Free Fling Phlox

Say that fast three times. This is my Garden Bloggers Fling phlox blooming now. At least I believe I got if form the 2017 Capital Fling. My other established phlox, a Carolina phlox Miss Lingard (Phlox maculata) blooms in late spring and is finished for the year. I don't know what type this is, but I know what type it isn't.

I believe I received this one at the Garden Bloggers Fling held in summer 2017. It was planted and bloomed a wee bit last year. In the fall, I placed a blank marker next to it while it overwintered so I would remember it was there. I have a history of pulling out or planting on top of new plants previously planted when I cannot remember anything growing there. Space around this yard can be a premium. Well, I didn't remember.

This spring, it began growing -- this little plant next to a marker. It looked like a goldenrod weed or other prevalent weed in our area, but it had a marker. Thinking it might be the ever elusive red lobelia that was known to roam the area, I resisted the temptation to pull it out in April.

It grew very upright and about 3-feet tall (90 cm). Yup. That proves it must be a weed because I had nothing growing in that area which would grow so tall. Then it bloomed last week. A wind storm blew it over, so I stood it upright again for its photography session.

Individual flowers in the cluster are smaller than the Carolina phlox, looking a lilac or buddleia. This year it produced three stalks, each with a pink or light magenta bloom on the end. Small skipper-like butterflies love it. A few lower side shoots without blooms may help it to develop into something larger next year. One can hope. It grows in mostly sun, but under the morning shade of a small redbud tree. And one can label the markers placed next to plants in the fall.

For The Record:   • Heavy clay soil with organic amendments & mulch   • Damp soil at base of small hillside   • Mostly sun but some shade during mornings   • Small amount of fertilizer   • No serious pests/disease

Garden Bloggers Fling Prize

So here we are another year later, and I am reading the posts from other gardeners on their fling expeditions in Austin Texas. Although not attending, I want to add a contribution to their excitement by introducing the results of one of last year's Bloggers Fling prizes. The yellow tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa).

Fling Host Tammy had several prizes at the table which we could take our chances on. We were all given something like 25 tickets, and could put them all into one prize's pot for the drawing (increasing your chances of winning that one) or spread them around in other prizes' pots. I did drop a bunch into the peony pot, and won. Good for me because I lived in town and did not need to pack up the large potted plant (no blooms at the time) and ship it home as many of the others would have.

Tammy, I must confess to being rather lazy -- the peony stayed in your pot for most of the summer, and only got planted into the ground around September. At first I did not know what it was, other than a peony. I was not familiar with tree peonies. But, its leaves were differently shaped than other peonies, and it was developing a woody stem. With the help of the internet, I learned that it was a shrub (meaning I have to get it out of the place I planted it) and that tree peonies are expensive.

The tag that came with it cannot be found, so sorry I can't remember the name. I thought is was something like "American Garden Beauty" but cannot find that anywhere online. If Tammy remembers where the donation came from, we can track it down. The flower is really exquisite -- a soft pale yellow tinged with some rose in the central area. The fragrance is, ...well, I prefer the regular sweet peonies. This was more subtle, with some "talc powder" smell mixed in.

Also note: for the first time, I placed a support ring around the regular peony plant this year, but it was only about 10-inches high (25 cm) above the ground. But, it worked wonders to keep things on the straight and up.

For The Record:   • Heavy clay soil with organic amendments   • Mostly full sun   • Small amount of fertilizer   • On a slope so well-drained soil   • A little munching on leaves from some insect Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: peony, rose, daylily, yarrow, coreopsis, phlox, poppy   • Harvested: snap peas, cilantro

More Day 3

OK, so I am still writing about a Blogger's Fling held in June, and this is the final post on it. More regular blog posts should follow once again, as I am brimming with ideas and photos to post

Virginia's Garden, Middleburg, VA
This estate out in the county was a tamed and beautifully manicured oasis in the rolling hills and meadows of horse county.



Tabletop succulent centerpiece

How does she get that lush turf growing under that tree?





Pat & Ed's Garden, Hamilton, VA





Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna, VA

Echinacea hybrid 'Sombreo Adobe Orange'

Red crocosmia, red echinacea, red daylilies



Korean pavilion

2017 Garden Bloggers Fling - Day 3

The trips on the third and final day were spent in the Virginia countryside for the most part. Private gardens as well as a final stop at a public garden were on the schedule. These are some highlights of the first half of the day.

Tammy's Garden, Bristow
Our hostess Tammy's garden was the one of the first stops for the day. Located on the outskirts where suburbia meets country, the garden was my kind of place. Loads of natural arrangement looked like my yarden, but there were no vegetables mixed in with the flowers.



Looks like this place is a gnome home.

The owner is especially fond of gardening for nature. Lots of birdhouses and natives.



My master gardener group meets at Merrifield Garden Center in Fairfax. Our fling tour took us to Merrifield's sister facility further out (and much larger) in Gainesville. Look what the people at Merrifield left out for us. Of course, everyone bought something -- I picked up a Mojito Colocasia.

Linda's Garden, The Plains
The front and large backyard gardens featured water and pathways meandering around the grounds of an old historic home.



A very interesting begonia color

A tiny coleus with absolutely no green

I would love to know what this white daylily is.

A Thai temple bird house



Never found out the name of this hydrangea with just a hint of blue. Stunning.

More Day 2

Well well, another month goes by and I am still getting around to posting the Garden Bloggers Fling photos. These are some photos that struck me as I walked through the private home gardens of Peg and Ellen.

Peg's Garden, Vienna

I loved the way a basement level patio was made part of the yard, one level up without a large retaining wall staring you in the face. This is done gradually and with planters -- all softening the rise to the backyard level.





The edge walkway bleeds into the ferns that act as a border plant. Nice edge to the lawn area.

Lots of large containers even though there were many places to plant in the ground.

Good use of color.

Her butterfly garden in the only really sunny spot.

Ellen's Garden, Great Falls
Is this a stargate? Saw lots of painted dried allium.

Fish swimming in a sea of liriope.

Real fish protected from predators by the net.

In case of zombies.



Incredible hydrangeas at the pool house.

Day 2 Continued

Here it is, one month since my last post. Crickets. I am still talking about the Garden Bloggers Fling. And, I am only on Day 2. Fortunately other bloggers are better at getting photos and thoughts posted in a timely manner.

Summer and life are getting in the way of blogging. So I pick up where I left off a month ago with a few additional photos of Day 2.

Brookside Garden, Wheaton


A very large crape myrtle for our region. Almost a shade tree.

The All-American display garden. A handful of gardens throughout the country display the annual All-American selections. Brookside is one of them.

"Please be gentle with me and do not move me. I have a broken knee. Thank you, Mr. Frog"

A row of Petasites japonicus along the path at the lake. These would make a good addition to the manscape.

Private Garden of Scott, Arlington
I like the ability to insert a formal feel in the back although there is not much space. It had the feeling of not being too formal -- too "stuffy".

I like this way a big blank wall of the house is treated.

Into every garden a little whimsy must be added.

Private Garden of Jeff, Arlington
The back terrace where the edge of the yard drops off into a steep hillside. Are all those tropicals brought indoors for winter?

Outdoor shower.

Danger! Danger!

Another water feature. Every garden has one.