Garden ID

[haplessn00b]

Hello everyone! We just bought a house with a wonderful terraced garden in the back. Over the last week or so, I've discovered how little I know about plants. I'm having difficulty even identifying most of the plants back there. I know I've got hydrangea and blueberries (fat, delicious blueberries at that) and I know the boxwood hedges are boxwood, but other than that, I have an entire botanical garden that I can't ID. And the daylillies! They're everywhere. I just don't know how to deadhead them.

The two that are pressing right now are these two beauties. They're pushing up underneath the deck, so I need to cut them back a bit, but I want to ensure I do it correctly, and at the right time of year. I get that fall is a busy gardening season.

This stuff is all over. It's a wonderful blue color, which I like, so I'd like to ensure it flowers again next year.

[img]https://lh5.ggpht.com/_KUgFSHdfVi0/THvcnDyh4SI/AAAAAAAADOI/-rJq5wrJhfY/s640/2010-08-30%2009.12.21.jpg[/img]

This thing sits next to it. It's also beautiful.

[img]https://lh6.ggpht.com/_KUgFSHdfVi0/THvwong01RI/AAAAAAAADQI/0Wid1qVzRDk/s640/2010-08-30%2009.10.14.jpg[/img]

I have the entire album available here, if anyone wants to peruse and tell me how much trouble I'm in.

[url]https://picasaweb.google.com/jerome.oneil/WhatSInTheGarden02#[/url]

Best regards,

-Jerome

[applestar]

I believe what you have a re Lacecap Hydrangeas and Oriental Lilies.

[Kisal]

Just let the daylilies do their thing. I remove the flower stalks when the flowers are spent, or you can remove each individual flower as it withers. Daylilies are so-called because each flower lasts only 1 day.

I agree with Applestar's ID's.

[haplessn00b]

Looks like I've got more hydrangea than I thought. There are two big blooms out there. One is over running the deck, the other is over running the stairs, which I guess is a good problem to have. I'll get that under control.

There are two ground coverings I'm interested in.

This stuff is in most of the beds. It's pretty, with tiny blue flowers, but I find myself pulling it out of all kinds of strange places.

[img]https://lh3.ggpht.com/_KUgFSHdfVi0/THvccq-RNPI/AAAAAAAADOE/3rS56MlfnQo/s640/2010-08-30%2009.11.42.jpg[/img]

This other green plant I love. Its tiny green leaves smell delicous, and it creeps into corners and between paving stones. I don't know what it is, but I know I want more of it.

[img]https://lh4.ggpht.com/_KUgFSHdfVi0/THvxAYFT_pI/AAAAAAAADQY/Rt0yBd78yfE/s640/2010-08-30%2009.11.11.jpg[/img]

I like to cook, so if that stuff tastes as good as it smells, I may have an extra plus good bonus day.

[Kisal]

The first pic looks like Forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides). It can be invasive ... certainly is in my yard, anyway. But it's easy to pull out.

I don't know what the second photo might be.

[applestar]

The delicious smelling ground-cover... does it smell minty? Could it be Corsican Mint?

[rainbowgardener]

Or possibly creeping thyme?

[url=https://gardening.about.com/od/gardendesign/ig/Plants-to-Walk-On/Creeping-Thyme--Elfin-.htm]creeping thyme[/url]

[haplessn00b]

Or possibly creeping thyme?

[url=https://gardening.about.com/od/gardendesign/ig/Plants-to-Walk-On/Creeping-Thyme--Elfin-.htm]creeping thyme[/url]

It smells minty. I'm going to go taste some and see what happens.

OK. Back.

It's definitely got a minty flavor. It's very strong, almost medicinal. I just tried a bit almost five minutes ago, and my mouth still tastes like I took a shot of chloro-septic. I don't know that it would be good from a culinary stand point, but it does have an interesting flavor.

It also has the tinyest blue and purple flowers I've ever seen.

[haplessn00b]

The delicious smelling ground-cover... does it smell minty? Could it be Corsican Mint?

I think this is what it is. Taste is really strong, and I just found out it's what is in creme de minthe, which is a familiar flavor to me.

[rainbowgardener]

Another possibility with that strong mint taste and creeping habit is pennyroyal. Pennyroyal (and probably the corsican if that's what you have) works well as insect repellant.

[haplessn00b]

Another possibility with that strong mint taste and creeping habit is pennyroyal. Pennyroyal (and probably the corsican if that's what you have) works well as insect repellant.

There is some pennyroyal out there, but I'm pretty convinced what I'm looking at is the corsican mint.

Rack of lamb for dinner tomorrow. I'm going to try to whip up a mint plumb sauce.