Studiology

Animals, and Frida

The assemblage of animals continues. 

This piece morphed into Frida Khalo, assembled from odd parts, even a rusty oil dipstick.

See them at Art A La Carte in Occoquan.

April

April was a challenging month. Almost forgotten are the nights in the low 20's, just 2 weeks ago. Our gardens have recovered well, the damage diminishing as we ease into May. Today was a particularly exhilarating day as I worked in a garden that is new for me, and newly planted. Designed by Donna Hackman, I am an underling, and I say that in a most contented way. This garden has given me exuberance, their sole request was perfection and there are enough people to make such an outlandish request happen. Next year, for historic garden week, this garden will be open and for that event 4,000 bulbs were planted last fall. As a dress rehearsal (so to speak), key people met last week to make notes on how things were shaping up for 2017. I mention these things because it will be a priority for local gardeners to take note and plan accordingly for April of next year (details to follow). Here are just a couple, micro-teasers:

My own garden manages fine with the usual suspects. I adore the Rhododendron hybrid  'John Mosby'. It's been pure perfection.

And even though Solomon's Seal is common, it's so astonishing in its detail in April.

I've become a mulch person, having reached a ripe age of "over 60", I buy mulch bags 5 at a time, every week. My choice is "Virginia Fines",mostly because it's light, but also looks good and functions fairly well to keep weeds down and water in. I mentioned to my daughter that this old age has caught me analyzing conversations with my friends. Something about age and idle chatter has become funny. Most of the time the talk is about gardening and/or art. A lie really, because it does involve shoes, grandchildren, and things we have forgotten (like actor's names). She reminded me of these 2 guys that voice over the conversations of 2 sixty year old ladies, a mom and aunt, and they are hysterical! Here's a link, please check it out. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-qpvjjNfLA

And I believe that I may prune everything, within reach. 

 

Fritillarias

Fritillarias number in the 100's, all are bulbous plants, purchased in fall with the usual array of fall bulbs. Most are low growing, all are from the Northern Hemisphere, although none are indigenous to the middle and eastern part of the United States, found growing from Europe west to China, Japan and then California to Nevada. That being said, some of the best "frit" growers in the world live in the east and north east. 

Gardeners that grow frits (their affectionate nick name) can be as crazy as daffodil people. I once had a customer at my nursery ask that I stop sending her a catalog, she was only interested in daffodils. The biggest difference between the 2 kind of plant crazies would be the challenge of growing the many species of fritillaria since the majority come from desert environments and need a very targeted period of moisture. This is achieved by growing them in a frame with a clear cover so the watering is completely controlled. These structures are often called alpine houses, like a greenhouse but with open ends, essentially living with the outside temperature but not the rain. 

Of course frit growers aren't interested in what you or I might buy, they need to acquire as many species as possible and grow them from seed. The choice to grow them from seed isn't really a choice since very few species are available as bulbs, another tip to the challenge of the plant. 

Fortunately there are a few that can be grown here, bought as bulbs in fall, it's imperative that they are planted quickly, lacking the covering or tunic that other bulbs often have, like the papery shell around a clove of garlic, they dry out sooner than others. One of the most beautiful is Fritillaria imperialis or the crown imperial. One of the first to emerge in spring, very green leaves rise and produce large, hanging flowers of orange or yellow. All are members of the lily family, often eaten by deer, but in this case the bulb and foliage smell like skunk, some say fox, to protect them from herbivores. From southern Turkey to Kashmir, good drainage is a must, I suggest you surround the bulb with Permatil or chicken grit before packing in the soil. Plant them 6" deep. The floral stem rises from the center, leaving a divot in the bulb which allegedly causes them to rot and much is made of laying them on their side but the truth is they will right themselves so don't bother, just give them good drainage. 

Fritillaria persica requires the same care. Grayish foliage with gorgeous, deep purple flowers can grow to 2'. I plant them every year and at least 5. They are not persistent or reliable in flowering. Remember the grit, it's worth the effort. 

The single most popular frit is the little F. melagris. Known as the checkered lily or guinea-hen flower, the pendulous bells are checkered. The species is easy to grow, requiring summer moisture, even when it's gone dormant (like snowdrops). Inexpensive and available in a range of purple shades to a pure white, with little green checkers. My recommendation is to drop them in with coral bells, Phlox stolonifera or woodland phlox, and primula. You won't regret it and no one will call you crazy!

