Saturday, May 22, 2010

Mystery Plant

I have been watching this little groundcover plant growing on the crest of the gravel driveway to the resident gardeners house for several years now wondering what is this cute little mat forming ground hugging thing. It even bloomed cute flowers once making it that much sweeter. I seem to recall that it stayed green through the winter. Did it? What is it?

Then I started finding this same plant down at the cozy cabin. It was blooming its cute flowers and so was the one on the driveway. What is it? I like it.



Those cute little flower spikes remind me of something. They look like veronica or speedwell blooms on a teeny tiny groundcover plant. That was the place I started looking, the genus veronica.

And that is what it is Veronica officinalis. This is a durable perennial for sure. It's growing in the gravel driveway. Was it really evergreen? Am I imagining that?

I do like it that is for sure. I think it will make a fine addition as a featured plant in the gardens to be. For now it will be left to do what it pleases. In time it may be placed in selected locations. This is why I make an effort never to pull a weed until I know what it is. Up here it could be something good.



I believe you Frances when you say I have more than enough of this yellow Louisiana Iris to share already. Let's just say it is a beacon in the bottom crease of the sunny utility valley and has multiplied significantly since planted. That smaller plant on the bottom left is the Black Gamecock and it was just a tiny sprig when you gave it to me. I think I should move it now to give it more room.



The Philadelphus, Mock Orange shrub is having its best bloom year ever in recorded history according to the resident gardeners. I will not be fooled by one good year. Mostly the bloom is sparse and it suckers like mad forming dense thickets and spreading beyond its intended boundaries.



There are some plants, no matter how sweetly offered that will not make the move next door.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

your parents' observation about the mock orange (as well as yours) is identical to my own. Long ago I tried to kill it by whacking it to the ground, but it retreated to across my neighbor's fence - where, this year above all years, it is blooming like crazy! Just like observations that this was not a good dogwood year but a great redbud year, these things seem to cross geographic boundaries. All the rain/snow of last season has really opened my eyes to what happens in a wet year.

bev

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Our mock oranges are blooming up a storm now too. What I am waiting for is the hydrangea show. There are more buds on our hydrangeas than ever before. I can't wait until they start opening. We didn't have a late frost this year.

Lola said...

Good observation. I can't have anything that rambles here being in town. So it kinda limits me. I try to find out about such things before buying.
I agree some yrs. are better than others for some things.

Anonymous said...

Hi Christopher, you do need to move the little black LA iris or it will be eaten by the galloping yellow one. We even grow the yellow in the very driest spot on the property, it doesn't mind the lack of moisture. I finally dug it all, I thought and gave it to Semi for her new garden, but it popped back up. I gave it all to you, but didn't get it all and still have it. Watch it carefully. So sorry about those baptisias, but they might still be alive, including the one you bought. Sometimes they sleep in a year after being planted. We brought ours from Texas, they aren't supposed to be moved, but had taken them TO Texas from the other TN garden. Even where you dug them up, new sprigs are showing. Love your little Veronica. I would be surprised if it was evergreen? But anything is possible. It might be escaped Blue Carpet from the upper garden? In any case, it is a keeper! :-)
Frances