Monday, April 26, 2010

Spring rushes on


'Crimson King' first bloomed in the big perennial bed and is now blooming next to the sidewalk in front of the house. There is no jewel that has a color that can match this iris, and the fragrance is very good too.



The Piedmont Azaleas are finishing up -- I think even in this phase they are beautiful, as though shedding teardrops -- and others are in their prime. This is an azalea we rescued from DH's grandparents' farm before the place was bulldozed for development. The azalea was in pretty bad shape and I wasn't sure it would survive, but we've had it 4 or 5 years now and it's doing well. I love the double shell pink flowers.


Coast azalea has lovely glaucous foliage and sticky flower buds. The fragrance of the flowers is of cloves and cotton candy. This is an especially fragrant selection from Sunlight Gardens in Tennessee. The flowers are larger than that of my other coast azaleas too.




This is the only Florida azalea to bloom this year. The other 3 that used to be in front of the house when it was in its original location are still alive, but I had to move them next to the house this year; they were too close to pine trees that were sucking the life out of them. Sometimes 15 feet is too close. You can catch the sweet fragrance of the flowers just by walking past them.


These daffodils, be they 'Trevithian' or not, are super. After almost 4 weeks some are still blooming.


'Homestead' Verbena


Columbine seedlings



Clematis 'HF Young'



Noid lavender pink spiderwort


Iris cristata with Running Green and Gold. These plants are at the foot of
Loblolly Pines, and experience both flood and Sahara-type dryness, and they thrive.


Ozark Phlox




Wild Geranium


Baptisia (alba/australis seedling)



'Jesse's Song' with a yellow noid from Gene's grandmother.


I am so excited that 'Crepuscule' has all of these buds. I have heard this rose praised as one of the most perfect for the south, and I love the peach color of the blooms. Whether I have the tame or monster version remains to be seen. Since 'Cl. Devoniensis' died perhaps the trellis stands a chance.


I have rugosa seedlings all over the garden. If it weren't for the Japanese beetles they would bloom from now until hard freezes. I hope the neighbor's wandering guineas live up to the hype and really do ingest JBs and fire ants. Rugosas may not be the fanciest or have the most luscious flowers, but they do live and thrive. All of these are fragrant too. Anything with rubra smells like damask and cloves; the alba just smell like cloves.


Rugosa rubra





What is this? I thought it was a sucker from Basye's Purple or the supposed Purple Pavement, but it looks perhaps like a rugosa/ R. carolina hybrid. The fragrance is rose/cloves, not rose/lemon like a Carolina rose. The flower reminds me of R. carolina, but I wonder where those fringed petals came from.


'Foxi Pavement' seedling



probable 'Hansa'/ 'Foxi Pavement' seedling


'Foxi Pavement', which looks lilac-pink in the afternoon shade


'Cl. Devoniensis' died, but I still have the shrub form of 'Devoniensis'.


Exquisite, isn't it? The fragrance is fruity, much like strawberries in the sun.


Rosa x cantabrigiensis is a very graceful rose, with the flowers clothing the
arching branches all the way to the tips. They open butter yellow and fade to cream.






'Climbing Old Blush' with 'Hansa' in the background




25 comments:

  1. Now you've convinced me, I must move my iris cristata. It is in a fairly moist area but does not do too well. The green and gold does well though so I think I'll combine them as you have done. Everything looks so good. Spring is simply wonderful.

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  2. Oh my gosh, what a nice tour on this thunderstorming Monday. I love all of your flowers. Your roses are absolutely wonderful, I love all the single varieties that you have. I just lost Mutabilis and that has been a bummer. I love your Florida azalea also. You must be really enjoying your gardens now that spring is really here.

    Enjoy and thank you for all of your wonderful pictures. They always touch my heart.

    FlowerLady

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  3. I agree. That 'Crimson King' is more beautiful that any jewel! And the rugosa roses! Not fancy or luscious enough? I think they are absolutely beautiful. Over the years, my favorite flowers have become those who are the toughest in my garden.

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  4. Your azaleas and clematis are just beautiful. I really like the rugosas, I have Theresa Bugnet and love her almost transparent pink petals. It breaks my heart every year when the Japanese beetles devastate them.

    I like that pale yellow rose too. In the spring when the foliage is new roses have no equal.
    Marnie

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  5. Wow, look at all your colors! I adore columbines but don't seem to have much luck with them (pout!). Irises with scent are the best ever!

