Studiology

Summer

I have spent much of this late spring and summer moving bulbs. In an attempt to move the Cyclamen hederifolium (one of the hardy types) out of my garden path, I waited for the foliage to shrivel to the point that I knew the tubers would be dormant. A week later and it would have been a real guessing game as to where they live, which is just below the surface. To my amazement, the tubers were much larger than I ever expected, the largest ones were all sliced with the shovel, who knew they would grow that large in gravel after just a few years?!

Here you see one of the large tubers in comparison to a quarter. There are multiple smaller bulbs on the bottom left, I'm guessing they are seedlings from the mother bulb. The hardy cyclamen spend the summer dormant, the flowers arrive as early as late August and persist well into fall. A native of Mediterranean climates, our hot and dry summers bode well for summer dormancy, so this hardy tuber does surprisingly well here. The winter foliage is extraordinary, mottled and veined, to imitate an ivy leaf, hence the nod in its botanical name - hederifolium - in reference to hedera or ivy. 

The cycle of growth and nongrowth also coincides with a deciduous tree canopy, cyclamen is completely leafed out as the trees lose their summer foliage and persists all winter. Mine grown in high shade and are particularly fond of seeding in the pathway. Ants are notorious for carrying off the seed, which is coated in elaiosome, a sweet shell that I imagine tastes like a gummy fruit candy. Once the sweet outside is eaten away, the seed is dropped, most often near an ant hill.

In other spots in the garden, I am waiting for the lilies to start blooming. Some are seven feet tall, loaded with gorgeous buds! My favorite foxglove is in flower, a smaller flowering species with intricate flowers. I might have twenty that are in flower, again in high shade with just enough sun to stand up tall. 

The mini-meadow is a garden that has given me tremendous joy. Rudbeckia maxima and its powder blue foliage is sending up flowers on tall stems. It often takes a ladder to photograph them. 

We have been blessed with enough rain to keep the gardens and surrounds looking good and summer is well on its way. Sadly lacking are butterflies, my dill and fennel are completely void of baby black swallowtails which is a first. Today I noticed a swallowtail passing by, which gives me hope. It's a smorgasbord out here, so please stop and stay awhile.

 

 

Timely Matters

The weather is beautiful and the gardener wants to be outside, recharged and recharging. Today I took cuttings of my native azaleas, hoping that it's not too early. The key to knowing when to propagate cuttings of most flowering shrubs is when the stem, when bent, will snap instead of bending. Not woody but supple and green. It generally falls in early June for azaleas. I use a mix of grit (fine turkey or chicken), sand, and a fine potting soil to mix an amendment that will drain well. 

The idea is to give the stems support but drain well so the stem won't rot. In the bottom of rather shallow pots I add regular potting soil and this gritty mix on top, about 2" deep.

Since the cuttings will not have a way to pull moisture into the leaves, it's essential that the leaf surface is reduced. What ever moisture is in the plant, will have to last until roots sprout. Cut leaves by half and leave a joint in the grit, that is where roots will emerge.

I also leave room at the top of the pot so stems are not subject to wind (which dries them up), but sunken to just below the rim. 

In a few weeks I will test the stems, hoping for some resistance which will let me know that they have managed to sprout roots. Leave them in the shade for now, water enough to keep the medium moist, and cross your fingers. I have left more stems on the mother plants in case this fails and I have to try again. 

Now that we are in June, I have been reviewing May in the garden. I am still working in the lovely garden in Warrenton. As lovely as it was with numerous flowering shrubs, I felt that the peonies suffered from early heat and there was a certain lack of gusto for May. 

In my own garden I loved this combination and think it's worth repeating in any sunny location. Amsonia (my aggresive cross with tabernaemontana) and Allium 'Gladiator'. The amsonia is chocking out my peonies, but a few put up a good fight.

Of the peonies that have proven superior is 'Scarlet O'Hara'. She is tall enough to rise above the amsonia and has been a real champ!

Clematis 'Good Samaritan Joe' has also been tough and beautiful. Not overly tall, perfect on a four foot support.

As far as timely chores, consider splitting up any bulbs that are going dormant. In a week they will be dormant and invisible. Jack-in-the-pulpit, trillium, and Virginia bluebells are just a few examples. Guessing where they are is not fun.