A corner of the courtyard with annuals and tropicals. The chair was a gift to me. My neighbor saw it being carried to a dumpster because the tip of the rocker had been broken! Can't believe this beauty was headed to the dump. That's Jackson a/k/a Baby Jack checking out the new chair.
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Kathleen Vedder
Happy Monday, everyone! We visited Kathy Vedder’s garden in Kansas City, Missouri, for two days back in December (refresh your memory HERE and HERE), and she’s back today to share more photos and some of her new finds with us.
Here’s a corner of the patio inside the courtyard. It’s a mix of tropicals and houseplants I overwinter, plus some annuals. Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Kathleen Vedder
She says, “Here I come again! Since I last submitted photos of my garden, I have added a couple of new plants, including ‘Bobo’ hydrangea (thumbs up so far) and ‘Vanilla Strawberry’ hydrangea (despite her beautiful blooms I give her thumbs down for her weak stems), and I’m trying the grafted tomatoes (two thumbs up!!).
Here’s Vanilla Strawberry. Love the bloom, but not those weak stems (at least here in Kansas City, she has weak stems). That’s one of those grafted tomatoes that has outgrown its cage and flopping on the hydrangea. Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Kathleen Vedder
“Has anyone else tried grafted tomatos? Here we are into September and I have yet to see any disease on any of the grafted plants. That includes such heirloom plants as ‘Brandywine’ and ‘Mortgage Lifter’. That’s a first for me.”
For years I have loved coleus. Here I have them growing in pots. The hydrangea is Limelight and behind her next to the house is Tardiva. The small pink shrub is also a hydrangea. Dolly, the dragonfly was made by my sister-in-law. Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Kathleen Vedder
I keep hearing about those grafted tomatoes, Kathy, and I’m intrigued. I’ll be interested to hear of any of you have tried them. The garden is looking amazing! ***Much more info in the captions***
This is the entrance to the courtyard where I do spend time relaxing and dreaming of the next new plant I’ll find (and where, oh where to plant it!). Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Kathleen Vedder
It’s STILL prime time to take some photos in your garden! So get out there with your cameras and send some in! Email them to [email protected].
Golden Spirit Smoketree and Japanese Maple. Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Kathleen VedderI love the limbs of the Paperbark Maple tree on the left. Behind it is a Persicaria. I don’t remember what the yellow flower is. I want to say Sun drops but its not a primrose. Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Kathleen VedderNew this year is hydrangea Bobo. Already I know I have crowded him. The lovely butterfly bush is blue chip Lo and Behold. A really nice size for containers. I have one in the ground but lost a portion of it due to our wet winter. Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Kathleen VedderThe rose is Zepherine Drouhin (almost thornless) with nepeta Walker’s Low in front. The tree to the right, lit up like a Christmas tree, is viburnum Summer Snowflake . It’s said to mature at 3′ to 5′, but here it is at least 9′. It may be 9 years old. Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Kathleen VedderHere’s a shady corner of our courtyard with a variety of hostas, ferns and Corel bells. The ground cover is thyme. Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Kathleen VedderContainer filled with some of my favorite easy care annuals. Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Kathleen Vedder
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all very nice, Kathy! you and i use many of the same plants and i was happy to see the Persicaria Red Dragon, it was a new plant for me thisyear. not familiar with Hydrangea Bobo but will do my "homework". what is the variegated trailing plant in the patio corner that is just below the Oxalis?
The Hydrangeas drew me in. I love ,love hydrangeas and you have some beauties. I also have problems with some weak limbs with some varieties also. I can tell you enjoy what you do with your garden, you give your hardscapes names and distinguish between male and female in the plants. The Oxalis is a pretty and an unusual plant. It is an annual here in zone 6, but I bring it inside and overwinter in my basement, where it dies back then returns to it beauty in the spring
It looks great Kathy!!! How lucky you were to be able to save that chair! It is great!
The yellow plant by the Japanese Maple does look like Oenothera Flava,,, yellow evening primrose,,and I love it,, as it also gives beautiful red Fall color!,,, love your hyrdrangeas,,,,and curious about Bobo,,,I have not tried it,,, are you happy with it?,,, ,also Lo and Behold,,,I have wanted to buy it, but have not either. I too love the Oxalis,,,,,Funny how you refer to your plants as ' she 's ',,, I always refer to mine as ' he's '! -:)
I also love your Golden Spirit Smoketree,, and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Paperbark!
