Weekend update

Lugwort, lilac, lilly of the valley, jack in the pulpit, and soon peonies

Pulmonaria - common name Lugwort: Pulmonaria is an easy to grow perennial that will slowly spread to establish itself as a ground cover. The leaves are often spotted white - sometimes described as spilt milk. The flowers are nice in early spring but they are more often grown for the nice effect of their leaves. They like some shade and can get a little brown on the edges if grown in too much sun. This plant looks better close up and it does not stand out in the distance because its leaves are usually under 1-foot tall.

Lilly of the valley -- in France, people celebrate May day by exchanging sprigs of muguet (lily-of- the-valley) Charles IX started the tradition in 1561. He received a bonny little bouquet himself as a symbol of luck and Springtime. He liked it so much that he gave every lady in court this lovely bell shaped blossom!
Jack in the Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) -- Jack in the Pulpit is also known as Indian Turnip. Plant Type: This is a herbaceous plant, it is a perennial which can reach 65cm in height (25inches). Leaves: This plant has basal leaves only. Usually two but sometimes one. Each leaf is divided into three almost equal parts.Flowers: The flowers are irregular in shape and are up to 8cm long (3 inches). They are green with purple or brown stripes sometimes brownish. Blooms first appear in mid spring and continue into late spring. The spathe (pulpit) is most often green streaked with purplish. The spadix (jack) is covered with tiny male and female flowers.Fruit: A cluster of bright red shiny berries.Habitat: Rich moist woods.Range: New Brunswick south to Florida.

I seem to have one plant with two flowers on it right now.

Also,

Ajuga - common name Bugleweed: Ajuga is usually grown for its ground hugging purple leaves. It spreads quickly and can be an aggressive ground cover and a problem in lawns. It will grow in sun or shade and has short spikes of violet flowers in spring. Very colorful when in bloom and nice color in leaves when out of bloom. Care has to be taken to make sure it has room to spread without interfering with other plants.

Heuchera - common name Coral Bells: Heuchera has two types that are commonly grown that work in completely different situations. Coral Bells grown for their flowers bloom in late spring for about a month with tall stalks about 2-ft. and filled with many small bell shaped pink to red flowers. The flowers are nice but work best mixed with other flowers because of their small size. When not in bloom the foliage of some varieties have interesting ring markings on green leaves and are usually low growing clumps. These varieties work best with some sun for best flowering.The other type of Heuchera is grown for its foliage, which is dark purple. The leaves are larger and the plants can grow to over 24-inches. These plants can be grown in the shade and can stand drier conditions. The flowers are insignificant on most of these types. This is a great plant for a shade garden, but I think it looks best when seen up close because its dark leaves can get lost in the distance in a shady garden. One nice variety is "Palace Purple"

The Colorado blue columbine (Aquilegia caerulea) is generally described as a Perennial Forb or herb. This Dicot (dicotyledon) is native to the U.S. (United States) and has its most active growth period in the Spring and Summer . The Colorado Blue Columbine has Green foliage and conspicuous Blue flowers, with conspicuous Brown fruits or seeds. The greatest bloom is usually observed in the Late Spring, with fruit and seed production starting in the Spring and continuing until Summer. Leaves are not retained year to year. The Colorado Blue Columbine has a Short life span relative to most other plant species and a Moderate growth rate. At maturity, the typical Colorado Blue Columbine will reach up to 2 feet high, with a maximum height at 20 years of 2 feet.

In the background, there is a Wild ColumbineAquilegia canadensisButtercup family (Ranunculaceae)

