FRIDAY FLOWERS: PURPLE IN THE GARDEN

It’s that glorious color in the garden: a mix of purple and deep blue!

These are Columbine. They were here when we arrived, although I swear they were a lighter blue! But over the last five years they have multiplied and self-sown in many spots in several of my terrace gardens. I love love love them. I’ve moved most of the plants toward the rear of each garden, just against the white fence.

And then we have the Clematis.
I’ve actually not had great luck with this plant: up North I tried maybe three times and all died eventually without really much growth. So, I thought I would try again down here in warmer climate. This one is doing fine…but not really flourishing the way I see some around the village. hmmm. I’ve tried putting more manure around the base this year. It’s fine….but probably the same height for the last two years. The flowers are definitely more profuse and larger, so that’s good! And, with the white fence it’s wonderful to see flowers both inside and out.

Clematis ‘Jackmanii’

I listened to a podcast this morning (the only way to do cardio at the gym, as I do not want to watch news on TV!) all about clematis. Do you know Margaret Roach? She does, among many things, weekly podcasts on Robin Hood Radio and features and interviews someone each week. A few weeks ago she had Dan Long on Clematis. Just what I needed, and yes, I learned SO much this morning in those 24 minutes.
Here is the link.
Stay with it for the entire episode as I think some of the best information comes in toward the end.

Next we have the bearded iris! I have no idea what these are….I think they are all from the pots I hand carried down here six years ago from the Hudson Valley. And those just might have come, partly, from my Mother’s house in Villanova. Wow. I love the way these things can go on for generations: that is truly one of the delights of gardening.

This year they are particularly stunning. It may be that this is the third year in the same spot for many of these and that is often the best year. Oh dear, almost time to dig up and divide to keep them at their best….

And finally, we have Spanish Lavender.

It is very different from what you may think of lavender: short vertical flowers with the small pinkish petals at the end. But it has the same requirements for good growth: full sun, dry and sandy soil, cut back to produce more flowers the next year. But it doesn’t tend to flop open in the middle of the plant as with Grosso or Hidcote. Mine is overflowing a low stone wall at the edge of the blacktop driveway and is flourishing!