It's Peony time! (Not here. In my sister's garden in Alaska.)
We've been waiting for a break in the heat. After two weeks (is that all?) of near 90F (33c) days, a break arrived as a big surprise on Sunday. A forecast sunny high near 90F became a cloudy day with a few raindrops maxing out at 76F (24c).
Ahhhhhhhhh! Sweet relief!
Garden and gardener hanging on. Spot-watering and what clean up I can manage. Enjoying the shade the growing oak tree now provides:
I got a kick out of seeing a shaded driveway. Shade isn't so bad.
The oak holds up to summer heat well. Unfortunately, Acer palmatum 'Oshio Bene' began to look extremely stressed. Noooo! This isn't supposed to happen until October!
I've given it several soaks, which seems to have helped.
What else is going on out there?
The heat lovers are happy. Catharanthus are happy:
The Cuphea is happy. The one chopped to the ground on July 8th is sprouting new growth: Dahlias...maybe not a good year for them in this garden. I pinched them early to make them branch (good) but the flowers so far are undersized. Too much nitrogen? Too hot? I intended to dig up this clump in April to split it. Good I didn't--its the only one so far with decent flowers. A Phalaenopsis left outdoors all winter (it wasn't happy) decided to flower anyway (cleansing winter rain!). Next winter, it lives indoors. It didn't like nights that hovered around 40F (4 C). I did. I potted up the Tagetes erecta seedlings and pinched the tallest ones to force branching. They like the heat, too. A new round of Hemerocallis flowers developing. I don't know that they like heat--it simply doesn't slow them down. The oak tree is about to completely shade out 'Comtesse de Provence', which I hope to move this winter. Digging up and moving 'Tamora' and 'Pink Gruss An Aachen' was a success, so maybe the same can be done with 'Comtesse', peaking out from under the oak. The flowers actually look better with some shade. There's a Eucomis 'Sparking Burgundy' flower: I cut back 'Harlequin' Leucadendron for the first time ever two or three months ago. I removed about 2/3rds without cutting into bare stem, because that kills the stem.
He's now back in all his multi color glory:
'Burgundy Iceberg' might make a good companion? What do you think? Summer's joyful, what-the-heck, floppy sloppy teetering toppling over-grown-ness: Huh? !? This Hippeastrum did not flower in spring. Okay, better late than never!
Agave makes a lovely background: That stem has ears:
Focus on the roses that are not toasted:
Gaura take the heat:Zinnias! All that care, all that pinching:I chopped the massive clump of Salvia 'Amistad' to the ground. It will all grow back.In the meantime hummers have this Cuphea purpurea:While I'm not 100% thrilled with Salvia 'Mystic Spires Blue', because it flops unexpectedly and takes pauses between rounds of bloom, the Carpenter and Bumble bees like it a lot. (And as I stood looking at it one day, Monarch Butterflies like it, too.) So it stays.
Hungry buzzer:
That's what's going on here. Watering, chopping, watching. Not bad, really. We've been lucky. (So far.)
I know you were pleasantly surprised by cooler weather. Here in north Texas, we had a wonderful weekend of temps in the 90's, a respite from triple digits, but we're back in the 100's again today for at least several more days. I have some shade in my front and back yards, and it's a wonderful thing. Texas is a windy state, and there is often a breeze year-round, which is especially pleasant in the shade. And the humidity in this part of north Texas is low. Breezes and low humidity make this area much more bearable.
ReplyDeleteYour sister's peonies are gorgeous! I can't recall the name of the plant that's filling in the cracks where your oak leaves have fallen. If it's what I think it is, I might try it in the new sunny garden I'm planning to start in the fall. I vote in favor of "Burgundy Iceberg" and "Harlequin" as companions. About dahlias, I just learned that they're difficult to grow in my area, but there are specific types that do well here. That could be true for southern California, too, though you may have already checked on that. They are such beautiful flowers.
I could go on commenting, but I'll conclude by saying that everything looks great. And that I look forward to every post .
Very kind of you Jeanette, thank you. We're back up to 90F again, but next week looks a little cooler. A breeze and shade sounds lovely!
DeleteThe crack-filling plant is Dichondra argentea "Silver Ponyfoot" which I saw in many gardens in Austin in 2018. A wonderful plant.
For the briefest of moments I raised an eyebrow at the Peony photo, then I got it :-D
ReplyDeleteMany Japanese maples show an immediate discomfort at heat and dryness, its heart wrenching to see the crispy leafs - it happens occasionally with a couple of my potted Japanse maples - and I'm glad watering help with some recovery; they are pretty resilient when in the ground.
'Harlequin' and 'Burgundy Iceberg' sounds like a perfect, go for it.
