Pauline

Pauline is still the star of the garden.

Next time I should remove the dead oak leaf from the photo.

Winter aconite

I love winter aconites and need to plant many more.

Squill

Siberian squill

This is another minor bulb that looks best in masses.

Have to plant many more.

Snowdrops

We need many more snowdrops to make an impact.

I will try to get a picture of the snowdrops in my neighbor David's garden.

His are impressive.

Purple crocus

This is interesting because they appear much more purple in the garden and much more blue in this picture.

Garden art

The artist called this one a "Polish combination wrench."

Pale purple crocus

Mixed crocus

We have many more crocus blooms than in previous years because the fox, coyote, etc. have knocked down the rabbit population.

Cream hellebore

We love our hellebores.

Return of the Son of the Scout Camera, Part II

I received a brand new in-the-shrink scout camera from Bushnell today via UPS.

Fired it up and it seems to work OK so far (manual mode only).

Will set it out and test ambush mode.

Boxelder

Acer negundo

http://www.monchesfarm.com/TREEEULOGY.htm

It was a grand old tree, even if it was a noxious weed.

Northwind Perennial Farm

http://northwindperennialfarm.com/

Opening day is Friday, April 16.

I sure hope I can go because it was well worth the trip last year.

Downy Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea

Downy serviceberry, also known as juneberry

http://www.hortmag.com/article/downyserviceberry

I planted several small seedlings a few years ago, and the deer ate them all.

I should try again.

Phenology

http://www.hortmag.com/article/indicatorplants

Interesting list.

For example, "when lily-of-the-valley blooms, plant tomatoes."

Roseomarginata

Fagus sylvatica 'Roseomarginata'

Copper Beech

http://www.waysidegardens.com/gardening/PD/48234/

I might be willing to try this one, but it would be an expensive experiment.

As a slow grower and with a tolerance for shade, this could be an interesting understory tree for many years before it got big.

North Creek Nurseries

http://www.northcreeknurseries.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/home.home/index.htm

Wholesale propagation nursery in Pennsylvania.

Well done web site with an awesome selection of plants.

I wish I could find a local retailer with a similar offering.

Sedum ternatum

Sedum ternatum

Wild Stonecrop, Woodland Stonecrop

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/woodland/plants/wild_stonecrop.htm

This would be a welcome addition to the garden.

Poison Ivy

Toxicodendron radicans

http://www.gardengatenotes.com/2010/03/30/#2

We have never had poison ivy in the garden.

Lucky, I guess.

Ten favorite things about spring

Interesting list at Llewellyn (link here).

I most envy her the family of garter snakes.

I sure wish I had some in my garden.

My neighbor David tells me that 40 years ago, there were plenty of garter snakes in the neighborhood.

Today's blooms

The stars of the garden continue to be the Iris reticulata 'Pauline.'

The Hellebore with cream flowers is looking good.

We have some nice winter aconite, crocus, and snowdrop blossoms.

Wind Storm 1. Garden 0

While we were in Michigan, the wind blew over the cedar nearest the sump pool.

This is the third time that tree has blown down.

Very disappointing.

Scout camera update

According to the Bushnell web site, my replacement scout camera has been shipped and should be delivered tomorrow.

Very much looking forward to getting some more pictures.

Perennially Yours

http://pyours.com/

Interesting web site.

Unfortunately, her book is not in the County Cat.

How to Attract Owls

http://www.rodale.com/attracting-owls?page=0%2C0&cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2010_03_25-_-Top5-_-NA

I would love to attract more owls to the garden.

Maybe they could do something about the voles.

Jethro Tull

Coreopsis 'Jethro Tull'

Available from Wayside Gardens (link here)

I love Coreopsis in general, and this one in particular.

We have a couple of varieties already, but we are always in the market for one more.

Added to my wish list.

Scout camera update

I checked the status of my scout camera today.

http://www.bushnell.com/general/

Repair status: Replacement item on order

Camassia scilloides

http://www.sunfarm.com/specials/camassia_scilloides.php

Native to Wisconsin, I should get some.

Everwilde Farms

http://everwilde.com/index.html

Located in the aptly named Bloomer, WI.

