Thursday, May 13, 2010

How amazing these delicate beauties. In spite of their fragile appearance, columbines are very tough. They often grow from cracks in the rocks in their native environment.

I have no memory of ever planting this pink columbine so it may be a hybrid cross between the Alpine blues and some other variety growing in my garden. Columbines hybridize easily and reseed well.



Alpine blue can also be white or have white petals. Mine are all the solid blue and don't show up very well against the green background.




Two more tough plants that thrive on neglect, allium and tall bearded iris. Both tolerate drought, have few pests, and multiply rapidly.




I'm getting really impatient to get my annuals planted but I'm afraid it will frost again, so I wait. It was much warmer here in March than in either April or May. We actually had several days of 80-degree heat in late March. This month the daytime highs are hovering in the 40's and 50's.

We finally got caught up on our rain. After getting almost none in April, we have had over five inches in the last two days.

Weather is a great metaphor for life - sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, and there's nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella.
~Terri Guillemets




31 comments:

Gardener on Sherlock Street said...

The columbine are lovely but the white irises with the allium are stunning. Nice weather quote too.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

That is true, Marnie... There's not a darn thing we can do about the weather except TALK about it... ha

Your Columbine is gorgeous... I do like the BLUE.

Hope your rains are over for awhile. I noticed that they watered the golf course behind our house this morning---so I guess we need it now... Seems like we either get too much or not enough.

Have a great day.
Hugs,
Betsy

Randy said...

That's such a beautiful photo with the allium and irises! You should print it out and frame it!-- Randy

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I think the Alliums and Iris are a stunning combo. I have the irises already but I can never get alliums to grow for me. I wonder why. Seeing this photo makes me want to try one more time.

Becca's Dirt said...

That is so true. What people say here in Mobile is if you don't like the weather just hang out for a short while it will change. Five inches in 2 days is a lot for you guys isn't it. Have a good day.

Cheryl said...

Good evening Marnie....I love the combination of allium and iris. Absolutely stunning.....

Columbine are tough plants, I always find them incredibly beautiful and never tire of them.

Our weather is still cool and around the same temperatures as yours. I have a greenhouse full of annuals...they need to go out.

Hope that it stops raining soon and that it is warm enough to get your plants out....

Southern Lady said...

I love the quote. How true! Carla

Gail said...

Love the quote! I have to jump on the bandwagon and say the alliums and iris are winners together! I haven't had much luck with columbines crossing ...Plenty of A canadensis
but not much of the others make a return. gail

The Pleasures of Homemaking said...

Still danger of frost! I'd go out of my mind! It's already time to pull the spring annuals here in Georgia and plant summer.

I just love the pink Columbine! What a gorgeous elegant flower! Love the combo of the white Iris with the purple Alliums! Gorgeous!

Manuela

Lona said...

Hi Marnie. Your pink Columbine is so pretty. It looks good no matter how you got it. LOL! So is the blue one. I love your alluims. Mine did not come up this year so something must have gotten them. They look so pretty with your irises.

BeadedTail said...

The pink Columbine is very pretty! Alliums are pretty too and sound like a plant I need!

Hope your weather gets warmer soon!

Chloe m said...

So I have some columbine seeds that someone gifted to me. Is is better to start them inside or just wait and start them outside where I want them to get established?
You always have lovely spring photos. Hopefully you can plant your annuals soon!

patsi said...

I agree about the columbine now that I've had them for years. The allium is a new one for me that I have to look into(if it likes shade it's a must have).

Anonymous said...

I love the tough plants that survive in all kinds of conditions. :)

sweetbay said...

Columbine are very tough. It's nice to have something that's beautiful and easy like that.

Susie said...

Girl that is a lot of rain!

You're right about columbine, it does look fragile. Hope you get to plant your annuals soon.

Susie said...

Marnie those eggs are light blue. Today we have 3.

Kathleen said...

You're so right about Columbine being sturdy little plants. They don't seem to be very long lived here but that's okay since they are easy to start from seed.
The image of white iris with purple Alliums is stunning. A terrific combo. I hope my Alliums multiply rapidly ~ I haven't seen any sign of it yet. :-(
Glad you caught up on rain. It seems like it's often feast or famine doesn't it?
I finally succumbed to planting a container tonight I wanted to do something with my annuals so badly. Maybe we'll both get them all planted before June. I sure hope so!

Northern Shade said...

Put another tick mark next to number of viewers who like the combination of white iris and purple allium. :)

My new plants have been making a daily journey from the garage to the sunny patio for their daily sunbath. They'll probably get a permanent home in the soil this weekend.

joey said...

Agree, April was much kinder than May, Marnie. Boy, did we have buckets of rain and as much as I miss a sunny garden day, it was much needed. Our gardens are tough like the gardeners that tend them :)

Dawn said...

That explains why pink, yellow and white columbine can be found up the road from me!

Heather at Dusty Bay said...

Your columbines are so sweet Marnie and the white of the Iris and pink on the Allium really go together, don't they? We have cooler than normal temperatures here too but the annuals are in! Have a great weekend!

Rose said...

Love the columbines! I'm still trying to figure out why everyone else has blooms, while mine are still so tiny:) The quote about the weather is perfect. I have been waiting until this week to plant annuals, and now that I finally have time, it keeps raining! The sun will probably come out on a day when I have other commitments all day long:)

Jan said...

So true about the weather, Marnie! We just have to deal with whatever we are dealt! I have a very common columbine variety--it's purple--but I just planted a native columbine (red) and I hope it will do well. The purple ones have sat in the same exact spot for years, and haven't grown in size or spread at all! I like your white iris against the backdrop of the purple allium. Good luck w/the weather--I hope you'll get no more frosts! It was quite cool over the past few days, then 96 degrees and horribly humid today. Now, it is going to thunderstorm with lots of wind and even hail. I'm sure the peonies are going to suffer, just when they are opening up;-( But as you said, that's life.

garden girl said...

Columbines are one of my old favorites Marnie - can't remember ever not having them in a garden. Alliums are new to me this year, but they're quickly becoming favorites too.

You all up north got a lot more rain than we did in the south 'burbs. We did get a couple of much-needed inches though, and chilly, but a little milder temps than you all got.

Anonymous said...

Sorry you are having a chilly spring. We did too, until recently, but things are looking up. We are past our frost free date, and all my annuals and veggies are now in the ground! Love it.

Chloe m said...

Thanks Marnie for helping out with the question I had on Columbine. Very good to know.
Rosey

ShySongbird said...

I love Columbines...anything which 'thrives on neglect' is welcome in my garden, Marnie :)

I agree with the other bloggers, the Allium and Iris combination is beautiful and that is a particularly lovely Iris!

Anonymous said...

Marnie, is NOID really the name of that lovely iris? I have one just blooming, and I am wishing I had planted more. I can hardly wait till fall to plant them. I'll be putting them everywhere, since they are so fabulous! I'm surprised to hear you aren't a fan of the heat, since you don't seem to enjoy winter much. I'm never quite warm unless it's above 75, preferably above 80!

Kay said...

Your flower photos are beautiful. I too have a photoblog and I hope you will check it out. I have posted a lot of wildflowers I have see while out hiking.

Kay

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

I do love columbines! I know everyone complains how they self-seed, but I actually have trouble with them thriving in my garden. Same thing with delphinium. :)