Funkie Gardens

   Last week Mom and I traveled a little ways to Marine on St. Croix, north of Stillwater, Minnesota. We went to visit Funkie Gardens, a nursery specializing in hostas and rare perennials. We went looking for the mini hosta 'Holy Mouse Ears' and whatever else we might find. We both love discovering what smaller, specialty growers have to offer.
   Once we arrived we found how many "mouse" hostas there are! After doing more research at home I discovered there are at least 18 different varieties. Mom got the 'Holy Mouse Ears' she had looked for all summer. I decided on 'Frosted Mouse' and 'Snow Mouse'. So many choices of these tiny wonders, some way out of our price range. We checked out all the other hosta offerings and I found another tiny one called 'Teeny Weeny Bikini'. I also picked out 'Diana Remembered',a full sized hosta. I had a small hosta named 'Miss Susie' on my list to look for but didn't see any. I asked and the helpful person chatting with my talkative mom went and found one for me. It wasn't potted because they were small but I popped it in the garden as soon as I got home. Mom and I both picked out a few more perennials and I reserved a couple of Martagon Lily bulbs which will be dug later in September. I've never had these before but have read about them and wanted to try them.
   It was so nice to talk to someone who is knowledgable about the plants they offer.  When going to local garden centers I feel like we know as much or more than some of the help. We also like finding plants that aren't widely available. There's also a fun gift shop next door with lots of garden accessories. After stopping for lunch in Stillwater we headed home with our treasures.
   I will have to get the new things planted this week before I go back to work at school next week. My lazy, carefree summer days are coming to an end very soon!

                 Some of what's blooming  in the gardens today

new phlox 'Aureole'

new Hosta 'Teeny Weeny Bikini'

new Hosta 'Diana Remembered'

 Hibiscus 'Plum Crazy'

awesome purple pods on hyacinth bean!

Hyacinth bean flowers

Sedum 'Abbeydore' 

Joe Pye Weed

Rose 'Pink Grootendorst'

'Blue Heaven' little bluestem

'Prairie Sky' Switchgrass

unnamed phlox

'Pink Beauty' Potentilla

'Little Lamb' Hydrangea

'Pinky Winky' Hydrangea

'Tiger Eyes' Sumac already turning color

 

It's Magic!

leaves in early May

four naked stalks poking up through daylily leaves

last week's buds 

soft pink flowers with a hint of blue 

most stalks ever!

A fun wonder to have in the garden is the Magic Lily-Lycoris squamigera. They're magical because a clump of strappy leaves appear in early spring but then disappear. In August I begin to search for the bare stalks that seem to shoot up overnight. I'm so excited this year because it's the first time since I planted these bulbs in 2002 that all three are blooming! The largest clump has bloomed the past two years and once before in 2006.  Last year it had two flower stalks but this year it has four! I love the pastel rosy pink with a slight blue tinge color. These plants are a protected zone four hardiness and are doing well on the east side of my house. I thank my mom for introducing the magic to me.

August Bloom Day

Swallowtail on 'Fancy Feelings' Phlox

view from front steps-Hydrangea tree 'Pink Diamond' and Hydrangea 'Quickfire'

Coleus 'The Flume' filled out

Phlox

Phlox 'Laura'

backdoor planter

Phlox in backyard

Sunpatien

daylily 'Princton Silky'

Hydrangeas 'Little Lamb' and 'Pinky Winky'

hillside garden in backyard

Hydrangea 'Little Lamb'

Hydrangea 'Pinky Winky'

annual moss rose basket on deck

water hyacinth- first time it had blooms they were destroyed by storm before they opened

closeup

magic lily flowers-more on next post about these

another phlox

hyacinth bean-finally climbing up arbor and blooming

August So Soon?

Can it possibly be August already? I feel as if I haven't finished my spring garden work yet. Because of the late spring start of the growing season I feel it's been a short hot summer. I felt like we were living in the tropics the past few weeks with humidity fogging the windows. In a few short weeks it will be back to school already. Hoping there will be some time to enjoy the backyard this month while I'm not working.

a bouquet in the garden of Stargazers, Daylily 'Lullaby Baby' and pink phlox

One look of Rudbeckia 'Cherokee Sunset'

Another "Cherokee Sunset'

another style of 'Cherokee Sunset'

and another

Liatris 'Kobold'

last shot of 'Cherokee Sunset'- all these different flowers came from two individual plants I purchased  before Ricecreek Gardens went out of business a few years ago

original Phlox 'Laura'

lighter sport of 'Laura'

hibiscus on deck- winters in a south window inside

Daylily 'El Desperado'

Daylily 'Sparkling Raiment'

Hydrangea 'Little Lamb'

Red hardy hibicus 'Cristi'

Phlox 'Natural Feelings'

Hibiscus 'Cristi'

Changing color of Hydrangea 'Quickfire'

Even with the lack of quality care things continue to bloom with more changes to come.