Monday, April 26, 2010



I will be resuming twice weekly publishing starting today. I will try to maintain a Monday and Thursday schedule of posts.

I want to thank everyone who stops by even when plants in the garden are scarce. I can't tell you how much your comments and advice are enjoyed and appreciated. You have become very good friends over the seasons and I treasurer the time we spend sharing stories and photos.

Really looking forward to this season in the garden. Hoping for good weather and plenty of rain.

******

Tulip season is winding down. First the little species tulips bloomed with the daffodils. Next came the parrots and now the late doubles.

Late doubles are first.

Allegretto is a fire storm of color. This is one of those 55 mph tulips, as Brent and Becky's call them, a real standout. It was the last tulip to bloom so it may have a week or more before it's finished.



Toning down a few shades is Foxtrot a multi hued pink double.


And last, everyone's favorite late blooming double, the lovely Angelique. Angelique has been extremely long lived here. Every year I breath a sigh of relief when I see her foliage emerge and know she has come back once again.



Now the flamboyant parrot tulips. Below is Libretto, very similar to Madonna (Madonna can be seen on my header and in the previous post) but with a much less dramatic green flame. Libertto blooms about two weeks later than Madonna in my garden.



Opening wide during the day to allow the pollinators access and closing back in the evening.


This is Carmine, outrageously beautiful.


Now for a few blooms from the shade and woodland gardens.

I'm smitten with lamium Pink Pearl. The pearly silver and green leaves almost glow in a shady spot. It's a quick spreader so I'll be dividing and moving this clump around very soon.


These are Virginia blue bells and I can see a couple leaves of garlic mustard among them. How embarrassing, we all have weeds but we don't usually show them off! Garlic mustard is the bane of my existence. Hope you never get this evil weed in or around your property.


Saving the best for last. Isn't this just the loveliest and most romantic of plants. My father has two varieties, one like this and a more or less ever blooming cultivar. The ever bloomer does not have quite the perfectly defined heart shape and the color is pale but the foliage is ferny and very attractive.

32 comments:

Gardener on Sherlock Street said...

Love the pink lamium. I havet he yellow one.

Pat said...

Love the Virginia blue bells.
It's grand that spring is here !
Posting twice weekly sounds good to me...not too demanding yet not missing anything in the garden with time to get out there and enjoy.

Lona said...

Hi Marnie. Oh, I really like your double tulips.The Foxtrot is so pretty. I use to have Angelique but she stopped blooming so I jerked them out.I love those Rembrandt tulips they are so pretty and unusual.
Oh, you have the fern leaf Bleeding Hearts. So gorgeous!
Lona

BeadedTail said...

Welcome back to two days! Can't wait to see all your garden goodies this summer! I just love those Bleeding Hearts!

Dawn said...

OMGoodness! I love those pink pearls,that's my kind of plant. I love all of it!

Susie said...

Oh glorious spring! Don't you just love it! Your Virginia bluebells are so pretty.

Susie said...

Hey Marnie thanks for your concern regarding the storms here. We were about 40 miles away from where it hit. I feel for those people who lost everything and some lost loved ones. I can't imagine going thru that.

Northern Shade said...

You have such a nice tulip collection. I made a note of Angelique, as I would love to add some bulbs next Autumn. I planted Foxtrot last Fall, but they are still just green shoots. Perhaps they will flower in a couple of weeks. I planted them with grape hyacinths, and I'm eager to see if they bloom at the same time.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

This lamium is gorgeous. I can't seem to grow it here. I can't tell you how many I have had die. WHINE~~ Those tulips are beautiful too. They don't look like tulips to me. They should give them a different name. Parrot is acceptable.

D said...

Marnie, your photos are beautiful! Angelique was one of the first we planted moons ago and it still thrives in only a few places as most of the first tulips we plant 15-16 years ago have met their demise by underground creatures. And I love your Libretto!