Mine is still somewhat small,,, can not wait till the caliper is larger like yours!!!
tntreeman didn't know I could leave it ( Oxalis ) outside. Will try a small piece this year and hope for the best. I have a few places under a tree I would like for it to grow.
i think you'll have success, gloriaj, btw, figs figs figs everywhere here. and Kathy, one can NEVER go wrong with a paperbark maple one of my top 5 favorite trees
So much gorgeousness...each picture is a treasure trove of delightful plant compositions and charming garden ornamentation. Everything works together just beautifully.
I'm a big fan of 'Vanilla Strawberry' hydrangeas and mine look just like yours except I have thought of them as having "gracefully arching" stems (instead of weak)...hence, I love them!
Rereading what you shared from your 2012 submission, I am once again amazed at how much larger your property seems than the 1/4 acre since you seem to have so many wonderful outdoor "rooms".
Enjoyed your photos very much! What a great treasure to secure that chair, also. Had not ever seen one like it before. The Alaskan Blue Cedar caught my eye... and yes.... think I NEED one of those Paperbark Maples! :-) ! I am a Hydrangea lover too... you have some nice ones! "Pinky Winky", "Limelight" and oak leaf are some of my faves.
Your garden is beautiful. Thanks for sharing again!
What a fabulous rocking chair, would've been a shame to trash it. I'm sure someone handy can repair/replace the broken part and if it will live outdoors exposed to the elements I'd give it a couple coats of epoxy deck enamel; there are many attractive colors and I know there is white. Your Acer griseum is much larger than mine, was it already there or did you have an older specimen planted... they are very slow growers, yours looks to be more than fifty years old... they are expensive, especially at that size. And I love your blue atlas cedar. A great garden, thank you, Kathy.
I don't know about others but I couldn't take my eyes of the Zepherine Drouhin rose picture! That rose in bloom is stunning! You have a beautiful garden!
First of all.......my thanks to MANDER1 for helping me see with compassionate eyes the beauty of Vanilla Strawberry.....and her graceful stems. In addition to the hydrangeas in these photos I also have Quick Fire and Pinky Winky.
Tntreeman....the common name of the vine in the container below the purple oxalis is basket grass. I have the pinkish variegated one. It may be invasive in some areas. And thanks for the name Red Dragon. Also didn't know the purple oxalis might survive in the ground, but makes sense.
Tractor1....my Acer Griseum may look larger than it is in that photo. I planted it about 15 years ago, but it is barely 9' tall today. I got it on sale because it sat for a long hot summer on a concrete lot of a garden center. I think that slowed the growth even more.
New plants for 2014.....on my list for next season is Clethra Sixteen Candles. I've had Ruby Spice before but one day I noticed she was gone, so I'm trying Sixteen Candles next. Also I'm trying Leptodermis oblonga. An Extension Agent wrote about it wondering why it wasn't used more often. He said it was a small shrub but it would be found in the perennial section.
And I will again plant the grafted tomatoes. They are the only way I have been able to get heirloom tomatoes on healthy plants.
Kathy, your weak stems on 'Vanilla Strawberry' may indeed be your location. My neighor's seems very sturdy, but this is MT. It's beautiful, though. I've been wanting one, but haven't found the right place yet. I have grafted tomatoes, although there's not much point here in MT, since we don't have much trouble with tomato diseases
here. Grafting a late tomato onto an early rootstalk doesn't make it any earlier, unfortunely, because that would be a big plus here! Believe it or not, TNTreeman, figs, figs, figs here, too, albeit in a container of course. One of the few things I love enough to overwinter inside. Have you tried yours seared with goat cheese and prosciutto? Heaven on a plate!
thanks a lot, Kathy, now i gotta have Leptodermis!
yes, wildthyme i've had figs prepared that way and i agree, heaven on a plate. kathy, if you like interesting bark and have room, try Pinus bungeana and Parrotia persica (parrotia grows LARGE and it takes a number of years for the bark to be colorful, great fall color too)
I love the pockets of intimacy you've created in your garden. You've managed to achieve a spacious feel within a 1/4 acre, and still have these little quiet places. They remind me of the unexpected nooks you'll sometimes come across in old houses. Lovely plant combinations and use of furniture & ornaments. I love the Zepherine Drouhin with the Walker's Low, but think I need a black iron fence to go with it...