"Summer's joyful - ness". That's all. An amazing over abundance to enjoy. I love it!
Chavli
The other two JM's in the garden have not dropped leaves. They get less sun, though they still get some.
DeleteThose peonies are breathtaking, but an Alaskan winter is a big price to pay for them!
RAINDROPS! So jealous of that. The leucadendron is begging for the 'Burgundy Iceburg' rose to be planted next to it - such a rich combination. I vote yes.
ReplyDeleteWell only a very few. The cooler weekend was a relief, though. We're back up to 89-92 for several days again. Stay cool--it must be much hotter where you are.
DeleteThe Leucadendron 'Harlequin'/'Burgundy Iceberg' rose combination would be splendid! Is that inky blue Agapanthus 'Elaine'? Mine always blooms later than all my other Agapanthus - I'm currently watching a big, fat bud develop. Still no dahlia blooms here but there are buds and my plants look healthy - my fingers are crossed they'll stand up to the heat.
ReplyDeleteI looked for 'Elaine' to buy but could not find one, so I still don't know what that one is for sure. It is later than all the others. Annie's had it but they didn't have Agapanthus for sale this year that I could see. My Dahlia foliage looks great--it's the flowers that are not so good.
DeleteI'm not an expert, but I think that could be a Sonoran Bumblebee, one of the less common species of Southern California.
ReplyDeleteNot an expert either! I looked up a picture---it does look like it. There are a lot of Eriogonum fasciculatum, Salvia clevelandii, Salvia mellifera, Salvia apiana in the area (and some in my garden) so there is good support for native bees here. I see metallic, sweat, leafcutter, Nomada, sawfly, and of course honey. The Monarch butterflies also feed from the Salvia 'Indigo Spires Blue', so I guess that Salvia can continue to flop here. :)
DeleteI vote for the harlequin leucadendron-burgundy iceburg rose combination, too. The colors are beautiful together (and at the same time!), and the textures are good too. I love the way your garden complements your house. The oak is coming along nicely; with so many people (I'm looking at you, developers) cutting them down, its nice that you planted one. Do you have any problems with it and the plumbing competing? Who knew that Monarchs would feed from more than just milkweed. Good to know. One of my favorite things to do is just stroll through a nursey during off hours. Its like an instant vacation. Visiting your blog is just as nice. Elizabeth
ReplyDeleteThe oak is a baby and whatever root problems will develop are still in the future however the water supply is way over away from it ditto the waste line--it's even farther. The native oak root system goes straight down for quite a number of years before it starts to spread outwards. No doubt the tree will eventually be an issue but hopefully that will take many decades and it will feed and shelter many insects and birds in the meantime.
DeleteI was surprised to see a Monarch at that Salvia but it was there at several flowers for quite a long time so it was getting something from it.
Off hours at any nursery is best! One of my favorite things to do. :) Thank you!
Your photo labeled as path0635, with the stressed Acer palmatum 'Oshio Bene' is gorgeous! I got lost in it for quite awhile.
ReplyDeleteThat's the view from my window where I waste time on the internet. I get lost that scene regularly. :) Glad you like it too.
DeleteAs always your garden is looking gorgeous. Blowsy' is the term I would use to describe the gentle chaos. At this hot time of year shade is very welcome. I find that a lot of sun loving plants often are much happier given some shade too especially late in the day. I have a collection of potted small conifers that have thrived for years in bright shade under a willow.
ReplyDeleteHere too. My roses do fine in 6 hours of morning sun; somewhat toasted in more than that. Potted small conifers are lovely--our equivalent here in hot and dry land are succulents.
DeleteYour plants look wonderful despite the weather obstacles and the photos are lovely and yes, that agave does make a nice background for the richly colored agapanthus. Eucomis intrigues me but my one attempt to grow it was unsuccessful. I enjoyed seeing yours.
ReplyDeleteEucomis are not commonly grown here. They seem to love the PNW. I was surprised mine has done as well as it has. Got lucky!
DeleteI don't know how we've lucked out there, but this has been the mildest summer we've had in years . At least so far. Only a couple of days getting chased into the house after 11am ! Your seedling Tagetes look quite splendid-all that deep green fresh growth . I've upped my seed sowing game significantly this year. Even though I said I was never going to look at and Excel spreadsheet again after I retired I now have a seed journal spreadsheet to keep track of the details.
ReplyDeleteWell, enjoy the heck out of it: well deserved. Does your garden look fabulous in the mildness? Probably! (Except for that new "focal point".) We have been fortunate in that it has cooled down at night fairly well. That's a big plus, being able to sleep.
DeleteSeed journal spreadsheet sounds too complicated for me. "Plant and Hope" is my method.