Hello Yellow

front-garden-april-2009

Text and photos ©Nancy J. Ondra

Barely two weeks ago, the main garden color around here was white. But as the weather got milder, and then suddenly scorching, new foliage started emerging, and color theme has shifted to some serious chartreuse. Every day, I find new leaves to admire, so I’ve been having trouble deciding when to stop taking pictures and put some of these beauties together for a gallery of spring golds. Finally, here are some highlights of the foliage action here at Hayefield. (more…)

Published in: on April 28, 2009 at 5:06 pm Comments (17)
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Three Neat Plants

hemerocallis-milk-chocolate-july-8-07

Text and photos ©Nancy J. Ondra

I’m not a huge fan of daylilies (Hemerocallis) in general, but really, who could resist any plant with the name ‘Milk Chocolate’? And what an intriguing color it is: a very milky hot cocoa with a bit of darker maroon and a yellow throat, creating all kind of exciting possibilites for combinations. I currently have it against ‘Grace’ smokebush (Cotinus), which actually isn’t a great choice, because the colors of the daylily’s flowers and the shrub’s new foliage are very similar. (more…)

Three Neat Plants

euphorbia-het-yw-8_11_05-b

Text and photos ©Nancy J. Ondra

Signs of spring are being disappointingly slow to show up in my part of Pennsylvania, but no matter: I still have plenty of archived photos of cool plants to paw through. This edition of Three Neat Plants features three cold-tender foliage beauties. It’s way too early to think about planting them outdoors but not too early to think about ordering them for later planting. All three of these cool plants grow fine for me in full sun and average, well-drained soil.
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Three Neat Plants

nicandra-physalodes-soc-flower-sept-08

Text and photos ©Nancy J. Ondra

It’s time for another exciting edition of Three Neat Plants (not to be confused with the three “desert island” plants I blogged about over at Gardening Gone Wild a few days ago). Here at Hayefield, Neat Plants don’t need to be pretty, practical, multi-seasonal, or in any other way especially gardenworthy; they just have to be interesting. It so happens, though, that all three of today’s picks are good-looking as well as out of the ordinary. (more…)

Published in: on January 24, 2009 at 12:42 pm Comments (14)
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The New Ornamentals Society

symphoricarpos-amethyst-dec-31-08

Text and photo ©Nancy J. Ondra

It’s a little tough to not be envious of those of you in living in mild climates right now. Here in southeastern Pennsylvania – and particularly in the little frost pocket I call home – the last month has brought a succession of rain, freezing rain, sleet, and snow events in varying amounts, with little respite between them. To whoever of you who keep ending up here by searching the phrase “winter stinks”: well, I can only sympathize. (more…)

Published in: on January 8, 2009 at 10:19 pm Comments (11)
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