Re: Re: Happy Birthday
gardenchat@hort.net
  • Subject: Re: Re: Happy Birthday
  • From: Z* <4*@rewrite.hort.net>
  • Date: Sat, 9 Aug 2014 19:41:06 -0500
I have Joe Pye weed, Rudbeckia, Echinacea, black & blue salvia,
four-o'clocks, cleomes, iron weed, and Passiflora incarnata blooming
right now. The Lycoris squamigera is almost done, but I am looking
forward to the Lycoris radiata. My beds are a wild mess, but I am
motivated from time to time to weed around the flowers I love.


I, too, am really enjoying our little reunion. 
Zem
Zone 7
West TN

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 9, 2014, at 8:37 AM, "Daryl" <d6fabdb31@rewrite.hort.net> wrote:
> 
> I find it interesting how many of us have gotten "stuck", either too
weary or overwhelmed or depressed to do much in the garden. Sometimes I
look at my garden and despair.

> I am very glad that I planted the 100' + perennial border in shrubs
and blueberries, and that I gave away so many of my plants to MGs and
new plant enthusiasts. I am also glad that much of my yard is shady so
weeds aren't as likely to take over. I wish that I had more sun for
vegetables, but dread the thought of removing an old tree to do so. I
didn't think the trees would make it when we moved here 30+ years ago,
since they were old then and drought had taken its toll. I babied them
along, and while they're past the end of their natural life span, I'd
hate to see them go.

> 
> Most of my active gardening now is in containers out of necessity, and
most of that is tomatoes, cucumbers and beans. I can't get around as
well as I used to do. I can manage to get out in the yard and make lists
of things for my husband or an arborist to do. I can also get out and
enjoy the little surprises. Last week's joy was a large clump of
surprise lilies (Lycoris squamigera) . I planted a single bulb that I
brought home from New Orleans when I was speaking there in '98 or '99
and it's been increasing every year. The voles don't get it and the
leaves are up early before it gets too shady for them.

> 
> This morning I looked out past the greenhouse and despite the dark
skies, 'Grandpa Ott's' morning glories were blooming their little hearts
out, punctuated here and there by the occasional reverse color form. I
planted them in the front yard more than a decade ago and they self-so
and climb up various plants here and there. Unlike other morning
glories, they don't take over and strangle everything.

> 
> I enjoy the birds just as much. The elderberries are nearly gone but
pokeweed berries are ripening. Mockingbirds and catbirds have been
enjoying them. The seed-eaters, like gold finches, are enjoying the
Rudbeckia triloba, another of my reseeding garden friends. I have
scatterings of them here and there and they never fail to make me smile.
The butterflies are enjoying the 'Zowie' Zinnias I planted after
receiving a sample packet. They're pretty amazing.

> 
> We're in that lull between heavy spring/summer bloom and fall foliage,
but there are still some sporadic flowers on the Hydrangea macrophyllas.
They really took a hit last winter - including the reblooming types. The
oakleaf


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