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Ilona's Garden Journal




Garden and Plant Photos

Blooming In The Garden

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Finally. Cold weather disappeared and things are blooming.

Therese Bugnet

I cut these roses down to the ground last fall due to dieback. They are sprouting up and blooming. Rugosa roses are usually very resistant to rose ailments. Except for being a bit chlorotic due to the uneven moisture levels this year, they are doing well. I expect that they will reach their 5-6 foot height by the end of summer.

Blanc Double De Coubert has one bloom and numerous buds

That one flower has perfumed that part of the garden. I am going to make cuttings and try to start new plants of this lovely old rose. These roses are a bit earlier than many others.

Beaux Arts, a German Iris

I like the colors of this one. It is one of a few remaining German irises that I still grow. I don’t take care of them very well. But this one is frilly and has unusual color that blends nicely with other plants of mine. I saw some German Irises growing in town that made me have second thoughts about them. A very striking stand of strong bicolor purple flowers on either side of a driveway entry. They stood alone, with no competing colors or flowers.  It was very effective, and I think that is how I like them used the best.

Siberian Iris

I prefer the delicacy and easier care of Siberian iris. They are also coming into bloom now. I think this one is Caesar’s Brother- or was supposed to have been.

Cheddar Pinks

I just planted these pinks last year and they are just blooming for the first time. I was sort of surprised since I had forgotten about them – and there they were! These are really cute, diminutive blooms. They would be right at home in a Fairy Garden.

Bowl of Beauty Peony

This single herbaceous peony is the earliest of my peonies to open, although they all have flower buds. It is in a part of the garden that I let go a bit wild, as opposed to the parts that get wild without my permission. Its color is very pleasing from a distance, and I look at it after my eye has glanced over the Beauty bush and the variegated Weigela, which bloom at the same time in the back yard.

Dream Catcher Beauty Bush

Here is the Dream Catcher Beauty Bush that is finally growing to size and blooming as advertised. It is in the shade of a very tall highly pruned (by ice storms and one paid professional) Silver Maple. I’m very happy with it. Its golden foliage is not as sharply colored as the one I located in full sun in the front yard, but it grows better with a bit of shade.

Well, I have a few more things, some of which are over or just starting. Shasta Doublefile Viburnum is almost over and the Fringe trees, while fragrant, are losing their petals. Columbines popped up everywhere, now slightly past their prime, and the lily of the valley is about over.
I’ve worked really hard in the garden, but it still needs so much more weeding, trimming, and quite a few other tasks.
To leave on a happy note (the whole post is happy, but this is what really made my day) : the Sweet Gum trees that I thought were goners have showed new growth. Perhaps the very late hard frosts had killed back the new growth on those trees and they were just slow to recover. I hope thye make it through the summer- then we will be home free.

Also, I cut the Lonicera fragrantissima down to the ground (actually my husband used the chainsaw to cut it down for me), Now it is responding with new growth.

All is well.

Til later, Friends.

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© 2014 written for Ilona’s Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Illustrating a couple of my projects around here

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Regular need of weeding

Pictures, everyone! These two pictures illustrate a little of what and where I am spending my time. The pond hadn’t been touched for a couple years, but I had memories of how much I liked it, so I am completely emptying it ( this picture is of the initial phase. There are a couple cement blocks that I will have to have my husband pull out for me. I once did that type of thing myself, but have lost that strength.

Today I removed more of the water, mudslide material, and random rocks. The waterlilies and half of the iris are in tubs.

 I keep at the walkway, and the lavenders are blooming nicely in response to the pruning they have been getting. Last years division of the Euphorbia made it through nicely. It is ‘bonfire’ and I love it more every year. Beautiful colors, compact and hardy. All season show, too.

One of my projects

 I have lots of pictures now that I took some time to take and upload the photos. I made a new page on Fairy Gardens, and used some pictures I had taken of cute examples I came across. I am contemplating putting one of my own in, as soon as I catch up with the major work around here.

Until later, Friends. And I am going to get a few photos into those last two posts for those who like a bit of garden cheesecake (oh, I do too:)

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© 2012 written for Ilona’s Garden Journal. An excellent blog.

An Ohio View of Spring

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I have been gardening, but had a little motivation to take some photos between digging and weeding marathons.

Here are some of the pictures from this past month’s flowers.

Everything was very early and now have frost damage, but it was absolutely gorgeous while it lasted.

Not as pretty as last year

These are the Renown tulips, which in the early heat put out lots of fat green leaves, but not as many blooms.

Small sample of the daffodils

The daffodils, however, were a different story. I had loads of daffodils, except for a few places where they need division. that is what I love about daffodils- they always multiply plentifully for me.

Redbud and Burkwoodii Viburnum

The Burkwoodii shrubs can also be seen in the background- they grew to be HUGE and always have a lovely scented bloom, although not as large and fragrant as my V.carlesii, they are better landscape shrubs.

One of the ‘Little Girl’ series of Magnolias that are the result of a cross originally made at the U.S. National Arboretum, Magnolia ‘Ann’. They rebloom for me.

I took a chance on this magnolia when it was on a clearance sale at Lowes. It has proved to be a very pretty ornamental tree in my garden. It always blooms, sometimes twice.

 On Easter Sunday we went to Dawes Arboretum, but that will require another post – Until then, Friends!

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© 2012 written for Ilona’s Garden Journal. An excellent blog.

Chicagoland Visit

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Snapshots of Evanston Yards

 While in Chicago last week, I managed to  visit my old neighborhood in Evanston, a suburb on the lake. The neighborhoods are still quiet and beautiful, the beaches alluring, but a few things have changed. The houses used to be almost uniformly painted in shade of light gray with deep gray trim. Now you will see a wide range of Craftsman era color. I think it looks good and the Lake climate creates lovely conditions fro the gardens.

Another change was the inclusion, in some parts of the neighborhoods, front yard vegetable gardens. No one can complain about their looks- they are well integrated and some of them were screened behind waist high hedges.

Front Yard Vegetable Gardens

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© 2011 written for Ilona’s Garden Journal. An excellent blog.

Roses Scenting the Air

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::repost::
I can’t wait until I get to smell the roses again.


Paul Neyron, is an old fashioned rose. But nobody tells you that after heat, heavy rains, and the rest of the roses bloomtime being just about over and this guy is looking perfect and fresh as any super suave gentleman might. A real stand out in a garden filled with literally hundreds of rose varieties.


[Thérèse Bugnet rose bush.]

For June Gardening Gone Wild is choosing roses photos based on things like:

“– The photo shows a lovely rose, a rosebush, a cluster of roses, or a bouquet.

– The subject is enhanced by the way light shines on or through it, and/or casts intriguing shadows.

– Colors are vibrant and details distinct.”

I selected some photos from my visit to the rose park recently, and the one familiar from my posts on my Thérèse Bugnet rose… even if I don’t place I hope my readers enjoy them 🙂

Oops, forgot the name- but like the way the light hit it.