I'm checking in late, but I love this garden. It sounds and looks like some thoughtful selection went into this space. That paperbark maple is a stunner. Each and every cultivar you have picked is quite special. I have also tried 'lo and behold' Buddleia. It is it's second year in my garden and I am really liking it- neater, compact and a heavy bloomer. I have come really close to buying a leptodermis at White Flower Farm, but I don't have a spot for it yet. Any shrub that blooms late in the season is worth looking at. I have a Clethra' sixteen candles'. It is a lovely shrub, but I have mine in an area with hot afternoon sun and well draining soil. I am moving it to an area with more moisture and slightly heavier soil. As for the grafted tomatoes, my mom tried a grafted San marzano tomato. It did well, but not any better than her other heirlooms. I think we will both do some more testing next season. Tntreeman, I will be looking up that pine. I already love, but don't have the parrotia. Happy trial and error everyone!
Comments
all very nice, Kathy! you and i use many of the same plants and i was happy to see the Persicaria Red Dragon, it was a new plant for me thisyear. not familiar with Hydrangea Bobo but will do my "homework". what is the variegated trailing plant in the patio corner that is just below the Oxalis?
The Hydrangeas drew me in. I love ,love hydrangeas and you have some beauties. I also have problems with some weak limbs with some varieties also. I can tell you enjoy what you do with your garden, you give your hardscapes names and distinguish between male and female in the plants. The Oxalis is a pretty and an unusual plant. It is an annual here in zone 6, but I bring it inside and overwinter in my basement, where it dies back then returns to it beauty in the spring
gloriaj, i'm in zone 6b and oxalis is a tried and true perennial here, in fact, popping up in many places i don't want it
It looks great Kathy!!! How lucky you were to be able to save that chair! It is great!
The yellow plant by the Japanese Maple does look like Oenothera Flava,,, yellow evening primrose,,and I love it,, as it also gives beautiful red Fall color!,,, love your hyrdrangeas,,,,and curious about Bobo,,,I have not tried it,,, are you happy with it?,,, ,also Lo and Behold,,,I have wanted to buy it, but have not either. I too love the Oxalis,,,,,Funny how you refer to your plants as ' she 's ',,, I always refer to mine as ' he's '! -:)
I also love your Golden Spirit Smoketree,, and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Paperbark!
Mine is still somewhat small,,, can not wait till the caliper is larger like yours!!!
tntreeman didn't know I could leave it ( Oxalis ) outside. Will try a small piece this year and hope for the best. I have a few places under a tree I would like for it to grow.
i think you'll have success, gloriaj, btw, figs figs figs everywhere here. and Kathy, one can NEVER go wrong with a paperbark maple one of my top 5 favorite trees
looks awesome. very artful. thanks for sharing more photos.
So much gorgeousness...each picture is a treasure trove of delightful plant compositions and charming garden ornamentation. Everything works together just beautifully.
I'm a big fan of 'Vanilla Strawberry' hydrangeas and mine look just like yours except I have thought of them as having "gracefully arching" stems (instead of weak)...hence, I love them!
Rereading what you shared from your 2012 submission, I am once again amazed at how much larger your property seems than the 1/4 acre since you seem to have so many wonderful outdoor "rooms".
Beautiful! Really like your Hydrangeas and your variety of them
Enjoyed your photos very much! What a great treasure to secure that chair, also. Had not ever seen one like it before. The Alaskan Blue Cedar caught my eye... and yes.... think I NEED one of those Paperbark Maples! :-) ! I am a Hydrangea lover too... you have some nice ones! "Pinky Winky", "Limelight" and oak leaf are some of my faves.
Your garden is beautiful. Thanks for sharing again!
