Thursday, June 21, 2012

Curb Strip with Irises, Catmint and Allium

Our Front Woodland was entirely turf just a couple years ago.  Photo taken May 25th, 2012.
Our Front Woodland was entirely turf just a couple years ago.  Photo taken May 25th, 2012.
This pretty blue and white combination developed over the past year in our Front Woodland. The blue Siberian Irises came with our house, so I am not sure of the exact variety. I did learn that when you divide and transplant Siberian Irises, they take a while to settling in and start blooming again.

Blue Siberian irises grow from rhizomes
Blue Siberian irises grow from rhizomes


Last fall I added a few white Allium multibulbosum left over from the Driveway Garden (see Allium multibulbosum with the roses and geraniums). They add some height to this arrangement.

And a few newly divided sections of the short catmint, Nepeta 'Walker's Low', were added in April. Sedum 'Acre' is doing its job very well filling in the cracks and creating a nice chartreuse mat at the base of this garden.

Allium multibulbosum, Siberian iris and catmint, Nepeta 'Walker's Low'
Allium multibulbosum, Siberian iris and catmint, Nepeta 'Walker's Low'
For the Front Woodland succession planting so far this year, see:

12 comments:

  1. Julie it's a lovely fresh looking arrangment and I love the blue of the irises what a lovely gift from a previous occupier, Frances

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  2. Wonderful iris...such a deep blue and what a nice companion with the alliums and catmint...

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  3. I love those irises! That garden looks so lush. You garden grows more beautiful by the day!!!

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  4. Hi, I love white alliums too, but mine are low. Nepeta is nice flower for bed with high flowers. Nice photos!

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  5. I like the grouping of blues you planted, they make such nice companions. The Allium is pretty in white as well as blue.

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  6. Gorgeous combo! I love those colors together, and the texture contrasts. Soft and spiky.

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  7. Lovely combination. I haven't confirmed this but I read that 'Walker's Low' is the name of the town it came from and not a reference to height.

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    1. Hi Carolyn!
      That is interesting. It definitely is shorter in general than the more commonly used N. 'Six Hills Giant.' I do like that it does not flop as much as the larger varieties.
      ~Julie

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  8. What a gorgeous strong blue the Iris is, and the contrast with your justifiably well used sedum is perfect. Christina

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  9. What a gorgeous strong blue the Iris is, and the contrast with your justifiably well used sedum is perfect. I would like to grow a shorter nepeta so do let me know if this variety is really low, ref. Caroline's comment above. Christina

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    1. Christina,
      I did a quick search and the predicted size of N. 'Walker's Low' is 24"-30" and N. Six Hills Giant is 36". Both do flop, but the 'Walker's Low is definitely a smaller flop :) I do shear it after first flowering.

      I only have the 'Walker's Low in my garden, but a friend of mine lives just a few blocks away and has Six Hills. The former is certifiably smaller when grown in very similar conditions. It is not a "small" plant to the general public, or those gardeners who need truly dwarf specimens. That seems to be why the nurseries are cautioning people about its size.

      Whether the original breeder had just the English town/estate (which actually seems to be Low Walker, in northern UK) in mind or not I do not know. But, I think that it gives them more credit if we think that it was a clever play on words referring to both their location and that it is a cultivar smaller than the longtime industry standard.
      ~Julie

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