Oriental Poppies, Allium and Nepeta in the Front Walk Garden

Blinding Papaver orientalis, round Allium 'Purple Sensation' and delicate Nepeta 'Walker's Low'. 

This week in the Front Walk, the electric orange Oriental Poppies (Papaver orientalis) are just starting to bloom.  My plants have really bulked up in the past few years and there promised to be a grand display in the next two weeks. Complementary colors are provided by Allium 'Purple Sensation' and the blue flowers of Nepeta 'Walker's Low'. 

Garden Party at Gilmore Gardens

Our annual garden party in Pennsylvania is in the beautiful month of June!

I wanted to post a few photos of our 3rd annual Gilmore Garden Party that was held the first Saturday in June this year. June is such a beautiful time of year in our gardens, which I am especially appreciating now that the garden is a bit ratty from our dry summer.

I set up the food in the kitchen, since I am shy of being caught in the rain like we were for our first party! We were, however, able to eat outside this year thankfully. The little girls so look forward to dressing up in all their finery. It was a fun, relaxed time of yummy food, walking through the garden and the ever popular hunt for little garden trinkets amongst the flowers. My girls could not wait to find their birdies! In past years, we have had a flower identification hunt with an illustrated guide. It was so nice just to share being in the garden with so many friends.

A garden party needs a yummy cake: Almond cake topped layered with fresh whipped cream and the most scrumptious strawberry icing!!

Poppies, Allium and Catmint in the Front Walk Garden

Our Front Walk Garden

The Front Walk is sited at the front of our property and is in full sun during the summer months. (See it on the map of Gilmore Gardens.) 

This month, the vibrant orange Oriental poppies (Papaver orientalis), purple Allium christophii and blue catmint (Nepeta 'Walker's Low') have taken over from the spring tulip and allium show in early May, and the Allium 'Purple Sensation' and forget-me-nots (Myosotis) at the middle of the month.

 Shocking Oriental poppies (Papaver orientalis) and star-shaped purple Allium christophii viewed in front of the yellow-blooming Sedum 'Acre' in the Front Woodland.

The Front Walk ~ May through December 2011

May 10, 2011

May 20, 2011

June 4. 2011 (path-side view)

June 14, 2011 (street-side view)

August 12, 2011

September 7, 2011

November 8, 2011

November 11, 2011 (just days later)

December 1, 2011

See the map for the location of the Front Walk at Gilmore Gardens.

Since our current view is a snow one (which you may see in my photostream of "Current Views of Gilmore Gardens" in the right-hand column), I am posting these succession planting pretties instead for Carol at May Dreams. 
Happy GBBD!

Allium christophii

   On the Front Walk this spring, the succession has been non-stop to this point. 
First came Tulip 'Shirley', then Tulip 'Cum Laude', then Allium 'Purple Sensation', then Oriental poppies (Papaver orientale)... each one having a period of overlap with its neighboring blooms. Now in June, we come to Allium christophii, also known as the Star of Persia.

 As it began, it partnered with the vivid orange of the Oriental poppies...

 then partnered with the blue of Nepeta 'Walker's Low' catmint... and the left over seed heads of A. 'Purple Sensation'...

 The spotty light in these shots comes from the shade of the weeping cherry tree in Cherry Corner late in the afternoon.  But I still liked the speckled colors all strewn across the palette.

 The bed is edged in pinks, Dianthus g. 'Firewitch'. I love the contrast of their blue foliage against all of the greens.

 Allium christophii seen against the lighter green foliage of Spirea 'Goldflame'. This bush is much closer to green in its summer garb, but moves through red-orange, to bright chartreuse first, then to vivid red in its fall show.

 The idea to plant Allium christophii with a succession planting of Japanese anemones (Anemone hupehensis var. japonica) in the Front Walk came from one of my garden heros (again!) Christopher Lloyd in his fantastic book, Succession Planting for Year-Round Pleasure. They work so well with the alliums because they cover up all of their yucky foliage at this crucial time, and they give a lush backdrop for their flower heads.

These round allium heads are a child's dream.  They just cry, "Touch me!" to my three-year-old...

Alliums are also one of the most remarked upon flowers that grow in my corner garden. Many people are still unacquainted with them here in the US.

 One section of the Front Walk is currently filled out like I would like the whole to be.  Given time, the foliage of the Japanese anemones will make the transition from here to mid-summer more lush.

See the prior succession in the Front Walk this year:
Tulip 'Shirley' 
Tulip 'Cum Laude' with Allium 'Purple Sensation'
Oriental poppies (Papaver orientale)

Oriental Poppies on the Front Walk

I have a relatively small amount of experience with  
Oriental poppies (Papaver orientale)...
this being my first year with more than one bloom.

   My very first acquantaince with the Oriental poppy, was one that I killed by trying to transplant its foliage and enormous taproot. I later learned that taproot plants in general do not perform well for people who yank them up out of their original habitat. They have a resentful nature.

   They are most obliging when they are raised from seed, sown where they will lie. Another option is to buy a small budding plant with short dormant root in spring. Both of these methods were employed in the Front Walk.

This is how the bloom ends... rather a nice ending to be left for more garden interest.

And finally, a sneak-peak of the orange oriental poppy and its planting companion in the Front Walk...

Read more on the Front Walk Succession 2011

The prior combination of Allium 'Purple Sensation' with Tulipa 'Cum Laude' was on the Front Walk.