I would love to visit but it would be like driving to Escanaba.

Comfrey

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/organic/garden/view_question/id/15/

Evangelizing comfrey.

I love my comfrey.

Today's blooms

I really have to buy a camera.

We have one lonely little winter aconite in the back yard.

"Too few blooms impoverish the view."

We have one lonely little white crocus in the woodland garden.

Ditto above quote.

We have dozens of lovely purple crocuses in the front yard.

Maybe a dozen snowdrops in the front yard.

The star of the garden today is Iris reticulata 'Pauline'

I found a picture at

http://www.ncsu.edu/jcraulstonarboretum/

that looks similar.

Shawnee Brave

Taxodium distichum 'Shawnee Brave'

http://www.soonerplantfarm.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_id=8

We saw one of these at the Cylburn Arboretum in Baltimore, without foliage.

Very interesting deciduous Bald Cypress.

I would like to have one some day.

Cylburn Arboretum

http://www.cylburnassociation.org/

We had a wonderful time in Baltimore.

Very springy, gorgeous weather.

Tons of blossoms including crocuses, daffodils, pansies, forsythias, magnolias, crab apples, and many others.

We visited the Cylburn Arboretum, a destination that I would love to return to many times.

They have a bee hive, bamboo, lots of magnolias, dawn redwoods, ginkgo trees, a seven sons flower (shrub/small tree), and lots of other interesting features.

The Gem Shop

http://thegemshop.com/osc/index.php

The Gem Shop in Cedarburg, WI has some very interesting new rough rock pieces that would make great garden accents.

Ramps

Wild Leeks

Allium tricoccum

Available from Oikos Tree Crops (link here)

I would like to try these, but it seems ironic to buy them from Michigan, where they get them from a Wisconsin source.

http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/alliumtric.html

Germander

Teucrium chamaedrys

http://www.plant-biology.com/Teucrium-germander.php

http://www.superbherbs.net/Germander.htm

We have only one germander plant in the garden and it came through the winter great (s0 far, maybe winter is not over here, even though the first day of spring is only two days away).

Anyway, this encourages me to grow more germander. We have the old-fashioned upright kind, but there are some newer trailing varieties that might be interesting to try.

Deer in the garden

Doe and two fawns (last year fawns, almost as big as the doe) crossed 120th street gong west along the old College Ave, easement, headed for our garden.

We were walking and by the time we got to the garden, they were already out of sight.

Spring flowers in the garden

Crocuses and snowdrops are blooming in the garden today.

I sure wish I had a digital camera.

Siberian Cypress

Microbiota decussata

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/groundcover/microbiota_decussata.html

Zone 2 means that it is more than cold hardy, and it is somewhat shade tolerant, but the good drainage requirement might be the limitiing factor.

That heavy wet Wisconsin clay in winter is a killer.

Skeeter's Broom

Japanese Maple 'Skeeter's Broom'

Available from Great Garden Plants (lnik here)

I like the small stature. This would fit into many different spots in the garden.

Threadleaf Giant Hyssop

Agastache rupestris

Available from Deer-Resistant Landscape Nursery in Clare, MI (link here)

Recommended in "Perennials for Midwestern Gardens" (2008) by Anthony W. Kahtz as the best Agastache for midwestern gardens.

Prairieblues

Baptisia Twilite Prairieblues

Available from Wayside (link here)

Stunning.

Baby Joe

Joe Pye Weed 'Baby Joe'

Available from van Bourgondien (link here)

I love Joe Pye Weed in all its forms.

Green Star

Gladiolus 'Green Star'

Available from von Bourgondien (link here)

and

American Meadows (link here)

Really more of a chartreuse (one of my favorite colors).

Thinking about green flowers because of the proximity of St. Patrick's Day?

Pacific Coast Maples

http://www.pacificcoastmaples.com/

California nursery that is passionate about Japanese Maples.

Echinacea

Good article on coneflowers from The Herb Companion (link here).

Crimson Princess

Japanese Maple 'Crimson Princess'

Available from Great Garden Plants (link here)

This might make a good understory tree.

Black Star

http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/summer/productview/?sku=101-24

Zentedeschia 'Black Star'

I would love to try this, but the price and the lack of hardiness are disincentives.

