Hostas, plants in the liliaceae family are beautiful shade or part-shade accents or ground covers. They have tall spikes of flowers in the summer(which some people just trim off) but they are grown for their beautiful foliage. They come variegated, one color, bumpy, smooth and in a variety of colors. Hosta's foliage dies back in the fall and they are some of the first plants to start putting up shoots in the spring. I have found that when they are first starting to come up is the best time to divide them. They are a great pass along plant. You can get just a few from a friend, or nursery and in a few years, have a large collection just by continual dividing. They are very hardy, and it is difficult to get the whole plant if you want to clear an area and move them all to a different place. The little bit of root stock that gets left will generate a new plant.
My hostas have of course suffered along with all the other shade loving plants that I haven't been able to move to shady areas. I was just starting to get a good collection in the front of my house in front of the azaleas pre-tornado. I already had quite a few out in back in the fern glade and along the East side of the house. All but a few were pass- alongs.
My sweet sister, Sandi, in Wisconsin has a beautiful shady area near her deck that is hosta heaven. they are huge, and a beautiful dark green. Hostas seem to me to do better and grow larger in the usually more cool weather up North. She gave me several plants a few years ago when I was there on a visit, and of course they are some of my favorites. I have noticed that since they get more sun the leaves have adapted by becoming more elongated, and a lighter green.
I have relocated many of my hostas to an area under the deck, where they are a little bit more sheltered, but are still getting too much sun as the leaves have been yellowing in the sun and heat of this hot summer. I do have plans for a little bit more shrubbery to be put in this fall, so I hope that the little bit of extra shade will help. The ones we have in front of the front porch are looking particularly stressed, and I doubt it will get more shady there anytime soon, so they will have to be moved this fall and something else planted there in front of the azaleas, which are doing well, despite all the sun exposure. I figure that if the azaleas can make it through this summer, they can take just about any abuse.
Susan
Monday, July 30, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
Fragrant garden 4/Wow does that Jasmine smell good!
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| Confederate Jasmine |
Trachelospermum jasminoides
Confederate Jasmine, Trachelospermum jasminoides is not a true jasmine, but I'm glad to have it on my fence. It is a lovely evergreen vine and I think that Birmingham is on the Northern end of its range, so it needs to be in a South facing location. It likes a bit of shade as well. The sun heating the concrete driveway probably helps keep it warmer in the winter. We have had it for about seven years and it has totally covered half of the fence. I keep the roots really well mulched. If we ever have an extremely cold winter again, it may die back. In the deep South, it needs to have more shade. It can use some pruning to keep it under control if you have a smaller area, or it gets too thick. I have two climbing roses on the fence as well, and need to keep it trimmed back away from them.
The lovely smell of the blossoms always reminds of our trip to India in the mid-nineties when we traveled to the wedding of our dear friend Faizal. There were jasmine blossoms hung on the wedding pavilion and all of the ladies had jasmine in our hair. A little bit of heaven.
Faizal's family live in a small village in the State of Kerala. I was entranced by their garden. I had never seen pepper growing before. The pepper grows in long thin pods. The soil there was red, like the soil in the Southern US , and the trees in the garden were all planted down in a bowl shaped indentation with a small berm around them. I assumed that this was to take advantage of the rain during the monsoon season. There is a distinct wet and dry season there. I was entranced by all of the large leaved tropical plants. Many different kinds of bananas and plantains grow there, and we were given a small banana at the end of every meal to "aid in digestion". It does.
Faizal's family were very kind hosts and one afternoon his family treated us to a traditional meal served on large banana leaves. There were many different kinds of sauces and stews and we sat on the floor with a leaf in front of us and made small balls of rice with our hands which were then dipped in the sauces and stews. It was all very delicious and lots of fun. Many of the dishes were spicy , so they also served a sauce made from cucumbers and yogurt to cool the palate. Another wonderful experience.
Our trip to India and the colorful and lovely wedding is one of my favorite memories.
Susan
Thursday, July 26, 2012
So Happy To Find St. Francis
Another very hot and dry day in Alabama. Yesterday was high 90's and no rain in sight. Watering seems futile, but we try. You know conditions are tough for the plants when even the natives like the wild ageratums look wilted and dying. I just watered them yesterday. I will be out there with the hose again tonight. Night watering is not supposed to be as good for plants and morning, but in conditions like this, I opt for night so that the water has some time to soak in before it evaporates entirely. I do hope we get some of the predicted possible rain tomorrow. The probability is only around 30% though, according to the weather channel. This summer has reinforced my plans to plant only native shrubs in the fall. I will only have to baby them for a year instead of forever!
