from My Garden

Many of you, whom I have come to know through my shop as well as through my garden, have encouraged me to share my garden with the rest of the world.  My garden is a little slice of heaven carved out of a Chicago city lot.  It is where I go in the morning with coffee in hand to watch the birds dance in the bird bath, and to anxiously see what has grown from the night before.  It is where I stroll in the evening, sometimes with a glass of wine in hand talking to the neighbors or giving a garden tour to those of you who have stopped by to see what's new.  For those of you who can't always come by, I hope you enjoy the view!

Hello mr. wren, durandii knocking

July 27, 2009

In the east border, there is a vintage windmill with a wren house attached to it.  This year's residents

are being greeted by the flowers of clematis durandii.  Planted three years ago, it finally started blooming

this year.  There are not many of its azure blue blossoms this year, but next year promises to be even

better.  For right now, the wrens have the best view.  I wonder if they even notice the flowers?

The garden after a good rain

July 24, 2009

The garden always looks best just after it rains.  It freshens it up and makes the colors pop more. 

You can't see it in the picture, but the robins are feasting ... the worms come to the soil's surface

when it rains.  The robins are gorging themselves on the large earthworms that have taken up residence

in the soil due to years of amendments that have been add to it.

They brought two friends, who brought two friends,

who also brought two friends ...

July 23, 2009

This morning when I went outside I gasped at the site of the branches of the Pagoda dogwood bent

down to the ground.  As I walked closer to determine what disaster had struck overnight (afterall, it didn't

storm last night) a marauding herd, 20 or so, squirrels ran from the branches up the pine tree.  Fortunately,

the branches bounced back with no damage.  This year there's a BUMPER crop of berries on the

Pagodas and with it has come a bumper crop of squirrels.  The feeding frenzy is on and in a few days

there won't be a berry left on the trees.  Hopefully the squirrels move on to greener pastures in someone

else's garden!

A loss and an opportunity

July 22, 2009

Up against the brick wall of the garage was a large, 15 year old Mohican viburnum that has been in

decline the past few years.  All of my attempts to breath new life and growth into it were unsuccessful. 

This year, with more branches than leaves, I finally said goodbye and removed it.  In its place I put a

Weeping Norway Spruce, with the promise of a beautiful specimen tree to come.  While this tree is

certainly a midget in comparison to the viburnum, it will eventually fill the space as it reaches its potential

of 10 feet in height and about 3 feet in diameter.  I can already see the beauty of the snow on it (yes,

SNOW ... the garden also has to be interesting in the LONG Chicago winters)  and the folly of birds

taking shelter under its boughs.  After all, change is inevitable!

Early morning calm before the heat

July 21, 2009

The east border in full bloom with Astilbe chinensis, Agastache 'Blue Fortune', daylilies galore, and

Agapanthus africanus  'Queen of the Nile'.  The hosta sieboldiana 'Elegans' are 5 feet in diameter

with 2 foot leaves.  Under the vintage windmill is a 5 foot Angelica gigas that is starting to set

flower ... wait until you see these!

Agapanthus 'Queen of the Nile'

July 18, 2009

This year I planted Agapanthus africanus  'Queen of the Nile' in the antique urns in the east border. 

Their azure flowers are a perfect match to it's neighbor, Clematis durandii.  This has made an outstanding

combination.  Unfortunately, agapanthus is not winter hardy here in Chicago.  They will need to be repotted

and moved to the garage for winter storage.  Check back next year to see if they survive.

The parkway parterre in full July glory

July 15, 2009

The south parkway is in full July glory with day lilies, shasta daisies, coneflowers and foxgloves at

peak bloom.  To anchor the view is a red, white and blue rooster I found a few years back at the

Sandwich flea market.  A welder had made it out of recycled metal shipping drums ... for scale the

rooster is almost 5 feet tall.

Red, white and ... where's the blue?

