Itoh Peony 'Misaka' ('Smith Opus 1')
I've been hard at it in the garden. Finally.
The garden did it. It lured me out. It insisted I pay
attention. Especially the roses. How can I mope indoors when the
garden is doing this?
Didelta 'Silver Falls':
Salvia 'Waverly':They lured me!
The Bumbles are back!
The Bismarkia looks good:So does Aloe 'Hellskloof Bells':'Silas Marner''Golden Celebration':'Belinda's Dream':
'Brass Band':
'Drop Dead Red' and 'Julia Child' with Lagerstroemia 'Ebony Flame'
'The Endeavor':'Bolero 2004':'Princesse Charlene de Monaco':I'm doing the details now: moving or removing a few plants, planting what were cuttings rooted last year and are now grown large enough to put into the ground, pulling yellowing Iris and Hemerocallis leaves as the flower stems emerge. And the final important touch, fresh mulch to set off everything. Yes it's late for that, but spending the day making the beautiful more beautiful is a thrill. I always forget how wonderful the garden can be despite my inept efforts, until it shows me what it can do, despite my mistakes, procrastination, hesitation.
Still have to resolve this situation: 'Golden Xanadu' Philodendron blocking path in its reach for more sunlight:
'Golden Xanadu' didn't have much of a root system, and separated cleanly into three pieces all by itself. I'd like to cut off the long bare stems and re-root the pieces--possible? A couple different sites say a stem will root in a glass of water in 2-4 weeks. Do I dare cut most of the stem and all the (few) roots each has?
I added some spare soil to the now-empty area, which is 3' wide and 4' long. Not big. There's irrigation, and a drain.
Put what there? 'Golden Xanadu' needs more light, so it--now they--must go elsewhere. The other small planter on the patio does pretty well with a potted Sanseveria and a clump of Pyrrosia lingua (I think).
Happy fern:I have a few dwarfie Sans......and a somewhat variegated Aspidistra:Leave them in their pots, mulch or gravel the soil, and call it "art"? What's a relief is opening that gate without hitting poor 'Golden Xanadu'.
Neighbor/Garden Buddy gave me a seedling of 'High Gold' Leucospermum! How cool is that? I must carefully grow it larger so it can better survive going into the garden:
Rooted cutting of Hydrangea, growing, has flower buds. I potted it up before it will get too large for the space it was temporarily occupying:Oops. New Clematis 'Ramona', because I was buying bags of mulch, and could not resist. Have been resisting up to now, honest! 'Ramona' had just come off the delivery truck, and came home with me before it had time to bake, dry out, and die at the big-box home improvement store:
Oh, and Mrs. Dove. Her chicks fledged and flew a few days ago. Look what she left on the edge of the koi pond the day before yesterday:
Not going to work there, honey. Just not. I put the egg in the empty nest, but Mrs. Dove did not go there to tend it. Sorry.
"Inept" my sweet great Aunt Tilly! In evidence to the contrary, I offer up your very own photo, namely No. 3 above. Sighs and dreams accompany that photo! Is that a flying puppy on a dogbone stake I see there? So, for the area made available by the poorly performing Golden Xanadu, I think leaving your candidate choices in pots for a year or so, to see how they do, is a good idea. If they do well in pots, they will certainly thrive in the ground. As for the Golden Xanadu, go for it. What have you got to lose? If the experiment suceeds, go Hoover! If not, there are nurseries everywhere, and you will have learned a thing or two. I see that as win-win. Have a lovely day! Thank you for sharing all the photos of all the roses. Sigh. Elizabeth
ReplyDeleteWell the plants to more of the work than I do. Flying puppy in memory of Ziggy who had ears that bounced up and down as he walked. He was a Very Good Boy. Hope your day is lovely and sorry for delay in reply.
DeleteI'm glad your fabulous roses drew you back into the garden and that your equally wonderful photos led you to share them in a post. Ms Dove must have felt that her first chicks were enough but the stray egg is a bit sad. I'm very envious of the peony flower. My Itoh foliage has emerged once again this year but as usual there are no flower buds in sight. A Didelta has resurfaced in my garden but it isn't as exuberant as yours - that plant was for sale everywhere a few years ago but I haven't seen it in a garden center since, which is a pity.
ReplyDeleteI read the planting height for Peonies is all-important. Too low, poor growth and flowering, too high, they dry out (here) or freeze (elsewhere). Apologies for delay in reply--gardening like crazy!
DeleteYour first paragraphs are so true...the garden beckons. And especially yours in its current state. All those stunning plants and blooms! Once, again, I'm going to go back through and view the photos again...stunning!
ReplyDeleteAlways happy you like the pictures! Fling soon, sorry to miss it and miss meeting you. Next fling, perhaps? Apologies for delay in reply--gardening like crazy!
DeleteI'm glad to hear it! Your Bismarkia looks better than good. The first photo, oh the yellow is dreamy. I struggle with balancing plants in pots - either I ground them too soon, or leave them in the pot too long. Your roses are stunning, as always. I think that Dove is over motherhood.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful palm, Bismarkia. One of the most beautiful, to me.
DeleteDove is not a "helicopter mom", I guess! Apologies for delay in reply--gardening like crazy!
Roses are beautiful! what do you feed them?
ReplyDeleteWhatever I happen to have to throw at them, lawn food, avocado/citrus food, general purpose, anything. They are not picky. Apologies for delay in reply--gardening like crazy!
DeleteI've been trying to garden in the evenings when I get back home from work. Refreshing to be out this time of year while everything is so lush, vibrant, and new. Saw a chestnut-backed chickadee working away at one of the bird houses, but it hasn't been back. Must of found a better option. No wrens this year, although I heard them at Dancing Oaks Nursery 7 miles down the road. Waiting to see what color the rose is that I started from seed last year. It has a couple buds, but you never know what critter is waiting to munch it just as the buds begin to swell. Don't count your chickens...as they say.
ReplyDeleteYes when everything lush, new, it's even more of a joy than usual. Roses will fool you--have many with deep red buds that open to--something other than deep red!
DeleteApologies for delay in reply--gardening like crazy!
Don't think I would ever leave your garden once lured in. Spectacular! The roses are in peak form. I ordered Children's Hope and Easy on the Eyes roses from our local Rose Group. Picked both up yesterday and they are loaded with buds. So exciting. Harder to keep them going here but one can always try.
ReplyDeleteNew roses! Those both look like good ones.
DeleteHow fun--but don't tempt me, please! I have a few living in pots still.
Apologies for delay in reply--gardening like crazy!