After my friends Michael and Laura so generously gave me stepping stones and rocks from their garden redo,I was able to build a pathway going down a little hill and a garden area in what had been just a weedy , waste area. The little garden area comes to a point where the pathway divides at the bottom of the hill. I planted a crape myrtle purchased from the Birmingham Botanical Garden plant sale at the back and 3 lorapetalum to the rear and right of the crape myrtle. A lone, blue hydrangea sits to the left. Then I put Stella D'Oro daylilies to the front of the crape myrtle. It seemed as though something was missing, it needed more of a focal point than the crape myrtle. A Saint Francis statue seemed like just the right thing, but of course, when I decided that was what was needed, I couldn't find one. It took months of looking to find just the right size. I even looked when I was in North Carolina, no luck.
I found St. Francis
Photos taken in August, 2012
Just about the time I was about to give up and put something else there, a friend, I think it was Molly or Lynn, told me about a place in Pelham, about a half hour drive down Highway 31. Meyers Plants and Pottery seems to be the best place in the area to find garden statuary and decoration at reasonable prices. They have an interesting selection of bottle trees and colorful artwork to put on fences and posts. I was in heaven, and there was just the right size St. Francis. He makes me smile every time I look down there and see him sitting behind the daylilies!
I think I mentioned in a previous blog that he escaped damage in the tornado even though the crape myrtle was bent and broken and there were big branches down all around him. The crape myrtle has recovered and looks beautiful right now with lavender colored blooms. I still haven't found just the right little bench to put down in that area, but it will show up when it shows up. I will wait for the perfect one.
If you are not doing so already, please pray for rain and cooler weather for all who are suffering in this heat and drought!
Susan
After my friends Michael and Laura so generously gave me stepping stones and rocks from their garden redo,I was able to build a pathway going down a little hill and a garden area in what had been just a weedy , waste area. The little garden area comes to a point where the pathway divides at the bottom of the hill. I planted a crape myrtle purchased from the Birmingham Botanical Garden plant sale at the back and 3 lorapetalum to the rear and right of the crape myrtle. A lone, blue hydrangea sits to the left. Then I put Stella D'Oro daylilies to the front of the crape myrtle. It seemed as though something was missing, it needed more of a focal point than the crape myrtle. A Saint Francis statue seemed like just the right thing, but of course, when I decided that was what was needed, I couldn't find one. It took months of looking to find just the right size. I even looked when I was in North Carolina, no luck.
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I found St. Francis
Photos taken in August, 2012
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| View of back garden . The back part behind crape myrtle and in front of retaining wall used to be my shade garden. There was a large oak tree and a sweet gum tree shading the area, as well as the Southern magnolia which is now half the size it used to be. |
I think I mentioned in a previous blog that he escaped damage in the tornado even though the crape myrtle was bent and broken and there were big branches down all around him. The crape myrtle has recovered and looks beautiful right now with lavender colored blooms. I still haven't found just the right little bench to put down in that area, but it will show up when it shows up. I will wait for the perfect one.
If you are not doing so already, please pray for rain and cooler weather for all who are suffering in this heat and drought!
Susan
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Relocated plants
Yesterday morning as I was out for an early walk around the neighborhood, my up and around the corner neighbor, LaVerne hailed me. She was out watering her shrubs and ferns. Prior to the tornado she had had a beautiful large fern garden out under a huge oak tree. I know she misses it as much as I miss mine. She had had many more specimens than I did, though. Quite a few made it through, and she is trying to keep them alive.
LaVerne told me she had just cut back an angels trumpet plant that is growing in front of her house. "Before it takes over the neighborhood" she said. She asked if I would like some of the seed pods. Being a plant addict, and not having an angels trumpet, I of course said yes. She said it is a datura and I was able to find a reference to them in only one of my books, the encyclopedia of garden plants. I didn't look on the internet, but I am sure they are easy to find if googled. The flowers on the datura evidently point up, instead of down which is how the angel trumpet flowers I am familiar with grow. They need full sun and average well-drained soil. The encyclopedia says they sprawl, but gracefully, and they need plenty of room and perhaps some support. It says they can be used in perennial borders, pots, or shrub borders, but be sure to put them in a spot where you can smell the fragrant flowers in the evening. It sounds like this may be a good one in a large pot on the deck. The pods she gave me are still green, so I need to let them dry and then collect the seed and use them next spring. I hope I am successful.
