Readers of this blog know that we’ve been worrying about our prize Clematis ‘Jackmanii’ that grows on a west-facing wall near the front door.
gardeninacity
Notes from a wildlife-friendly cottage garden
June is the month of blue flowers, or so it seems in our garden. Sadly, we are missing one of my favorites, Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis), which was lost to sewer repair. I planted a replacement, but it won’t bloom this year.
We put up our new trellises the other day, and I’m pretty happy with them. These were the 9′ Panacea Giant Wall Trellises I wrote about earlier. They’re certainly a big improvement.
We’re really super proud of our Clematis ‘Jackmanii’. Every year it climbs a trellis that stretches up about 12 feet, all the way from the ground to the roof gutters.
Right now is this year’s peak for our Clematis ‘Jackmanii’. It covers most of the west-facing brick wall at the front corner of the house, which I like to call “The Great Wall of Purple”, though it is either white or green for most of the year.
What I Did About the Japanese Yew
You may recall a couple of posts during the spring where I talked about how I was removing a large Japanese Yew (Taxus cuspidata) from the southwest corner of the Back Garden, right next to the gate that opens up to the alley.
All of a sudden, it’s hot out and feels like summer. But the garden is still clothed in the blues and whites of late spring, especially out front. The reds, yellows, and oranges (but especially yellows) of summer are gathering force, not yet ready to bust out. They are delayed in part because of the …
Ballad of the Yew Slayer
If I were a superhero or a Viking or something like that, I would like my name to be “Yew Slayer”. Fact is, I have taken down a lot of Yews, particularly Japanese Yews (Taxus cuspidata). It’s nothing personal, it’s just that I really don’t like Yews (although I guess that does make it personal). …
Reminders of Brighter Days
Today is the last day of September, which means that no matter how many lawyers you hire to argue otherwise, autumn has truly begun. It’s simply undeniable. And yet, should we want to deny it, there are certain plants that stand ready to back us up in our denial. These are the plants that, once …
It’s Clematis Time!
We got back from Michigan on Saturday, and I like to think that our various Clematis varieties had put on a show to welcome us home.
