Studiology

The Whir of April

A month with 30 days, April was full of changes both in the gardens and with rotating visitors. I learned many things about Charlottsville, Virginia; music scenes, culture, gardens and restaurants.

Monticello is very close and the gentleman that represents Thomas Jefferson is outstanding. I recommend joining him for a chat on the lawn which incorporates questions from the audience. Our days questions included topics from banned books to woman's rights and voting restrictions of the day. He is always in character! As much as he was the highlight of the day, the gardens and house tour make it well worth a visit.

The Paramount Theater offered a documentary about John Singer Sargent, the American painter, best known for his portraits of wealthy socialites. To see his work on the big screen and understand the scale of his work and skill was incredible. If history and art are of interest to you, catch this if it comes your way.

A small private tour of Morven Farm was also part of April. Home to the University of Virginia's Sustainability Lab, it is used for teaching and research. Many of the gardens are set up with boxwood hedges or rooms which are typical of Virginia gardens at the turn of the century.

My own gardens, only in their second spring, made me smile every day. Here are photographs that span all of April.

The only thing lacking was rain and I feel it fitting to complain publicly, that is often the cure. We are abnormally dry as are parts of North Carolina, and I hope that changes soon.

On a positive note, I did find this beautiful orchid on a recent walk. It was a very special moment.

Glorious April

Just a quick romp through the shade garden. The deer haven't been back, but then I have sprayed and fenced a few things and continue to play a radio every night. The gardens are in their 2nd spring, many of the perennials moved from my old garden. As the tree's leaf out, the scenery in these mountains are phenomenal, especially when backlit. Yellow finch feed on the dandelion seeds in my yard and flutter up all at once when disturbed, which is magical. There is also a resident mockingbird who is very vocal as he (probably a young male) runs down the local inventory of birds. He spends most of his time in a tree by my bedroom, and his library of bird calls is large.

Epimedium 'Pink Champagne' has speckled foliage , possibly the reason for the name, like tiny bubbles.

Epimedium 'Starlet' has red edged foliage, perhaps like feather boas on a starlet?

Incredible foliage on Epimedium versicolor, mine are in more sun than they want, which might be the reason for this intense leaf color. 

 

The flowers on Primula sieboldii are typically snowflake shaped. This is an odd one in the genus of primrose with a summer dormancy, it literally disappears for summer. A wonderful groundcovering plant with rhizomes that spread. Best planted under leafy perennials to fill the empty space as this one sleeps.

Yellowroot (a native) would not be planted for its brown flowers but more for its ability to grow in dry shade. Even so, I find the flowers curious.

I have never seen bluets or Quaker Ladies grow as abundantly as here. This native must like acidic soil and can be found in great drifts looking more like creeping phlox. Occasionally there is a white flowering plant.

Disporum flavens is a slow growing perennial which takes many years to clump into a good size. I am always happy to see it flower, for me a very worthwhile wait.

The shocking thing about Daffodil 'Kokopelli' is the fragrance. A late flowering variety that is a seedling of Daffodil 'Sundial' which is an old tazetta and the reason for the heady fragrance. Impossible to miss as the perfume fills the air around it.

I fell in love with Daffodil 'Delnashaugh' at Oak Hill. A very late variety with super double blooms. Here with Zenobia or honeycup, a shrub of coastal Virginia with eucalyptus-like leaves.

Last spring I planted a number of native azaleas, hoping for flowers from spring to fall. The first to open will be the Pinxterbloom or Rhododendron periclymenoides which also grows wild all over Virginia and can be seen along shady roads and highways. The buds are already showing a bit of color and another show is beginning; so it goes in spring.