It is very very hot and dry here again, so we are back to full scale watering, especially the new sod.
I had a little bit of time this morning before it got too hot, to weed between my stepping stones in the path that goes through my little rock garden. Friends Michael and Laura( who also gave me most of the stepping stones when they were re-doing part of their garden to put in a pool) have given me some dwarf mondo grass starts. The grass is in its second year here, and seems to be following the "first year sleeps, second year creeps and third year leaps" pattern of most ground covers. It is trying to send out new little plants, but the weeds are trying to thwart their success. Another constant battle. The weeds don't just grow between the plants, they grow right up in them, so they are constantly being disturbed. I have lost a few, but most are green. I end up having to replant some of them after I remove the weeds from between their roots. Today I went to buy yet another bag of pine bark mulch to put between them to try to hold back some of the weed growth. It is not just weeds, either, there are also new little purple coneflowers poking up between the stones. Those I keep and put in pots for relocation.
Some of the purple coneflowers are starting to look a little bit straggly, but the black eyed susans are spectacular right now. They like to spread themselves around as well, and are very welcome to go most places. They are such a cheerful looking flower, and look good with the all the zinnias that have seeded themselves around also.
This morning I also relocated my in-ground rosemary plant to the rock garden. I have slowly been clearing spaces of plants and weeds in that area to have more room for herbs so that I can plant more vegetables where the herbs are now. I think the rosemary was getting to much water and had too much rich soil where it was, because it was beginning to look stressed. They thrive on neglect, really. I put a lot of sand in the rocky soil before I planted it at the top of the garden. It looks much better there, too. I hope it will like its new home, and get quite large there.
Well, enough writing for today.
Susan
LaVerne told me she had just cut back an angels trumpet plant that is growing in front of her house. "Before it takes over the neighborhood" she said. She asked if I would like some of the seed pods. Being a plant addict, and not having an angels trumpet, I of course said yes. She said it is a datura and I was able to find a reference to them in only one of my books, the encyclopedia of garden plants. I didn't look on the internet, but I am sure they are easy to find if googled. The flowers on the datura evidently point up, instead of down which is how the angel trumpet flowers I am familiar with grow. They need full sun and average well-drained soil. The encyclopedia says they sprawl, but gracefully, and they need plenty of room and perhaps some support. It says they can be used in perennial borders, pots, or shrub borders, but be sure to put them in a spot where you can smell the fragrant flowers in the evening. It sounds like this may be a good one in a large pot on the deck. The pods she gave me are still green, so I need to let them dry and then collect the seed and use them next spring. I hope I am successful.
It is very very hot and dry here again, so we are back to full scale watering, especially the new sod.
I had a little bit of time this morning before it got too hot, to weed between my stepping stones in the path that goes through my little rock garden. Friends Michael and Laura( who also gave me most of the stepping stones when they were re-doing part of their garden to put in a pool) have given me some dwarf mondo grass starts. The grass is in its second year here, and seems to be following the "first year sleeps, second year creeps and third year leaps" pattern of most ground covers. It is trying to send out new little plants, but the weeds are trying to thwart their success. Another constant battle. The weeds don't just grow between the plants, they grow right up in them, so they are constantly being disturbed. I have lost a few, but most are green. I end up having to replant some of them after I remove the weeds from between their roots. Today I went to buy yet another bag of pine bark mulch to put between them to try to hold back some of the weed growth. It is not just weeds, either, there are also new little purple coneflowers poking up between the stones. Those I keep and put in pots for relocation.
Some of the purple coneflowers are starting to look a little bit straggly, but the black eyed susans are spectacular right now. They like to spread themselves around as well, and are very welcome to go most places. They are such a cheerful looking flower, and look good with the all the zinnias that have seeded themselves around also.
