Clearly Mother Nature has a Calendar

We all know that fall begins on September 20-21 with the Vernal Equinox - right?  But, clearly Mother Nature keeps her own calendar.  No matter what the summer has been like - how hot and humid, or dry and windy, or wet and cool.  It doesn't seem to matter.  As soon as Labor Day is gone, the season begins to change.

The fall-blooming plants have started to kick into gear.

 Sedum is starting to bloom, 

 This Madrona will turn a rich coppery red when it is fully bloomed.

a few chrysanthemums are showing color,

 

the dogwood is full of berries,

 even the earliest camellia is covered with buds.  

Camellia sasanqua 'Sparkling Burgundy' - it blooms in October.

 There's no holding it back.  Fall is on its way!

In Love with Basil

Clear skies, cooler days and it's time to start thinking of fall clean up.  The spring and early summer perennials are dying back and even starting their basal growth, so the first place I always look is the xerigarden. 

It is one of my best two-season spaces, with the sedum just getting ready to burst into bloom and the agastache and salvia finishing their cycles and ready for a trim back.  This year, that also meant cleaning up the herb garden that now shares the space. 

The smaller of the two basil plants.

 Mostly I have kept it under control, but there were still two huge basils that I had planned to pull out.  It's time for pesto making!

The larger basil waiting to be "picked"

Apparently basil loves the cooler, more rainy summer that we have had.  The proof is in the size of these plants.  Most summers I am lucky to get them to survive, much less thrive.  But this year I had plants that looked like woody shrubs!

Note to self:  more water for future summer.

Strong new stems coming up.

And I learned something new.  As I starting hacking off big branches to get back to the ground so I could pull up the plant .... I discovered new growth at the base!  I have strong new stems growing.  So a change of tactic and I left those new stems for late season picking.  (I put in a new plant two weeks ago, but these are ready for picking now.)

Tomato Pie for dinner and pesto for ... well, pesto!  It's that time of summer!

Wednesday Workday

The children are leaving home.  

 

I know they do this every August or September and as good mothers we push them out the door - out to make their way in the world.  If we've done right by them, they will prosper and hopefully multiply.

It only took a few minutes to dig out half of two large clumps - clearing the walkway and creating nearly a dozen rhizomes to share.

Shake off the dirt, let them dry over night in the shed, and they are ready to box up and send off.

Off to new homes in Florida and Rhode Island.  Travel safely!

August Garden

Not much new or fun happening in the garden.  

Partly it's the cooler and wetter than usual weather we are having has pushed some things to start (and therefore end) earlier than usual.  And, partly, I am realizing, it's that I have not done a good job of choosing plants for bloom time.  I usually choose by color (any shade of pink or blue, with a bit of pale yellow and white thrown in) or just fall in love with something and plant swaths of it!

The annuals are helping - zinnias going full force right now, as is the one remaining dahlia - but I just have a noticeable "down time" between late July when the day lilies end and September when the fall things start to bloom.  The sedums are covered with buds but not ready to start their show and the chrysanthemums are getting fuller by the day.

Pineapple Lily (Ecomis 'Katie').  This needs to be moved to a more visible spot.  The monarda totally hid it this year and I nearly missed seeing it. 

So, as the catalogs start appearing in the mail box, I am paying more attention to pink (and blue, pale yellow and white) flowers that say "August" in their descriptions.

Wednesday Workday

Meet the new bully in the garden.

Not sure you've met her?  Definitely a "her".

I bet you have but you don't recognize her yet.  It seems the cooler weather and abundant rain are what she loves.  And, she has a strong will to survive and expand her family.

A forest of buddelia!

  That's what I would have if I weren't ripping the volunteers out.  Must have pulled a 1,000 by now - seriously.

 The apparent mother ship. She was a volunteer herself last year.

Could be a lot worse.  It could be ivy!

Sunday in the .... er .... Yard

Another gorgeous day to spend in the garden.

Doing normal stuff.  Like cutting flowers for the house and deadheading.  

 Old standbys like zinnias and dahlias.

Enjoying the warm sun, but the cool air.

Basically just being.

 A few marigolds, salvia and a late hydrangea.

Yesterday made going back to work today not so bad after all.

It Just Keeps on Keeping On!

It seems like the last bloomers are blooming way early this year, altho I have to admit that I don't keep records - well, not written ones.  It's in my head ... sort of.

The clethera sweetspice is usually the last shrub to bloom and sometime in July seems about right.  Mitchell always thinks it's not going to, but it's always last. 

The last summer flower is always the hibiscus, but it's in the very back of the border - on purpose.  The blooms are nearly twice as large as usual this year.  Guess it's all the rain. 

And the last tree - at least in our yard - is crepe myrtle.  They bloom over a long cycle here and mine happen to be late bloomers, altho other varieties have been in bloom since early June.

So, now we have 60 days of late perennials and annuals before the fall change-over.  Can it really be the middle of the summer already.  Yep!  it definitely is.  Slow down, already!  I am not ready.

It's my First Time ....

Honest. 

I've wanted to for a long time, but I've resisted.

