Pea that is full of seed pods. I can't remember what it is called because I ordered 'Apricot Sprite' which ended up being substituted with something else. I have it written down somewhere and will look it up in the winter... planning on doing a lot in the winter, aren't I? No rain today and sun for about an hour this afternoon so I should be able to dig tomorrow in the Bird Sanctuary at least. I am not going to dig anything else, other than Lily, this year because it is starting to be obviously too late for anything else unless I want to take a big chance. Lily prefers late division. Of course, there are still already dug things to plant from both my garden and Judy's; Jacob's Ladder, Lamb's Ear, Knautia and yellow Sedum. Once I get that in, I am going to move Lily, Winter mulch, Fall clean up and get rid of the stumps in the new front garden. That will be it for this year but it will be a good headstart on next Spring which I am sure I will appreciate then. All of that assumes no more rain for at least a week. I wonder how likely that is.

Fall Shows Up

Fall colours are showing up and if we had any sun, I would have taken some photographs of that. Tomorrow is another day... you hear that Mr. Sun? Had Yehoni at the vet today. His bloodwork came back normal so he goes for a chest xray on Thursday. More diagnostics but so far, results have all been good news. It was cold, wet and rainy again today. It would have been a beautiful fall day to be in the garden if it had not been so wet. I have started to get desperate and take pictures of everything that is left, eventhough today it all looked pretty waterlogged. Still, not many days left to enjoy blooms I think. Only advantage to the rain at this point is that if it keeps up overnight, it will keep the frost at bay. We turned the heat on for the first time last night. It is getting cold at night now.

Work Day

It was cool today but the sun was out for most of it. Another perfect garden weather day. I planted the last of the Calgary Purple Iris in two patches in the Front House Garden. The viola in that garden have done a great job at spreading. Here, it is at ground level behind the Bleeding Heart, on both sides of the Dahlia, in front of and in between the Iris. Miles hauled all the bush away that I cut down in front. The 'Ferncliff Midnight' is starting to open. Wishing tomorrow brings similar weather. I have to run into the City but the better the weather, the faster I will be back.

Sunshine Today

No frost last night and sunshine today. The reward in my garden was that 'April Heather' opened all the way. The first bloom and a little beat up but I might not get a second bloom. It is getting much colder at night and there were at least 20 bees dying in the dahlia today. Only cold makes them slow down to a stop right in their tracks. I am grateful for every day now though. If we can manage no frost again tonight, I might see another new dahlia tomorrow.

Frost

Looks like my Dahlia story may be over for 2010. I picked today to watch the news and they say that if we don't get frost by the end of this weekend, we will definitely get it by next Friday. Apparently our current cold front is to be flollowed by a colder front. Unless we get at least 3 days of sun between then and now, I won't see any of those in bud before they frost kill. I was waiting for 'Ferncliff Midnight', 'April Heather', 'Sandia Showboat', 'Holly Huston', 'Yvonne', 'Hy Cutter' and 'Parkland Glory', all of which are all in various stages of bud today.

2011 Bird Sanctuary Dahlia

Dahlia for the Bird Sanctuary 2011 in pinks: 'Ferncliff Cameo', 'Gerrie Hoek', 'Preference', 'Yvonne' and 'April Heather'.

2011 Front House Garden Dahlia

Dahlia for 2011 in Front House Garden in oranges and yellows: 'Raeann's Torch', 'Ferncliff Fuego' and 'Baron Katie'.

Another Disappointment

It is my own fault for buying a bare root zone 5 plant knowing full well that it would not likely do well as an annual in my zone 3 garden. Sometimes, in the heart of winter, I can convince myself that I can do the impossible in my garden and that tends to be when I am placing orders but bare root perennials do not have enough time in one season to display their best show. If they are to be grown as out of zone annuals, it is best to start with a good sized plant rather than a root. Couple that with the fact that we have had so much rain and almost no sun this year and this Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln' becomes the least showy fountain-type grass I have ever grown. It was described as being a good choice for short season gardeners because the plumes appear early but they clearly meant short season, zone 5. In zone 3 this year, it is just developing plumes now and their sad display is not worth the space they are taking up at the firepit. I absolutely blame my own unrealistic expectations when this kind of thing happens in my garden. The catalogue was pretty clear it was zone 5 and bare root. I just chose to ignore them. I can be stubborn like that.

