Hosta of the Year Winners from the American Hosta Growers Association

I have all of these Varieties Growing in my Garden.... All Great Growers and All Very Beautiful !! 2013 Rainforest Sunrise 2014 Abiqua Drinking Gourd. Liberty 2012 Praying Hands 2011 First Frost 2010 Earth Angel 2009 Blue Mouse Ears 2008 Paradigm 2007 Stained Glass 2006 Striptease 2005 Sum and Substance 2004 Regal Splendor 2003 Guacamole 2002 June 2001 Sagae 2000 Pauls Glory 1999 Fragrant Bouquet 1998 Patriot 1997 So Sweet 1996 Pictures from the Hosta Forum

MAY and JUNE Garden Calendar

Allium

MAY

Renew Mulch around Perennials. I like to use Compost about 2-inches thick.  This Fertilizes the plants as it breaks down.  Be careful of burying late-risers. 

Pinch Chrysanthemums, Tall Garden Phlox, Asters, hyssop, and bee balm.  Cut stems back to two sets of Leaves.  

JUNE

Divide Spring Bloomers after flowers fade.  This includes Bearded Irises and Oriental Poppies.

Deadhead perennials to keep garden tidy.

Water if rainfall is scarce.  

Pinch Asters and Chrysanthemums one last time before the 4th of July.

Plant Fall-blooming perennials.

squaw-weed

Senecio obovatus

Loose umbels of yellow flowers are produced from early April through June on 12″ stems. The semievergreen foliage is rounded and serrated along the edges. Plants spread slowly by underground stems. Grows well in dry shade. 

I have this in a sunny and dry spot and it does well there too.

Prefers rich soil and and average moisture. Will grow in dry shade.The base of the plant is only 4 inches.  
This is a very hardy plant here in Nebraska and it is a Missouri Native plant.  I love the long bloom period of this plant. In my Garden, It is one of my earliest bloomers and continues to bloom into June.  

I picked up this plant at a Garden Club plant sale from a member's Garden.  

Japanese Tree Lilac

I have had this shrub in my back yard for years. I planted this clearance plant thinking it was a Viburnum.  It took several years for it to bloom.  When it finally did it had just a few graceful Lilac blooms. Then I discovered it was a type of Lilac.  This Season it is has gotten very tall and has many booms just starting to set.

A Japanese lilac tree (Syringa reticulate) is small tree, growing only to 25 feet tall and wide. This tree bears panicles of flowers in early summer that are similar to those on a lilac bush. Deep green leaves cover this tree in the spring and summer, falling off in the autumn to reveal the many branches. The flowers of the Japanese lilac tree tend to be smaller and the color range is more limited than that of the blooming lilac bush, though just as fragrant. Proper care of the Japanese lilac tree will assure the tree lives up to 100 years.

Mother's Day Peony

This is one of my Favorite Plants in my Garden.  This Very Early Blooming Peony came from a very old Garden in Iowa.  For many years a mother and daughter  sold divisions of old plants from their family farm.  I went to their sale a couple years and purchased some plants that I treasure in my garden.

Garden Pot Man

I am hoping to put my Garden Pot Man together this Weekend.

I missed him Last Season!

Today's Blooms

Woodland Phlox is in Full Bloom Right Now

Bleeding Hearts Just Starting

Planted Garden Chair full of colorful annuals

Planted Antique Copper Boiler a mix of perennials and Annuals

Hen and Chicks for the Hen House Garden

I planted some Rusty Metal wheels with a bunch of  Hen and Chicks in the Garden near the Hen house.  I even had enough to plant a  another vintage egg basket.

The Earliest Booming Iris in The Garden

Yesterday's Record heat of 101 degrees in May really warmed this up and I woke up to some new blooms this morning.

Cougar's Pride

Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis

Who doesn't love the fresh lemony Scent of Lemon balm? It is fun to grow just for it's scent alone. I have used this herb for years!  I like to use  it in summer salads in place of mint, in  a lemon Herb butter cookie, in cocktails, and for an herbal tea!Other uses that I found are:  aiding in the healing of wounds, treating venomous insect bites and stings, inducing  relaxation and a sense of well being, improving appetite and aid digestion. Lemon balm is also know for uses in culinary, cosmetic and medicine. Lemon balm is a fantastic addition to the herb garden. It is known for its "calming effect"  and it  is very easy to grow.  It is  less invasive than mint, but does spread as well as self-sow.  For a bushier, compact plant, trim sprigs frequently.  It prefers rich, deep and moist soil and partial shade, though it will tolerate direct sunlight.   It is more shade-tolerant than most herbs.  In dry climates, it grows best in partial shade. Lemon balm is also a great herb to grow in containers! 

