View from the Simpson Gardens

Looking back at April

April is the month of growth in our garden. Not so much is in flower right now. The joys of the spring bulbs are mostly past, and May’s glorious burst of bloom is yet to come. Still, look at some of what’s already been on show:

Thermopsis chinensis – Pea Bush- bloomed in the sunny border next to the path on the Eastern side.

A few small clusters of dark-leaved violets (perhaps Viola labradorica — Alpine purple-leaved violet) were discovered as we cleared debris in a bed near the Tufa Garden, where such alpine plants are meant to be.

Nearby were some other violets with regular green leaves but more reddish-purple flowers.

2016 © by Christa Watters

Viburnum closeup: This is from a tall shrub growing along the western path edge; flowers with blush pink blooms. Slightly earlier, in the Scented Garden we had the very fragrant Viburnum carlesii, also known as dwarf Korean spice bush.

2016 © by Christa Watters

Iris cristata (dwarf crested iris): A dwarf native blue-violet flower that will naturalize to form a ground cover on the sunnier edge of our renovated shade bed.