What's blooming in your yard?

[Zonny]

I have a hydrangea, had it for about four or five years, it completely dies back every year and only bloomed the year I got it and last year. This year it's showing no signs either.

My lone lilac bush that blooms every other year seems to have a wee one next to it (recognizable because of its attractive variegated leaves, unusual in a lilac).

And my hostas are getting quite big. I have a shady area between my front door and my side door, they do very well there. Several of them were plant divisions I bought at a yard sale. I've read that late summer is a good time to divide them again, anyone have experience with this?

[Tweets77]

My yellow roses are in full bloom allready and my painted daisies are doing really well too. My angel's breath is starting to bud and my lilacs are blooming as well. And wouldn't you know....it is raining again!

[Patty Smyth]

I have a hydrangea, had it for about four or five years, it completely dies back every year and only bloomed the year I got it and last year. This year it's showing no signs either.

My lone lilac bush that blooms every other year seems to have a wee one next to it (recognizable because of its attractive variegated leaves, unusual in a lilac).

And my hostas are getting quite big. I have a shady area between my front door and my side door, they do very well there. Several of them were plant divisions I bought at a yard sale. I've read that late summer is a good time to divide them again, anyone have experience with this?

I had the same problem with my blue and pink hydrangeas, all the old growth(where the blooms grow) would die off to the ground and I would be left with a green bush. Only one year did i have flowers. I finally dug them up and replaced them with annabelles. they always bloom no matter on old growth or new. I think they are just to fragile for my zone and the cold kills them.

[nightlite]

I have cucumbers that are taking over a trellis / fence wall. I am admittedly a terrible flower gardener, but I am way better at vegetables. Who knew?

Though my recent bite of radishes was not impressive. I do however have a tomato plant that is gunning for competition with the CN Tower. Damn you Costco and your good garden veggies!!!

[marstec]

I have a hydrangea, had it for about four or five years, it completely dies back every year and only bloomed the year I got it and last year. This year it's showing no signs either.

My lone lilac bush that blooms every other year seems to have a wee one next to it (recognizable because of its attractive variegated leaves, unusual in a lilac).

And my hostas are getting quite big. I have a shady area between my front door and my side door, they do very well there. Several of them were plant divisions I bought at a yard sale. I've read that late summer is a good time to divide them again, anyone have experience with this?

Zonny,

Some hydrangeas bloom on last year's wood and if the buds and branches die to the ground, then you won't get any blooms. You can try wrapping up the branches and hope that's enough to get them through the winter, or you can do like Patty and plant a different (hardier) hydrangea. There are clematis that act the same way...if you buy ones that bloom on old wood, you better live in a zone that can take it, otherwise you will never get any blooms.

You can move and divide hostas in the summer. Make sure to keep it well watered. I wouldn't do it during a really hot spell though.

Here are a few things blooming earlier today:
Pink Weigela - this was my miracle in the garden...I forgot to plant it last year and it overwintered on my deck. I just about fell over when I saw buds on it this Spring! Remember, I'm zone 2.
Therese Bugnet shrub rose. The main plant died years ago, this one is a baby that probably needs to be moved because it is growing right under a cedar.
Pink Gasplant - I showed a closeup earlier, this is the wide shot.

Thanks for all the contributions and wonderful pictures. I'm really enjoying them.

[GoJays]

My weigela is all done blooming for the year now, I love it, but it needs a new home, it hasn't grown any since I planted it years ago, it's still the same size. I think it's in too shady of a spot. But, it still blooms faithfully every year so that's the main thing. I'm impressed that yours made it through the winter, marstec!

I purchased a gas plant a couple of weeks ago, I'm glad you posted a picture of yours, I had no idea what the flowers looked like! LOL! Too lazy to google it Hope mine looks as good as yours, so far it's just foliage. I posted pics of some of my containers in the other thread. I tried posting the garden plants here yesterday, but ImageShack crapped out on me. I'll try again later. For now I have to go to Home Dep for bricks so I can build a little wall around my smoke tree.

