Niagara Parks' Botanical Gardens, June 21

After so many years of living here, I've finally had a chance to visit these wonderful gardens every couple of weeks or so. Here's another set of shots...

Tradescantia 'Concord Grape' with a gold-leaved Cotinus. The bluish leaf of Concord Grape plays an interesting part in this combination.


















This is Geranium 'Patricia' from Alan Bremner, the excellent breeder from the Orkney Islands (north of Scotland). It has been out for years, and somewhat overlooked, but this is a simple beauty. It is the hybrid G. psilostemon × G. endressii.









































I can remember seeing this plant, Filipendula ulmaria 'Variegata' for the first time many years ago at a nursery in the Netherlands. The nurseryman there described it as "too unstable" which it usually is, especially in commercial production, but once established, it is very dramatic. I will admit however, a particular attraction to variegated plants.























Years ago, I can remember reading about an Oenothera (Sundrops) with red buds -- it remained elusive for so long, I thought it had been lost in North American horticulture. More recently, a nursery in Pensylvannia offered the "true form" of O. fruticosa 'Fyrverkeri' (Fireworks) -- and what a beauty!























Here's a pleasant combination of Athyrium niponicum var. pictum (the Japanese Painted Fern) along with Hosta 'Blue Cadet'.























The combination possibilities of yellow and purple are near endless in the world of perennials -- here's an interesting one with Allium moly and Salvia Marcus. I've never been a big fan of the dwarf Marcus, but in this situation, it is certainly useful.























This is an outstanding combination of three plants (clockwise from upper-left): Cryptotaenia japonica var. atropurpurea (Japanese Purple Parsley), Carex elata 'Aurea', and Lychnis × arkwrightii 'Vesuvius'. The Japanese Parsley is relatively rare, despite the fact that it self-sows in abundance. The Lychnis is a short-lived perennial, and may even be best treated as an annual. In any case, this combination is stunning.























Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' in all her glory -- a plant that I've loved (note the past tense) for its unique flower colour, but also despise for its extreme height, being prone to mildew, and a nasty habit to self-sow.


















Finally, Salvia Marcus with Stachys byzantina (Lamb's Ears), in this case showing the usefulness of silver foliage.























Here's to dirt under your nails.

MPD, the coolplantsguy