All My Friends are Flowers

garden inspiration and design

Double the Delphiniums

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Gorgeous spires of blossoms in pinks, purples, blues, and whites emerge in early summer bringing butterflies and hummingbirds with them. To encourage a repeat performance it’s essential to remove spent blossoms. Here’s how to to bring back your blossoms.

garden delphiniums

Remember to wear gloves when handling delphiniums since they contain alkaloids that can cause skin irritation. We absolutely love Atlas nitrile gloves. They are super slim, and perfect for light pruning. Plus they come in a bunch of fun colors!

garden gloves allmyfriendsphotography

Once blooms have faded, grab you Felco pruners and trim stalks about 3″ from the ground. Remove any damaged or yellowing leaves as well. To kick start a second round of color, apply a water soluble fertilizer weekly. Enjoy double the delphiniums!

Bartzella Itoh Peony: The Perfect Cutting Flower

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Bartzella Itoh Peony
Paeonia x ‘Bartzella’
Bartzella is the perfect cutting peony!  The lemon yellow double blossoms will make a springy statement, whether it’s in your landscape or in a vase on your kitchen table. 
Unlike other peony varieties, (which require hoops or stakes so that the heavy blossoms don’t bend the stalks to the ground) staking is unnecessary for this strong-stalked variety, making it must have for peony lovers!  Plant this buttery bloomer in masses for blocks of color, or pair with pink toned spring bloomers like English daisies, bleeding hearts, or creeping phlox.     
USDA Zones: 4-9
Exposure: partial to full sun
Height: 2-3’
Width: 2-3’
Bloom time: late spring
Soil media: prefers well drained soil
Water requirements: regular watering
Photo Attributions:
Monrovia.com
Photographer: Doreen Wynja

Jack Frost Siberian Bugloss

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Brunnera macrophylla
Jack Frost?  Hearing that name can send shivers
down the spine of anyone who has just turned the
bend from winter to spring.  But with one look at this beautiful
brunnera, laced with icy silver will assure you
that the warmer weather is here to stay. 
The bright blue blossoms of this shade-lover will brighten
up any border, bed, or walkway. 
Large leaves provide beautiful texture for shady woodland
garden.  It thrives in moist conditions, which makes it
a perfect plant for boggy areas. 
USDA Zones: 3-9
Exposure: full to partial shade
Height: 12-18’’
Width: 12-15’’
Bloom time: spring
Soil media: prefers constantly moist soil
Water requirements: regular watering
Photo Attributions:
Northern Shade Gardening
www.northernshade.ca

‘Purple Cascade’ Aubretia

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Are you looking for a waterfall of spring color?
Look no further! ‘Purple Cascade’ is the perfect spiller for spring.
The profuse mini-blossoms for a carpet in the early months of the year
While the green foliage works as textured ground cover for the
remaining months of the season.
Go find ‘Purple Cascade’ aubretia at your local garden center!


USDA Zones: 5a-10b
Exposure: full sun
Height: 6-12’’
Width: 10-24’’
Bloom time: mid-spring
Soil media: prefers well drained soil
Water requirements: regular watering

Photo Attributions:

Absolutely Amethyst

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Who doesn’t love candytuft?
The cheery, clustered blossoms definitely shout spring.  The wonderful plant provider Proven Winnershas released a brand new variety that is a must have for perennial gardens. 
New ‘Absolutely Amethyst’ puts a spin on the typically snowy white blossoms.  This new variety sports with lavender centers that fade to pale purple edges.  This candytuft is absolutely perfect for a sunny bed or rock garden. 


Well now that we’ve discussed one of the new must have spring blooming perennials, lets talk about the company that makes ‘Absolutely Amethyst’ and countless other new
varieties possible:  Proven Winners! 
Proven Winners maintains a focus on the sustainable production of plants that
are disease resistant and unsurpassed in flower production.  We’re excited to feature Proven Winners on our website!
To find a Proven Winners retailer near you, visit
www.provenwinners.com
USDA Zones: 4a-9b
Exposure: full sun
Height: 10-12’’
Width: 8-10’’
Bloom time: late spring
Soil media: prefers well drained soil
Water requirements: average
Photo Attribution:
Proven Winners, www.provenwinners.com

Helleborus- The Lenten Rose

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For those whose French is limited to munching on baguettes and the occasional donning of a beret,
 fleur de jour is French for “flower of the day”.  Alas, this post will not be a daily but weekly update onnew and otherwise must-have annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees for the garden.
But fleur de jour sounds much more beautiful than flower of the week (fleur de semaine).  So without further adieu…..
In the midst of the commonly cold and blustery weather associated with the month of March, we find ourselves blissfully enjoying sporadic afternoons of friendly sunshine, if only for a few hours at a time.  Sunny rays and patches of blue sky remind us that spring willcome, and that the lackluster palate of grays and browns will eventually give way into a watercolor spring.  Are you ready to flourish your paint brush? 

For splendid spring color that stands out against drab snow and tired evergreens, Lenten Rose are the perfect perennial plants for a kick start of color.  Breaking through the snow in late winter/early spring they add a variety of color to beds and borders.  Their glossy, evergreen leaves also work to add year round structure to your landscape. 

Flower colors range from deep purples to cream and light green.  Blossoms can be double or single based on the variety.  New on the market his year are:

‘Merlin’ features single blossoms that emerge pink and then age to a deep burgundy
‘Onxy Odessy’ with dark purple double blossoms with red undertones


USDA Zones: 4a-9b
Exposure: morning sun/afternoon shade
Height: 12-18’’
Width: 15-18’’
Bloom time: late winter/early spring
Soil media: like most shade lovers, Hellebores prefer acidic to slightly acidic soil, but due to their easy-going nature, will survive in most soil conditions as long as the soil is well drained, and rich in organic matter
Water requirements: Hellebores are praised for their tolerance of neglect, but they perform best in evenly moist conditions


Photo attributions:
GAPphotos.com, Photographer Friedrich Strauss
National Garden Beauro Inc.  ngb.org
Terra nova Nurseries, terranovanurseries.com

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