Spills

It seems that this is the year of retaining walls.  And my favorite part of designing walls, especially dry stacked fieldstone walls like this one, is the opportunity to show off plants that want to spill over them.  And not just the tried and true Phlox subulata, but also Deutzia gracilis, Geranium x 'Rozanne' and Campanula garganica 'Dicken's Gold' with its striking contrast of golden foliage and brilliant purple blue flowers.

Egotistical Gardening?

Is it too tacky to plant a cultivar that bears my name? Maybe, maybe not. But this bellflower, Campanula glomerata 'Caroline,'  might be perfectly suited to my perennial border that remains damp after a good rain. Offered by Plant Delights Nursery, this "rarely-seen, mauvy pink-flowered" perennial blooms in May and June and attracts hummingbirds. It grows best in moist soils and is heat tolerant.

I could have an entire "Caroline Garden" if I added Malus domestica 'Sweet Caroline' (apple tree), Clematis x 'Caroline' (flowering clematis vine), and Rhododendron 'Caroline Allbrook' (azalea), Rosa x 'Sweet Caroline' and Wisteria x 'Caroline.'