Serendib Garden

Allium schubertii — garden fireworks. Plant it near the sidewalk where the little kids can be astonished. 

Early morning garden project, before it got too hot — I finally got around to leveling the base for the little bench I put in the parkway. I admit, I stuck it in there a few months ago, knowing it was likely to sink into the ground, and lo, it sunk. If you peer closely

Last oddball flower for the night — allium schubertii. It’s not hardy in our zone, but I can’t resist the fireworks of them, so end up planting a few each autumn. They linger as dried fabulous shapes in the garden for months, so they’re really both flowers and sculptures. 

Penstemon / beardtongue — I’m not sure if this is a native variety or a cultivar? I like how the pink contrasts with the dark blue-purple Siberian irises, and the dark blue columbines.

Siberian iris.

Hm. I need to get a better photo of this native morningstar sedge so you can see its full glory. This is the only grassy thing I deliberately grow; I can’t resist the seedheads that look like little weapons. 

Peonies getting ready to open. Don’t they just look luscious? 

Thalictrum / meadow rue, prairie native. There’s another variety I like better, that won’t bloom for a month or so, but these fuzzballs are pretty cute. Great height (around 3-4 feet) in the shady woodland garden, no need for any care, spreads slowly.

I know star-of-Bethlehem is weedy and frustrates some of my neighbors deeply, but if a little bit pops up here and there, I admit, I don’t really mind it.

Rhododendron “Besse Howells”, irises, clematis “Nelly Moser” — and if you peek around the edges, there’s also baptisia, centaurea, wood hyacinths, “Jack Frost” brunnera. I added several trellises last year, and am being rewarded with some nice height on clematis vines this spring. V. pleasing!