'Likes' and 'Dislikes' in the 2021 Garden

'Summer Beauty' Alliums (A. lusitanicum) bring magic and pollinators to the garden.

One of the best things about a dry, hot summer is the lack of mosquitoes. I can count on two hands the number of mosquito bites I've had during the past two months. Also, the watered parts of the garden are doing well, and the pollinators are still plentiful.

In just about every other area, including the garden, the combination of drought and heat is challenging. I've been thinking lately about the things I "like" and "dislike" about the garden this summer, and many of the dislikes are related to the early onset of high heat in June and being about 10 inches behind average in rainfall for the year. The combination has been rough on the garden in some areas.

From top left, clockwise: What's usually a very large Hosta has been fragmented (probably rabbit lunches) and taken over by Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis); Mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum) are dry and dormant while Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) takes over; Goldfinger Tithonia (T. rotundifolia) is barely hanging on, while it's thrived in this spot many other years; these Daylilies never bloomed and look stressed; I've been watering the Hydrangeas nearly every day, and they're still saggy; Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) is sad, although it has produced seed.

As I post this, potential rain is in the forecast for the next few days, which is great, although it's too late for some plants that have gone dormant or underperformed. But there are so many other plants (some in watered areas; others drought-tolerant) and other garden aspects that are performing well and bringing happiness.

Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) is really filling in its spot this year.



As always, the 'State Fair Mix' Zinnias (Z. elegans) are attracting butterflies and other pollinators.



Monarch butterflies are plentiful lately, and it's magical to see them mating among the foliage pockets of the Dwarf Korean Lilac.



I took a chance in partial shade with this patch of Hubricht's Amsonia (A. hubrichtii) several years ago. Every year it seems a little happier in its home. As you can see, it's surrounded by Hostas and caged to prevent rabbit damage.







I ordered several garden ornaments from Etsy, and they're adding little touches of whimsy around the garden.



The Wild Senna (S. hebecarpa) is budding and beginning to bloom as I write this. It's one of only a few plantings in the middle garden bed that has survived rabbit damage and thrived for several years now.



The small sunny garden almost always performs well, with sun and supports and fencing from rabbits.



I added a few plants around the mailbox last year, and they're starting to show their personalities. This sweet little plant, Rudbeckia 'American Gold Rush,' was chewed in half by the rabbits but has recovered. I've repeatedly sprinkled rabbit repellent dust around it, and the lack of rain has kept the repellent in place. I've also since planted Daffodils and Alliums around it, which should help repel the rabbits in spring and summer. Fingers crossed.



Fortunately, the rabbits didn't get to the adjacent Echinacea 'Sombrero Baja Burgundy' plant. The color of this one is bright and varies with the angle of the sun. This morning, just before posting this, I noticed several bumblebees enjoying its nectar and pollen.



I'm very excited about this new native Climbing Rose (Rosa setigera), also protected from rabbits with caging. I've had many plants in this spot over the years, usually annuals, so hopefully this beauty will take up residence, thrive, and bloom for years to come.   



I've read that blooming Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) is a cue to hummingbird males to begin migrating. It seems early this year, and our little resident male hummingbird is still very active and keeping us entertained, along with some females (and presumably we'll see some juveniles  after they fledge).

The Surprise Lilies (Lycoris squamigera) are emerging, and likely will be blooming in a few days...believe it or not, they grow inches every day, to a height of 12-24 inches total, and bloom just days after they emerge!

I've planted various milkweeds around the garden for many years, and I'm happy to see several new Butterflyweeds (Asclepias tuberosa) are thriving, blooming, and attracting pollinators. I haven't found monarch eggs on these particular plants, but there are plenty in other parts of the garden.

The garden conditions and results are mixed this year. Since more rain is on the way, I look forward to many more weeks of "likes" and garden smiles in the weeks to come.

Plant of the Month: Apache Plume

I'm just returning from an extended road trip to the Four Corners region of the Southwest U.S.--where New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado meet. Of course, this "plant nerd" had to photograph a few growing things along the way.

One, in particular, that caught my eye was a unique shrub with fluffy seedheads: Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa). It's the only species in its genus.



We saw it in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where its rosy glow nicely framed the local pueblo-style architecture.



And at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, where the shrubs were plentiful along the paths, blending naturally with their surroundings.

Apache Plume is native to only eight U.S. states--California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, as well as Northern Mexico. If I lived in one of those locations, I would plant one or more. Thing is, it has a very specific preference for dry, rocky locations. In good garden soil with organic matter, it can look rangy and produces fewer flowers, according to Texas A&M University.

I'm thinking this is not a plant for most temperate gardens, but best enjoyed in its native setting.



From a distance, Apache Plume resembles a Smokebush (Cotinus) cultivar, but its seedheads/fruits are very similar to those of its cousin in the Rose family, Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum).



The small white flowers resemble related blooms in the Rose family. When the petals drop, the feathery achene fruits/seeds puff out, giving it a soft, fluffy appearance. It's the kind of seedhead you want to touch, and it's very soft.



The foliage is semi-evergreen; small, deeply lobed leaves along slender, twiggy branches. Among the many Apache Plume shrubs we saw during the trip, the seedhead colors ranged from a creamy white to a lovely rose-pink.



