Sunday, April 1, 2012

The Green and White Time of Year

Our first daffodils have faded and the next phase of spring is underway.   I call this phase 'The Green and White' phase.  We have a lot of white blooms and some wonderful variegated foliage plants.  Green and white seems clean and bright.
Physocarpus opulifolius 'Lemon Candy' is a new variety of Ninebark.  The spring foliage is bright yellow.  As they age the leaves turn green.  Right now its interest factor is blooms like this, all over the shrub.   This Ninebark is a small,compact variety, growing to about 3 feet at maturity (or so they say...it is almost there now!)

In the front garden are three new Iberis 'Masterpiece'.   I have looking longingly at others' Candytuft and finally broke down and bought some.  I love the purple buds!  I know these white blooms will be done soon, but they have performed wonderfully this year, expecting lots more from it next year!


Very similar in appearance to the Ninebark are the blooms from the Spiraea vanhouttei.  I planted nine barerooted Spirea in December and to date all nine are doing well.

The white daffodils are now blooming.  Along the hillside by the driveway is a nice clump of Narcissus 'Thalia'.  This white bloom is fragrant-- a nice bonus.

Further up the driveway is a new daffodil.  Narcissus 'Salome' gets whiter as it ages.  The cup is a peachy pink/yellow.


The most recent daffodil to open is another new one, Narcissus 'Snowball'   It is hard to photograph, the head is nodding and with all its ruffles, you can't get a good angle.

Under my Edgeworthia are a couple Athyrium niponicum var. pictum, Japanese painted fern.  I have enough shade under the Edgeworthia during the growing season to give these ferns a nice place to grow.
 
Also under the Edgeworthia's shade are a couple Ajuga 'Sparkler'.  This is a small, variegated leaf ajuga.  According to the Missouri Botantical Garden site, it tolerates rabbits, good thing!

Up the hill from the ferns and ajuga is a row of Deutzia gracilis 'Nikko' putting on a nice showing of tiny white blooms.

Since this variety of Deutzia is a low grower, there is a  wonderful variegated hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla 'Variegata' planted in back of them.  Aren't these leaves gorgeous?

Echoing the variegated leaves is a row of hostas.  One of the plants with no name... oops.

Aren't these leaves pretty too?  Nice echo of the hydrangea leaves.


In the backyard are a few more green and white plants....Fothergilla 'Mt. Airy' now putting its leaves out while still flowering.

 Emerging through the leaf litter are some of my Japanese Forest  grasses. Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'.  So far it is still tiny...hope it grows leaps and bounds this summer.
A little further down to the water is a Variegated Solomon Seal,  Polygonatum falcatum 'Variegatum' So far only three stems have emerged.  It does have blooms though!!

 Finally, the white little bells of Pieris japonica 'Cavatine'.  Some call it a Lily of the Valley bush, see why?
Do you have a dominate color in your garden right now?

©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

36 comments:

  1. Janet,

    Our daffodils are nearly finished, yours still going wow. Loved the show, really nice that Nine Bark. Our Eastern Redbuds are almost done, the show stealer here is Flowering Dogwoods and creeping phlox.

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    1. Randy, I have daffodil varieties that bloom throughout the season, from early to late. I love dogwoods when they are in their full glory.

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  2. I saw some photos of hakonechloa in my master gardener class this winter, and have a spot in my garden for it. Keep us updated on th progress of yours.

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    1. Swimray, I will keep you posted. Checked my Hakonechloa today, it certainly isn't breaking speed records! More to come later in the season.

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  3. Green and white -- so pure and delightful! That Ninebark is so pretty! Love your creative photos of the hosta.

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    1. Freda, yes, I think green and white is delightful. Looking forward to watching this ninebark over the growing season.

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  4. Janet I can see why it is green and white...I love white blooms and foliage and yours is lovely...my next phase is the purple, pinks and blues...but that will happen later in April...we still have lots of bulbs waiting to open due to the recent cold snap.

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    1. Donna (Garden Eye View), my purples and pinks are just starting. We are in full a/c mode....summer plants are blooming strong!

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  5. White is almost always dominant in my garden, except in Spring. The reds, yellows and purple overshadow the whites. But, they come back strong when the roses bloom. I too have Salome, but she has opened a little early this year.Your garden photos are really beautiful. I like the way you framed the images.

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    1. Donna (GWGT) white just pops in the garden, really a great addition. My Salome is new to me this year, hope she performs well again next year and years to come.