Lemon Balm is sometimes called other names such as: Sweet Melissa, Sweet Balm, Balm mint, Bee balm, Blue balm, Garden balm, Honey plant.

"Melissa gets its name from the Greek word for honeybee.  Bee keepers often rubbed (and in some cases, still do) the inside of a new hive to prevent swarming and to induce the bees to return to the hives.   Lemon Balm, though often called Bee Balm, should not be confused with another plant commonly called Bee Balm (Mondara dydima)." 

Pots of Lemon Balm and Garlic Chives Ready for the plant sale- $2

Lamium 'Archangel'

The unusual marbled silver leaves and golden yellow flowers are ideal for colorful ground cover or adding light and contrast to shady spots. The unusual foliage lasts through fall.

I use this Tough Fast growing ground cover in a dry shady spot. It is difficult to find a plant that looks attractive and will tolerate dry shade.   It is great for erosion control as well. 

Fast-growing, herbaceous perennial. Spreads by stem fragments, rooting at nodes, and by seed. Flowers from April to June. The small yellow flowers are perfect and are pollinated by bees. Grows well in a variety of soil types from sandy to heavy clay and from acid to alkaline. Can grow in full shade (deep woodland), semi-shade (light woodland) and full sun. It prefers moist soil but can also tolerate dry shady sites and drought. Usually a groundcover but is also almost vine-like and can climb up and over low-growing plants and up onto stumps and other obstacles. Spreads readily from cuttings and root fragments. Plants also produce numerous seeds per stem, especially in sunny areas.

Living Nests

Living Nests filled with succulents:  a variety of Sedum, Hen and Chicks, golden moneywort, fresh moss and stone bird eggs.

$15 each

Star of Bethlehem Flowers

I have had these growing in my garden for many years.  I received mine from a very old garden along with other old-fashioned perennials.  

Star of Bethlehem flowers, or Ornithogalum umbellatum, is an old-fashioned perennial with small, delicate white  fragrant flowers. The plant is generally 6 to 12 inches in height and it blooms in the spring. They can also grow in pots.

It is also known by other names that include 'Wonder Flower', 'Arabian Star Flower', etc. Sometimes it is called the 'florist nightmare' as the Star of Bethlehem have a very long shelf life.  They Bloom in April/May.

Star of Bethlehem Meaning

"Star of Bethlehem is also known as chincherinchee and Ornithogalum. The word Ornithogalum finds in origins in the Greek language, where 'ornithos' means bird and 'gala' means milk. Thus, 'bird milk' was used to describe something really incredible. In South Africa, these flowers are known as 'tjenkenrientjee', that gave rise to its English version 'chincherinchee'. Star of Bethlehem meaning is found in the Bible. It got its name from the biblical account of the birth of Jesus Christ. The name was given to the luminous celestial object rising in the sky. This was related in the Gospel of Matthew, that led the Wise Men of the East to the manger in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. The Star of Bethlehem is the symbol of purity, atonement and reconciliation."

Plant Sale List

Hosta 'Francee'

Perennials Ground Covers and Flowering plants:

Yarrow 'The Pearl'- Sun

Snow on the mountain - variegated ground cover- shade

Painters Pallette– Persicaria virginianna- Shade

Vinca- Ground cover- sun to shade

Sedum -Sun

Lambs Ear-Sun

Pachysandra

pachysandra- excellent ground cover for shade; forms a dense, shiny carpet

Perennial Geranium ‘Olga” -  part Sun to Shade

Catmint ’Walker’s Low' - Sun

Gooseneck loosestrife - Sun to Shade

Tall Garden Phlox- Sun to part Shade

Lily Leaf Lady Bells - Sun to part Shade

Lily of the valley - Shade

Pink Turtlehead - Sun to part Shade
'Painter's Pallette' Persicaria virginianna Sun or Shade
Chameleon Plant- Colorful foilage, ground cover, can be a pond plant -Sun or Shade

Ground cover Yellow Archangel

Lamiastrum ( Yellow Archangel) low ground cover Marbled silver and green , yellow flowers

Blackberry Lily- Sun to part Shade

Ajuga- Shade

Bee Balm or Monarda: Sun to part Shade

Native Monarda-  Oswego Tea- Lavender- Sun to Part Shade

Lysmachia 'Firecracker'- Sun to Part Shade

Perennial Forget me nots- Shade

'Oriental Limelight' Great grower and works good in container

Artemisia 'Oriental Limelight'- Sun
Bush Clematis- blue flowers grows on the ground - Sun to part Shade
Star of Bethlehem - Sun or Shade
False Soloman's Seal- Shade
Woodland Poppy - Part Sun to Shade

