Bloomin' Sedums and Sempervivums

Here are a few photos of Sedums and Sempervivums that are in bloom here at Beech Street. Interesting that a Sempervivum dies after blooming, its the same characteristics as an Agave.

If you look closely at the above photograph 

there is an Agave pup peeking, know thats exciting!

Am I Blue

No, but my Clematis is.............                                       

                            Clematis tubulosa

I came across this and instantly added it to the gardens here at Beech Street, basically because Black and Blue Salvia is a poor excuse of a plant.............And before anyone gets there panties in a bunch, hear me out. Black and Blue Salvia is not a hardy plant here and nurseries need to stop telling us it is and selling like it is (you know who you are, I have seen your tags and a zone 7b it is not).  I went through 2 plants and my gardener neighbor went thru 3, enough said! 
Clematis tubulosa is native to central and northern China. Woody based, non-climbing sub-shrub with erect black stems, 3' to 4' width and same in height and 1" X 1" fragrant flowers, yes fragrant flowers. Attractive, fluffy seed heads like other Clematis and the foliage is also scented. This is a plant to add to a garden.

USDA hardiness zone 5a to zone 9b

What happened???????

I don't know, but could a lily bulblet revert back to an original state? As you can see the flower is truly a different color than the original that it came from. All of the characteristics seem the same, except the color.......as long as I have been gardening which has been since a child, I just don't know about this. Anyone out there have a clue to pass along?

Opuntias polyacantha and humifusa

These flowers are on the first group of Opuntias that were planted here at Beech Street Gardens. The pads came from Will's parents plant that was growing in their yard, do not remember where they said it came from. I believe it was Eastern Oregon? So now here there are four large plants taking up about a 3 x 3 foot space for each plant. They kind of sprawl over the ground. I think they are Opuntia polyacantha, which is a variety that grows in the western half of the United States and from Texas up into Canada. 
 

These pads pictured below came from my next door neighbor's mother that is a Master Gardener in New Jersey. She and her husband were visiting last year and wandered through Beech Street Gardens. We sat and chatted about plant material and different zonal gardening since she gardens in a zone 5. She says "I have some Opuntia pads to send you if you would like".......I could never turn that down, right! They are Opuntia humifusa and are the Eastern United States native. She sent them in the fall and they wintered over in the Death Valley Shack. I like to plant succulents in late spring so they have the summer and fall to settle in and develop a good root system on them for the upcoming winter. The pads were planted on the 7th and already starting to bud out new pads, fascinating.   

It's A Purple Flower Day

A couple of photos that I thought I would share......nothing really outstanding but lovely to look at. 

ECHINACEA

                                     GARLIC

 

CLEMATIS

PHLOX

Six More and No More

I have six more Daylilies that came into bloom in the last couple of days. 
I should have flowers at least for another month.

This deep purple daylily below was a throw-away from Gail Austin,
it did not meet the standards for she was looking for.  

 This photo is the entire clump of the Lady Lucille,

a close-up of a single flower was posted the other day.   

Very Exciting.......

The flower bud is on a lily bulblet that I have been growing for years and its finally going to flower. I pinched six bulblets from the mother plant which is pictured below (note to self/ photo taken in 2005, thats right 7 years in the making). I have two others that have survived, just leafy stems about six inches tall. It has been worth every year waiting. I will post a picture when the flower opens in the next couple days.

Mother Plant

This mother plant was about six foot tall and just covered with flowers and buds. A beautiful coppery orange with deep purple freckles. The flowers just sparkled in the sun like they were covered with iridescent glitter.

A Day For Daylilies

All of these daylilies are in bloom and walking thru the gardens is quite the kaleidoscope of colors. they range in height of 28" up to 48" and the blooms are 3" to 7". They are an amazing flower for variety and for being drought tolerant. Some of them have been purchased or given scapes from other gardener friends. A couple are from Gail Austin when she was still doing hybridising a few years ago. When she held an open garden it was quite the show, I saw color combinations in flowers that were amazing. I always looked forward to going out to see her and the gardens. Enjoy this tour and hopefully you have a few daylilies placed through out your gardens.

Happy Monday!!!!!

Thought this would be a nice cheerful photo

 for all of you with the Monday blahs.

Make it a great day!

Yellow Lilies in the front garden

Hairy Allium

Allium sphaerocephalon

Now thats an interesting Allium wouldn't you say......I would classified it as having a bad hair day. I have quite a few of them now. They do reseed and they came up all over the back garden, some people would call that invasive. The Hairy Allium is a mutation of the Drumstick Allium. They reach 2+ feet with threadlike tissue emanating from a purple center that looks like a cluster of beads. I love the way they dance above other plants.

USDA hardiness zone 4 to zone 8