These surprising blooms are from Bluestone Perennials, one of a mum collection I bought a couple of years ago. The rabbits got to the planting of that collection and I rescued what was left and just stuck them anywhere in the garden and forgot about them. I hope I am not the only gardener in the world who sticks in anywhere and then forgets.
This spring I saw what looked like chrysanthemum foliage in an odd place, and with no recollection of what it might be I left it. The foliage got tangled in all the other surrounding plants and it did not begin to bloom until very recently when I began to cut down the surrounding plants. This is a pretty plant, and obviously hardy. I promise to find a better spot for it before I put the garden to bed.
I first saw this wonderful flower at the Smith College Botanic Garden. There was no label, but readers who saw the photo I took identified it as a ‘Sheffie.’ That fall I bought an unnamed mum at the Wilder Hill Garden and realized I now had my own ‘Sheffie.’ I had stuck it in a bare spot in the autumnal garden, but thought I put it in a better spot this spring. I was wrong. I am going to give a really good site some real thought. It is a good muliplier so I will think of two good spots.
Both mums are doing beautifully in my soil which I enrich with compost every time I plant. That is not too much of a surprise.
What a lovely surprise! I’ve heard lots of good things about ‘Sheffies’–they really are lovely. As for planting things and then forgetting about them, I’m a star member of that club:) It does mean, though, that I’m often pleasantly surprised every gardening season.
Rose – I’m all in favor of surprises. Design will never be my forte.
Those ‘Sheffies’ really deliver don’t they? Glad you have some surprises left in the garden.
Layanee – Those Sheffies are fabulous. The next surprise we are all waiting for is the Frankenstorm.