frogpond.us

These photos show the garden as the spring growth is beginning to take off, a little bit late this year. Now that the Memorial Day weekend is almost here, the temperatures are much warmer, and each day brings a new explosion of greenery.

For the first time in six years, the garden is being visited by a variety of birds. In the last few days we have seen cardinals, a scarlet tanager, ruby-throated hummingbirds, American finches, bluejays, white-crowned sparrows, warblers, robins, tufted titmice, chicadees, nuthatches, juncos and the ever-present crows.

We enter the garden through the side gate, between a blooming ornamental pear and a burning bush.

Under the magnolia tree is a pot of blooming fuschia that attracts ruby-throated hummingbirds. A cardinal’s nest is just out of view in a lattice.

Looking backward at the west side yard, the lilacs are blooming (sparsely), the yellow euphorbia is in the foreground, and the lattice that holds the cardinal’s nest in the climbing hydrangea is on the right.

Looking east toward the woods: the urn has just been planted with red geraniums, blue scaeveola, and the new “Star” line of lobelia, in white. The rose garden in front of the urn is just beginning to sprout.

Patchouly in a pot under the magnolia in the upper garden, with the woodland garden in the background.

Goldenseal is growing along the stone path in the woodland garden. A wild herb, it is rare, due to over-collecting for medicinal uses. In powdered form, it can be used as a topical antibiotic. This part of the garden is in its early stages with Solomon’s seal and ostrich ferns forming the background, as sensitive ferns, hostas, ligularia, meadow rue and filipendulas unfurl in the foreground.

In the lower garden: the edge of the pond is lined by petasites japonica (turning out to be much too vigorous) and yellow flag iris. In the background is our biggest ash tree, and a river of blue ajuga.

The lower garden path is edged by wild pink roses and yellow epimedium.

Further along the garden path is a persicaria among perennials, including black cohosh (cimicifuga racemosa) on the left. Other perennials planted in this bed are bluebells, astrantias, ornamental raspberry, iris, evening primrose, pink epimediums and anemones. In addition, there are usually some volunteer surprises worth keeping, each year.

Blue cohosh (caulophyllum thalictroides) under the serviceberry trees.

Shooting stars (Dodecatheon Meadia “Aphrodite”)

White trillium in the lower woods.

Foam flower on the upper trail.

The back step and lilac hedge.