Leatherwood

Dirca palustris

http://www.mailordernatives.com/servlet/Detail?no=46

Out of stock, unfortunately.

Dirr's Top Ten

http://www.plantersplace.com/Resources/Articles/ViewArticle.aspx?a=53

Michael Dirr's Top Ten Trees & Shrubs

Interesting list.

I had never heard of the leatherwood (Dirca palustris) before, but it sounds like an excellent understory shrub.

Conifers

http://www.conifers.org/index.html

Impressive list of books in the bookstore section.

Ellen's Blue

Buddleia 'Ellen's Blue'

Available from Great Garden Plants (link here)

I like the dwarf habit.

How to Grow Houseplants in Water

http://www.rodale.com/easy-houseplants?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2010_03_12-_-Top5-_-NA

I might have to try this with mint, coleus, and impatiens.

Hawk in the garden

There was a Cooper's hawk in the yard today.

Raccoon in the garden at night

There was a raccoon on the big ash tree in the front yeard last night.

Fiery searcher

Calosoma scrutator

http://entweb.clemson.edu/museum/beetles/local/btle11.htm

This beetle is one of the good guys, eating harmful caterpillars such as gypsy moth.

Gilt Edge

Tricyrtis formosana 'Gilt Edge'

Available from Wayside (link here)

We love our Toad Lily and would like to have more.

Our friend Iris (from Shady Acres and the UPS store) says she has trouble with rabbits eating her toad lilies, but we have never had that problem.

Bridal jig

Iris sibirica 'Bridal Jig'

Available from Van Bourgondien (link here)

Siberian iris are great plants and I would love to have more than we do.

We have the old-fashioned blue variety given to us by our ex-neighbor Jim.

And we have a single stem of a white sport derived from the blues.

Dawn redwood

Metasequoia glyptostroboides

Available from Heronswood (link here)

Hardy to zone 4, would love to have one.

Raccoon in the garden at night

There was a raccoon on the picnic table last night.

Dreamer Fairy

Available from Wind & Weather (link here).

I would love to have one in my garden but $80 seems a little steep.

Michigan State Kiwi

Actinidia arguta

Available from Park Seed (link here).

Hardy to zone 3, 100+ pounds of fruit (requires a pair).

On my wish list.

Half a rabbit in the garden

I found the rear half of a rabbit back by the compost bins today.

Since most of the meat is on the rear half, it seems odd that the predator (e.g., fox or coyote) would take the front half and leave the rear.

I sure wish I had the scout camera to take a picture of whatever returns to get the remainder.

Monches Farm

http://www.monchesfarm.com/

Spring has arrived.

Monches Farm opens tomorrow.

Chocolate basil

An entertaining article on the search for an urban myth from The Herb Companion (link here).

Stories like this are part of what makes gardening so interesting.

First duck of 2010

There was a male mallard in the garden pool just before dusk today.

Last year's first duck was March 19.

Bridge in the garden

The cedar bridge I have been looking at for many months went on sale at Menard's at a significant discount so I bought it.

When the camera returns, I will post a picture of it.

I placed it between the garden pool and the ford.

Canine tracks in the garden

There was a muddy set of canine tracks in the snow alongside the garden pool.

Fox or coyote is my guess.

I sure wish I had my scout camera.

Skull in the garden

I found a skull in the garden today, along side the front sidewalk.

From the size and shape, I would say that it is probably a squirrel.

Wish I had the scout camera to take a picture of it.

First chipmunk sighting 2010

First chipmunk sighting of 2010 today.

It is a bright sunny springy day.

A very slim individual perched high on a snowbank.

Fred's Fine Fowl

http://www.fredsfinefowl.com/

If village government allowed chickens....

Baptisia australis

http://www.perennialplant.org/

Chosen as Perennial Plant of the Year 2010.

I prefer the common name Horsefly Weed.

Opossum in the garden

There was an opossum in the woodland garden this morning.

And no pictures, of course, because I sent the camera to Bushnell.

I got a postcard from Bushnell today saying that they received the camera and that it typically takes 3-4 weeks for repairs.