The 'General McManihan' peonies are in full bloom at the Spokane Temple right now. There are several dozen plants, including a handful of white and light pink bloomers that are obviously some other variety. Marilyn (the landscape director) and I made notes today on the locations of the interlopers and plan to remove them this fall.
Like last year, this spring has been very cool and wet, which are favorable conditions for fungal diseases. Most of the peonies have some signs of fungal disease, and some of them have died back severely. Once a leaf is infected with a fungus, there isn't a way to treat it. Next spring we'll apply preventative fungacide to treat this problem.
The Seattle-like weather has made many of the other plants at the temple very happy. This photo shows a 'Stellar Pink' dogwood tree, 'Alfredo' American cranberry bushes, 'Globosa' dwarf globe blue spruces, 'Green Velvet' boxwoods, 'Kelsey' red twig dogwood shrubs and 'Catlin's Giant' Ajuga groundcover all looking lush and full.
We're looking forward to warmer, drier weather so the annuals can fill in and bloom heavily. This photo shows deep violet 'Marine' heliotrope (which smells heavenly), lilac 'Opal Innocence' nemesia, 'Bandana Light Yellow' lantana and a spike of 'Angelface Wedgwood Blue' angelonia.
This view includes the plants above plus 'Minifamous Double Lemon' calibrachoa, 'Marguerite' sweet potato vine, and a bit of light blue lobelia. This color scheme by the main entrance is sweet and perky, while the flowers at the south entrance are vivid rainbow hues with a lot of pop (more photos of that area later in the summer).
Here is one of the concrete urns on the east of the temple, showing pink ivy geranium, 'Limelight' licorice plant, light blue lobelia, 'Diamond Frost' euphorbia, 'Tapien Blue Violet' verbena (which isn't blooming right now), and a maroon cordyline spike at center. The color scheme for the East is soothing and serene, since that area is for quiet reflection.
There are a lot of these 'Lilac Opera Supreme' petunias in the beds by the front entrance, and they can grow 2 to 3 feet wide. Right now they're at 6 inches. Grow, baby petunias, grow! The background shows white sweet alyssum and silver licorice plant. It has been such a treat to work on planning and planting these flowers.
so pretty! i love checking out different types of flowers and plants now. i find myself, when i'm running, looking at peoples yards.
ReplyDeleteOne of my daughters-in-law has family (parents, sister, nephews) in Spokane. She and my son were just out there visiting.I'll have to ask them if they went to the Temple Gardens. So lovely!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful June on the Temple grounds. I feel like I just finished a walk there. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThose are lovely gardens. Nice choices of plants.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
Very nice plants and photos! I think we have been more fortunate as regards to weather. I have been mostly fungal free except my roses, which always seem to get something or other. I also love the heliotrope. Pretty and smells nice!
ReplyDeleteAh, such a pleasure to see someone growing the infamous silver licorice plant. A real treat, indeed. Do you have anymore upclose shots of it? Very interested. God bless and happy gardening!!
ReplyDelete-Tony Salmeron
It must be exciting to work on a large garden like this one. The peonies look beautiful -- no sign of disease in your photos. We had about a month of cool, wet weather after an early start to spring, and I'm wondering if that's why two of my three peonies are looking so sickly and didn't bloom at all this year; I suspect they're suffering from some kind of fungal disease, too. I like the Lilac Opera Supreme petunias. I have a pink sibling of these growing in a container on my deck. -Jean
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