Garden Catalog Time

It's that time.  For those of you who garden, or have ever accepted one garden catalog request... you are probably knee deep in garden catalogs by now. Just like weeds, those babies multiply. 
I have done my share of catalog plant purchases....like the time I ordered 9 white bare-root rose bushes. 
My own personal experience is price or patience.
If you shop price, and boy are the prices low....you need to be patient.  The inexpensive mail-order plants are small and will take a few years to catch up to the higher priced local nursery version.  
Here are some of the plants that are almost fool proof and great for mail-order.
Astilbe

These are shade plants. They will spread over time, and can be divided easily.
Hosta

White Flower Farm

Another shade plant. Unlimited selection, and easily dividable.

Ferns

White Flower Farm

Same as above, shade, large selection....easily divided.

My personal mail-order favorite are Lilies

I can't get enough of them. In fact, I think I have only bought these from mail-order. 

Lilies are much happier when planted as a bulb. If you purchase one from a garden center already in bloom, once the bloom has faded, cut it back to the bulb and plant that.

Do you have a favorite mail-order plant?

Friday's In the Garden...Not Mine

Hi Everyone! As of yesterday...it was still raining. This week was a total washout for my own garden.

I have been planning and working on an area of my yard that has a lot of shade (less than 3 hours of sun). This is the perfect area for a shade garden. Since most shade gardens get their color from interesting plant and leaf combinations, arrangement is key. Here are some images that inspire me

BHG

BHG

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As they say in all things...maybe next week! What are your favorite shade plants?

Friday's In the Garden....Rain Delay

Hi Everyone....It is late on Friday...but it's still Friday. This was a wet week in New Jersey. It's hard to complain, we need it!

It is a great time...Spring is in full bloom. If you want to add some color to your garden, you need to go to the garden center at the time you want the plant to be in bloom....and then, buy what is blooming. Here are a few plants that look fantastic now

White Irises

Golden Barberry

Dwarf Blue Spruce against Purple Barberry

Bearded Iris

Remember the Lambs Ear I wrote about here

It didn't take long for it to fill out. Next week, I will be working on my shade garden...

If you look closer, you can see that it needs a good weeding. These tall weeds need to be pulled, and the newspaper/mulch method won't work on them. It could also benefit from some rearranging.

Lastly, my friend stopped by and gave me this

Thanks Whit! Have you started working outside?

A Japanese Garden

I love botanical gardens. In fact, I try to visit local botanical gardens whenever I travel somewhere new. I have not been that lucky lately....let's just say that the four of us can't seem to agree on how to spend our time when we travel. My favorite part of a botanical garden is the Japanese Garden Section....if there is one

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It usually has Koi fish

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A Pagoda structure

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A bridge leading....somewhere

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A mysterious path

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Japanese maples

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Interesting structural shapes

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Fantastic composition

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and stunning moss. I think I can incorporate some of this loveliness into my garden this year....I'm just not sure where or how..any ideas?

Another Gardening Day!

Today is perfect! About 75 degrees. So, after a few morning appointments, I am off to the garden. Here are more inspiring pictures I found at House & Home

 

The Pea Gravel path is perfect

 

Shade Gardening can be very difficult, this is so well done

 All the variations of green add so much interest

This makes me miss the U.K.

Enjoy your weekend!