Japanese Anemone

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Anemone x hybrida

One of my favorite plants seems to be a favorite of a garden rogue.

As I was planning to write this blog, I checked to see if I had blogged about anemone before. In the September 24, 2008 post I said, “The flowers are almost 3 inches in diameter. They are rabbit and deer resistant.“

I don’t remember where I got that (mis)information. This year I have had a terrible time keeping the critters away from the anemone. Several times during the summer the leaves were chopped off and left lying on the ground uneaten. Deer, rabbit, groundhog? That meant war.

Like some kind of demented gardener, I regularly kicked the nearby patch of ivy to watch a rabbit run out of the garden. I sprinkled cayenne pepper on the leaves. We had a lot of lovely rain this summer so sometimes I didn’t always get around to reapplying the pepper promptly. I carried cayenne pepper in my tool bucket all summer.

The white anemone made it through and started blooming in the middle of August. It is still blooming. Lovely white, delicate blooms in the partial shade of the French lilac.

The pink anemone was not so fortunate. Just as the buds were forming, they were cut down. My heart sank when I saw the carnage. A growl came out of my throat.

Then, several weeks ago I noticed a few buds and conscientiously began the pepper sprinkling. I finally got a couple of raggedy pink blooms.

I’ll be ready to continue the battle next year. I’m beginning to feel like Carl Spackler in Caddyshack.

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(Historical Japanese anemone information from University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.)
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Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - September 2009

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I almost forgot about Bloom Day. What happened to the first 14 days of September? I ran out this morning and snapped a few pictures of the blooms in my garden.

Carol at May Dreams Gardens hosts this colorful day on the 15th of each month. See the links to what’s blooming in other gardens here. Thank you Carol!

Sedum Autumn Joy. A common fall plant but a reliable performer in the hot sunny, spot with a ground cover sedum.

One of my favorites, Japanese anemone. I also have a pink one but the rabbits chopped off the bloom stalks before they got a chance to bloom.
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The mum Clara Curtis has a long bloom time. It started blooming in August and will go until frost. Here with the ever present coleus.
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I don’t grow tansy for the blooms. The fernlike foliage and medicinal aroma make it a keeper in my garden.
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Phlox David is looking a little raggedy but still producing blooms (when I remember to deadhead).

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The annuals cleome, nasturtium and zinnia add color to the garden.

Fall is a wonderful time in the garden. Now if I could only get September to slow down a bit.

Japanese Anemone

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One of my favorite recent additions to the garden, the Japanese Anemone (Anemone x hybrida) produces exquisite fall blooms. To me they are as delicate as an orchid, as statuesque as a daisy and as carefree as a cone flower.

The flowers are almost 3 inches in diameter. The plant is about 3 feet tall. They are rabbit and deer resistant.

I received 2 plants in fall of 2006 from my friend Myra. Gardening friends are great, aren’t they? They are planted in part shade near a French lilac.

I’ve been warned that they may spread rapidly and may be hard to keep under control.

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According to Sonoma County Master Gardeners, “They spread by underground runners and eventually make large clumps that can be divided and transplanted for more plantings.”

In the second year in my garden, they are still well under control. I would like to see them fill the space a bit more. Only time will tell if I regret this planting.

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Watering the Garden

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This year I’m trying to get through the summer without watering my garden. I’m trying to conserve water and save money.

Of course, the potted plants need to be watered. I watered some of the annuals when they drooped. New perennials need water until they are established. But, I’m talking about hours of soaker hose watering of the entire perennial garden.

I’m talking about what will live in my climate without extra water.

Fortunately, we’ve had a year with adequate rain, until now. After a few weeks of no rain, heat, and humidity the soil has turned concreteous. Mulch, free from Bethlehem’s Compost Center, is indispensable. I am amazed at what is surviving (make that looking pretty good) without any extra water.

Some of the perennials have slowed blooming but are still very alive. The purple cone flowers look a little tired.

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Roses are struggling but blooming. The Japanese anemone, asters and mums have set buds.

The ground cover lemon thyme and creeping jenny do not seem to have a problem.

The mum ‘Clara Curtis’ doesn’t seem to mind being dry at all. In fact, ‘Clara Curtis’ continues to bloom and bloom.

As I said, this has been a year with adequate rain. And I woke up this morning to a little less than half an inch of rain in the rain gauge. I’m not saying I will never turn the soakers on but I’ve learned that I can do with a lot less watering than I thought. We’ll see how brave I am during a drought.

I’m thinking about a rain barrel. Raising vegetables is another story.

What’s your strategy for watering?

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