This morning I also relocated my in-ground rosemary plant to the rock garden. I have slowly been clearing spaces of plants and weeds in that area to have more room for herbs so that I can plant more vegetables where the herbs are now. I think the rosemary was getting to much water and had too much rich soil where it was, because it was beginning to look stressed. They thrive on neglect, really. I put a lot of sand in the rocky soil before I planted it at the top of the garden. It looks much better there, too. I hope it will like its new home, and get quite large there.
Well, enough writing for today.
Susan
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Fragrant Garden 3
Today when I returned home from church I noticed a swallowtail butterfly, a hummingbird with an iridescent green back, and several bees all feeding at the lantana. We have a couple of confetti type lantana with pink and yellow and white colored blossoms. I stood there for quite a while and the hummingbird would take off , fly across the street, or over to the neighbors and then come right back. I was very still, and it flew within a foot of where I was standing.
We have a very useful herb growing next to the driveway near the lantana, and next to the lavender.
It is melissa officnalis, or lemon balm. Lemon balm is a perennial in the mint family that grows in sun or shade, but it really likes partial shade the best, and it likes moist, well drained soil. How it and the lavender are existing next to each other in the same planter behind the retaining wall, is a mystery to me. I didn't pay too much attention to water requirements when I stuck those plants together several years ago!
Lemon balm is a very useful herb both medicinally, and for culinary purposes. Lemon balm has been used as a remedy for colds and flu for centuries,also to relieve menstrual cramps and headaches. The crushed leaves have been used on insect bites and wounds, and can be added to bath water. In the kitchen ,the leaves make a delicious tea, and a good flavoring in soups, salads, and any dish that would be improved with a lemony addition.
Lemon balm is also used in perfumes and cosmetics.
Lemon balm does die back for the winter, so if you want to preserve it , it can be harvested and tied in small bundles then hung up to dry. Dry leaves retain their fragrance.
Bees love the nectar in it's tiny white flowers. Lemon balm has been grown for its nectar for 2,000 years!
Two of my favorite sources for herbal information are: (unbelievably for this first one) The Readers Digest Magic and Medicine of Plants because it has good color illustrations, and identification descriptions and also The Complete Herb Book by Maggie Stuckey. I have been using and taking notes from these books for years.
Susan
We have a very useful herb growing next to the driveway near the lantana, and next to the lavender.
It is melissa officnalis, or lemon balm. Lemon balm is a perennial in the mint family that grows in sun or shade, but it really likes partial shade the best, and it likes moist, well drained soil. How it and the lavender are existing next to each other in the same planter behind the retaining wall, is a mystery to me. I didn't pay too much attention to water requirements when I stuck those plants together several years ago!
Lemon balm is a very useful herb both medicinally, and for culinary purposes. Lemon balm has been used as a remedy for colds and flu for centuries,also to relieve menstrual cramps and headaches. The crushed leaves have been used on insect bites and wounds, and can be added to bath water. In the kitchen ,the leaves make a delicious tea, and a good flavoring in soups, salads, and any dish that would be improved with a lemony addition.
Lemon balm is also used in perfumes and cosmetics.
Lemon balm does die back for the winter, so if you want to preserve it , it can be harvested and tied in small bundles then hung up to dry. Dry leaves retain their fragrance.
Bees love the nectar in it's tiny white flowers. Lemon balm has been grown for its nectar for 2,000 years!
Two of my favorite sources for herbal information are: (unbelievably for this first one) The Readers Digest Magic and Medicine of Plants because it has good color illustrations, and identification descriptions and also The Complete Herb Book by Maggie Stuckey. I have been using and taking notes from these books for years.
Susan
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Turkey Creek Nature Preserve
Today was the Float Your Boat fundraiser at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve. People who attended paid to float little, colorful, balsa wood boats on the creek and over the falls( like rubber ducky races) There were several heats and then the final for the prizes. I was there to volunteer at the Vulcan Trail Association booth.(my hiking club) The Vulcan Trail Association has been building a new hiking trail at Turkey Creek and the grand opening for the trail will be in late September.
If you haven't visited the park, please do. Its a great place to get in the water, sit on the rocks and cool off in the hot summer weather. Really fun place at any time of the year.
Talked with lots of great people and enjoyed the outdoors. Our booth was next to The Stoneshovel booth. Stoneshovel is owned by Arnie Rutkis, who designs and builds native plant gardens. He propagates the plants and had several different kinds for sale. Arnie also built the beautiful garden at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve. One of Arnie's boats won first prize in the final float race! The prize was a nice Patagonia duffle bag from Alabama Outdoors.