The plumes are very attractive with bright light shining through their filaments.



Go ahead: Try to resist touching those soft, powder-puff plumes!



Apache Plume is hardy to zone 5, but, again, best-suited to its native habitat in the Southwest U.S. It grows to 6 ft. tall and wide, according to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. It grows in part shade to full sun, and is a good choice for a xeriscape garden.

Historically, its branches were used for sweeping and its steeped leaves for tea and hair-washing. In its dry, rocky native habitat, it's an important forage and cover plant for wild animals and a nectar source for pollinators.



At its peak display, it looks soft enough for a pillow ...

(Linking this post to Dozens for Diana.)

Plant of the Month: Wild Columbine

This plant, Aquilegia canadensis--common names, Wild Columbine or Eastern Red Columbine--is following me wherever I go this spring/summer. Do you ever get that feeling? That you're seeing the same plant everywhere?

I haven't left my own state this growing season, but I've been in the north, the south, and the middle sections of Wisconsin--in shade and sun and dappled-in-between. Places with sandy soil, clay soil, and loamy soil.



This native Columbine seems happy in just about every location--even growing out of rocks, as I mentioned in my last post. It's reblooming in a new pollinator garden I helped establish--out in south-facing, bright sun at the edge of a farm field.



I've noticed Wild Columbine for most of my life, of course, but this year seems to be an especially good year for it and I seem to be particularly in love with it.



One especially nifty aspect of this plant, which I didn't realize until recently, is that it competes quite well with our non-native, invasive Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata). During a hike in one of our state parks earlier this season, we noticed an overgrowth of Garlic Mustard.



The only other plant of significance in the forest understory was Wild Columbine. If you have a stubborn patch of Garlic Mustard, perhaps Columbine can help reclaim it.



A. canadensis is native to most of North America east of the Rockies, according to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. It's cold-tolerant, heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant, and moisture-tolerant. The blooms seem to be the perfect invitation to birds, butterflies, and hummingbirds--and I've seen them all enjoying its nectar, pollen, and seeds.

A larval host for the Columbine Duskywing butterfly, this plant readily reseeds, and most sources say it's best propagated by seed. It also readily hybridizes with other Columbines, which can yield some interesting color combinations. Some gardeners complain that it can be somewhat invasive.

When we first moved to our current property, we had a patch of Wild Columbine, but for some reason it disappeared. I recently added some back to the garden. I'm a big fan.



I'm also linking in with Gail's Wildflower Wednesday over at Clay and Limestone. (I made it just in time to call it a Wednesday post!)

Plant of the Month: Ornamental Sage

Is there a plant in your garden that you're worried won't survive this brutal winter? For gardeners outside the U.S. and Canada, are you concerned about specific plants in your garden for other reasons?

Lately, my Ornamental Sage plants have been on my mind. I'm not sure why, because they're tough perennials! I don't have the original tags, but I believe mine are either Salvia nemorosa or the hybrid Salvia x superba. They've graced the outer corners of my potager garden for about a decade now, and they've always bounced back every spring like clockwork.

Ornamental Sage in June 2013.

As soon as they start blooming, the pollinators cover them! I didn't realize until I started cropping the photos for this post that all but two show bumblebees diving in for the Salvias' plentiful nectar! (Can you see them? You can click on the photos to enlarge them.) In fact, it's hard to get a shot of these spikey lavendar/blue beauties without bumbles--not that I've really tried either way.
Ornamental Sages prefer sun, and rich but well-drained soil. They grow to about two feet tall, and form a shrub-like shape. They have a unique scent, similar to other plants in the Mint family, Lamiaceae. And rabbits and deer tend to avoid them.

Ornamental Sage in July 2012, at the height of that year's drought. Note the brown, dried lawn in the background. Granted, the plants were watered regularly, but they showed very little sign of stress.

Why am I worried about these plants? I guess I shouldn't worry because they've survived extreme temperatures and droughts for years. S. nemorosa and its hybrid superba are hardy to zone 5, and some sources say to zone 4. My two clumps are tucked in for the winter with a warm layer of Marsh Hay mulch and soft snow, and they're planted near the house foundation--on the sunny west side of the house.

Still I worry...

Ornamental Sage in August 2013. After several rounds of deadheading, still plenty of nectar and pollen to go around.

I can't imagine my garden without them. They've become fixtures--reliable stallwarts that I count on every year.

This "Dummy's Guide" to planting flowers for bees notes that when in bloom, Salvias are "covered with bees all day long." I concur.

In my garden, that means continuous blooms and continuous pollinators from May through August.

But you're more likely to have repeat blooms if you deadhead them. Several times during the season, I spend a little time every few weeks pinching off the spent blooms. I'm not picky, I just grab the garden pruners and start cutting back--usually to the base of each individual stem. Within days, I have blooms again.

I've heard other gardeners say the Ornamental Sages can be floppy. That might be true, but mine are planted with fencing as supports on two sides, and other potager plants on the other sides. And with the regular deadheading, they really don't get floppy at all.

I sure hope they'll be back this spring and summer!