This is the time of year that "time" is scarce, and I have wound down on posts; one to two times per week is all I seem to muster especially as we have expanded our vegetable garden. I'll look forward to your posts in the coming weeks.

Southern Lady said...

You have so many different varieties. They are all lovely. Looking forward to seeing more of your garden. Carla

beckie said...

Marnie, I have so enjoyed getting to know you through your delightful posts. I always look forward to seeing the goreous photos and reading your narratives. A real treat for me. Thank you!

Your tulips are wonderful and how smart of you to plant ones that bloom at different time. I have the early ones and a few later Angeliques. I also love, love, love the bleeding heart! WOW!

sweetbay said...

Sounds like your dad has the native bleeding heart along with D. spectabilis? D. eximia is really lovely but doesn't quite have the wow factor of spectabilis.

I am ooing and ahhing over your tulips. They are gorgeous. I'll have to enjoy the Virginia Bluebells through your photos -- mine didn't bloom this year. I miss it, it's one of my very favorite wildflowers. As usual, once the weather warms up, it dries up too!

Sherri said...

Hi Marnie! Thanks for showing us all your lovely, lovely flowers! I love the bleeding hearts-they are exquisite! I used to have that variety, a white one and another pink one with featherly, lacey leaves and I loved when they bloomed! The Angelique tulips were always a favorite of mine when we had the farm in NJ-they are just beautiful! Enjoy your garden!

Anonymous said...

You have a gorgeous selection of Tulips. Their annuals here so I just stick with the Daffs & other spring blooming bulbs. ;)

tina said...

Marnie, You are the real gem and I always get happy hearing from you each day-even when you don't post you ALWAYS take the time to talk with me and even my sister. Funny thing happens when you talk with people on blogs regularly and frequently-you become friends with the people. As familiar as a nice cup of coffee on a cold blustery day. I always get happy hearing from you. I love your garden and hope one day we can meet in person. That being said-I need to move on but have to tell you, I'm a straight talker and like to express things, even on the web and wanted to say thank you. And to any other 'old friends' on here-thank you all too. It is a very nice community.

I think flamboyant is such a perfect name for the parrot tulips. I've never grown them but do like them. I have 'Hermann's Pride' lamium that is just like your pink but yellow. I can't decide what to do with it. It spreads like crazy! I had to move hostas from its clutches. It's probably more a gardener problem than a plant problem though. See ya on Thursday.

And you know, I don't think you need lovely plants to be a good garden blogger. You do great all year and I always look forward to your posts!

Rose said...

I am with you on the Angelique, Marnie--it has to be my very favorite of all the tulips. Mine came up again but didn't look as good as last year, so a few more will be added to my fall plant shopping list. And so will 'Libertto' and 'Madonna'--gorgeous tulips!

I'm so glad you're going to go back to twice-weekly posts--I always enjoy coming here and visiting with you.

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

I love your VA bluebells, a nice color (mine are bluer). I hate garlic mustard. It is a HUGE invasive here in Ann Arbor, despite the city's endless volunteer workdays to pull it out. Thankfully, it's not something I struggle with in my home garden, despite being near a nature area. But, you know, I have enough buckthorn to last three lifetimes. Even with so much removed, there are seedlings ALL THE TIME! :)

JC said...

I didn't get too many tulips or daffs come up this year. That means I get to buy like crazy next Fall ...

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ShySongbird said...

Hi Marnie, It's lovely to be back and to find you finally snow-less :) How much things have changed in just a few weeks! Spring has arrived in all its glory.

Your Tulips are all beauties and Angelique, for me has a delicate beauty all of her own.

I have only just been looking at a Bleeding Heart on a UK blog. I must try it again, I had it years ago and it disappeared.

