Friday, June 24, 2016

Fav's for June...they're a little flat...


The last Friday of June, 2016, kind of snuck up on me. It's a bit of calendar trickery this month with the first of July also being on a Friday.

So monthly favorites...I've decided to feature a few low growing plants. Some might call them groundcovers. This Sedum hitchhiked in with a plant I brought from my garden in Spokane. That plant is long gone (wish I could remember what it was)...

But the Sedum lives on, in a big way. It's thrown itself (or maybe that was Lila's doing) across the sidewalk and down the edge of the driveway. It's a nice effect.

I'd give you the cultural details on this little plant but I have no idea which one it is, as it was already growing at my house in Spokane when I bought it, plus I tend to confuse Sedums anyway. They're all good really.

Did you notice the three green little blobs in the photo above? I finally purchased Scleranthus uniflorus. I've been lusting after it thanks to Evan and Patricia who are both growing it. What took me so long? (especially since I first discovered it in the garden of Mark & Gaz back in 2012).

It's like moss for full sun gardens! Hardy in Zones 7-10, eventually creating a mound 6-12" wide...

Just up the sidewalk a bit is my latest Grevillea x gaudichaudii, which brings the garden total to three.

This plant is basically certain heartbreak as it's hardy in Zones 8-10 but will most likely succumb to a cold winter, eventually. Everyone I know who's grown it has lost it.

But until then I'll enjoy it!

The pavers in this last part of the pathway to the patio used to be surrounded by Corsican mint (Mentha requienii). But for some reason (not enough sun?) it chose not to stick around and the moss moved in.

Still there are little pockets here and there that pop up, sometimes a fair distance from the original plants. I brushed the accumulated fir tree debris off this patch and the air filled with that lovely mint aroma.

Here, on the path to the shade pavilion, there's more (along with a Sedum, of course)...

This bit it situated where I can brush my toes across it when I pass, releasing that fresh mint smell. Mentha requienii is hardy to Zones 7-9 and likes well drained, even moisture – that drainage part is especially important in the winter months. It tolerates some foot traffic and has tiny purple flowers in the summertime. Oh and it's the mint used to make Creme de Menthe!

Stepping onto the patio, here's another Grevillea x gaudichaudii.

Those yellow leaves developed last winter and I expected them to either turn green or dry up and turn brown. They've done neither.

My original, which has grown significantly and bloomed a lot. Sadly you can't see most of it right now because it's blcked by the containers.

There are several new buds!

One more fav...this one Acaena inermis 'Purpurea' (New Zealand Purple Burr).

It's labeled as evergreen (everpurple) but for me it dies back in the winter enough that it looks bad. Hardy in Zones 5-9 and eventually reaching 3 ft wide. Drought tolerant and likes well drained soil in full sun. It is said to tolerate only light foot traffic but I can personally attest to it dealing just fine with a 22 lb dog regularly sprawled out on a summer day.

So....what's looking fabulous in your June garden?

All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

24 comments:

  1. Welcome to the Scleranthus fold! And I'm lusting over your NOID sedum and acaena too, looking great hugging and creeping over the ground.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So glad you got you Scleranthus. Every once in a while I see it and think, OH NO, I told Loree I'd give her some. You're always welcome to remind me...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You know I completely forgot that you offered to share!

      Delete
  3. I have some small patches of that purple Acaena, and some large ones of the blue version. Love it, I hope the purple thrives for me. I've been planning to try Corsican mint. Something to buy next year for the gravel.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't seen the blue version!!! Must find...

      Delete
  4. Sedum is about the only tiny-leaved groundcover that does well for me. Even creeping wire vine is barely moving here. Had Corsican mint at one time, but it didn't like our heat (or maybe the winter?). I love that Acaena inermis 'Purpurea' but bet it doesn't like our heat or humidity... :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What? Creeping wire vine isn't taking over your world? How is that possible/

      Delete
  5. Thanks for showing all these groundcovers. I'm not familiar with Acaena, but it looks wonderful! And the Corsican mint is something I've wanted to grow for years; I assume it wouldn't stand a chance here, but I'd be happy to be told (reliably!) otherwise. Personally I am starting to sprinkle the small cacti and aloes in as groundcovers of a sort though there's not much to show for it yet!
    Here is my favs post: https://smallsunnygarden.blogspot.com/2016/06/little-jewels.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not one to tell, but I can certainly hope that you're able to grow it!

      Delete
  6. Love the sedum softening the edge of the hardscape. And a purple groubdcover hardy to zone 5! Yippee!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you can find it our there. If not I can track it down and ship it to you!

      Delete
  7. Love the groundcovers! I can't believe that sedum has spread so far all on its own. It looks so good. I need to move one of my scleranthus to a better spot. It doesn't seem to like clay soil. I didn't think it would, but thought I'd try. I had a huge patch of Corsican mint at one point. I thought it had all disappeared, but I just found a few little bits of it today in a completely different bed. I just got some of that purple Acaena, and 'Blue Haze'. I'm suddenly feeling nervous planting my Grevillea x gaudichaudii in the ground. I might dig it up to keep it safe until I move to a milder climate. I finally remembered to write a post, and had some photos to work with! Here's my favorites for June: http://practicalplantgeek.blogspot.com/2016/06/june-favorites-combinations.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. On it's own...and when Lila's out front keeping me company and becomes agitated at a passerby. She's tied to the Fatisa where it all began, I think her busy feet, combined with the natural flow of water, have helped.

      If we get a crazy bad winter forecast I might not be able to withstand the temptation to dig the Grevillea. At least one of them.

      Delete
  8. I value groundcovers more and more each year. I have to try the Scleranthus in my current garden. I vaguely recall trying it in my old garden (when, if I remember correctly, it was sold as "Australian Astroturf") but it didn't do well, probably because that garden was mostly shade. And perhaps I'll work up the courage to try that Grevillea too - its projected size has scared me off so far.

    I've shaken off my hear-induced funk (mostly) and put together a belated favorites post: http://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2016/06/june-favorites-looking-at-positives.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I actually LOVE the name "Australian Astroturf" and will be referring to the Scleranthus that way from now on.

      Delete
  9. Scleranthus, I killed it three times. I think it didn't like heat. Enjoy it for me, please. That's a beautiful Grevillea, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sorry. But you can grow Leucadendrons, Aloes and Agaves like nobody's business so your world is not all bleak.

      Delete
  10. What a cute tiny sedum with incredible spreading power! Oh, the Grevillea heartbreak - It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, right. You know you can cry on our shoulders should that fateful day happen. My Corsican mint does the same thing, dies where it wants, grows in different places. I've seen beautiful carpets of it that smell divine but have never been able to achieve that myself. Acaena inermis 'Purpurea' has such a gorgeous color & tolerates nearly no water in my parking strip - a gorgeous plant!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Having just spent several days weeding (barely made a dent) I am always in the market for groundcovers. Scleranthus, here I come.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I've grown Grevillea gaudichaudii before any had come to assume that the leaves can age to yellow or red as part of it's habit. That's how they appeared at the UCSC Santa Cruz arboretum and in other places I saw it growing.

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousJuly 28, 2019

    I think that your sedum is sedum acre

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Comment moderation is on (because you know: spam), I will approve and post your comment as soon as possible!