You all said it would be good ...

But I wasn't ready.  Until now.

My very first David Austin rose. 

Her name is Sister Elizabeth.

She's doing well and flowering.

April 18, 2013

I think the second time will be easier.

Lillyville

Welcome to Lilyville!  

 Burgundy and yellow day lilies in front, then burgundy and pink orientals and 'Happy Returns' mini day lily in back.

 'Cobra' from Maplecrest Lilies.

 Pink - from Maplecrest - variety unknown.

 Remember that I got a bit carried away in February when I was buying and ordering bulbs and not keeping very good track of what I had ordered?  

 'Strawberry and Cream' from The Lily Garden.

 'Silk Road' from The Lily Garden.  I think the center may darken as this one matures.

I chose four bulbs from The Lily Country on Marie's recommendation, only to find fifteen (yes, 15!) bulbs that i had purchased at the Home Show and stored in the cool storage room.  Then then there were a couple more from .... somewhere.  

 Have no idea what this is, or where I got it.  Only know that it is six feet tall and drop dead gorgeous!

These were all orientals, since I already have lots of daylilies and one clump of asiatics.

 Lilium 'Tiny Ghost'

And, they were nearly all shades of pink.  There is supposed to be one white one, but so far that one has not opened.  Hadn't really planned to make such a big splash with one flower, but wow!  am so glad i did.  Mother Nature is looking out for me again.

Wednesday Workday

 

As much as I could just sit and look at it, the garden still has plenty of little chores to keep me busy.  The first of July - ok, I am a week early, and that's a first! - is time to start cleaning up the iris.  They were lovely in April, but by now they are beginning to dry out and get ready for dormancy. 

This is actually one of the easiest chores of the summer.  Just clean out all the debris and cut back the scapes.  They look fairly stupid afterwards, but it keeps them from blowing in the fall wind or getting crushed under snow in the winter, and cuts down on the critters.

This is the biggest bed completely done for the year.  I have three small areas that I will get done in the next couple of days.  Am a bit concerned about this bed, because the dirt keeps drifting over the rizones and burying them deeper.  So far, they don't seem to mind and I have not lost any to rot, so am not doing any major work on re-setting them this year.  Just no mulch in this area. 

Less than an hour later.  This is really an easy job!

One of the three smaller beds is really getting overgrown.  It's a big clump of the huge bearded pink iris - cultivar sadly unknown - that Mother gave me years ago for Christmas.  Seriously.  How she found iris in December, I do not know.  But what a wonderful gift!  [I think Mitchell was a bit confused, but i was delighted.]

Free to a good home.

Any way, there is enough of it to share.  Would be happy to send a clump to you - several of you - if you would like to try it in your garden.  Apparently hardly zones 3-9; needs 6-8 hours of sun in growing season (spring); minimal water and will be fine in poor soil.  If you would like to give them a try, drop me an email to webb2206@hotmail.com and send me a shipping address.  First come, first served until I run out!

 Part of this clump could be moving to your garden soon.

Wednesday Workday - not!

It may be Wednesday, but the only work getting done around here is for ... well, work.  It's panic time at the office.  If I can make it thru one more week, it will slow down. 

The first of many lilies to come.  Wait until next week.

But i did make myself a promise that i would enjoy the garden more - you know the sitting and enjoying it kind of enjoyment as opposed to the pulling weeds and planting plants kind of enjoyment.  I get a lot of the latter, but so often forget the former. 

Hydrangeas, cannas, monarda, shasta daisies, and salvia.

So, i've spent several evenings sitting on the deck with a glass of wine and the latest whodunit.  And, i've cut more flowers for the house this year.  

That's enjoyment!

June is Absolutely Bustin'

Several weeks of good rain, moderate temperatures (for Virginia) and good sunshine and the garden has entered that "gorgeous debutante" part of the year.  No bling is too good for her, and she's wearing it all!  I'll let her speak for herself.

The 'Richmond Spider' daylily with an Easter lily peeking out underneath.

Unknown salvia with the volunteer poppies.  While  I hated to lose the crabbapple last year, the extra sun in this part of the bed has been welcome.*

The mini-daylilies are in full bloom.*

Monarda has started to open.  Will be even more wonderful in a week.

"Big" daylilies, too.*

The "best" hydrangea I have.  An everblooming variety that gets enough sun and enough water.

Even this pot of hot colored annuals is happy.*

And, the xeri garden, too.  Five new lilies here, but they are not doing very well... yet.

Next week this will be Lily Land, when the asiatics I planted in the fall start to open.  I must have a million buds.  Remember?  I got a little carried away when I was buying bulbs last fall.  Planted about 60 lily bulbs - and all make multiple blooms!  Can't wait for it to get into full swing. 

I even cut a couple of big bunches for the house.  

Hydrangea, monarda, calla lilies, yarrow, hosta, dahlias and salvia.

Hope you are having a nice weekend.

*For one who claims to not like yellow flowers ... are you seeing what a big contribution they seem to be making to the overall look?  Guess I am getting a bit more flexible in my old age.  Well, at least in the garden.