• Home
  • ABOUT
  • VIDEOS
  • Contact
  • SHOP

The Impatient Gardener

Garden, Plants

What I planted this long weekend

May 29, 2018

Carex 'Beatlemania'

With all the plants still perched in temporary storage locations around the yard, you would think I’d gotten nothing planted over the long weekend. But I actually did get a fair amount of things planted this weekend in between working on the vegetable garden.

Double Take Peach quince

I’m excited about this plant. It’s small now but I hope it will thrive in it’s new sunny location.

I was very excited to plant Double Take Peach quince (Chaenomeles speciosa ‘NCCS4’), which I got a trial plant from Proven Winners. I’ve had my eye on their thornless (and fruitless) quinces for some time, but this peach rocks my world. This is MY color. I just love this color family in the garden. It’s a small plant so it will be awhile before it does much, and it will require a little babying, but I hope it thrives.

The next thing I planted comes with an admission: I don’t really like hardy hibiscus. The flowers almost seem a little gaudy to me. This is a little nuts coming from a person who plants giant dahlias that flop around (the epitome of gaudy), but they just don’t float my boat. But I also received White Pillar rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus ‘Gandini van Aart’ ) from Proven Winners and there are two things I find intriguing about it. The first is the almost columnar habit of it, which I think can be very useful in a garden. And the second is the all white flowers, which I don’t find as garish as some of the more brightly colored varieties. 

Carex 'Beatlemania'

The entire garden was dusted with fallen serviceberry petals this weekend. Nature’s dandruff. But nicer.

I also plunked in three Carex caryophyllea ‘Beatlemania’, which I first fell in love with in Linda’s garden but would have fallen for anyway because that’s just a great name for a plant. I put them in a more shady spot along the path to the garage because they are low growing and so cute they should be enjoyed up close. They should probably be planted en masse as well, but for now three will have to do. 

Tiny Tuff Stuff hydrangea

You can spot the new Tiny Tuff Stuff hydrangea from a mile away, but I assume it will soon look like its friends.

Two of the Tiny Tuff Stuff hydrangeas (Hydrangea serrata ‘MAKD’) in the planting of five didn’t look great after the winter, but one looked downright downtrodden. So I ordered a replacement for that one and moved the old hydrangea elsewhere in the garden to recover. It doesn’t exactly match the rest but I’m sure all will blend in soon. 

clematis recta serious black

Inside that pathetic attempt at a “structure” is Clematis recta ‘Lime Close’, aka Serious Black. I cannot explain the logic of those two names to you.

Clematis recta Serious Black

I also finally got around to planting one of the two clematis I have had sitting around for about a month. This has the most confusing pair of names ever. It’s Clematis recta ‘Lime Close’ but it is also known as Serious Black. Explain to me how any of that makes sense. Anyway, this non-vining clematis has dark purple foliage and small white flowers and gets somewhere between 4 and 6 feet tall depending on what source you consult. I’ll be containing it in some sort of structure. For now I bend a few willow branches around for some support but I’ll figure out something a little more elegant soon. I placed it next to Clematis ‘Sugar Sweet Lilac’ which I hope will sort of intertwine with it and create a lovey partnership.

Editing to add that I’ve found out a bit more about this clematis. According to Linda Beutler, author of The Plant Lover’s Guide to Clematis, it is named for the nursery where it was discovered: Lime Close. No update on the “other” name but lots of good theories in the comments. You can read more about it in Margaret Roach’s interview with Beutler  here. 

I also planted up all but one of the sections in the circle garden, but I think I’ll do a post on that once I figure out that last section. I also got two containers planted, including the new urn in the middle of the garden. I think that one has potential to be quite lovely. More on those to come as well.

There’s so much left to do in the garden. I hate this time of year, when it all becomes so overwhelming that it feels like a chore because I’ve spent months yearning for it. Still, it will all get sorted in one way or another soon enough.

What did you plant this weekend?

carex clematis grass hibiscus new plants non-vining clematis Proven Winners quince rose of sharon
by Erin @ The Impatient Gardener 
13 Comments

About Erin @ The Impatient Gardener

View all posts by Erin @ The Impatient Gardener

Related Posts

  • New plants for 2023 to start dreaming about now
  • Garden goals work best when they move
  • hanging basketsA feast for the eyes and inspiration file at Longwood
  • The new plants I’ll grow again, and the ones I won’t
previous post: Well, that’s hideous. Have faith it will get better.
next post: Deadliest garden: The worst winter my garden has ever seen

Comments

  1. Linda from Each Little World says: May 29, 2018 at 5:35 pm

    It’s been so hot I did not plant anything. Was out weeding at 6 am on Sunday and in at 9 am because my eyeglasses kept steaming up. Beatlemania does spread but slowly and it is great by paths. I’m guessing the hybidizer named the Clematis and then the grower came up with a more marketable name.

    Reply
    • Erin @ The Impatient Gardener says: May 30, 2018 at 8:44 am

      I’m sure that’s it, and my guess is that Lime Close is named maybe for a person? So happy I found Beatlemania!

      Reply
  2. Lady Locust says: May 29, 2018 at 5:39 pm

    Doesn’t it feel great to have dirt under your fingernails? Your plants all look so “happy” for just being planted. That clematis is intriguing. Hope your vegie garden is coming along.

