Spring and euphorbia graminea

Finally in gardening Zone 5B it’s time to plant annuals.  And that means spiffing up the front entry way.  A good sweeping of the walk and steps.  Look for the planting urns in the topsy turvy potting shed.  In the fall, things go into the potting shed very orderly– until after the first frost and then it becomes “add just one more thing” till the door scarcely shuts! Opening it in the spring is high adventure and moving the first few items is truly thrilling and may be even risky!  As soon as the pots came out into the sunshine, it was obvious a coat of paint was the first step.

While it was drying, I made my way to a nearby nursery.  Red geraniums in a hot pink cast were first.  Don’t usually have much luck with petunias, but the beautiful ruffles in the pink and purple kept drawing me back.  They didn’t look so bad with the hot pinky red geraniums, but didn’t really sing either.  Then I turned the corner and there it was.  Euphorbia  graminea Diamond Frost.  I added two pots of them to my cart.  And the arrangement sang!!

Euphorbia graminea was developed in 2005.  This year it is everywhere,  it’s airy white blossoms filling and spilling and blending arrangements of all kinds.  A visit to the website of  plant purveyor, Proven Winners, led to the discovery of Diamond Frost’s acceptance of all the accolades brought her way:

“I want to thank my parents, my breeder, and especially the millions of fans who have made me the Most Award Winning Plant in Proven Winners History. At my 2005 debut I was just a new, 12 -18 inch Proven Winners Euphorbia. I never imagined my career would last. I suppose its because of my annual nature (except in zones 10 11). At first, I thought you liked me solely for my incredible, continuously blooming clouds of airy white flowers. But as I grew in more containers and landscapes across North America, you praised my mounded habit, and how well I tolerate heat and drought. My versatility both as a single and in combinations. Others spoke of how easy I am to grow. In letters you wrote of my ability to stay beautiful without deadheading. And I was deeply touched by your appreciation of my deer resistance.

Without you, I would still be just another plant in the unforgiving world of commercial horticulture. If I could, I would keep you with me in the full to part shade forever.”

P.S. If you want to know what gardening zone you are in – click over to their home page and look on the left side bar.  No compensation for this post — I just enjoyed the website.

The paint dried.  Plants were carefully arranged in the enriched potting soil and surrounded with rocks and Spanish moss to foil the squirrels who love to dig up potlings and drag them to another part of the yard.  The urns were carried to their summer post and positioned just right.  It took another week to find the right doormat to replace the worn one.  And there you have it . . .

Except if you look up.  We totally forgot to remove the greenery above the front door when the Christmas trim came down.  Don’t ask me how.  And when we realized it weeks later, a bird had already staked a claim.  So it remains until the little ones fly the nest.  In the meantime, do you think it would look better with a spring bow?  Perhaps pink or purple to tie into the petunia color?

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