Plants getting Cooler!

Hello again,
In 14 years in this business, I've never seen a spring kick into full gear this fast. It was rapidly approaching the acceleration of a Dodge Viper. And then...we get frost. This should come as no surprise to any of us, as this is quite typical of this time of year. It's just hard to take after weeks of summer like temperatures in March. While the heat may have sped up the flowering times of Amelanchier, Magnolia, and Forsythia, the cool has slowed down the likes of Crabapples and Redbuds. Hopefully we can continue to enjoy their sweet scents for longer than normal.
Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'
Jack has become a yearly topic for me on the blog, and it's because I think he's great. For years, we were always concerned about the price tag that gets attached to this plant. Liners are pricey. However, it has proven to be worth every penny. Green foliage, frosted white, with brilliant blue flowers. It likes dry shade but yet can handle some sun if properly watered. In our gardens, I've tried mixing it with Aster divaricatus or now known as Eurybia divaricatus and they behave very well together. They both prefer some shade, and bloom at opposite sides of the growing season which makes it a more lasting combo.
Mazus reptans
This is one of my new favorite groundcovers. It's not "new" by any sense of the imagination, but new to me. We've carried it for many years and I always had trouble keeping it alive. It was at the bottom of a slope, and I believe the moisture run off was killing it. In the pictured area, it is between a rock and a hard place, otherwise known as pavement. It is super dry right here and not the greatest of soil. Yet here it performs excellently. A little frost this morning didn't deter it from having a great day either. This one only grows an inch or two tall, and does most of it's flowering right now. Some sporadic blooms will come later in the season but may not make you ooh and ah. Just a nice mat forming groundcover for those tough areas. Here it is in half day sun and shade.
Dicentra spectabilis
I have a soft spot in my heart for bleeding hearts. This has always been my moms favorite flower. This year, they started to bloom much earlier than normal. But the cold came right after they began so the flowers have stayed. For all the mothers out there, this hearts for you!

Exochorda Snow Day™ Surprise
I have to admit that I don't know a lot about this plant until now. I really like it. It's a very interestingly shaped flower. The shrub grows 3-4' tall and wide. The habit seems to be very rounded, which is an improvement over the straight species. It says in the literature that the plant can grow in full sun to part shade, but our Pearlbush seems to like more sun if available. Branching on this plant leans a little toward the sunny side of the garden. This is currently just a trial for Midwest Groundcovers. If you are interested in us growing this plant, please send a note and ask for it. We love to know the demand.

Thanks again for reading. I hope everyone is enjoying a successful April. Until next time, have a great day!