Kingwood Center Part 2

 Last month I posted about the tulips that bloom at the Kingwood Center in Mansfield. While the tulips were the main attraction, there were so many other things in bloom I decided to put them on their own post.

Crabapples

The pretty Redbuds were in bloom all over the place.

 Magnolia

Espalier Tree

The word Espalier describes the artful (and time-consuming) tradition of training trees to grow flat against a wall, fence, or trellis. Fruit trees are especially well-suited for this type of training. This is a gala apple tree.

 I saw a photo on facebook where this tree is loaded with apples now. I love the look of these, but I can't imagine how much time that would take. Definitely more than I have!

My favorite photo of the day.

Japanese Primrose

Spanish Bluebells

 More Crabapples

 Ohio Red Buckeye

 I didn't know there was an Ohio Red Buckeye Tree. It's a cross between the Ohio Buckeye and a Red Horse Chestnut tree. I might have to try to find one of these.

Not sure what this is .....a Weeping Bald Cyprus??

Heading into the woodland garden we found.......

Hosta's....

Camass 'Blue Danube' and Red Barrenwort. I'm not familiar with Camass but I added a Red Barrenwort or 'Epimedium' to my shade garden this year. I love the foliage on that plant.

Anemones

Spring Snowflakes

Another plant I need  want.

Solomans Seal

Trillium

The resident Peacock....

and Peahen posed for photos.

There is also a cactus and succulent collection in the greenhouse. Now I'm not a fan of cacti but I do like succulents.

And I love these hypertufa planters.

I have made hypertufa planters (smaller ones) in the past and I might be ready to attempt a larger one like this. I would love to make one for miniature hostas or a fairy garden.

Now that I've experienced some of the beauty at the Kingwood Center I would love to go see it in other seasons as well. And if you are in the area and like hostas, make sure you visit the Wade and Gatton hosta farm in nearby Bellville.

Bloom Day

It's time once again for posting photos of what's blooming in the garden.

The only thing that's been predictable about our weather is that it has been completely unpredictable. In the upper 80s one week and the 60s the next. After two very dry summers, I am very thankful for the rain we have had this year.  Other than some containers, no watering has been needed which is great!

 

Here's what's blooming.

 

Two years ago I rescued this Blaze Climbing Rose from the Lowes clearance shelf. It's looking beautiful this year.

The Aquilegia bloomed profusely this year. The cooler weather helped I'm sure. These are done now but they were not blooming yet last month so I'll include them here.

 

 The pink ones are Nora Barlow.  The hosta on the right is Patriot.

 

Aquilegia and Hardy Geranium

 

Baptisia australis aka False Blue Indigo

 

A close up of this beautiful plant. One of my favorite perennials. I really need to add the yellow one to my garden too!

 

Blue Flax

 

Walkers Low Nepeta  (Catmint) and Coreopsis Zagreb

 

An unidentified Lily. Was labeled pink but I ended up loving the color anyway.

 

 

I don't know the names of any of my Irises, I just know they are pretty.

 

 

 

 

 

 Shasta Daisy

 

Blue Moon Wisteria Tree in it's third season.

 

Lupines and Japanese Irises

 

Coreopsis

I did not see the snake in the background when I took the picture.....shudder!

 

Corydalis is an outstanding shade plant.

 

Lychnis

 

Sorbet Peony

Last is another favorite but it seems every year the Peonies get destroyed by wind and rain before I get pictures of the whole plant. I wish they would bloom longer. I just love them!

 

 

 

 

Linking to: May Dreams Gardens

 

You know you're a hostaholic when.......

 

You know you're a hostaholic when your wish list is longer than your have list.

You know you are a hostaholic when a neighbor comes over and finds you with a clipboard and tape measure recording mound and leaf sizes, taking vein counts, and noting the first sign of scapes.

You know you're a hostaholic when planning a vacation includes finding hosta growers and open gardens to tour and only vacationing during the growing season!

You know you're a hostaholic when you turn down a gift of hostas from someone who calls them "the green and white one and the all-green one".

You obsess with remembering every name of each hosta you have.

You know you're a hostaholic when you tear out all of your grass to have more room to plant more hostas.

You know you're a hostaholic when you tell the family you're taking them out to eat someplace new and it just happens to have a Hosta Nursery nearby you've wanted to check out.

You know you're a hostaholic when a criteria for buying a new home is what the potential hosta gardens could look like or how much shade is available.

 You wage war on slugs and hunt them ferociously at night with a flashlight and sprayer bottle.

You know you're a hostaholic when you read all of the above and think to yourself, 'well, that's normal.'

I admit I can relate to a few of those, (not saying which ones) but I've definitely got the hosta fever! I don't know how many I have, but this summer I'm going to start a journal and keep record of each one.
 Other than the deer and slugs loving them too, they are some of the easiest plants to grow and require very little care.

This is my haul from a recent trip to Wade and Gatton. I try to get a variety of sizes, colors, textures, and shapes. Some hostas may look similar when they are still small, but their color can change greatly as they mature.

 

'Fat Cat'

Big, fat, round, yellow leaves with nice puckering and texture.

 

 

'Olive Bailey Langdon'

Rounded, very corrugated blue leaves with a wide irregular gold margin.

 

'Marilyn Monroe'

A very nice hosta with soft, ruffled edges, and reddish-purple stems.

 

 

'Dawns Early Light'

Yellow hosta's as a rule are more sun tolerant than other hosta's. I lost some shade in this area last year and had to move a hosta that couldn't take the sun so I'll see how this yellow one does in this spot. Yellow hosta's add a lot of color and contrast to the garden.

 

 

'Avocado'

Where did I plant Avocado?  Next to Guacamole of course!!!

 

 

'Rainforest Sunrise'

2013 Hosta of the Year.

 

 

'El Nino'

 Thick leaves are powdery blue with a pure white edge. This one has been on my want list for a few years. This one came from a local greenhouse.

 

 

'Kiwi Full Monty'

A beautiful hosta with dusty blue leaves and a chartreuse center, with a thin white line between the center and margin. Actually looks a lot like 'Striptease'.

 

 

'Stiletto'

This small, fast growing hosta has long, thin, green leaves, with a rippled white margin. Great as an edger or in containers. I put this in one of my hypertufa planters I made last year.

 

 

'Lacy Belle'

I had success with keeping a hosta overwinter in a container so I'll try another one.

 

 

'Twist of Lime'

A small fast-growing hosta that works well as an edger.

 

 

'Teaspoon'

This cute little hosta has teaspoon-shaped, cupped solid green leaves. Must be an early bloomer. It had flower scapes when I bought it.

 

 

'Toy Soldier'

A small hosta with blue heart-shaped leaves and bi-colored cream and green margins.