Sunday, April 27, 2008

Garden Fairie Magic

Garden Fairies have been working their magic here. Things I'd planted two years ago that never showed up last year have reappeared. And strangely enough, three hostas I didn't plant, and that I don't think even came from my garden have appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.

These three bleeding hearts help tell the story. They were all planted two springs ago. The larger one came back last year, then was promptly trampled by rabbits and never even bloomed. The other two didn't emerge at all last year. See how much smaller they are than the previously-trampled one? Happily, the roots were still viable, and they'll catch up sooner or later, with the blessings of the fairies.



Old-fashioned bleeding hearts are one of my very favorite flowers.

I planted six liatris kobold which promptly disappeared two years ago. This one came back this spring. I had to move it, since I'd planted something else right next to it last fall. Maybe there's hope for more of them that just haven't emerged from the mulch yet. Or maybe the rest were dug up by the squirrels. Maybe this one was too, and maybe they decided to replant it.


These are the mystery hostas. I have no idea where they came from, except I know I didn't plant them.



I'm curious to see what varieties they are. I'm not even sure I have these in my garden. The second one is the most mysterious, as I'm sure I don't have this variety, which appears to be a lighter green than any other hosta I currently have. I'll leave them where they are for now - don't want to tempt fate. Eventually they'll have to be moved since they're too close together and in an odd spot.

Maybe the evil yard monkeys have learned to replant what they dig up and often carry away. I have a friend who enjoys squirrel stew. I half-jokingly invited him here for some backyard hunting to reduce our squirrel population. (yes, only half-jokingly!) I hope they took the threat seriously and have decided to behave themselves. So far this spring they've only dug up one thing. That's got to be a record low. Of course, there's still plenty of time for more mischief.

I'm grateful for the visits of the garden fairies. Maybe my fortunes in this garden are about to change. I might have to change my glass-half-empty view of this dry shade, maple-root ridden garden that has vexed me from the day I brought the hostas from my beautiful garden from my beautiful Georgian four springs ago. Magic is happening here this spring.


10 comments:

  1. Hi Linda, how very strange about those hostas, but a pleasant kind of strange anyway. I dearly love the old fashioned bleeding hearts also, and find they have good and bad years here. Ours never look like some of the clumps in the Canada gardens, maybe too hot in the summer for them here. Your garden fairies seem to be of the friendly sort, bringing you fine gifts. Maybe you could leave them a reward? Ours like sparkly things.;->

    Frances at Faire Garden

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  2. Linda, I just love bleeding hearts, too. There was a red one in the foundation plantings when we moved here. It was on the east side of the house, and with all the forest trees around the perimeter of our ridge, it may not have been getting enough sun. One year it was just gone and didn't come back. Love your photographs!

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  3. I love surprise plants(-: Maybe the squirrels decided to give you a little break this year and help you instead of dig out they planted...lol(-: My bleeding hearts bled to death. I saw them for two years then never saw them again...)-:

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  4. Just in case you've had it with those evil yard monkeys, I'll be pleased to give shelter to some of them... They can leave all the surprises they want. As long as they don't empty out my beer traps. AGAIN!

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  5. This seems to be the spring for surprises - I'm glad you've had some good ones. The Hostas are quite a mystery. You haven't let any go to seed have you?

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  6. The garden fairies have been good to you this year.

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  7. Frances, I'm baffled by the hostas. One of them looks like it might be Krossa Regal, and I do have that one. the green and yellow one is opening more, and I'm sure it's not stained glass which I have.

    Bleeding hearts usually do well around here. The clumps get quite large, and they're pretty long-lived. They often go dormant during the summer here. But two of these didn't come up for air at all last year.

    Mom, I remember we had one in that little fenced garden by the patio at the old house too. That was the first one I'd ever seen. They're so pretty. I'm sorry yours disappeared. Maybe someday it will come back like these two did.

    Cindee, me too! The squirrels actually have replanted stuff here, but they usually don't do it right. When I find them, which is rare, they're planted on their sides or upside down, and are usually dead.

    Violet, If I could catch them alive, I'd pack up a box and send as many of them as you like! They really are cute with all their antics, but they can drive a gardener wild with their digging. I catch them digging, go outside and swear at them, and they run away, but they come back, and bring their friends. too.

    MMD, It's nice to have good surprises in my garden for a change! My surprises are usually a missing plant, not a few extras!

    Although anything's possible at this point, I don't let them go to seed. I'm not crazy about most hosta flowers to begin with, and once they're done blooming. . . OFF with their heads!

    These look too big to be seedlings. These three look like cultivated varieties rather than happy accidents to me, and two of them are so unlike any other hostas I have. Maybe someone traded the hostas for my missing shovel.

    Crafty, yes they have been. And I'm ever so grateful! I'll be looking for some sparkly things for them as Frances suggested. I want them to know just how much I appreciate their kindness and generosity.

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  8. gardengirl, nice surprises...I have had wild flowers return to my yard...I haven't planted them, I guess conditions were right or a bird "transpooped" them here. It is an interesting spring and we needed it after last year.

    Bleeding hearts don't seem to like it in my garden but I think they are lovely and delicate looking. Gail

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  9. Hmm, how long have you lived there? Maybe the previous owners had hostas there that they took with them? They left a small piece of root behing and they took time to develop? Nah, I like the garden fairy theory better! I hope those garden fairies continue protecting my plants from the cold.

    It's always nice when troubled plants rest for a year and then are able to bounce back. YAY!

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  10. Gail, maybe mother nature is just making up for last year. I'm very happy to see my MIA dicentras back again. I'm still baffled by the hostas, and very pleased that two of them are nice yellow varieties. I'll have to figure out what they are if I can. One's variagated with green edges, and the other has sword-shaped bright yellow-green leaves - keeps lightening up as the leaves stretch out. The third hosta hasn't opened yet, looks like it might be Krossa Regal, which I do have. I'll have to wait and see what it looks like when it unfurls.

    Cinj, I've lived here 4 years now, but DH has lived here for about 15 years. The only thing left from the previous owners' garden were some shrinking guacamole and white-variagated hostas. I rescued guacamole, and have been replacing the white-variaged ones. These newbies don't look anything like either of those two. It's really strange! I don't mind though! I'm very happy to have these pretty 'mystery' hostas!

    I've never had a plant disappear and then come back like those two bleeding hearts, but I'm sure glad they did. I hope they come back next year too, bigger and blooming!

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