Have you Seen the Weather Forecast!!!!!

It's time to freak out. All gardeners have permission to curse, scream, and jump up and down! The forecast for Saturday night is 24 degrees. The damaging temperature is 28 degrees, and that's for the established garden plants which have been busily sprouting. I'm not talking about new plantings, which are even more tender (except maybe pansies), a glancing blow of 32 will hurt anything that's not well hardened.  What's a gardener to do? 

You may not be able to cover the entire garden, but there are a few things that need timely protection, if at all possible. My priority list is lilium (lilies not daylilies), hydrangeas (mopheads and lacecaps), hostas, alliums (the big ornamental ones), roses, Japanese maples, and budded shrubs. The damage to flowering bulbs, maybe helleborus, and bleeding hearts will be huge! Peonies are generally tough enough, as may be the case with clematis. Do not use plastic to cover, it doesn't insulate. Think sheets, which are as effective as the white cover cloth sold by nurseries. For every layer, you may gain 5 degrees of protection. To be doubly sure, put on a sheet, then plastic and sheet again. That way the wind is not an issue. 

In some areas of Loudoun County and west, we reached 24 degrees last week. The wisteria buds froze,  hostas with small leaves turned to mush as did some lilies. Since the buds are held aloft in lilies, a freeze will kill the flowers, potentially killing the entire bulb.

As for fruiting trees, the damage may be tremendous, peach trees are in full flower, apple trees are budded, and the struggling fig trees will die to the ground. Imagine owning an orchard! 

 The lovely flowering viburnums will be brown, so I strongly suggest you cut their flowers and bring them in to enjoy. We do what we can, a gardener is stronger with these seasonal threats, it really is out of our hands and we learn to accept that. Damn it! 

 

Animal Kingdom

A few assemblage pieces were delivered today to Art A La Carte. All animals, well sort of.

While I was building them, the impala was very certain about the jacket color. The hound?, not so much. Coming soon is an owl man and I have my eye on a giraffe and an elephant. Any requests?

 

Timely Matters in the Garden

Besides weeding the garden, there are a few things that need to be taken care of soon, like today. Of utmost importance are the peony rings, placed around peonies that flop and any perennials that might get annoyingly lax in summer. I use them on Aster 'October Skies', which are kind of a disaster without.  Baptisia, lilium (particularly clumped Asiatics), and bushy roses are all good candidates for peony rings. It's really a hateful job to try and place them when stems are high and loaded with buds. 

If you have any twig dogwoods, like Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire', it's time to cut them down to six inches or so. I save some of the best branches to use for staking low perennials that need a little lift. Cut the two ends into sharp tips and arch the stem with the ends in the ground. Geranium sanguineum, lemon balm, and nepeta can be kept tidy with this solution. 

I've been hard at work since the first week of March, some years work doesn't begin till the first of April, but not so this year. It looks like the hydrangeas have weathered the winter well. There should be plenty of lacecap and mophead flowers for summer. I'm not sure about the figs yet. Seems so long since the figs have given us fruit. 

The usual suspects are flowering in my garden and every day is a surprise. Gardeners have to pay close attention this time of year. I stumbled onto  this today, my Sanguineria canadensis 'Multiplex' or double flowering bloodroot, which may flower for only a few days.

Epimedium x versicolor has been with me for so long and never disappoints. Living under pine trees with a spongy soil that is little more than layers of composting pine needles, it's a tough place for anything to grow!

The minor bulbs are a joy, a joy I tell you!! Darling little packages that look so great with the early flowering helleborus. The honeybees share my opinion. This is Muscari armeniacum 'Helena', the upper flowers are white, lower ones are blue.

Inexpensive, I suggest you plant 100 of a few varieties. 

Just a note about my blog and its content. I keyword every photograph and keyword each blog. This means that each photograph has words that describe it in the metadata. You can always search with the tabs on the side, like gardening, family, current events, etc.... but sometimes you may know there was a blog about a specific plant or you are looking for information about just one plant. A simple way to search is to use Google, type in my name and the subject matter you are looking for. If there was a blog on that topic, it will pop up. Much easier than going through the various months and years. That's why I go to the trouble to add the keywords, makes everything easier.