Scenes from the Back Garden
For today’s post I’ve got just a few peeks from the shady Back Garden.
I like how our red birdhouse goes with the Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) and Purple-Leaved Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana ‘Schubert’). The Chokecherry leaves emerge green then turn purple and finally become red in the fall. For some reason this tree has never flowered for me.
I finally got our the water fountain working properly. Initially the pump was barely pumping. I had some trouble remembering how to open the darn thing, but I eventually prevailed and removed a large quantity of what is technically known as “gunk”. Been working great ever since.
Incidentally, you can see that I’ve transplanted a bit of Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) into this bed, which has settled in pretty well.
You may remember I was worried about the Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica) making it through last winter. Turns out I needn’t have worried. This clump in the border along the back porch is doing just fine.
The Purple-Flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus) doesn’t have a lot of flowers, but it has more flowers now than in any previous year. And the Maple-shaped leaves are nice, too. They look soft and crinkly.
The weather made a sudden shift at the end of June, from cool and wet to hot and sunny. Back in May I never thought I’d be hoping for rain, but I greeted today’s showers with relief.
Time seems to have shifted as well, with summer seemingly now over the top of the hill and rolling down with increasing speed towards fall. Best to make the most of the portion left to us.
gardeninacity 
Your shade garden is so pretty and your indian links are putting on a lovely show.
I’ve always been dissatisfied with the shade garden but I think it is coming together.
*pinks
The red pop of color is wonderful. 🙂
Yes, a little bit of red with lots of white and green has a nice impact!
Beautiful settings for birdhouse and fountain! The Indian Pink is a shade plant?
Yes, it likes moist shade, though I have it growing in a raised bed as well.
Lovely vignettes in your garden. That Indian pink is gorgeous. It’s native here as well, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it in any garden. Hmmm, time to do some research.
I think the key is sufficient moisture.
I am loving those Indian Pinks. All looks healthy and pretty heading down hill.
I’ve grown very fond of them.
I’m envious of your Indian pinks. I tried to grow them but our winters are just too cold. GR-R-R.
That’s a shame. It’s more of a plant of the southeast, so it’s not too surprising, though. But then there are bunchberries and other northern plants I cannot grow.
If you get the kind of heat we’re seeing your shade will be welcome.
Flowering raspberries and hydranges have just started blooming here too.
We did have it, but it moved on late this afternoon.
Hi Jason .. I thought my Indian Pinks had died too .. but they are still with me .. so far ? LOL
OK .. I have a question .. I read your comment on Tammy’s blog that you killed 100 daffodil bulbs … how on earth did you do that ?
Sigh. I put them in pots which I left outside without enough insulation.
Your Indian Pink is amazing. I wish we could see it like that in its native area in Western North Carolina in our garden…. but plants are funny. I’ve been amazed that Baptisia is hardy in our area of Quebec. Remarkable. It’s a coastal plain (Sandhills) native from our Carolina neck of the woods.
You mean Baptisia australis?
Those Indian Pinks are glorious. I see from Tina’s comment they’re native here — I had no idea.
I need to read up on them too. I love unusual plants, and those are.
It’s native range includes all the Gulf Coast states.
Just as others have said, your Indian Pinks are very striking, and surrounding by so much greenery, you certainly have a beautiful summer garden….enjoy!
Thank you, I have been enjoying it, especially since the weather improved.
What a lovely scene! I especially like the foliage of your Purple-Leaved Chokecherry, and your monarda and Indian pinks look great! I am about to give up on monarda. I have tried it in several locations, but It has not bloomed well for me and every year it is covered with mildew. Perhaps we are a little too hot and humid for it.
That’s too bad about your Monarda. By the end of August mine also tends to have powdery mildew.
The shade garden is looking really good. That is a lovely birdhouse. I do like that purple flowering raspberry. The birds will be delighted that you have the fountain working.xxx
They’ve been using it pretty constantly.
Chokecherry happens to be one of the few North American fruits that I really want to grow. American plum has naturalized here from understock of old stone fruit trees. When I get a chokecherry, it will be a wild form, rather than a garrden variety.
I like the purple leaves though I wonder if they are as attractive as a host to butterfly caterpillars – one of the reasons I bought this particular tree.
Oh, I would not know. Even if I knew the species, I do not consider caterpillars.