Penstemon 'Husker Red'

Last year I planted Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red' for the first time. The plant took the summer to establish itself, and while I enjoyed the distinctive maroon tinted foliage, there were no blooms. This year the airy white flowers, with a hint of pink, have proven to be worth the wait.

Penstemon, also called 'Beardtongue', has five stamens. Four are fertile. A fifth, enlarged one is sterile and quite hairy, as seen below, and gives the plant its common name.

I put Penstemon 'Husker Red' in the herb bed, and it is blooming now, along with purple salvia, chives, and knockout roses.

The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. One can remove spent blossoms to encourage re-blooming, but one should let some flowers go to seed to feed the songbirds. The sturdy upright stems grow about two to three feet tall. Taller types of penstemon may need support. So far mine are not floppy at all, and I have not needed to stake them. 

Native to many parts of North America, there are varieties of penstemon growing in hardiness zones 3-9. Most are evergreen to semi-evergreen, especially in milder climates. Although some penstemons will tolerate light shade, most prefer full sun, and foliage color and bloom production will be best with at least eight hours of sun per day. Penstemon likes well drained, neutral, even poor soil. It needs no more than a single application of organic fertilizer once a year, and mulching should be minimized to discourage crown rot. It is draught tolerant and pest and deer resistant. Nor is it prone to diseases, though it may experience root rot in consistently wet soil and may suffer from mildew in extremely humid, crowded conditions. The herb bed is raised about a foot and is filled with better draining soil than my native clay. 'Husker Red' is said to be a good penstemon for moist soil and humid conditions. Time will tell how it holds up to my steamy summers, but so far it is doing well.

Penstemon is best propagated by division or cuttings. I am already thinking of new places to plant this great, low-care perennial.

From the Patio

I am done with planting, pruning, fertilizing, mulching, transplanting, and all the other garden chores of spring. That doesn't mean I have completed these projects. In fact, there are a couple of big jobs I haven't even started. It's always a race to get the heavy gardening completed before the heat arrives. I never get it all finished, but I am grateful for what I have accomplished. And now the first, relatively gentle, wave of our Deep South summer has come. I feel it in the humid, warm days, with temps well into the 80s. I see it in the plants, the spring blooms receding, the deep green taking over. 

The great Southern Magnolia tree is blooming, a sign of summer's arrival.

Confederate Jasmine, Trachelospermum jasminoides, has taken over the former rose arch by the patio. Here is a view across the patio through the arch:

The sweet smell of the jasmine drifts upon the air. I like to sit in the shade of the big umbrella and take deep breaths of it.Near the arch is a candle-less lantern. (I put a candle in it when I first purchased it, but the summer heat soon completely melted the candle. It was a mess!) Behind the lantern is a large upright rosemary, which adds to the olfactory experience.

Another flower blooming near the patio in early May is Anthony Waterer spirea, a favorite low maintenance shrub.

From my vantage point on the patio I can get just a peek through the foliage of the Lady Garden down the hill. Peachy impatiens are blooming and provide some color amidst the textures and shades of green.

As much as I love flowers, I am most enamored by plants with beautiful foliage. Here are some that catch my eye from the patio:

The brilliant spring foliage of red Japanese maples is beginning to fade to more sedate rose and greens.

The lacy green leaves of a thread-leaf Japanese maple are also a delight. I love the feathery appearance of this small weeping tree.

Arborvitae fern is lush with new green growth.

And the silver foliage of Powis Castle artemesia will provide a cool accent through the summer.

There is weeding to do - that's like washing clothes and doing the dishes - and there's the vegetable plot to tend to, but nevertheless most of the chores are put on hold till fall. So now I have more time to sit on the patio and enjoy the sights. It's a great place to listen to and observe birds and other wildlife. I was lounging there the other day, and this little green lizard ran by my feet, across the patio, then up a small tree by the house. These lizards are called green anoles. They are native to the southeastern USA and live in trees. Males have a red skin flap called a dewlap on their necks which they extend for territorial display and courtship. 

 I think the green anole was eyeing a large green luna moth. Although its wing was a bit damaged, I was still impressed by its beauty. I know that lizards like to eat moths, but I think this one, which has a wing span of several inches, may be too much to swallow. I hope!

As I survey my comfy little world, I am reminded how fortunate I am that we were spared from the terrible tornadoes that ravaged Alabama and other southeastern states last week. For many, recovery will take a long, long time. My heartfelt prayers are with them and the tireless souls who work to bring relief and comfort. I recently posted about my visit to John's Native Nursery in Scottsboro. Check out the web site to see how these beautiful gardens came through the storm.