Pink Lupines.....
The side rose bed is looking pretty good so far. I lost a few over the winter including one large shrub right in the middle, but it's okay, makes room for the others. That Mr. Lincoln is getting crazy tall again and he's only in his second year. I even pruned it down just a month or two ago and it shot right back up.
I moved a Quadra red rose over to grow up the Beast (a.k.a. climbing white Iceberg) and it loves it's new home. So now, in this area will be the Beast, Quadra, Graham Thomas and two different types of clematis (purple Jackman and red Niobe). Should be pretty spectacular if all goes according to plan. Take a look at those day lilies in the front. They were just little weeds last year....
Giant poppies! How I love them....I planted this one last year and saw only one bloom. I don't remember which one this is and can't wait to see all of these buds pop. I forgot to order more poppies from Annie's this year and so regretting it after seeing this guy....
We've also been hard at work on the former hydrangea bed, planting new boxwoods and new David Austins. This bed will be pinks and reds. Inside are Gertrude Jekyll, The Alnwick Rose, Princess Alexandra of Kent, William Shakespeare, Heritage and Lady Salisbury, planted in groupings of three. I like that this bed will be very orderly like the bed on the side of the house and the one in the middle will be more cottagey.
Third time is the charm for the potted roses that I want desperately to climb up the pillars behind this bed. This year I'm going to give Aloha climbers a try...we'll see. I kept them in root pouches inside the planters and so far they seem happy.
On the side of the garage, I have finally committed to something and have planted Sarah Bernhardt and Karl Rosenfield peonies. I wanted to buy from Peony Envy here in NJ but was too late for this year. I'm going to pick out some of their beautiful tree peonies in the Fall. We're not that far from their farm in Bernardsville, so I'm hoping David and I can go for a visit this year. The tulips that I planted 3 years ago are just about all gone, David will mow the remains for me so we have more room for the peonies. I also transplanted a David Austin Dark Lady over here because she had gotten way to huge for the back Austin bed. Looks kind of random over here now...but seems to love it, so I hate to move her again. Looks like a mess over here right now...but once the tulips are removed, will look better.
I finally summoned the courage to spread out some of my favorite Abraham Darby's and Golden Celebrations to separate them a bit back in early April. I was nervous the whole time and even now, it makes me a bit sick to look at what once was my favorite rosebed. Abraham did not like being moved and looks sickly and worrisome, same with the one Golden Celebration that I moved. You can see the difference in this shot....
....sickly and miserable on the left, growing and happy on the right. Uggh. I'm really hoping the transplanted are just in shock and will come back soon...this bed will now only be yellows, oranges and apricots: Golden Celebration, Christopher Marlowe, Abraham Darby and Lady of Shalott. Poor David has been working on the brick path but almost took out his thumb the other day, so needless to say, he's taking a break from this project. Much more to come as we finally have a few days over 60 degrees....
