Friday, January 15, 2010

Blooming Friday ~ Wishful Thinking


The North Carolina Botanical garden in Chapel Hill is a special place to me -- it's the first place I saw natives used to really wonderful effect in a garden.

Over the years I have gotten many plants from the Garden, mostly through seeds that the garden gives out to members every year and some through plant purchases, but there's still some that I don't have -- yet. :)

Southern wood fern, a gorgeous fern that I covet.


The beautiful reseeding biennial scorpionweed, which I
still have not managed to get established in the garden.


I don't know if I could give pasqueflower the conditions that it needs, but I love the color.


I have dwarf crested iris, both in lavender and this soft blue that is the same color as woodland phlox


but I would love to add the white as well!


I don't have vernal iris either.


I have tried rue anemone before but it didn't make it; I'll have to try it again, as I
think the delicate lime-green foliage and frilly flowers look like the essence of spring.


We have 2 species of wild viburnum on the farm, Viburnum nudum and a mystery viburnum that grows in one of the sloughs. The mystery viburnum blooms very early and may be blackhaw viburnum, Viburnum prunifolium. I keep forgetting to take cuttings or collect berries from it. I should, especially after seeing blackhaw close-up at the Garden. It's grown as a beautiful small tree there.



I have woodland phlox, like that which is pictured here next to the Totten Center at the Garden


but not Phlox stolonifera. I love this snowy white form.


Red buckeye is probably the most disease resistant buckeye that we have, although it still loses its leaves earlier than most trees. (For the record the buckeye I really covet is painted buckeye.)


Who could not be charmed by these flowers? They look like pink bunny rabbits.


I have 3 Florida Azaleas, but there is a lot or variability among individuals with color and
flower form. The ones I have are an orange sherbet color, but isn't this golden yellow nice?


As well as this beautiful azalea with the rosy pink/ orange/ golden buds. The fragrance is delicious.


I planted three baldcypress that I grew some seed a few years ago by the small pond that's in one of the floodway field, but I need a pondcypress too!


Bird's foot violet is very unique-looking. It requires poor soil and excellent drainage.


I have Amsonia hubrictii and A. tabernaemontana and love both of them, but look at this A. ciliata,
the fuzzy stems and leaves and those heavenly blue flowers.



I can't remember the name of this xeric-type phlox, but isn't it charming?


Last but not least, I would love to have the cream-colored bottlebrush flowers and brilliant fall colors of fothergilla in my garden.


This is where the Garden has its plants for sale, which people pay for on the honor system. I think I can hear some of those plants calling my name!

Thank you to Katarina at roses and stuff for hosting Blooming Friday.


26 comments:

  1. You really have a lot of wonderful flowers. I especially lika the woodland phlox. And so much beauty to long for. That´s happiness. Thank you for showing! Have a nice week end!

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  2. I love the shot with the cabin in it and love that some things are still done on the honor system.

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  3. So beautiful and makes me wishful too. Have you shown the prunifolium on your blog? I purchased a blackhaw last fall and am anxious to see what it looks like. I'm still looking for that great scorpion weed. It's lovely in your garden.

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  4. Wonderful post sweetbay, what a great place and I bet you didn't get home empty handed :-)
    Have a great weekend, Happy Blooming Friday/ xx Tyra

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  5. Would love to visit that plant sale.

    I've always wanted fothergilla too but do not have the right conditions for it. If you can't get rue anemone to establish, try False Rue Anemone (Isopyrum biternatum). I love it and it is much easier to grow in my grarden.
    Marnie

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  6. Too, too tempting. There is always another plant out there with our name on it. It's what keeps our blood flowing!
    Enjoy your weekend.

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  7. Beautiful and unusual flowers, none of which I have seen!I wish I could visit the garden some day! Have a great weekend!

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  8. Lovely post of wishes and what is. Your flower photos are gorgeous as usual Sweet Bay! The light is magic. You are lucky to have such a Botanical garden near by and to be able to purchase plants! What a bonus! Honor system no less! ;>) Carol

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  9. You have such beautiful flowers!! Simply amazing.

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  10. What a beautiful garden. I love the fern and the different types of phlox. Happy Friday!

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  11. So many lovely flowers. Beautiful!

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  12. What a fantastic treat for a Friday.
    Beautiful flowers rich in colour,very pleaseing to the eye.
    Lovely photography.
    JR.

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  13. Very tempting pictures...beautifully captured! The honor system of the shop is lovely.
    I wish you a great weekend!

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  14. Sweetbay, I do love natives and these are fantastic! What a wonderful place to shop! We have
    V rufidulum and it's a beauty...the twig tips are a rusty brown for id!

    gail

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  15. what a great collection of coveted plants. Your photo of the Red Buckeye bloom is wonderful. I fully understand desiring each and every one of those beauties.

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  16. Great photos of so many beautiful plants! I'll bet you purchased a lot of new ones for your garden.

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  17. I love to visit places like this, Sweet Bay. I always come away inspired and full of wishful thinking, too. My appreciation of native wildflowers has also grown after seeing them in large expanses in some local parks. These are all so beautiful, it's no wonder you want them all!

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  18. Your flowers are all so beautiful. Unfortunately our weather will keep my real enjoying of flowers quelled until at least April.

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  19. Lots of lovely flowers you're showing, I extra fancied those Amsonia and Phlox,the simplicity and beauty..I honest believe I would had had a hard time not 'throwing' some money into the bucket of that honor system, to hard to recist.

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  20. I would love a Fothergilla - I think its autumn tints are like an incredible bonfire.

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  21. Thank you everyone for visiting and leaving comments.

    Les the cabin was built by the playwright Paul Green in Chapel Hill and was moved to the Garden in 1991. Paul Green grew up in Harnett County, one county over from where I live now, and wrote The Lost Colony.

    Gail I believe I've seen pictures of your Viburnum and coveted that one too. lol

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  22. Oh my, Sweet Bay, I want to jump into the screen and buy some of those plants!!! They are all wonderful, I can vouch for the fothergillas, they will sucker enough to make more plants for you to spread, that helps justify the cost. Of course the azaleas are my favorites. I have been to those gardens, many years ago while taking my son to the doctors at the UNC hospital on campus regularly. We enjoyed the art displays in the gardens too. A wonderful resource. :-)
    Frances

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  23. Frances the Garden is indeed a wonderful resource. I love the artwork too.

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  24. What a terrific place. No wonder it inspired you. I would say you've done a great job with your own garden tho. I hope you get a few more of these wished for plants in 2010. I've looked longingly at the pasque flowers for a few years now too ~ not sure why I haven't added them. The early spring color would be so welcome.

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  25. Some of those plants for sale are also calling my name. The honor system...luv it.

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  26. Hi again sweet bay, wow… what stunning photos of some wonderful plants! Favs have to be the Fern and the Fothergilla :-D

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