July 3, 2009

Last year the entry way to the back garden was a fireworks display of red, white and blue.  This year

however, I'm missing the blue.  The Annabell Hydrangea and the Gardenview Scarlet Monarda are in

full bloom, but the Salvia pratense has not grown much due to the cold, wet May and June we have had. 

You can see just a glimpse of what's to come in the bottom of the picture.  Timing is everything in the

garden and the Salvia will just have to dazzle on their own.

The weeds, the misquotes, and the hostas

July 1, 2009

This spring and early summer has been so wet that part of the garden is languishing.  However, there

are a few things we have an abundance of due to the wet weather ... weeds, misquotes and of course hosta.

Reaching for the stars, part II

June 26, 2009

Above is clematis 'Lincoln Star' holding court down the path from clematis 'Ernest Markham'.

Reaching for the stars, part I

June 25, 2009

With no more land to conquer, I have been planting more flowering vines.  These reach for the stars

and provide a great vertical accent in the garden ... not to mention that the flowers are generally at eye

level.  Above is clematis 'Ernest Markham' in all its glory covering a portion of the cedar fence and a

40 year old yew.

Early morning listening to the birds sing

June 15, 2009

Early morning is a magical time in the garden.  With the sunrise comes the songbirds' music; and,

with one of the wettest Springs in Chicago history, the garden is lush and a haven for every bird in

the neighborhood ... robins, nuthatches, wrens, finches, mourning doves, cardinals, sparrows of all

types, crows and even a hawk.  This year the crows and hawk have kept the bunny population under

control, and the rest of the birds have kept the slug community at bay.  Maybe this year the birds will

get the slugs before the slugs get the hostas ... slug free hostas, humm?  I can always dream!

The beginning of summer ... foxgloves and peonies

June 13, 2009

The peonies and foxgloves kick off the summer blooming perennials.  I have a number of peony

bushes planted throughout the garden which give off the most amazing fragrance, not to mention the

abundance of cut flowers for the house and shop.  While their bloom period is short due to our weather,

their moment is now.  The foxgloves will bloom into July and provide additional resources for the big

fuzzy bumble bees that come every day.  The foxgloves are biennials and must be replaced every year. 

However, it is worth it ... there are few flowers that bloom in a tall stately manner like this one.  These are

already 3 feet high!

Arisaema (a.k.a. Jack-in-the-Pulpit)

June 12, 2009

In the shade garden, planted among the hostas, is a collection of Arisaema (a.k.a. Jack-in-the-Pulpit).

These wild creatures of the shade have had my fascination for years ... mostly influenced by

'The Natural Shade Garden' by Ken Druse.  There are arisaema sikokianum, arisaema ringens, and

arisaema serratum to name a few.  Above, is arisaema heterophyllum throwing it's spathe into the air

to catch the attention of pollinators.  These were purchased from Heronswood nursery in 1999 before it

was sold to Burpee which eventually closed down the Kingston, Washington nursery in 2006.  The closing

of the Heronswood Kingston nursery was a great loss to the plant community; however, part of the original

Heronswood continues to live thru the plants I and others have planted in our gardens.

The shade garden ... or is it a hosta farm?

June 11, 2009

The shade garden under the maple tree has become a collection of hostas over the years.   If you

were to look at it now, you would never know that there were hundreds of Virginia bluebells blooming

here just 6 weeks ago.  The bluebell foliage has died back and the hostas have grown up.  There is

the Jurassic Park size hosta ' Big Daddy' to the tiny 'Holy Mouse Ears' mingling together in the shade

of the maple tree.  This picture is taken from the bench in the shade garden, where you will often find

me sitting in the evening taking in the sunset view and enjoying a good Chardonnay.

Hey Seymour, have you seen these plants?

June 6, 2009

These hostas could easily have a staring role in 'Little Shop of Horrors'.  In the east flower bed

in the backyard are Hosta sieboldiana 'Elegans' that are 5 feet in diameter with 2 foot leaves; Marsha thinks

the leaves could be used as umbrellas.  The wet Spring was good to these hostas and they are

SLUG PROOF!

Dry shade under a maple tree?

