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.

 Care for this succession planting so far this season has included:

• cutting down to the ground all of the forget-me-nots (Myosotis), which helps them to put out fresh growth to last through the rest of the year
• pulling out old tulip and allium foliage as it yellows
• weeding out crab grass

 When this bloom combination is over, tasks include:

• cutting the poppies to the ground to let them put out new growth
• filling the holes with the already pot-grown dahlias that are living on my front porch
• cutting out the allium head when the pass they point of enjoyment
• more weeding crab grass here and there, I am sure

Purple Allium christophii blooming just above the supporting foliage of pink fall-blooming Japanese anemones.

Growing the Allium christophii above the fall-blooming Japanese anemones gives them a place to show their beauty while hiding their bare legs. Their foliage starts out green and strapping but has yellowed and been removed by the time they actually bloom.

Oriental poppies (Papaver orientalis) seen in front of variegated loosestrife, Lysimachia punctata 'Alexander'.

View of the Front Walk to Cherry Corner Garden

This garden is in full sun during the summer months. But when the sun drops lower in the sky for the winter, it gets only a few hours of direct sun as it is on the north side of our house. That means that this garden has a bit of split personality going on. In the summer it is hot and dry, and in the winter it remains frozen longer than the full sun gardens and so it sustains the most damage from low winter temperatures. The evergreen arborvitae balls have weathered this well, but the Japanese anemones have had spotty results in this area, as have the Spirea 'Goldflame'.

Oriental poppy (Papaver orientalis) with blue catmint (Nepeta 'Walker's Low').

Our Front Walk and Front Woodland hug the sidewalk around our small corner lot. This is a great location for some eye-catching color as many people stop at this corner everyday.

Purple Allium christophii luring in the bees with their starry blooms. They begin just after Allium 'Purple Sensation' decline, so they are a good planting pair. All Allium are deer and animal resistant since they are in the onion family.

Orange poppies, blue catmint, purple allium and the soothing mounded form of variegated loosestrife, Lysimachia punctata 'Alexander' to anchor the corner of this garden walk.

My kids and the bees love to examine the centers of these poppies which are full of purple pollen.

 A poppy just beaten down by the rain.

See more of the succession planting in the Front Walk - May to December.