A Way To Garden

A Way To Garden

'horticultural how-to and woo-woo'
the source of organic gardening inspiration
margaret roach, head gardener

Menu
  • podcast
  • Plants
    • annuals & perennials »
      • groundcovers
    • bulbs
    • trees & shrubs »
      • conifers
      • deciduous
    • vines
    • vegetables
    • tomatoes
    • herbs
    • fruit
    • houseplants
    • taxonomy 101
    • decoding botanical latin
  • recipes
    • soups
    • entrees
    • side dishes
    • salads
    • desserts
    • pickles & condiments
    • freezing & canning
    • baking
    • guest chefs
  • how-to
    • weeds
    • pests & diseases
    • garden prep
    • composting
    • organics
    • pruning
    • garden design
    • from seed »
      • seed starting
    • water gardening
    • shade gardening
    • container gardening
    • lawn care (organic)
    • garden faq’s
    • for beginners
  • nature
    • bird sh-t
    • frogboys
    • insects & worms
    • jack the demon cat
    • mushrooms & other fungi
  • about
    • margaret and her website
    • my public-radio podcast
    • my 2018 garden events
    • my books
    • my email newsletter
    • my garden
    • horticultural ‘woo-woo’
    • sponsorship
    • resource links
  • Home
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • Pintrest
    • Feed
    • Podcast
  • my books
  • 2018 garden events
  • when to start seed
  • webinars
  • monthly chores
  • garden faq’s
  • top-50
  • andre jordan doodles
  • slideshows

up and running: 7 charming perennials

Share
Tweet
Pin1
Email
Shares 1

lathyrus-vernis-purpleTHEY’RE OFF! OR SO IT SEEMS. IT’S A HORSE-RACE-TURNED-ROCKET-LAUNCH this time of year, with the spring vetchling (above), Lathyrus vernus, going neck-and-neck with my treasured oddball called Hylomecon japonicum. Say hello to the little flashy speed-demons I’m hanging out with this week:

LATHYRUS VERNUS, the spring vetchling, is a non-vining, carefree perennial pea I cannot imagine spring without. Not familiar with it? Read on.

PULMONARIA RUBRA has been at it for weeks here. No variegation in its leaves, like many of the showier lungworts (as pulmonarias are called) have, but hey, red’s pretty special in early spring, isn’t it?

pachysandra procumbensPACHYSANDRA PROCUMBENS, the American species (above), is blooming now, too. Forgive the weeds among its flowers in the photo…much cleanup to do here, but didn’t want to miss this sweetie’s little bottlebrush blooms.

HYLOMECON JAPONICUM is one of my real heart-throbs, though nobody else seems to love it like I do. See what you think for yourself.

CORYDALIS SOLIDA, a little bleeding heart relative with lavender blooms, got dug up and moved around by somebody last year. Now it’s everywhere. The scoop.

TRACHYSTEMON ORIENTALIS is showing off its blue flowers in the shady shrub borders, and its big leaves are about to pop as its second act. A great groundcover for rugged spots. Its profile is here.

primula veris redPRIMULA VERIS (above) is always my first primrose to get going. Sweet and subtle, and available in many colors (I have the palest yellow and also a reddish one, as shown). There are others ahead, like P. kisoana and P. japonica, but not yet.

Hold your horses. The race is just beginning. Try to stay calm!

Share
Tweet
Pin1
Email
Shares 1

Related

Frog with headphones
Don’t Miss Out!

Get my award-winning podcast...

Listen on Apple Podcasts

...and my ribbiting free newsletter.

8 comments
April 14, 2010

comments

  1. Tedb says

    April 14, 2010 at 7:59 pm

    Great plants – it’s amazing how many easy, beautiful plants are ignored by most of horticulture. I missed the previous post on hylomecon – I’m putting on my list. Does the Lathyrus re-seed for you or do you divide it?

    Reply
  2. Candylei says

    April 14, 2010 at 10:05 pm

    I love the color of the primroses…a blue-pink. Do you have any weeds yet? ;) Ours are starting to come up like hair…windblown tree seeds, etc. They’ll make a nice compost heap or green manure tea.

    Reply
  3. Brian G. says

    April 14, 2010 at 11:12 pm

    I bought some Hylomecon last spring on your advise. I love that bright yellow flower and the leaves make such a nice neat mound of green. Definitely a winner and super easy. The Lathyrus is, unfortunately, a bit difficult to get (especially in purple with pink being easier to find). I will keep looking though. I love anything in the pea family.

    Reply
  4. Amy says

    April 15, 2010 at 6:20 am

    They are all lovely, but I think the corydalis solida is still my favorite. Did it turn up in any surprising location this year?
    Brian G, Lathyrus is available from White Flower Farm — a little pricey though.

    Reply
    • Margaret says

      April 15, 2010 at 8:58 am

      @Amy: The Corydalis is EVERYWHERE…but sadly they are all baby plants. I miss my one big juicy old one. Alas, the vagaries of nature (and the naughtiness of chipmunks, I guess).

      @Candylei: Weeds? DId you say weeds? Yes, many…and even dandelions already. Garlic mustard by the bushel, and on and on. Ugh.

      Reply
  5. Brian G. says

    April 15, 2010 at 11:00 am

    Thanks, @Amy, I did see it at White Flower but you are right, too rich for me. I’ll try to get it from a more low rent district in the fall:)

    Reply
  6. Jim Eber says

    April 15, 2010 at 11:20 pm

    I’ve got blooms on my lilac. It was a freebee from Rochester’s Lilac fest. It is less than a foot tall. I’ll post the picture to my blog.

    Reply
    • Margaret says

      April 16, 2010 at 7:28 am

      @Jim: I am freaked out by the very-expanded lilac buds here…WAY too soon…though perhaps cold weather will hold them back. All too confusing for me at the moment. :)

      Reply

leave a reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

facebook-1

SPONSORS AND FRIENDS

  • Avant Gardens rare plants
  • select seeds rare flowers
  • Vermont WIllows
  • 300+ garden climbers

get my podcast

ads-podcast-frog300

PODCAST SPONSORS

Margaret Recommends

My picks of garden gear, books, and mulch, mulch more, all things I use myself. (Disclosure: includes affiliate links.)

READ MY BOOKS?

  • margaret's latest book
  • Margaret's dropout memoir

RECENT FAVORITES

  1. when to start seed
  2. cattle-panel diy projects, with joe lamp'l: trellises, cages, planting grids and more
  3. asian jumping worms: what we know, with uw-madison's brad herrick
  4. pairing clematis with proper partners, with linda beutler of rogerson clematis collection
  5. best phlox for gardeners and butterflies, with mt. cuba's george coombs
  6. the march garden chores
  7. why vegetable seedlings stretch and get spindly
  8. the april garden chores
  9. meet travis cox, age 17, 'the garden scout'
  10. tips for growing better tomatoes from seed


Load More...
Follow on Instagram

SEARCH ANY TOPIC

Quotes

  • Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.
    —Rainer Maria Rilke

Welcome! I’m Margaret Roach, a leading garden writer for 25 years—at ‘Martha Stewart Living,’ ‘Newsday,’ and in three books. I host a public-radio podcast; I also lecture, plus hold tours at my 2.3-acre Hudson Valley (NY) Zone 5B garden, and always say no to chemicals and yes to great plants.

  • © 2008-2018, Margaret Roach Inc.

  • contact
  • sponsorship
  • privacy policy
  • terms of use
built by WebDevStudios; design by Kenneth B Smith