Snowfall on Confused Snowdrop

We've had some crazy December weather lately... Last week it was bizarrely warm (60s!), and this poor snowdrop decided it might as well get things over with and bloom already:

Confused snowdrop blooming in December

Then of course the weather immediately turned and it got dumped on by a heavy load of wet snow:

Snowdrop, now realizing it's not spring yet after all

Oh well.

Here is a shot of my front garden in the snow. The window near my desk looks out onto this area, so I spend a lot of time gazing at this space from my winter confines. Last year it was almost totally bare, so I worked hard on adding plants with winter interest here this year (something, anything - even a few stems sticking up at odd angles would be better than the endless whiteness).

Snowy garden

I'm particularly happy with the arching stems of the caryopteris in the top right of the picture, and was also pleasantly surprised at how well the calamintha (just below the caryopteris) held up to frost and snow. There are also sedums, tree peonies, roses, and a few small evergreens to look at now. Yes, it's not spring yet... but it's definitely less dull than it was before.

Fall Color

I love fall color in the garden, and am always trying to incorporate more plants with this dimension. Here are a few that we enjoyed this fall:

Fothergilla major

Fothergilla major 'Mount Airy' - fall color

The fothergilla is definitely my favorite! Mine is still young but already looks awesome in fall. (Can't wait for 6-8 feet packed with that color!) The leaves turn quite late, after most trees are already bare.

Bergenia (Pigsqueak)

Bergenia cordifolia 'Red Beauty' - fall color

I have three different cultivars of bergenia and they all had different colored foliage in fall. This one, 'Red Beauty', had a brilliant coral-pink-red color. 'Pink Dragonfly' turned a brilliant ruby, and 'Winterglow' was more of a burgundy. (They are all located in different parts of my yard, so some of the color differences may be due to sunlight or location rather than cultivar, I'm not sure.) I enjoy all of them - for their early spring flowers and glossy green summer foliage as well as the fall reds!

Geranium wlassovianum

Geranium wlassovianum - fall color

This unusual geranium blooms in late summer, then turns gorgeous colors in very early fall (September here). However, it appears to be quite frost tender and got zapped by the first light freeze. Being in the north, I'm not particularly fond of plants that shrivel that early. But I like this little guy enough to forgive its one fault.

Geranium sanguineum var. striatum (Bloody Cranesbill)

Geranium sanguineum var. striatum - fall color

The leaves of this geranium gradually turn dark red in fall, and hold long past frost. It even has one cute little flower still on it (in mid-November), as you can see in the picture!

Geranium macrorrhizum (Bigroot Geranium)

Geranium macrorrhizum - fall color

Quite a few of the geraniums have great fall color. Geranium macrorrhizum (Bigroot geranium) also retains its large fuzzy leaves long into the cold months, and turns a rainbow of soft colors in fall.

Rosa virginiana

Rosa virginiana - fall color

This native American species rose has awesome fall color. It started out early with crazy fireworks of bright yellow and orange, then faded to this intense plum red by November. Definitely a keeper!

Hydrangea quercifolia

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Little Honey' - fall color

This dwarf oakleaf hydrangea has chartreuse foliage in summer, followed by burgundy in fall. The color is somewhat muted, but still a wonderful transformation to observe. My poor little guy got eaten back to the base last winter and I thought it was a goner - amazingly, it's grown over two feet this year and seems to have completely recovered. (It didn't bloom though - the buds presumably got destroyed.) I love the chunky yet fancy leaf shape.

Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grapeleaf)

Mahonia aquifolium - fall color

This little shrub is an evergreen, but the very glossy, dark green leaves of summer turn a dark burgundy-brown in the cold months. The leaves are prickly and shaped somewhat like a holly, but unlike holly it does not require acidic soil (which I do not have). It will also grow happily in even a fair amount of shade and is supposedly drought tolerant.

Lilies

I love lilies of all kinds - they are perfect for adding height, color, and drama to the garden. Most of my favorite plants tend to be roundy-moundy spring bloomers, so lilies provide much needed contrast for me with their spiky shape and flamboyant summer flowers.

Asiatic lilies

Asiatic lilies are the most common (at least in my area) type of lily. They are quite unfussy and will return and spread from year to year if given a sunny spot and reasonably decent soil. They are the earliest lily to bloom - late June in my area, and are relatively short (usually 2-3 feet, depending on the cultivar). They common in a huge array of colors, including bright and dark oranges and reds.

Asiatic lily - dark red

LA hybrid lilies (Longiflorum-Asiatic hybrids)

LA hybrid lily 'Golden Tycoon'

LA hybrids are harder to find than Asiatic or Orientals, but they are well worth seeking out. The petals have incredible substance, so the flowers last for an amazingly long period (at least 4 weeks for me). The colors are very bright and intense, yet deep and inviting. They are tall but incredibly sturdy - I've never had one topple or even lean. Best of all, in my garden at least the rabbits do not seem to like them! They are supposedly fragrant, but I detect only a faint aroma at best on mine (maybe it varies with cultivar though). They bloom after the Asiatics but somewhat earlier than the Orientals. Like Asiatics, they prefer full sun.

Oriental lilies

Oriental lily 'Acapulco'

I would grow Oriental lilies for the fragrance alone, even if they were not stunningly beautiful. They are tall and bloom late - end of July into early August here. The flowers are large and exotic looking, and I love how the gigantic stamens wobble and set off the blooms. They generally have subtler, softer colors than Asiatics or LA hybrids, with lots of intricate spotting on the interior. I do have problems with them falling over in wind and rain - some support is probably advisable. They are also high on the rabbits' list of favorite tasty treats. Next year I plan to erect a small cage around mine so they don't get chomped. Orientals will grow and bloom in part shade, but do make sure they get at least some sun.

Oriental lily 'Time Out'

I have read that Oriental lilies prefer acidic soil, but my soil is quite alkaline and they return year after year for me with no problem. No lily will tolerate poor drainage, so I do amend my heavy soil with compost, of course.

Martagon lilies

Martagon lily 'Mrs. R. O. Backhouse'

Martagon lilies are rather unusual. They will grow in more shade than most lilies and prefer a heavier, moister soil. They also have distinctive dark green foliage which grows in a ruff about the stem. The individual flowers are not large, but are quite lovely. The whole plant has a somewhat sinister quality which I find compelling. The one pictured above was just planted this spring and so is still quite small. Martagon lilies grow very slowly, and often take several years to bloom. Eventually they can form very large clumps with multiple stalks per clump. There is a gentle, spicy/chocolatey fragrance.

Martagon lily growing among hostas at Olbrich Gardens

I am planting more lilies this fall so that there will be more to enjoy next summer!