New View

The front bushline is gone and has it ever opened up the view! I love it already and the stumps are not gone yet. I can see the new garden here though. The Front House Garden, in oranges above, will stay all oranges and yellows. I am going to move the pink peony from there into the new border on the other side of the sidewalk. From the sidewalk around to the fence, all through the Bird Sanctuary will be exclusively pink and white with a small amount of pale yellow because I can't resist putting 'Ferncliff Cameo' up at the house with its' soft, delicate colour blend.

Calgary Divisions

The Calgary divisions, with the exception of the Clematis, are all going to make it. All of them have bounced back and have new growth. The Chinese Lantern has several pods that turned brown but many also turned orange and they have new leaf. The Lamium ended up being three divisions planted in two spots and has new growth in both places. The Iris are in and since I have never lost Iris, I can't imagine why they wouldn't come back but even if that happened, there are enough patches that I should have no worries. The Sedum 'Autumn Joy' ended up being three divisions also planted in two spots and looks like it is going to bloom in both spots. I have had 'Autumn Joy' winter kill on me before so I plan to mulch it this time and cross my fingers for its' survival. I won't know about the Clematis divisions until Spring. They look dead but the root should have lots of time to set before winter and I have mulched them well. I doubt I will see new growth above ground this year though so it will be something to discover when the snow melts.

Half Done Earlier Today

This is at the point that the half on the house side of the bushline is removed and was taken earlier today. By dusk, this was all gone too. I finished cutting all the Caragana down and have a clear view to the lawn. On to step two: stump removal. That won't happen until the Knautia, Lamb's Ear and Calgary Purple Iris are in though. No rain and a little sun today means that I can probably dig tomorrow.

Other Side of the Front Path

The sun showed up today! It wasn't until the afternoon and it rained again all night so it never did dry up enough to dig but it was dry enough to cut down bush. This is the bushline on the other side of the path from the front deck. I see this out of my dining room window every day. It is 98% Caragana which is not even close to attractive for a shrub. Even as a hedge it is ugly. The only thing it has going for it is the popping sound it makes as it drops seed but I have a lot of Caragana in other places that I can listen to. These are taking up too much prime garden space that is full sun and right in my view. This bushline runs from the front sidewalk in a U shape along the top level of the bird sanctuary and down through to the bottom level in that same garden. There is lawn on the other side of it. For the last two days, I have been cutting it down. About half of this is gone already. I can already see at least one rose here and I haven't even started to dig up root. My view to the lawn is opening right up and a further result will be that the bird sanctuary will be opened up to the morning sun now. It will give me a new sun border without changing the conditions in the already completed part of that garden. This will mean I don't have to move any of my shade plants and can add sun plants in front of the house in the new area created on both levels. It is only half done but I am excited already. I probably won't feel this way on the day we dig out the roots but that will pass when the tulips come up next year. The 'Angelique' from the Nursery are going here once it is done.

The Birds

No rain today but it rained all night and it was cold and wet all day. No sun. No digging. Our yard was like The Birds today except a lot less dramatic. It was actually very cool because every time I went outside, all I could hear was wings. At first it was kind of creepy and then I realized what they were doing. Remember the fly swarm of the other day? Well, every bird in the area moved into our trees and started feeding on them. We had at least 50 gulls over the firepit for two hours, two days in a row now. There were at least twice as many smaller birds in a couple of varieties that moved into the tallest tree off the back deck for the whole evening. Even the short pine off the front deck was full of bug eating birds. Not only was it a bunch of fun to watch, the little flies are hardly noticeable out there now. Maybe the sun will show up tomorrow. 

Things Blooming Now

One of the great things about so many blooms in the garden now is all the activity those blooms bring. I can't seem to go anywhere without running into bees on everything. Unfortunately, they brought a couple of friends that are less popular. Still, I will put up with some grasshoppers for all these blooms. Aside from several varieties of Dahlia, the Zinnia, Glads, Viola, Roses, Daylily, Sunflower, Stargazer Lily, Hollyhock, Geranium, Yarrow, Bouncing Bet, Nigella, Begonia, Catmint, Honeysuckle, Sweet Pea, Phlox, Agastache and Marigolds in two spots are all blooming. This is the time my garden is usally getting ready to sleep for the winter but with all the late planting this year, I feel like it is just waking up! Frost could change all that rather dramatically so I am enjoying every day. Even with the rain we had today. I put a raincoat on and planted Iris until it really started to pour. Linda's Burgundy Iris are back in the ground and I started the day by replanting all the Calgary Purple Iris from yesterday that the dogs dug up. Not sure which. Likely Wile E. or Tuk. That, coupled with the rain, meant that the Calgary Purple Iris for the Front House Garden is still in bags in the sideyard. I did get more Caragana cleared at the front sidewalk though. I am starting to think it will all go. Then we can lift the landscape fabric and put in a couple of more decorative shrubs. It will also open up a whole new sun spot in both the upper and lower levels of the Bird Sanctuary. It has been raining since early evening and it is supposed to continue for the week. It is a good thing the Daylily got finished because rain for a week means no digging for possibly two.