Coneflowers: Sun

 Rudbeckia Black-eyed Susan

 Echinachea Purple Coneflower

 Branched Coneflower

Yarrow 'the Pearl'-Sun
Bouncing Bet- Sun
Squaw weed- Sun
yellow primrose- Buttercups- Sun 
Catmint 'Walkers Low' - Sun to part Shade
Spiderwort- Sun to Part Shade

Ferns: Osterich– old fashioned- part Sun to Shade

Little Yellow Foxglove- Digitalis Lutea

Yellow Flag Iris in Bloom

Very old variety of Iris

Iris:  Sun

Japanese

 Dwarf 

Yellow Flag 

Hybrid

Lilies: Sun

Hybrid Named varieties 

Turks Cap

Grasses: Sun to part Shade

Ribbon

Northern Sea Oats Grass

Lirope- Monkey Grass

Daylilies:  Sun

 Several varieties 

Stella de oro 

Old fashoioned orange

Herbs: Sun

Anise Hyssop– Agastache foeniculum

Chocolate Mint 

Orange Mint 

Apple Mint

Lemon Balm 

Chives 

Garlic Chives 

Oregano

Raspberry Starts

 Specialty Hostas:  Shade

x forunei 'Albomarginata'

Crown Jewel- a little hosta with light green leaves and a narrow white margin; lavender flowers.  Mature size: 4 inches high and 12 inches wide- $6

Earth Angel- 2009 Hosta of the Year-   Large Heart-shaped blue-green leaves that have a wide, creamy-white border.  Pale lavender flowers.  Show stopper in the Shady Garden.  Variegated form of 'Blue Angel'   Mature size: 58 inches high x 36 inches wide-$12
Gallon or larger pots

First Frost- 2010 Hosta of the Year- Variegated .  Starts out Blue-green and matures to a dark green with a gold maturing to a creamy-white margin.  Mature size:  14 inches x 36 inches- $12 Gallon or Larger Pots


x forunei 'Albomarginata'-  Classic White and Green Variegated Hosta  
Clear Green Leaves with narrow, white border.  Purple flowers
Mature size:  2-3 ft x 2-3 ft  $5 Prices vary by size 

f. 'Aureomarginata'-  Classic Gold Crown Golden-bordered Hosta Large Green Leaves Mauve Flowers on Strong Stems.  Mature size:  12-24 inches x 22-36 inches- $6 Prices vary by size

f. 'Francee'- Green, Heart-shaped leaves; narrow white margins. award winner!  Low mounds with 1-2'  flower scapes, lavender flowers.  Sun tolerant.  10 inches x 24 - 36 inches- $5 and up. Prices vary by size. Gallon size and Larger.   Fast growing for such a stunning hosta. This hosta stands out in my garden. It holds its 3' wide form well and supports the lavender flowers on sturdy stalks. The best white-margined hosta.


Sieboldiana 'Elegans' - Blue Giant - short -stemmed, white flowers on 4' scapes; very large, blue-gray leaves. Choice Plant. Mature size:  30- 36 inches x 36-48 inches-  $10 Prices vary by size

'Honeybells'-  As tough as they come.  Considered to be one of the best Hostas for growing in full sun.  Flowers are extremely fragrant and are a magnet for hummingbirds.  One of the best plants in my garden for attracting hummingbirds!  An old Classic Hosta.   You might have seen these Beauties growing in your Grandma's Garden.  $5 and up

'Liberty'- 2012 hosta of the year!  Dramatic Border. Thick leaves .  Has Yellow margin fading to creamy-white with lavender flowers in early summer. Mature size:  26 inches high x 30 inches wide
$15

'Tambourine'-A Medium size hosta with wide, creamy-white undulating margin.  Light Lavender flowers mid-season. Mature size:  15 inches high x 24 inches wide.  $9

'Lancifolia'- Small to Medium hosta.  Beautiful edger.  Glossy Green narrow leaves with Lavender blooms.  Hardy and early to emerge in spring.  $4 and up

'Ventricosa'- Medium to Large Hosta. Super Hardy.   Dark Purple blooms,  Satiny Very Dark Green Leaves.  $5 and up


'Krossa Regal'-  A must have for every garden.   A large Hosta with an upright vase-shaped habit of frosty blue-green wavy leaves. It has lovely orchid/blue colored flowers on 5' scapes. Mature size:  36 inches.  $7 and up


'Majesty'- Large impressive 'Sagae' Sport with wide gold-to-cream border.  Hard to find.  $12



'Mama Mia' - Medium size Hosta.  It has shiny dark leaves with a wide gold margin which fades to pale cream. The flowers are pale lavender. It is considered a medium sized hosta and forms a nice open clump.  $8
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