    Reply
    • Erin @ The Impatient Gardener says: May 30, 2018 at 8:45 am

      The veg garden is progressing more slowly than I’m comfortable with but I’ve also resigned myself to not losing my noodle over it. It will get done at some point. However I did order 20 yards of soil for delivery on Friday so I guess I’m at least planning on it getting there sooner rather than later.

      Reply
  3. Helen Malandrakis says: May 29, 2018 at 5:53 pm

    I planted a Tears of Joy Hosta and a Feather Reed Grass :Karl Forster”.

    Reply
    • Erin @ The Impatient Gardener says: May 30, 2018 at 8:46 am

      Karl Forster is such a good doer! And I think I got a Tears of Joy hosta last year. I’ll have to look for it! LOL

      Reply
  4. Kathy M. says: May 29, 2018 at 5:57 pm

    It rained on and off all weekend. In between the showets I did plant some white cleome with some Victoria blue salvia and finished my planters of impatiens. Also got about 40 gladiolas planted in the cutting garden. I still have some new peonies to put in pots and then plant ib the fall in their permanent spot. Never ends!

    Reply
    • Erin @ The Impatient Gardener says: May 30, 2018 at 8:46 am

      Oh I bet that is a lovely combination! Sounds like you got LOTS done this weekend!

      Reply
  5. Sarah says: May 29, 2018 at 7:19 pm

    Lol. Serious Black. I would buy it just for the name play. I would bet someone at PW is a Harry Potter fan.

    Reply
    • Erin @ The Impatient Gardener says: May 30, 2018 at 8:47 am

      It’s actually not a Proven Winners introduction. I need to do a little research and see if I can get to the bottom of this mystery!

      Reply
      • Sarah says: May 30, 2018 at 11:19 am

        Ah! My bet is someone, somewhere in the plant world is a big HP geek. Sirius Black to Serious Black is just too good to be a coincidence!

        Reply
        • Erin @ The Impatient Gardener says: May 30, 2018 at 12:01 pm

          Or maybe their kids were obsessed with the books!

          Reply
  6. Lisa at Greenbow says: May 30, 2018 at 7:14 pm

    Now that you have investigated and talked about your new clematis maybe you will like it better. It has beautiful leaves. I can’t wait to see it bloom. Beatlemania has hit your garden. I hope the little tufts grow and grow. Good to hear that the veg garden is getting some attention. Can’t wait to see it. I didn’t do anything in the garden lately. I have been away. Back now. Ready for June. May has been a disappointment as to rainfall and record high temps. I could take a dose of normal now and so could the garden.

    Reply

Leave Your Comments Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About

The Impatient Gardener

Do you love gardening? Me too! I'm Erin and I garden in Southeastern Wisconsin, zone 5. The Impatient Gardener is all about real-life gardening: the good parts, the bad bits and even the funny stuff. It's part information, part inspiration and a little bit commiseration. Thanks for visiting.

Here's some more about me.

CONNECT

Awards

Garden Comm award

MY FAVORITE GEAR

https://www.amazon.com/shop/impatientgardener

Instagram

impatientgardener

Erin Schanen 🌿 The Impatient Gardener
Get your dahlia engines running. All the dahlia th Get your dahlia engines running. All the dahlia things are happening very soon. I actually started dividing my dahlias last weekend, about two weeks earlier than I usually do because the weather kept me cooped up inside. I’m glad I did it because I had some (not unexpected) losses that I’ll have to adjust some plans for. So stay tuned: we’ll be talking lots about dahlias soon. 😀
Want to give a gift to your future self? This fall Want to give a gift to your future self? This fall plant snowdrops and winter aconites and I guarantee you that it will bring you happiness the next spring. They are tiny blooms of joy.
A favorite groundcover and a favorite reseeder. Fi A favorite groundcover and a favorite reseeder. First off, you should know that I really love groundcovers. I would rather see a plant than bark mulch any time. Ajuga is a favorite because there are several forms (my favorites are ‘Black Scallop’, shown here, and ‘Chocolate Chip’) and because they can handle most conditions from sun to shade. Popping up next to it is Talinum paniculatum ‘Limon’ (Jewels of Opar). It reseeds around the garden and I just move it around where I want the chartreuse, succulent foliage. Tiny flowers in red and pink bobble on with stems, looking a bit like peppercorns. Then they drop their seed and come back the next year.
Make this the year that you grow a plant you know Make this the year that you grow a plant you know very little about. If you love your garden that’s all that matters. BUT I promise you’ll find even more joy it it when you broaden your horizons. I feel like I’m starting to see the same plants in gardens over and over again. By all means appreciate and love those plants, but also add something you have to learn about. There is great reward in getting to know new-to-you plants. 

Here are two good candidates you might consider: Athyrium niponicum (Japanese painted fern) ‘Crested Surf’ and Persicaria (or Bistorta, thanks to the taxonomists) amplexicaulis ‘Golden Arrow’.
Load More Follow on Instagram

SEARCH

Popular posts

  • HOW TO POT UP DAHLIAS FOR A JUMP ON SUMMER
  • No Mow May could backfire: Here’s why
  • Oh how I love a great garden path
  • A garden fence … finally!

Find us on Facebook

Archives

  • ABOUT
  • TALK TO ME
  • TERMS & DISCLAIMERS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • Home

Copyright © 2023 · Prima Donna theme by Georgia Lou Studios

Copyright 2009-2021 ©The Impatient Gardener