After weeding the Douglas fir bed last week, I realized there was a lot of room for new plants in there.\u00a0 I impulsively went online and ordered some plants I thought would do well.\u00a0 They landed yesterday and I planted them tonight\u2013all smallish starter plants, but strong and healthy and I got them all for less than $100.\u00a0 First I watered and planted, then I watered more after just to make sure the poor starts have a chance!\u00a0 Our dry Seattle summers are not ideal for starting a planting, but I will watch and water and hope that they all make it.\u00a0 Here\u2019s what I planted:<\/p>\n
Towards the edge of the circle, I planted:<\/p>\n
3 Aster oblongifolius \u201cOctober Skies\u201d<\/a>\u2013I love asters as much for their color as for the timing of their bloom\u2013and I love the way they spread!\u00a0 This bed gets enough sun that I think these will do great if they survive the summer.<\/p>\n 1 Clethra \u201cHummingbird\u201d<\/a>\u2013as soon as this cultivar was released, I wanted it.\u00a0 The start I received is already blooming and should make a great addition to the bed.<\/p>\n A bit farther back, I added:<\/p>\n 1 Azalea \u201cFragrant Star\u201d<\/a>\u2013fragrance is always appealing to me, and this looks like a graceful cultivar.\u00a0 Keeping it moist enough through the summer will be critical, as it was in a very small starter pot, so the rootball is very small and will dry out easily.<\/p>\n 1 Azalea \u201cWeston\u2019s Lemon Drop\u201d<\/a>\u2013I\u2019m not usually a big fan of yellow flowers, but the lighter, less bright yellows appeal to me, especially in spring.<\/p>\n The back row includes:<\/p>\n 1 Kerria japonica \u201cGolden Guinea\u201d<\/a>\u2013I planted this in front of a big Aucuba and I think it will shine there.\u00a0 These bigger single flowers are much more graceful and more in keeping with the woodland nature of the bed than the more common double form.<\/p>\n 1 Hydrangea aspera\u00a0 \u201cVillosa\u201d<\/a>\u2013this is a spectacular species hydrangea.\u00a0 It may outgrow the space I provided, but that will be a few years away.\u00a0 The start was pretty small, but healthy.<\/p>\n 1 Hydrangea macrophylla \u201cIzu No Hana\u201d<\/a>\u2013graceful flowers and healthy looking foliage, the start of this plant I received was already blooming at one foot tall!<\/p>\n 1 Hydrangea \u201cNext Generation Pistachio\u201d<\/a>\u2013not usually a big fan of the mop head types, I was impressed with the very different coloration of this cultivar.<\/p>\n Around the same depth in the bed, I planted two plants that I had grown from seed:<\/p>\n Daphniphyllum macropodum<\/a>\u2013actually three seedlings in a gallon pot that I planted out together.\u00a0 I have seen a big full grown specimen in the arboretum (and that\u2019s where my seeds came from about five years ago), and these are beautify shrubs\/small trees.<\/p>\n Sinocalycanthus chinensis<\/a>\u2013I am not absolutely sure of the species, but I believe this is right.\u00a0 Impressive leaves and I look forward to some of the lovely flowers in a few years.\u00a0 This seedling is about two feet tall and five years old, growing strongly in a gallon pot.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n And lastly, right next to the giant Douglas fir itself, in a sheltered spot, I pulled away the ivy and planted this beauty to hopefully climb the trunk:<\/p>\n Hydrangea anomala \u201cPetiolaris Firefly\u201d<\/a>\u2013I know these can be fragile and hard to establish, but I do think the environment I am asking this vine to grow in is close to ideal, assuming I can keep it moist enough to establish itself this summer.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After weeding the Douglas fir bed last week, I realized there was a lot of room for new plants in there.\u00a0 I impulsively went online and ordered some plants I thought would do well.\u00a0 They landed yesterday and I planted them tonight\u2013all smallish starter plants, but strong and healthy and I got them all for … Continue reading Taking Some Chances by Planting Now<\/span>