June 4, 2009

If you have a maple tree in you garden, then you know how difficult it is to grow grass much less

anything else at the base of the tree.  A maple tree's roots are thirsty and grow out across the top

surface of the soil.  Well, I have finally found a ground cover that grows well in the dry shade under

the 50+ year old maple that creates the shade for my Shade Garden.  Pachysandra terminalis has

manages to grow and thrive in this spot.  Not to mention the blossoms in early Spring have the

most amazing fragrance.

... the flowering tree show continues ...

May 22, 2009

It's Pagoda Dogwood (cornus alternifolia) time!  I have a pair of 15 year old pagoda dogwoods planted

around the patio which have now reached their peak.  They put on a floral display thru the end of May;

by the end of July, they will be loaded with black berries on red stems and will be a feast for the

squirrels and the birds.

Another view of the south parkway border

May 21, 2009

Purple flying saucers

May 20, 2009

Allium 'Purple Sensation' hovering over the south parkway borders.  These bulbs, planted in the Fall,

come back year after year.  Best of all, they're rabbit and squirrel proof!  Blooming into June, they

take over after the tulips have faded.

And the flowering tree show continues

May 15, 2009

After the crab apples drop their blossoms, it is time for the Blackhaw Viburnum (viburnum prunifolium)

to strut its stuff.  The large creamy white snowball-size blossoms fill this small tree for almost a week

and attract every bee in the neighborhood.  In the fall, this tree will be loaded with blackish blue berries

that the birds just can't get enough of.  The above view is from the bench in the shade garden.  Wait

until you see the hostas in the shade garden ... they loved this wet spring!

Parkway parterre

May 13, 2009

About 10 years ago someone photographed my front garden, printed the pictures, put them in a note

card thanking me for the view, and left them in my mailbox.  I was so touched that people appreciated

the garden so much, that I extended the garden to the parkway.  Now, when you walk by, you are no

longer just a passer-by looking into the garden, you are in the garden as you go by.

A riot of color

May 11, 2009

The crabapples have finished blossoming; but even so, the entrance to the backyard is a riot of color. 

Tulips, alliums and daffodils blooming at the same time make for an incredible color display that you

can only get in Spring.

Tulipmania!

May 10, 2009

In 1999 I bought Burgundy Lace tulips from the bargain bin at a local garden center and have planted

them ever since.  Their fringy bluish-red blossoms bloom with Maureen tulips.  These tulips are late

bloomers, and appear to be on steroids as they are almost 3 feet tall.  Above, Maureen and Burgundy

Lace tulips in full bloom in the front and side garden.  In the foreground are alliums just about to burst.

The scent of honey in the air

May 4, 2009

This morning I walked out to the scent of sweet honey in the air.  The flowering crab apples are in

full glory as I write.  I have eight crab apple trees in bloom at the moment and the scent encourages

you to slow down and take deep breaths.  Above is the view of the backyard through the pair of

Profusion crab apples that flank the backyard entrance from the parkway.

Bluebells ... and more bluebells

May 1, 2009

The Saucer Magnolia and the Scillia have passed on their ephemeral beauty to the Virginia bluebells.

There is a patch of Virginia bluebells in my garden that has been there for over 20 years.   Happy in

their spot, they throw their seed about and expand their prodigy every year.  The fuzzy, large bumble

bees are busy collecting their pollen ... some evenings sitting on the bench under the Maple tree,

you can see their legs weighed down with their load of pollen.  They are diligent creatures with one

goal in mind, and are a joy to watch ... and the garden is happier for them.

Spring comes quickly

April 25, 2009

Spring in my Chicago garden is marked by the first blooms of the Saucer Magnolias and the little

blue gems of Scillia.  Magnificent in all their glory, they let you know to move the calendar from Winter

to Spring.  Above is a borrowed view of a 50+ year old Saucer Magnolia.  It doesn't last long ... it's

petals soon to be confetti on the grass; but it just invites you to stand and shout ... HELLO Spring!