8/4/11

Garden glimpses

Fuchsia fulgens took off this year. I had to cut it way back last year, for whatever reason I don't recall. It didn't care one bit. The fuchsias from South America thrive in the San Francisco's cool, foggy climate. You could make your whole garden a fuchsia garden and it would bloom all year.

Fuchsia fulgens; Beschorneria yuccoides hybrid

Chocolate-scented, "winter-flowering" Tithonia diversifolia blooms for a much longer season that the plant tag says, too.

Chocolate-scented Tithonia diversifolia blooming in August again this year. #Asteraceae

It's a behemoth in the garden, growing big and very fast... Really not appropriate for my small garden. I had a brugmansia here once upon a time, but it got broken and shredded anytime we had strong winds and looked like heck for months afterwards. We have a strong winds every year, so that was a problem for me. Other people seem to have better luck with that plant than I did.

Tithonia diversifolia

Speaking of things that look like heck... ugh, this lily. Je déteste. I tried to dig it out last year, but couldn't without destroying the whole bed. That bulb really settled in. I have to say it looks okay at a distance, especially with its colors echoed in surrounding plants, like the white Shasta daisies in front of it and the dark red cordyline 'Cherry Sensation' (or 'Cherry Sunrise'..?) behind it.

Ugh, this awful lily. I tried to dig it out last year but couldn't manage to without disturbing the whole bed.

I think it would even look fine in a different garden, but it's completely out of place in mine... unless maybe I add a few more harmonious companions to help it blend better.

Just so not my style... ugh.

It just does not belong.

This nameless variety from the neighborhood nursery, otoh, is perfect.

#spots

I started this Campanula medium from seed, and it's doing very well. I have some pink ones too.

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It keeps on blooming with a little deadheading now and then. Well, I assume the deadheading helps.

Campanula medium, also from seed. But you can get it at @anniesannuals. Great plant, lots of flowers. I like the pink one too.

Dahlias, also from seed. This one is my favorite this year, although it flowers very sparingly. I gave it some water and fertilizer today. Maybe that will help, if the neighboring Phormium 'Black Adder' and Stipa arundinacea don't drink it down first.

My favorite dahlia this year, although it only makes one or two flowers at a time, with Phormium 'Black Adder' and Stipa arundinacea.

If you've every thought about growing strawberry from seed, I say go for it. These are four Fragaria vesca from seed, going gangbusters. They don't fruit very heavily. Could it be because they don't care for the acid soil in that pot? Maybe I'll try re-potting them this fall.

Remember a year ago when I asked about growing strawberries from seed? Fragaria vesca.

Growing fennel from seed is not much of a gardening accomplishment. Keeping the anise swallowtail caterpillars that feed on it alive might qualify, however. I've moved a few larvae to a different plant that I cover with bird netting. I hope that helps them from getting eaten. Of course, I'm not sure that they get eaten every year. But something happens. One day, they're just gone and I've never seen a chrysalis. I'm pretty alert to things in my small garden. I think I'd notice a chrysalis.

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Dill is another good one for butterflies and caterpillars. I put the dill out late this year and it didn't get very tall. Plant it out in April in San Francisco if you want my advice.

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I enjoy all my phallic garden ornaments.

Unfortunately phallic garden ornaments. Sigh. I see penises everywhere.

And the non-phallic ones too. This ball needs to go live near a better color complement.

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There's a lot of red in my garden, which is a puzzlment considering how apprehensive I am about about it growing too close yellow. Well I have a lot of yellow too. Odd that it feels like all I ever do is add pink.

Clematis 'Comtesse de Bouchard'

Do you think blue and purple look good together? Well, that's a lot of red too. I think pink and purple look good together. Not that I'm deeply preoccupied with "what goes together". As long as it's not red+yellow.

Whoa, princess plant. Tibouchina urvilleana #workhorse

Oh, there's another lily.

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And a dahlia with some daisies.

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And a kitty!

Pattycake. Supervised release. #cats

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kitties are the most important things to grow in any garden. (Doggies are nice too, but doggies are kind of invasive. They tend to overrun everything else.)

martha said...

What a pretty cat. Everything looks beautiful. That fuchsia is quite impressive! I've been eying them at Annie's for my north facing front garden and maybe I will go for it, seeing how lovely yours is.
I'm so glad you're back to blogging more frequently, Chuck! While you were so busy with school, I really missed your garden and your musings.

Anonymous said...

Itoo am glad you're blogging more. I live in Denver, garden mostly in pots, but always enjoy your pictures and comments. Thanks! Kyle

Rhonda Halushka said...

Lovely photos! I know what you mean about certain colors not going together but I find in nature it always seems to be ok (as opposed to clothes, etc)... and of course cats go with everything!

Denise said...

I just had a caterpillar vanish from a passiflora, poof! So I'm glad to read it's not just me. I've preordered a gigantically vulgar lily for next year, so really enjoy your ruminations on your likes and dislikes. I'm not sure lilies are really for me either, which works out fine since the bulbs wither and disappear like caterpillars...

Cassy said...

Your flower garden is fabulous!
I also love the cat.

Cassy from Acoustic Guitar Lessons

lisa said...

Kitty is so mature and lovely these days! I've noticed that the monarchs feasting on my milkweeds never place their chrysalis there, but hang them on my big bluestem grass and some of the goldenrod around the yard. I've had terrific success growing alpine strawberries from seed, and they're yummy! :)

Les said...

A catalog came across my desk this afternoon with new roses. The cover photo made me think of you, and I am sure you will want several.

http://www.weeksroses.com/rose_ketchup&mustard.htm

chuck b. said...

Gah! Horrible!