The shade garden is pretty full, now.
The two extra Frances Miller Hosta (clearance stuff) that we ordered with the daylilies (not planted yet) have been put on either side of the one that I planted four years ago.(or so). Esme chose a new plant, Lamb's Ears, which I planted in the center back. I found a columbine (Aquilegia) for a dollar on the clearance rack and I put it just below the white pipe. The pipe is to mark the tiger lily bulbs I bought at the rain sale and as you see below, one of them is starting to come up, so that is amazing!
rain sale : There were carts and carts of bulbs that had been outside in a rain storm at the WM the other week and I bought two bags at two fifty each one of tiger lilies, the other of gladiolus.
The tiger lily bulbs and the columbine plant
OK, and here is the real splurge.
I bought this and paid over twenty dollars for it.
It is a viburnum plant, also known as a Chinese Snowball. And I have a mathematical love for this plant. Years ago (I'll have to find the art) I stopped through on my way between classes at North Dakota State University NDSU and drew one of these as it emerged from winter dormancy all the way to flowering. It was beautiful, seeing the way it unfolded day after day. And I then made a printmaker's book called 'Are you a Viburnum?', because day after day I wrote a sentence or two asking what it was, noting things about it.. and finally, I found it in a plant book and knew the name.
I am excited to have one of our own! I kind of made the puppy eyes at Mark to find one.. buy one, order one.. and then our local Lowe's store had one and he said 'go ahead'... I normally wouldn't pay that much for it.. but now we have a viburnum. I hope it does well. We have plans to make a new bed around our power pole and put elephant ears and this plant in it as the inaugural bits. But, that won't be for a week or so. So, I hope it does okay sitting next to our shade garden and getting watered until then.