My Zen Garden: Plants 2011 (spring to mid-Summer)

“A garden is a thing of beauty, and a job forever.”

Hosta (Plantain Lilly ‘Hush Puppies’):

This zone 3-8 plant is different than other Hosta in the garden. It grows to only 6” tall and about 12-14” wide. It likes partial shade and will do well in a rock garden Hence I tucked it into a spot that allows for some growth and that will allow the plant to fill in an edge area.

Montana Sandwort (Arenaria montana):

This zone 4 plant likes morning sunlight only. As a low growing evergreen perennial it will form a cushion of dark green foliage to about 4” x 12”. It will bloom spring to summer with star shaped white flowers.

Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima ‘Morning Star White’):

This plant likes full sun and grows to about 6 inches. I planted two on the northern edge of the garden (the sunnier side) in two clumps. However, I moved one to the southern edge in mid-July. I liked the white pom-pom bloom.

Rosa Stolz (Armeria juniperifolia ‘Rosa Stolz’):

This zone 4-8 plant likes full sun and grows to about 6-8 inches. I originally planted on the northern edge of the garden (the sunnier side) near the Sea Thrift (above), but then moved it to the southern edge in mid-July. It has a similar pom-pom bloom, but should be a more purplish color. It will adapt to poor , dry soil, as well as attract butterflies.

Japanese Sedge Grass (Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’):

This zone 5 plant likes partial shade and moist well drained soil. It should grow to about 12 x 18 inches. It should make for some nice variation with the other Japanese grasses currently in the garden.

Happy Returns Daylily (Hemerocallis):

This zone 3 plant likes full sun to part shade. I planted three along the northern, sunnier, edge of the garden near the retaining wall. They are classified as a miniature daylily and grow to about 18 inches. Yellow blooms emerged in July and and should re-bloom.

Campanula Carpatica (Carpathian Harebell ‘Blue Chips’):

This plant likes partial sun to shade. I planted it near the retaining wall, just below the Mioshi post lantern. It contains violet-blue cup-shaped flowers on a mounding plant and should bloom from June to october. It should only grow to about 10 x 12 inches.

Assorted Annuals:

This year I decided to add a variety of annuals to the garden as a means of adding some color. Doing so allows me to experiment a bit and change the garden without drastically altering the nature of the Japanese theme set by the perennials.