Fibermania

Cornflowers in pink not blue
Future Presents

For Christmas this year we decided to buy a garden.
It was on sale and I had a coupon. (where have I heard that one before?)

We are grateful to have the planting spots already laid out by the previous owners, but of course we want to insert our own ideas of what should be planted there. First, we are adding to a foundation of familiar items that we brought along from our former garden, like dependable and shade loving hosta.

One can never have too many hosta. Hosta Blue above and below Hosta Royal Standard

And for the shade we will also introduce a cultivar of Virginia Bluebells. I think we have some in the forest already, but these are bred to be larger. We'll see about that .

It's hard to get excited by sedum, but lately I have developed a deep love for their dependability. Droughts don't seem to bother them and if we do get plenty of rain, then they really grow big. And late season color doesn't hurt either.And what is May without Poppies? I ordered a grab bag o'poppies, which even if it turns out to be all red ones, it won't matter. I'll love just those. And real primroses which I always saw for sale as potted plants at the grocery store, but never had the courage to try in my yard. I believe the gentler climate here will be perfect. Hopefully the soil will be OK too. When I visited North Carolina last May I saw huge stands of Lupines like this one The Chatelaine. I've had Lupines in IL but expect to have more here in TN. And we must have Asiatic Lilies. These come as a grab bag too. 15 for $9. Who knows what'll bloom, colorwise, and does it matter? The pale colored ones smell so fabulous and the brighter colored ones are just great too.

We know that we lost a few fruit trees so in replacing them I have decided to add a fig. I had my first fresh fig last year, and loved it. So if I can grow them here, I will be so happy. Since we are looking forward to a much longer growing season, there are so many more things that we can plant here, and expect to see them returning perennially. Pink and white Pampas grasses, which will border the pond. The ducks should like these.

And what I am most excited about is Hydrangeas. Big bountiful bushes full of huge mopheaded flowers. I have several already in the yard, and am adding a red and blue variety. We have acid soils here, so they should retain their specific advertised colorings. A neighbor down the road had unbelieveable blue ones all summer. Huge is an understatement.

Hydrangea Royal Red

Hydrangea Royal Purple

And Hardy Fuchsia! I must be dreaming. Let's see if growing in the ground and not in a hanging planter will make a difference. I pray I keep them alive.


Dave wanted some vines to cover the retaining wall and so Trumpet Vines were ordered in orange and yellow. They are everywhere locally so we have confidence they will thrive in our yard too.

And for the birds, Echinops Ritro. I saw these in Switzerland and grabbed a few seed heads. I will add those to these. The leaves have spikes and looks mean but aren't.

Shasta Daisies, for May and June because we like them.

Black Eyed Susan's for August because nothing else will be blooming.

We don't expect to see anything arriving until March. And then they will not be delivered all at once. I will greet UPS with my boots on, the shovel shapened and my wheelbarrow at the ready.