Amazing Ajuga (reptans)

Some plants just really know how to grow! Take this Ajuga reptans (Bugleweed) that I planted in my corner shade garden area last fall for instance. I had one plant that I divided into two and planted on either side of a large stepping stone. Those two plants have now become all those that you see in the picture below.

To me that's just amazing! Ajuga makes a great groundcover for shady areas. You can help ajuga along by propagating more of it through division but that really isn't necessary unless you want the purple and green variegated groundcover to spread in a new location.

Ajuga is great for a little color in the shade or a living mulch underneath shrubs and trees. It fills in thick and doesn't allow for many weeds to poke through. Keep in mind that it spreads fast and has the potential to become invasive. It's easy enough through to control with a shovel and hoe.  Ajuga grows well in zones 3-9, likes the shade or part shade but can handle more sun if in a cooler climate.

Caryopteris Snow Fairy

It's always fun to plant new plants in the garden! I'm sure you agree! Caryopteris has been one of my favorite perennials for a couple years now and I've gradually developed a hedge of caryopteris along one side of our yard. The hedge row was inspired by a picture I once saw of a caryopteris row at Longview Gardens. This year I found a new caryopteris to add into my garden: 'Snow Fairy' (Caryopteris divaricata).  It's a Japanese variety with variegated foliage and blue flowers in the fall. I know from my other caryopteris plants that pollinators love caryopteris.

Since I planted it about a month ago it's already tripled in size. Two weeks ago I took a caryopteris cutting and a few days ago I noticed roots. Other caryopteris plants (Caryopteris clandonensis) are very easy to root as well. Take a look at this post if you're interested in propagating caryopteris.

Have you tried growing 'Snow Fairy in your garden yet?

'Beni Shichihenge' Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)

Last week I attended the Bloom N' Garden Expo in Williamson County, TN.  It's a neat event held each year that offers garden speakers, display gardens, and (of course) plant vendors!  I've been getting pickier in my plant selections over the past year or so because I want unique plants for my garden.  I'm not trying to fill it up anymore, just trying to make it interesting!  Also money is an issue.  Despite advertising here on this blog (which doesn't earn much) and my fledgling nursery venture we're still really just a single income family. I don't want to spend money on plants I can raise from seed or through cuttings.  Nor do I want to spend money on plants that I don't have a good place to plant them.  So I've been getting more picky.  Fortunately at these kinds of shows there are unique plants to find like the 'Beni Shichihenge' Japanese maple I bought!

'Beni Shichihenge' came home with me because it has some really interesting variegated foliage.  It begins with red on the leaf edges in the spring which eventually changes toward a creamy white variegation.  This Japanses maple is a slow grower and at its top height will reach about 12 feet tall.  For now it will grace itself in a pot either on our front porch or back deck.  I don't have the perfect place planned for it yet and I'm hesitant to place it in a landscape that is also known as the Bambi buffet!

I bought 'Beni Shichihenge' from an extremely knowledgeable and very personable nursery owner out of a North Carolina nursery called Nichols Nursery.  Tim Nichols told me that they have over 700 varieties of Japanese maples in their nursery which also has an online presence at Mr. Maple.  I think you can guess how it got its name!

'Beni Shichihenge' was grafted onto another Japanese maple root stock.  This is commonly done with Japanese maple cultivars since most of them don't enjoy growing on their own roots.  Seed grown grafting stock gives these fancy cultivars a good chance of survival with a strong root system.  One common root stock used for grafting Japanese maples is Acer palmatum 'atropurpureum' which is a red leaved Japanese maple.