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“Life can be lived forward but only understood backward” Soren Kierkegaard.

Join me for a revealing — often surprising — backward march thru garden year 2025. We begin in Autumn with the arrival of fabulous garden mushrooms. Mother Nature has even gifted Mortimer Moose with a mushroom ankle bracelet! Photos below.

The enchanting early-Fall blooming perennial, Begonia grandis alba Z. 6-9, was my gift to the 2025 Autumn garden. In order to pay daily homage to the plant, I planted it in a large container, outside by the front door. When the temperature dropped and the flowers faded, I planted it in the ground. Photos of the flowers and foliage below.

Eminent British horticulturalist and author, Graham Stuart Thomas, was also a fan. He grew the pink-flowered Begonia grandis and included it in his book, Treasured Perennials. “I challenge any gardener,” he said, “not to be thrilled with the success of growing this charming plant.”

I also grew an Annual Non-Stop Begonia that spilled large, elegant white flowers from a hanging basket during Spring, Summer and Fall. I was sure that the October Nor’easter would finish it off, but, true to its name, while the plant suffered some damage, it continued to produce new flowers and foliage. Photos below.

Another notable Nor’easter survivor, award-winning Annual Salvia ROCKIN ‘Playin The Blues,’ didn’t suffer at all. I was amazed and the Bumblebees were delighted. Photos below. (Note: While the plant’s tag says “Annual except in zones 7a-10b,” this pollinator magnet has never survived the winter in my zone 7a Northeast garden. I have to replant every Spring. Would that it were otherwise.) Photos below.

The Nor’easter had nothing to do with the October Massacre of my elegant Carex ‘Feather Falls’. In my last post I wrote that the Sedge “is reportedly deer/rabbit resistant.” Sadly, the Bunnies report otherwise: C. ‘Feather Falls’ was a featured dish on their Autumn menu. Photo below.

And one November evening, insect damage and wind caused a 25+foot huge oak to crack and fall across our driveway — taking several branches of our beloved Magnolia ‘Merrill’ on the way down — and landing on our car and Stewartia ‘Ballet’. (We were not in the car and we are thankful that no one was hurt.) Photos below.

Quickstepping backward into Summer, a handsome, evergreen conifer captures everyone’s attention. After several decades in my garden, Cryptomaria japonica ‘Sekkan Sugi’ Z 6-9 is about 12 feet tall and 10 feet wide. The contrast between its primrose yellow new growth and its dark green needles is especially significant and showy in Summer. Dan Hinkley, of Heronswood Nursery fame, agreed. “In a partially shaded site,” he said, “there are few conifers that can deliver such impact of enlivening color and gratifying texture.” Sekkan Sugi has never suffered disease or pest problems in my garden. Provide organically rich, well-drained, acid soil. Photos below.

(Note: As recommended by an ancient proverb, “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The next-best time to plant a tree is now”.)

Rosa “Rambling Rector” Z 4-9 is a hardy, healthy superstar. In the Summer, the rose produces an abundance of beautiful, small, pure white flowers that release exquisite perfume onto the air. Rambling Rector partners with a dark purple clematis in a large container tucked against a study oak tree support. I plant garlic cloves around the rose to repel aphids–it works!–and I fertilize with RoseTone and compost. Photos below.

Early Spring was memorable for both a big success and a big failure. Success first: Tulip “Akebono” not only returned for a second year but increased by half! Photos below. (See also post: “April\May 2024: Spring Enchantment.”)

Not so lucky with the 50 bulbs of Hyacinthoides hispanica “Excelsior’ that were said to be “deer and rodent resistant.” They came up in 2024 but not one returned this year, and there were vole holes in their planting beds. I trusted the PR and didn’t amend the soil with effective vole-repellent. BIG MISTAKE !!! (See post: “2022: Natural, Non-Toxic Vole Repellent.”)

May blooming Rhododendrons are awe-inspiring. For decades in my garden, award-winning R. ‘Hachmann’s Charmant’ Z 5-9 has been a standout worthy of celebration. Photo below.

Finally, in the Spring, I purchased another passion flower. Couldn’t resist. Photo below.

Hope you enjoyed this 2025 backward-march post and found it useful. Grumpy Gnome and I wish you all a splendid Thanksgiving!

floragloria

A Garden Blog by Lois Sheinfeld

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Backward March!: Garden Year 2025 Unfurled