Description: This native perennial plant is 1-3' tall and sparingly branched. The round stems are green to reddish green and glabrous or pubescent. At first, only basal leaves are produced, but later there are alternate leaves along the stems. These leaves are ternately compound (divided into groups of 3 leaflets) and they have long petioles that are glabrous or pubescent. Each leaflet is up to 3" long and 2" across; it is usually obovate in shape with a wedge-shaped bottom, but it divides into 3 rounded lobes. Each of these lobes is often subdivided into several secondary lobes, resembling large rounded teeth. The upper surface of each leaflet is glabrous and there may be areas with a whitish bloom. The leaflets can be sessile or stalked. The upper stems produce flowers individually or in groups of 2-3. Each flower is about 1½" long and it hangs downward from a long stalk. This flower has 5 petals, 5 petal-like sepals, and strongly exerted stamens and styles. Each petal is yellow and rounded toward the tip, but its base consists of a long nectar spur that is pale red to purplish red. The sepals are ovate in shape and they are the same color as the nectar spurs. The nectar spurs of mature flowers are erect (parallel to each other) or slightly spreading. The anthers of the stamens are bright yellow. The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer and lasts about a month. There is no floral scent. Each flower is replaced by 5 pod-shaped follicles that have long beaks. Each follicle splits open along one side to release the shiny black seeds. The root system is fibrous and rhizomes are occasionally produced.Cultivation: The preference is light shade to partial sun, moist to dry conditions, and soil that is loamy, rocky, or slightly sandy. Mature plants can also tolerate full sun, although young plants require some shade from neighboring vegetation. Once it becomes established, this plant is easy to maintain.

Something I need to find:

Iberis - common name Candytuft: Iberis is a low growing evergreen perennial with white flowers in early spring. It keeps a neat compact growing habit for many years. Grows best with some sun.

Purchases (from a neighborhood plant sale. Everything was very reasonable. Thank goodness it was mostly picked over.)

Leatris
Russian Sage
??? Another ground cover -- variegated with purple flowers.

Garden update

Pictures are mine -- information about flowers/plants are pulled from the web. Looking back at the pictures for this time last year, I have the same flowers in bloom almost to the day.

I put a request in our neighborhood web site offering to divide hostas and got two replies. I called one today and came home with my waste basket full of hostas. Just two kinds but I was able to put them in the front shade garden and the back near the house.

And it was great to be out in the garden beds.

My first "neighbor" also has a few climbing rose bushes and holyhocks. I intend to go back on Thursday.

Then I have another "neighbor" to call.

Tight budgeting can be fun.

Bluebells!

Virginia BluebellsMertensia virginicaBorage family (Boraginaceae)



Description: This native perennial plant is 1–2½' tall, branching occasionally. The central stem is round, hairless, and light green. The alternate leaves are up to 7" long and 3" across. They are light green or greyish green, hairless, with a soft floppy texture. The leaves are ovate-oval or ovate-oblong in shape, with smooth margins, and conspicuous pinnate venation. They usually taper to a winged petiole, although some of the upper leaves are sessile. Some of the upper stems terminate in nodding clusters of light blue flowers. These flowers are about ¾–1" long. The corolla of each flower is tubular, flaring outward toward the 5 shallow lobes like a trumpet. Within the corolla, are 5 white stamens with light brown anthers and a white style that is long and slender. The small greyish green calyx is divided into 5 blunt teeth. While in the bud stage, the flowers are a light purplish pink, but become light blue with maturity. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late spring, and lasts about 3 weeks. The ovary is divided into 4 lobes, which contain the nutlets. The root system consists of a taproot. This plant often forms colonies.

Cultivation: The preference is light shade to partial sun in moist wooded areas with rich soil. The foliage dies down by mid-summer. Habitats include wet to mesic woodlands, especially in semi-shaded floodplain areas along rivers, bluffs, and flower gardens.

Faunal Associations: The flowers are pollinated by long-tongued bees primarily, including honeybees, bumblebees, Anthophorid bees, Mason bees, large Leaf-Cutting bees, and Miner bees; these insects seek nectar and collect pollen. Other visitors of the flowers include hummingbirds, bee flies, butterflies, skippers, and Sphinx moths, including hummingbird moths. This group of visitors seek nectar from the flowers. Small flower flies may also visit the flowers, however they feed on the pollen and are not effective pollinators.

Comments: It is easy to see why Virginia Bluebells is a favorite woodland wildflower. The pastel colors of the flowers and foliage are soft and soothing. Some plants produce mature flowers that are white or pink.