Indian Pinks April 20, 2019

I cannot recall why I ordered these plants on the internet - perhaps because Indian Pinks grew at Monticello, and we had recently visited Monticello?  But in one little bed near the barn, I have two plants growing.  They have not spread or re-seeded.  It is still just the two little plants after many years.  But they have faithfully re-appeared every spring since I planted them.

Mock Orange April 28, 2019

Mock Orange was beautiful this year.  Still, no smell.  And I was out wandering through the garden with flash lights in the dark night with Sammy when the scent should have been at its most fragrant - still no smell.  But really lovely flowers!

Peggy Martin Rose April 28, 2019

This is actually not one of the my best years with Peggy Martin, however she always makes a fine display.

Strawberry Smoothie Althea April 28, 2019

I have taken a picture of this just to document the name of my purchase.  This althea is called a double althea on the label, but I consider this (based on the picture) to be a semi-double.  The semi-double altheas are my favorites.  Sam and I planted this in the Star Garden today.

Poppies April 28, 2019

I took the two below pictures of the undersides of poppies to prove that there is no bad view of a poppy, they are beautiful at ever angle.

Climbing Pinkie April 28, 2019

This is the first really good year that I've had with Climbing Pinkie.  My recollection (without going back and researching my blog) is that I planted this rose three years ago.  It is having a very good spring showing.  We planted this rose on a conveyor belt that John Nelson gave us.  He passed away last winter - liver cancer, but I will have a good thought for him whenever I look at this display.

Veilchenblau Rose April 28, 2019

Another beautiful year for this once-blooming rose.  Sammy was with me when I took this picture.  He thought the rose was very "flower-y".

Butterfly Rose April 28, 2019

The nickname of this rose is The Butterfly Rose because the flowers open dark pink, then fade to orange, then pale pink.  The effect is that three different-colored flowers appear on the same shrub at the same time.  Since it is springtime, there are so many buds on the plant that they open all at the same time.  That is why they are all dark pink this morning.  Look at Climbing Pinkie in the background.  What a lovely sight.

The Star Garden Early Spring 2019

Swallowtail Butterfly Larva April 28, 2019

I bought an ounce of parsley seeds from Johnny's Select Seed website last winter (that's a lot of parsley seeds).  I sowed parsley everywhere - in the bed adjacent to the Greenhouse, the wheelbarrow in this picture, the bed adjacent to the dining room window, the Vegetable Garden, and in several places in the Medicine Garden.  The purpose was not because I like to cook with parsley!  It was because the black swallowtail butterflies lay their eggs on plants in the parsley family.  And I love butterflies.

This is a terrible picture - the parsley is displayed in fine detail and the caterpillar is blurry.  But, you get the idea.  I have zillions of caterpillars amongst my parsley chomping away.

There are 3 caterpillars in this picture. 

Verbena Bonariensis April 28, 2019

Also called Verbena-On-A-Stick or Lollipop Verbena, this plant is a particular favorite of mine.  It is a short-lived perennial that re-seeds.  You never know where it will pop up in your garden.  It is tall and statuesque.  A butterfly magnet.

Milk and Wine Crinum April 21, 2019

When I first planted these old-fashioned (find them in the ditches) crinums, I didn't think much of them.  But I've decided over the years that I really like them.

Sweet Shrub April 8, 2019

Unfortunately, my sweet shrubs don't seem to have any smell.  But the flowers are pretty and unusual.

Columbine April 19, 2019

Last fall I seeded most of my Columbine beds heavily with seed.  But it will be another spring before they bloom.  These are some of my mature plants.  Columbine are promiscuous.  The orange-y yellow flowers below started out as solid yellow Hinckley Columbine.  But they mixed with another variety and changed colors.