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  6. My goodness Sweetbay, your garden is in its glory! You must be turning in all directions to grasp what you have done. So beautiful, and I can smell the rugosas - we have one called R rugosa 'Scabrosa'. Sadly they only bloom sporadically, but with nothing to do to them but enjoy, they are great in the garden.

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  7. Gosh, you must be something like two months ahead of us, what an mazing flowershow you offer today. Beautiful all of them, but I felt a special tuch in my heart for your Florida Azalea, a real pretty color that was :)

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  8. Your post was full of beauties today!! (as always) Wish we had smell-o-vision I just love the fragrance of rugosas. How do you like the pavement series? true to size? Thinking it might be a good one on part of the bank down towards the lake.
    I love the architectural aspects of the Iris....makes you want to climb inside.

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  9. Wow. Simply stunning photography. I am growing some of these beauties (they are months away from blossom.) That always amazes me to see the timing difference between our gardens and yet we've planted the same things. I really love the wild look of those roses. :)

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  10. Sweetbay,

    That Noid pink spiderwort I might have to talk you out of a small piece of it. The rugosa roses are WOW. Everything is so cheery!

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  11. It all looks so ladylike and sweet ... roses, azaleas, irises. Pinks and purples and creams. I love the rosa x cantabrigiensis, it's a charmer.

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  12. Your double shell pink azaela looks super with the blue phlox. I love those two soft colours together. The purple Jesse's Song iris looks good with the meadow plants. There must be a lovely scent with all of your roses in bloom.

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  13. Thanks for sharing your bounty. I could dive into that first iris.

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  14. I agree, jewels and perfume are no match for your 'Crimson King'...the color is crazy beautiful. I'd want it blooming next to the sidewalk, too, where I could enjoy it more often.

    Nice that the grandparents' azaleas have adjusted to their new home. That's something special for you to have them.

    Blooming columbines (at first I typed clementines)...mine are no where near blooming. Read recently that columbine roots and seeds are very toxic. Don't know if that's true, but it made me think twice.

    Glad to see that you have something in your garden that represents the Green Bay Packers...your Running Green and Gold:)

    I planted one Baptisia plant last year. Will it grow to look like yours or do you have several plants there? I need to do some reading about them.

    The Sweet White Violets...yes, they have a delicate, sweet scent.

    donna

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  15. Hi Sweet Bay, it is looking so good! Iris and roses, it just doesn't get any better. Your shots of the roses and iris are incredible, what a fragance must be wafting through the air there. :-)
    Frances

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  16. Wow! You always have so many flowers, and you know the name of every one. I always see something new in your posts. I know you must work hard making sure all of your plantings are in just the right spot. I have been inspired by you to keep up with the names of my plants a little better. Hope you have a wonderful week. Carla

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  17. I just love the pink azaleas with the tiny blue flowers underneath. That color combination is just lovely. The large blooms of the iris are just spectacular. What a beautiful spring!

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  18. So much going on in your garden, Sweet Bay! The irises and the roses, especially the Devoniensis, are simply beautiful. I've heard shrub roses can take over a spot, but I much prefer a plant like that that doesn't require a lot of TLC. And I can't believe you still have a daffodil blooming. Your Carolina springtime looks wonderful!

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  19. The roses are so pretty as does everything else - you have lots of bloom right now. It is gorgeous.

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  20. Hi Sweet Bay! The opening photo of 'Crimson King' is knock-your-socks-off amazing. I felt like I was right there about to smell it.
    I know how rugged the other roses are but Cl. Devoniensis is superb. Of course I'm partial to those full petaled varieties tho.
    All your beautiful blooms and scenes look like June around here ~ certainly not April! I hope the Guineas can help keep the Japanese Beetles in check. It would be a shame to have all these beauties eaten up. One plus for Colorado ~ no JB's (at least yet).

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  21. Hi Sweetbay, yes everything in there is beautiful, i cannot pick one which is not so! It is so bad if not many eyes can see them while they are still in bloom. Unfortunately, it is so heavy that i cannot open all, and i had to wait for a long time before i can put the comment. nevertheless, i enjoyed with what i saw. thank you.

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  22. Just when I thought I had accepted my garden~shade and all~I see your beautiful roses and iris and go gaga! They are perfectly wonderful and your photos are incredible....I just read what Kathleen wrote and that is how I felt about that beautiful iris! gail

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  23. It must smell as good as it looks there. Every picture was just so pretty and clear. I really loved the combination of the Azalea and phlox. One day I'd love to have more space and be able to grow more roses like you have.

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  24. Love the 'open' blooms of rugosa and
    Rosa x cantabrigiensis!

    So much looking so good in your garden

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