8/21/10

Garden of random notes

This lily could not be more out of place in my garden,

This lily could not be more out of place in my garden.

which otherwise looks like this:

IMG_0265

I can't remember where I got the lily, but it's not 'Stargazer'. I remember the catalog I got it from billed it as bizarre and extreme. Sounded good at the time. In fact, it makes me a little queasy. It has to go. It reminds me of something I'd find in a tacky beauty salon. I smell nail polish and nasty hair treatment chemicals.

Lilies in general can be dicey. I like the martagons with small flowers. Everything else, I'm not sure.

Speaking of dicey, we are crawling with garden spiders.

IMG_0204

IMG_0223

I seem to have a dozen of these spiders right now. Strangely, they don't bother me. I'm otherwise quite arachnophobic.

Usually I cannot tolerate spiders, but for whatever reason these do not bother me. They look harmless. I guess it's the more malevolent-looking spiders that arouse my arachnophobia.

Leaf-cutter bees are depriving me of fall color again this year.

IMG_0247

Grrrr!

Leaf cutter bees depriving me of fall color again this year. Oh well. At least I have a few grape vines.

I only bought those vine maples (Acer circinatum) for fall color and I have been denied for three years now. I am loathe to spray any pesticides. Maybe I need more spiders.

At least I have the grape vines.

IMG_0203

I have three grape vines, but only one big one. I added the other two this year and last year.

The Keckiella cordifolia's red display winds down about now, but not before bidding adieu to certain visitors.

This little guy came up right next to me while I was standing there plain as day.

I spent a couple hours planting out foxglove for next spring.

foxglove

Most of the foxglove I planted out last year I planted out too late to bloom this year. So it's all still there. Now I'm adding more. 2011 should be a big year for foxglove.

Have you tried any Digitalis beyond purpurea? I wasn't very happy with D. ferruginea, but there are others to try. I think I'm going to let other people go first, and then steal their ideas.

I sometimes get the impression that people think I go for the exotic or rare, but that's just not true. I enjoy all the classic garden flowers--foxglove, sunflowers, cosmos, daisies. In fact, I'm growing Shasta daisy from seed right now & will plant those out soon.

Anyway...it was another cool, cloudy day...a good time to plant.

A good day for purple?

IMG_0227

Or yellow?

Passiflora citrina

I have a lot of yellow. Some would say too much.

Chocolate-scented Tithonia diversifolia doesn't usually bloom this early. I don't expect it until January, but it has three flowers and lots of buds. I hope it will still make flowers in January, otherwise I won't have very much.

IMG_0233

This is some kind of Rudbeckia, perhaps triloba. I grew it from seed a couple years ago but I thought it didn't work out. This lanky plant came out of nowhere.

IMG_0279

The sun finally came out around 4, just when it leaves my garden for the day. I got a few pictures before it went away.

IMG_0255

The light is definitely changing.

IMG_0256

I enjoy it when I can.

Salvia uliginosa

IMG_0280

IMG_0290

8 comments:

Thomas said...

I think that yellow passionflower is definitely a keeper.

Christopher C. NC said...

Try a red cayenne pepper or tabasco spray on your maple. At least you will know if it works in time for next year.

Jenn's Cooking Garden! said...

You always have the most amazing photos! I read your blog weekly! I just thought today I would tell you how much I appreciate your beautiful garden!

weeder1 said...

Well, I LOVE the lily! It would be welcome in my eclectig yard. :>)

weeder1 said...

oops. I meant eclectic! past my bedtime!

KrrBr77 said...

Hi There,i am an Aussie (living in Victiria , Australia) I came across your blog whilst googling Tree Dahlias. I had some cuttings and gave them to my elderly neighbour (in their 80's) and he had never heard of them before. I am definetly going to keep my eyes on your blog from now on. Gorgeous photos also. Very inspiring!

lisa said...

I'm enjoying your spider pics as much as the flowers! (But the flowers really ARE beautiful! :)

Denise said...

Spiders out in force here too, the time of year I keep a stick handy to break up webs over walkways. So funny about your reaction to the lily. I'm planning some for pots next year, but I think you're right about them in the garden. And foxgloves have been on my mind too -- also planted some too late to bloom and I think they're expiring this August. And have been wondering about all the other rusty-colored flwring species but from what I gather they don't flower for long and one I tried made massive leaf growth for not many flwrs. What I am trying for next year is isoplexis, the Canary Island foxglove. Some of your random notes are mine as well!