six on Saturday, 11 April 2026

This week’s six are an update on last week and two new additions to the garden. Before getting to those, though, I want to remind readers that they can find guidelines for taking part in this weekly posting pattern by going to Jim Stephens’ Garden Ruminations.

My selections 1 and 2 followup on my previous reference to the North American native Piedmont Azalea (Rhododendron canescens) and the native’s attraction for bees and butterflies. The featured image above illustrates exactly this. The first photo below shows a Piedmont azalea in almost full bloom and a white Alabama Azalea (Rhododendron alabamense) getting started behind it. The middle image is an Alabama azalea bloom with its characteristic one yellow touched petal among the white petals. The third has a butterfly seeking nectar. Unfortunately, none of these photos can communicate this native’s spicy sweet fragrance.

Number 3 is another followup. The transplanted columbine plants in the circle garden are growing well.

4. On the opposite side of the circle, native, tender perennial Ranunculus bulbs (apparently planted too close together) are leafing out vigorously with South Africa Ixia shoots standing straight up to their left—with a few wayward Canna Lily leaves from the previous garden sneaking in. The shrub to the right in Abella ‘Rose Creek.’

5. Fifth is an attempt to have in Alabama a plant I first became fascinated with in England, Oxford University Gardens to be specific–Eryngium. The first image below is from that University Garden. The second is from Sissinghurst. The third is the Alabama native eryngium, Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium). The flower heads promise to be spiky, but much more rounded and not nearly as dramatic. Three of this are growing in another bed nonetheless.