[marstec]

GoJays,

Did you get the pink or the white gasplant? Be patient, it grows really slowly and doesn't like being moved around. In my yard, the white one is shorter than the pink.

Here's the white:

[Patty Smyth]

My weigela is all done blooming for the year now, I love it, but it needs a new home, it hasn't grown any since I planted it years ago, it's still the same size. I think it's in too shady of a spot. But, it still blooms faithfully every year so that's the main thing. I'm impressed that yours made it through the winter, marstec!

I purchased a gas plant a couple of weeks ago, I'm glad you posted a picture of yours, I had no idea what the flowers looked like! LOL! Too lazy to google it Hope mine looks as good as yours, so far it's just foliage. I posted pics of some of my containers in the other thread. I tried posting the garden plants here yesterday, but ImageShack crapped out on me. I'll try again later. For now I have to go to Home Dep for bricks so I can build a little wall around my smoke tree.

Oh I love smoke bushes but I always cut mine back becasue they grow too big for the spot they are in. I never get any smoke but I share one with my neighbor and we trained it to be a tree so that one has lots of smoke right now. Only thing I hate is when it blows off it all goes in my pool lol. I will get pics. of both. post them later.

The neighbor has seedlings of my smoke bushes growing in his hedge lol. hard to miss since they are purple in a green hedge. I have half bree seedlings too all over the place. I transplant lots and give them to the neigbors but they never seem to realize how big they can get.

[Patty Smyth]

Hard to get a good shot of the front because of the hedge and the tree is about 35 feet tall now too lol When we planted it 33 years ago it was a real Charlie Brown tree about 2 feet tall. The smoke bushes are also that old and the hedge is 44 years old , my folks planted it. The weeping juniper was also a charlie brown tree that I found at the back of the nursery. DH thought I was crazy to get it but I like it lol. The green smoke tree is on the property line we share it. I actually hate it though I prefer my purple ones. But I love my neigbors

[GoJays]

GoJays,

Did you get the pink or the white gasplant? Be patient, it grows really slowly and doesn't like being moved around. In my yard, the white one is shorter than the pink.

Here's the white:

Do you know what? I have no idea what colour it is! I guess time will tell, eh? I can't remember if I planted the tag with it or not.

Hard to get a good shot of the front because of the hedge and the tree is about 35 feet tall now too lol When we planted it 33 years ago it was a real Charlie Brown tree about 2 feet tall. The smoke bushes are also that old and the hedge is 44 years old , my folks planted it. The weeping juniper was also a charlie brown tree that I found at the back of the nursery. DH thought I was crazy to get it but I like it lol. The green smoke tree is on the property line we share it. I actually hate it though I prefer my purple ones. But I love my neigbors

Those are fantastic Patty! I have a purple one, but I like the green ones also. DH wanted to chop the whole tree down because he wants to re-do the patio sometime between now and the next millenium but I wouldn't let him. We compromised on taking down the box that it's planted in and surrounding the tree with bricks. That's my project in progress right now. I just picked up the bricks from HD, now to wait for it to cool down a bit so I can actually work out there without passing out. The heat is great but not when I'm hauling around bricks and demolishing stuff

[GoJays]

ok, here it is

[GoJays]

and yes, i hate the smoke blowing all over in the fall.. messy as heck

[GoJays]

my new clematis.. i had no idea that i would be getting this when i bought it.. the tag stated that it was a double pink.. this is much better


the delphiniums - glad i took a picture before the storm blew through yesterday.. despite the ring, i still lost a couple of them

[Patty Smyth]

Oh beautiful clematis, love the size of the blooms they look huge

[marstec]

That clematis is beautiful - I don't have any with that unique flower shape...could it be Betty Corning?

Your smoke bush looks psychedelic, GoJays. Another thing I can't grow here, I'll just have to admire yours.