Thank you for your kind words on my blog :)

marmee said...

i just planted the silvery leafed lamium and haven't seen it flower...really cool to see yours.
i really loved the foliage on it but the flowers look awesome too.
the bleeding hearts are just the prettiest things. i saw all white at the garden center(i just may have to go back and get it.)
i love your tulips...i have never planted them and say every year when i see others blooming...i need to plant those tulips this year. i love the outrageously beautiful carmine, i have a thing for red.
btw, i love your sentiments at the beginning of your post. i really enjoy blogging for so many reasons but one is the comradery of friends like you.
happy april gardening.

Tammy said...

Looking forward to your twice weekly posts! I know this is such a busy time of the year. Is the garlice weed the green leaves in the background? I have something here, it doesn't really look exactly like that, as the leaf is more rounded, and it has a small purple flower and a pungent scent (from leaves) when disturbed. Anway, at first I thought it was pretty cool as it filled in some bare spots, but now it's EVERYwhere. I'm just curious as to what it is. (It's not henbit--I have tons of that too). The peonies are just getting ready to bloom here--can't hardly wait, as I think all seven bushes are going to bloom for the first time.
Tammy

Gail said...

Marnie, I don't know!~I cannot choose which of your splendid tulips I would choose as a fav! They are all gorgeous...I like the flamboyant parrots, but the double Angelique is really lovely.... a gentle color. I have the fernleaf dicentra and it hasn't the pretty and perfect hearts either! I count you as a friend, too and love visiting your blog! gail PS How is your dad's rehab? Tammy's plant sounds like creeping charlie/ground ivy.

Tammy said...

Thanks Gail, Creeping Charlie it is! It just showed up a few years ago, so it was nice to get the history on it. When it first appeared I showed it to my friend and was happy about the pretty little plant. She kinda snarled, so I should have known.....;-)
Thanks again!
Tammy

Cheryl said...

Hi Marnie.....what an amazing display of tulips you have.....angelique is just so beautiful. She is very desirable......

Bleeding hearts are wonderful in any garden....I love them and have them planted all along my woodland walk.


We all have weeds Marnie.....I shouldn't worry about showing them. In fact you made me smile, thank you for that......

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Marnie, You KNOW how much I love Tulips---and I have none of the kinds you have... I love those flamboyant parrot tullips... Libretto is fabulous--just like the one on your header. LOVE the fullness and all of those colors. WOW!!!!!

I love the Virginia Blue bells also... Reminds me of the Texas Bluebonnets....

Thanks for sharing---and I'm glad you are back more often.
Hugs,
Betsy

joey said...

Well worth the wait, Marnie, your flowers are show-stoppers! As you might expect, we have many of the same favorites. Oh yes, I too am blessed with garlic mustard and many other noxious weeds plaguing my garden :(

garden girl said...

Those tulips are gorgeous Marnie. I had some Angeliques in my last garden - I think they were my favorites. Bleeding hearts were my favorite flowers when I was a little girl, and I still love them. Virginia bluebells are one of my favorite spring ephemerals - mine are still too small for blooms - hopefully next spring will be their year! (hmmm. . . I have a lot of favorites!)

Connie said...

Lovely tulips! Ours are winding down here, too. How I will miss the cheerful colors.
I had Angelique several years ago. I was surprised to have a few bloom this year.....I guess it took about 3 years for the bulbs to regain enough strength and size to bloom again.

kd said...

Hi Marnie -- your tulips are amazing!
As for the garlic mustard, you've got to admit that in spring, for maybe a week, it's pretty attractive for an invasive weed. I have a patch of it and always make a point of enjoying the bright lime-green leaves and the delicate white flowers before I tear them out (before their seeds have had a chance to develop, of course).
/krys

Kathleen said...

Hi Marnie.
I'm slow getting over here this week ~ glad to see you'll be posting more often now. I always enjoy your posts and it also must mean it's spring!
Your tulips are beautiful. 'Libretto' is my favorite ~ I wonder why I've never planted a parrot tulip?
No worries on the "weed" in the beautiful Virginia bluebells. When they're in the picture, that's all you see! I am so happy to have these in my garden for the first time. Of course, not blooming yet. You've jumped so far ahead of us, it's crazy!