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  6. i was going to say those are lots of my favorites, but what isn't? haha! i love everything...just depends on the day! but fothergilla is way up the list. and your thalia and salome daffs are, too. need to look for that sparkler ajuga...love the variegation. how's the pieris doing for you? they're such beautiful shrubs, but in my garden they grow, and hang in there, but don't exactly thrive. and, to answer your question, my dominant color right now is probably blue. ajuga, woodland phlox, periwinkle, wood hyacinth, mazus, veronica.

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    1. Daricia, we do have lots of favorites don't we? haaahaa. Fothergilla is really a nice one, very glad I have some.

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  7. Hi Janet, What a nice post! Sadly, the dominant color in my garden is still brown, but things are getting more colorful by the minute. I have a collection of Ninebark, but could always find a spot for one more. 'Lemon Candy' sounds very interesting. I added a Deutzia last summer and so am looking forward to seeing in this spring. I don't know that I have seen Ajuga 'Sparkler' before. It's quite pretty. Candytuft is a favourite my Mom always grew. Love the shot looking down at the centre of the hosta!

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    1. Jennifer, I know your garden will pop here soon! You should try to find 'Lemon Candy' it is such a small one. The Deutzia really is spectacular this year, its second full spring in ground.

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  8. The dominate color in my garden is still brown, LOL, but that will change soon. Love your green and white. Have you seen the new violet-pink candytuft - Amethyst something or other? I've got it on my want list.

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    1. VW, your garden will be a full rainbow of color soon! I have heard of Candytuft Amethyst ...will have to check it out.

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  9. I'm scratching my head over the disappearance of many of my daffodils this year. I don't think critters will eat them, but at least half are MIA. Well, at least I got to enjoy yours. Thanks!

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    1. ricki, I can't imagine who 'took' your daffodils. Most animals leave them alone...well, that isn't quite right, they won't eat them. I had a number of them dug up, some squirrel looking for something...and left on top of the ground.

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  10. Your garden is looking stunning.

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  11. Wow Janet you have so many pretty white blooms now. I love your Iberis. Just gorgeous. I have a couple of Amethyst ones on order to go with my white ones. I love them too.I love your Ajuga Sparkler also. I like the foliage a lot better than my Burgundy Glow. I may have to keep that one in mind. Your variegated hydrangea has lovely foliage. Some of my hydrangeas got some browned edges on the leaves from the cold I noticed today. I just hope it does not hurt the blooms later. Have a terrific week.

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    1. Lona, thanks! The ajuga is really small leafed, much smaller than Burgundy Glow. I liked BG, but found this one and tried it.
      The variegated hydrangea is new, hoping it does well.

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  12. Greens of every shade dominate my garden right now along with bright spots of tulips, daffodils, and silene. But one of my salvia 'Maraschino' bloomed this morning! I couldn't believe it. It's like having spring and summer at the same time. I also have Solomon's Seal coming up. :o)

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    1. Tammy, your Silene is blooming already???? Mine has been nibbled by bunnies. Isn't Solomon's Seal great?

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  13. OMG...I've never seen an Iberis with purple buds!!!

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  14. Your garden is so happy in its green and white raiment. Mine would be yellow. I have yellow daffs and yellow shrubs like Spirea 'Ogon.' I love 'Ogon.' for its white blooms and yellow foliage. Also, the yellow Kerria japonica and a yellow variegated weigela. Lots of yellow followed by pink. Thanks for asking.~~Dee

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    1. Dee, I love Ogon, well, love all the yellow foliaged spireas, they are super! Kerria is another one I like, may have to find a spot for one to be in my garden.

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  15. I'd say blue is dominant right now. Blue from Hyacinthoides hispanica (Spanish bluebells). I think I may have planted too many.

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    1. Les, thinking I need to add some Hyacinthoides hispanica, love the blue!

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  16. Such a beautiful color scheme, Janet; the ninebark is really eye-catching. We're still in the crazy quilt color scheme with all the tulips, but I don't know how much longer they will last. I have a Fothergilla 'Blue Shadow'--I love these plants!

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    1. Rose, thanks! Love the white Deutzia blooms, they are spectacular this year. I thought about getting 'Blue Shadow'...maybe.....

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  17. You have a beautiful assortment of whites in your spring garden. The candytuft is lovely with its purple buds.

    Right now the primary colors in my garden are white, yellow, blue and green.

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    1. Sweetbay, I lucked into the Iberis at Park Seed on a recent visit to their garden center. I was in the mood to buy!

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  18. I love that Ninebark and that Candytuft! Time to Google both and gather some serious knowledge! Lotta whites here too, most recently, the Serviceberry. Rock on!

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    1. John, thanks!! I know you like Ninebark, this one is pretty cool. I love your Serviceberry...want one!!

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