What a fabulous rocking chair, would've been a shame to trash it. I'm sure someone handy can repair/replace the broken part and if it will live outdoors exposed to the elements I'd give it a couple coats of epoxy deck enamel; there are many attractive colors and I know there is white. Your Acer griseum is much larger than mine, was it already there or did you have an older specimen planted... they are very slow growers, yours looks to be more than fifty years old... they are expensive, especially at that size. And I love your blue atlas cedar. A great garden, thank you, Kathy.
I don't know about others but I couldn't take my eyes of the Zepherine Drouhin rose picture! That rose in bloom is stunning! You have a beautiful garden!
First of all.......my thanks to MANDER1 for helping me see with compassionate eyes the beauty of Vanilla Strawberry.....and her graceful stems. In addition to the hydrangeas in these photos I also have Quick Fire and Pinky Winky.
Tntreeman....the common name of the vine in the container below the purple oxalis is basket grass. I have the pinkish variegated one. It may be invasive in some areas. And thanks for the name Red Dragon. Also didn't know the purple oxalis might survive in the ground, but makes sense.
Tractor1....my Acer Griseum may look larger than it is in that photo. I planted it about 15 years ago, but it is barely 9' tall today. I got it on sale because it sat for a long hot summer on a concrete lot of a garden center. I think that slowed the growth even more.
Flowerladydi....I'm very happy with hydrangea Bobo. And now I have next summer to look forward to and watch him grow.
New plants for 2014.....on my list for next season is Clethra Sixteen Candles. I've had Ruby Spice before but one day I noticed she was gone, so I'm trying Sixteen Candles next. Also I'm trying Leptodermis oblonga. An Extension Agent wrote about it wondering why it wasn't used more often. He said it was a small shrub but it would be found in the perennial section.
And I will again plant the grafted tomatoes. They are the only way I have been able to get heirloom tomatoes on healthy plants.
Anyone else tried the above plants?
Kathy, your weak stems on 'Vanilla Strawberry' may indeed be your location. My neighor's seems very sturdy, but this is MT. It's beautiful, though. I've been wanting one, but haven't found the right place yet. I have grafted tomatoes, although there's not much point here in MT, since we don't have much trouble with tomato diseases
here. Grafting a late tomato onto an early rootstalk doesn't make it any earlier, unfortunely, because that would be a big plus here! Believe it or not, TNTreeman, figs, figs, figs here, too, albeit in a container of course. One of the few things I love enough to overwinter inside. Have you tried yours seared with goat cheese and prosciutto? Heaven on a plate!
thanks a lot, Kathy, now i gotta have Leptodermis!
yes, wildthyme i've had figs prepared that way and i agree, heaven on a plate. kathy, if you like interesting bark and have room, try Pinus bungeana and Parrotia persica (parrotia grows LARGE and it takes a number of years for the bark to be colorful, great fall color too)
Kathy, you certainly have a lot of very happy plants. Your gardens and containers must give you such pleasure.
Thanks Tntreeman, I see Missouti Botanical Gardens list those trees as Plants of Merit.
I love the pockets of intimacy you've created in your garden. You've managed to achieve a spacious feel within a 1/4 acre, and still have these little quiet places. They remind me of the unexpected nooks you'll sometimes come across in old houses. Lovely plant combinations and use of furniture & ornaments. I love the Zepherine Drouhin with the Walker's Low, but think I need a black iron fence to go with it...
I'm checking in late, but I love this garden. It sounds and looks like some thoughtful selection went into this space. That paperbark maple is a stunner. Each and every cultivar you have picked is quite special. I have also tried 'lo and behold' Buddleia. It is it's second year in my garden and I am really liking it- neater, compact and a heavy bloomer. I have come really close to buying a leptodermis at White Flower Farm, but I don't have a spot for it yet. Any shrub that blooms late in the season is worth looking at. I have a Clethra' sixteen candles'. It is a lovely shrub, but I have mine in an area with hot afternoon sun and well draining soil. I am moving it to an area with more moisture and slightly heavier soil. As for the grafted tomatoes, my mom tried a grafted San marzano tomato. It did well, but not any better than her other heirlooms. I think we will both do some more testing next season. Tntreeman, I will be looking up that pine. I already love, but don't have the parrotia. Happy trial and error everyone!
PS- baby jack is adorable.
Thank you everyone for your kind comments. I greatly appreciate them.
Cwheat000 ...thanks for the tip on Sixteen Candles.
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