Maine gardens peak early, especially this year when we've had so much rain the last two weeks that our lilac, the Korean Miss Kim (to right of door) has just raised her sagging branches enough for this picture. We've had a welcome day of sun. Right under Miss Kim is a Nelly Moser clematis, also low-lying after the rains, and clematis President is on opposite side of the trellis-arch. And in foreground is the foliage garden, leavened with a Russell lupine in front, a volunteer.
Below, here's a closer look at our surprise candelabra, doubly amazing because lupine thrive in ditches alongside roadways in Maine, but have always died in my garden. So I thought they didn't like rich soil. But here comes this one out of nowhere, blooming to bust in the most prominent place in the garden.
Clematis Nelly Moser is down-playing her beauty by staying near the granite steps rather than twining up the trellis. The rain has kept her down as well. (It's the wettest June on record in our state).
The clematis President is an unearthly blue, so pure it seems to sing. It's twined up a bit higher on the trellis, but my dream of having them meet overhead hasn't come to pass. Should I take the trellis down and replace with two lower ones, or should I replace the clematis with a higher-climber, like the Trumpet Vine?
What fun you must be having! I remember you lovely yard from last year. Due to the rain my clematis are still sending out various blooms! Finally some sun for the zinnias and other annuals I have tried this year.
Posted by: Tabor | June 20, 2009 at 02:16 PM
A beautiful garden. Our Nelly Moser come up this year, grew about 4ft up the arbor and then died. I have the worst luck with that plant. I mulched it and tried to keep the soil moist. In this Oklahoma heat it's hard to keep it damp enough..I guess I'll do more research.
Posted by: Wally | June 21, 2009 at 10:05 AM
Really like all your blue flowers.
Posted by: joared | July 09, 2009 at 08:39 PM