Beautiful Gardening Days

The dogs took turns following me around the garden today, mostly finding shade to lay in that was close enough to keep an eye on me in case I did something exciting. I planted some of the Calgary Purple Iris in the Sun Gardens to the shop side of the variegated Dogwood. The rest of the Calgary Purple are going in the Front House Garden tomorrow. I should be done all of the Iris tomorrow unless I find more to dig than I have on my list right now. That is always a possibility once I start digging in the Nursery. I also started to clear out the front bushline along the sidewalk across from the deck. I think it was originally a couple of trees and some Juniper that was rediscovered today. We have decided to clear it out until we can figure out what it was originally or until we get down to something we like. There is the added problem of landscape fabric which seems to run all under that area. I have been cutting it out as I dig but it would be nice to just go right through the whole area and get rid of what is left of it. I hate landscape fabric and curse the unknown person who put it down every time I find more. My Dahlia 'Ferncliff Fuego' is budding up as is 'Wine & Roses' so it looks like I will see at least 2 more in bloom this year. Late frost would mean even more because there are a lot of them starting to form buds now.

Daylily Divided

I finished dividing Daylily today. There are no Stella D'Oro left in the Orange Lily Garden and no Combine Garden Daylily in the Nursery. I have Stella D'Oro in three spots in the Sun Gardens now and the orange is in three spots in that same garden as well as two spots in the Front House Garden. Tomorrow I will start dividing Iris. We are having company in the morning so I won't likely finish Iris until Sunday. I found the Dahlia above, 'Taratahi Ruby', blooming along the ground. She seems much happier since I lifted her up and another of her buds has opened in the last couple of days. The Sunflower 'Double Dandy' I seeded in the Combine Garden is blooming now. It is a dwarf Sunflower and could have been another layer closer to the front of the bed. Somehow, I was not able to imagine a two foot Sunflower when I was seeding. The darker hollyhock colours are starting to show up as well. I hadn't noticed last year that the lighter ones were early and the darker ones were late but that is definitely the way it was this year. I should try and remember to notice again next year. The perfect weather is still holding here and I am making the most of it in the garden.

Lost Dahlia 2010

I have identified the first of my lost Dahlia. Bonesta was found in a pot that was not draining properly, of course rotted out. I am sure there are more to come because at least 2 more pots have nothing coming up.

Another Perfect Weather Day

I was digging all day. Dividing Daylily which is now all the way through the Sun Gardens. I have a little bit left to put in along the Front House Garden. I am really enjoying the orange out the front windows so I am going to add the Orange Daylily there tomorrow. I have a plan for finishing the Front House Garden this year but it doesn't quite include the pink Peony in the middle of it all. Somehow I will have to work that in with yellow but I have not exactly figured out how. I am sure it will come to me by the time I have planted out that far. I am so excited to be getting things done outside finally. The weather has really taken a turn for the better for me here. Tomorrow, I will be planting all the new Iris and dividing some as well. I also got the 'Kabitan' moved into the concrete block and the wilted division beside it is the Lamium from Calgary. It is already standing up and looking great now as is the white blooming I put next to the block with 'Fire & Ice' planted in it. The last garden chore on my list for tomorrow is to spread more of the groundcovers through the Sun Gardens and Front House Garden. I am spreading the less invasive ones into spots throughout now that all of the patches I have are big enough to divide. I decided to leave the Orange Daylily in the Combine Garden and am only moving the patches out of the Nursery. The Combine Garden Daylily are in full bloom and since I waited so long to see that, I don't want to dig it up. I was moving it from there into more sun so it would bloom, seems like I don't need to move it now. I will plan the other plants in that garden around the two patches of Daylily.

First Fire

Another thing it is very late in the season for... our first fire. Today was excellent gardening weather. No rain yesterday but it was cold and wet until afternoon when the sun came out for awhile. Then today, no rain again but it was cool rather than cold. I deadheaded everything and got a lot of digging done finally. The second Clematis went in, to the field side of the furthest 'John Davis' rose. When the sun went down, the geese were flying overhead and nobody wanted to come inside yet. Seemed the perfect opportunity to make use of the new chopping block and axe. Which we did.