Some times all it takes to get me fixated on a gardening “item” is a walk to the car in the morning. Or taking the dog out at night. Or taking the garbage out to the curb. It is fun and maddening at the same time. Sort of like garden design OCD.
Here are a few of those “items” that I’m obsessing over today:
I love the foliage color on the Carex ‘Cappuccino’ (many will disagree). This grass fits the required criteria of handling the wet clay soil, being deer resistant and providing multi seasonal interest. The struggle is with what to pair it with:
Right now, if I could only choose one plant to use in the landscape, it would be any cultivar of Calamagrostis (Feather Reed Grass). The rapid foliage growth on this cool season grass is tremendous, as is it’s shape, as is it’s “early for a grass” bloom time of July. I am now hunting obsessively for every possible variety that exists (the photo below is ‘El Dorado’). Can I have too many of these? Do I like them in mass plantings? Or just as a specimen?:
Spirea ‘Goldmound’ looks great as the foliage emerges early in the spring. The chartreuse/yellow color is a great color contrast against plants with red/purple/green foliage. The problem is that I actually do not like the pink blooms and I find that the foliage color fades to an OK yellow later in the season. I can’t just chuck it in the compost pile so I need to locate them to a better location. Give them more shade and sheer the flowers off immediately? Hmm …
Have a great weekend!
John
You should change your profile picture. It’s not true to life.
You obviously have your face buried in a shrub 24/7.
ha ha. laughing at kyna’s suggestion above.
That last shot is pretty cool. It’s good to see someone planting. It is finally warming up a bit here, but if it doesn’t stop raining, we won’t be planting till July!
hahahaha…if you are bad, i’m the worst! I’m constantly over-thinking things…trying to plan combinations, trying to play forms and textures off each other…color and size/shape…it never stops.
1] Over-thinking the garden is what we do best.
2]The unwelcome spirea is going to haunt you until you banish it from your garden. I understand your reluctance to chuck it in the compost heap. That’s how I used to feel. I spent many years rationalizing how living plants need to be sustained, even if I disliked them. However, now that I am designing other peoples’ gardens, I recognize that if I am fulfilling someone else’s wishes, why can’t I realize my own? With that mindset, an unwelcome plant disappears in a nanosecond. Yes, it financially irresponsible to do so, but how much is one’s peace of mind really worth?
You’re right, you can never have too many photographs! I like your last photo – what a lovely juxtaposition of plants.
kyna stole the show here, i can barely remember what i read. i did love the last picture.
great weather here in nj this weekend…i don’t expect we will see you till monday. happy planting!!!
Hello John! Thank you for following my blog. I love gardens but I am not really into gardening. Though I love to learn something new in your blog. Have a great week! I am now following you too. 🙂
Great shot on that last one!
You always bring me a smile. I’ll virtual-garden with you during our tour of duty at sea. I so miss my garden!
Hey, what’s wrong with pink flowers? ha-ha
My over analyzing every situation sometimes keeps me from attempting the task. Doing “something” is often better than doing “nothing”. But not always. Oh, dear….I’m over analyzing again.
donna
Yah for over analyzing. Amazing things can happen when you keep thinking, moving, moving again. I do like what Allan Becker has to say though. I have a hard time giving up on a plant but sometimes they just don’t fit and a better home in someone else’s yard is really what they need. That said I love the carex capuchino, keep trying!
It is a great shot. The white flower is a new one for me but I suspect it wouldn’t work in my climate zone.
Great shot! I agree….the more shots the better from which to choose.
Try Spirea ‘Gold Flame’ yes, there are pink flowers but the foliage varies a great deal more than Gold Mound. I like the Carex, try pairing it with Midnight Wine Weigelia…black foliage. OR Heucheras, there are some really dark ones, some bold yellow ones and everything in between.
I bought El Dorado this spring…so far it hasn’t grown too much.
What is the flower with the white nodding blossoms in the last photo? I don’t know it.