Why I Oughta...

Trends come and go, right?  In fashion.  In food.  In living.  Feels like you have to kind of pick your spots in all things trendy, right?  Can't be too on trend.  But, you still want to show how you're a little contemporary, right?  Trends in the garden are something that I've unpacked over the year.  Here's a trends post that I did very early this past year - January 2022 .  And I did the same thing in 2019 and 2020 .   I came across a recent 2023 Garden Trends list from Garden Design email newsletter and thought it was worth kicking-the-tires on the items they included.  Here's their list .  Below is a screenshot showing the nine items that they think will breakthrough and show up in gardens this growing season: There are a few - what I'll call - 'narrow' items on their list.  And others that are way more 'broad' in nature.  Let's start with the more 'broad' category items.  Why?  Because they're A LOT less interesting to me. 

And the time has come...for the post about the very last shrub of the year.  The year of shrubs.  That the 2022 yard and garden headline:  The Year of Shrubs.   My number one priority item on my to-do list was to 'focus on shrubs' by adding a variety of mid-sized shrubs to the backyard .  I started the [garden diary] season with shrubs and the very last planting of the year is going to be about a shrub.  This one is a new (to me) deciduous shrub called Lemony Lace Elderberry. Sambucus racemosa. This one is from Proven Winners . Ever wish our popular Black Lace elderberry came in a sunny bright yellow? We are happy to oblige: Lemony Lace offers finely dissected foliage but in a cheery gold color to really light up your landscape . This North American native produces big clusters of white flowers in early spring before the foliage emerges, then bright yellow leaves take over, edged in red. As the foliage ages, it turns an attractive chartreuse . (Emphasis, mine) This is my f

We have a couple of clusters of Brunnera in our garden - a trio of Jack of Diamonds on the southside .  And a trio of Queen of Hearts on the northside .  Both of those sets have done well and are quite striking in their silver-tinged foliage.  They work well in shady spots and have seemingly established themselves over the past growing season (plus).  Last week, I showed a photo of one of the new perennials that the Bird bought up at Northwind Perennial Farm in Wisconsin (White Wanda Speedwell - maybe White Wands Speedwell... ) and mentioned that she bought a few other things.   This post is about a pair of Brunnera Macrophylla - Hearth-leaved Brunnera - that she bought and planted in her little garden in the backyard.   Below is the sign from Roy Diblik's nursery in Wisconsin: And, here (below) shows the location of the pair of these Brunneras in her garden.  They're planted in front of the Chicago Lustre Arrowwood Viburnum (you can see one of them at the top of the photo.  Al

First planted as a tiny nursery hosta (from Menards) in 2018, we have a lone Christmas Tree Hosta in our backyard, under the Northern Red Oak tree swing tree .  That means this hosta is in its fifth growing season.  I posted a photo of it in August of 2020 - right about two years ago.  Check it out here .  Last August (2021), I included an inventory of some (potential) division candidates and included this hosta .   Finally... last Fall (2021), I included a photo of its yellow foliage right as it was heading towards dormancy .   So...what does it look like today?  See below for the current state: It has continued to put on more size and mass.  That means...it should go on my Fall 2022 division candidate list.   Earlier this Summer, I mentioned that some of the bare root Frances Williams hostas need to be relocated .  They're in the same bed as this one.    Add these all to the list along with the purple Astilbes that I posted about last week .   Here's the [ Fall 2022 ] task l

Last Summer, I added six Brunnera plants to the garden.  Three on one side, three on the other.  First...I started with a variety called Queen of Hearts.  Those were planted on the northside in a little cluster amongst some various hostas. Here's the post showing their initial planting .   They seemed to do just fine last year and appear to have established themselves.  Below, you can see how they look today - with about a year of growing and putting down roots: All are doing well and if you look closely, you'll see some spent flower stalks emerging from the crown.  Each of these had some nice blue-ish flowers that bloomed on their tips.   If I'm looking at adding more shade-tolerant perennials to the backyard and I come across even more Brunnera on sale, it is a no-brainer to pick them up.  They are simply performing for me.  They also can use a focal plant that sits right in the middle of these three, right?  

I've planted bare root hostas the past few years and this season is no different.  In addition to the Aaron Caladium tubers that I recently planted, Nat also brought home this bag of six Longfield Gardens Sum and Substance bare root Hostas from Costco this Spring.  You can see the package showing the Sum & Substance variety below as well as a peek at the size of these Longfield Gardens bare root hosta: What are Sum & Substance Hostas? Monrovia calls them 'fast-growing' and 'Perhaps the largest and most popular of the hostas' as well as being Hosta of the Year, 2004 . What's that again?!?  These might be the 'largest' hosta out there?  I've been thinking a lot about giant or large-format hostas the past few seasons and added a set of three Abiqua Drinking Gourd Hostas last Fall back by the firepit that are billed as being a 'true giant' hosta.  Those seem to be back for the first full growing season, so they're NOT quite at matu