Arnie has been in some of the classes I've taken at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens,and when I get back to planting more natives, he'll be my source for plants. You can find out more about his business at www.stoneshovel.com or e mail him at arnie@stoneshovel.com. Please check him out.
The Vestavia Hills Library has a fairly large Go Green section and I have been enjoying checking out the books. This week I found a book called The Heirloom Life Gardener , by Jere and Emilee Gettle.
They own the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri. In a world where agriculture has been taken over by corporate agriculture and factory farms with monoculture crops from hybridized and genetically engineered seeds, it is becoming more and more important to buy and grow your garden with heirloom varieties of plants and seeds. The produce tastes much better and is much more nutritious than the hybridized food most people eat which is bred for shipping and long shelf life, and to withstand the herbicides poured on the fields to kill the weeds.
It seems that more and more heirloom produce is showing up at farmer's markets, good thing.
The story of how Baker Creek got started is quite fun to read. I'm only about a third of the way through the book, so will keep you updated, but if you like gardens, you'll find this book interesting.
Happy growing,
Susan
If you haven't visited the park, please do. Its a great place to get in the water, sit on the rocks and cool off in the hot summer weather. Really fun place at any time of the year.
Talked with lots of great people and enjoyed the outdoors. Our booth was next to The Stoneshovel booth. Stoneshovel is owned by Arnie Rutkis, who designs and builds native plant gardens. He propagates the plants and had several different kinds for sale. Arnie also built the beautiful garden at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve. One of Arnie's boats won first prize in the final float race! The prize was a nice Patagonia duffle bag from Alabama Outdoors.
Arnie has been in some of the classes I've taken at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens,and when I get back to planting more natives, he'll be my source for plants. You can find out more about his business at www.stoneshovel.com or e mail him at arnie@stoneshovel.com. Please check him out.
The Vestavia Hills Library has a fairly large Go Green section and I have been enjoying checking out the books. This week I found a book called The Heirloom Life Gardener , by Jere and Emilee Gettle.
They own the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri. In a world where agriculture has been taken over by corporate agriculture and factory farms with monoculture crops from hybridized and genetically engineered seeds, it is becoming more and more important to buy and grow your garden with heirloom varieties of plants and seeds. The produce tastes much better and is much more nutritious than the hybridized food most people eat which is bred for shipping and long shelf life, and to withstand the herbicides poured on the fields to kill the weeds.
It seems that more and more heirloom produce is showing up at farmer's markets, good thing.
The story of how Baker Creek got started is quite fun to read. I'm only about a third of the way through the book, so will keep you updated, but if you like gardens, you'll find this book interesting.
Happy growing,
Susan
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Fragrant Garden 2
Yesterday and this morning I saw what I think is a papilo glaucus, or Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly in the dark phase. It was visiting the zinnias, and is so very beautiful. I will check with some experts to make sure that is who our visitor is. I just googled and looked for pictures. My husband may be kind and let me borrow his camera for next time. My cell phone probably won"t take a good picture for ID. I'll need zoom capabilities.
Last night Sidney and Sophie, daughters of my husband's stepsister visited the garden. They were interested in the little fairy house and garden , which was an Easter Sunday project for young visitors. It is built under 3 Rose of Sharon bushes . Our Easter guests also put mardi gras beads in the branches of the bushes, so it is quite sparkly and colorful there. We had a great time playing ball toss, and then toured the herbs. I pinched off bits of the plants for them to smell and they took home some rosemary for their mom to attempt to root. I love talking about plants with young visitors.
Sidney and Sophie especially loved the lavender.
lavandula angustifolia, the name comes from the latin, lavare which means "to wash". The scent has a calming effect, and its oil has been called a "universal healing oil" The flowers are often dried and used as sachets, and it has been shown to be a a help in relieving intestinal gas. It is very good to use in the bedroom to help have a good night's sleep. It has also been used to help repel mosquitoes.
The ancient Phoenicians and Egyptians began its use as perfume and of course it is still being used for this purpose.
In the garden, it needs a dry sunny location. I have mine in a planter along the driveway retaining wall that sometimes fills with water, but once a year I add more sand to the soil there, and it has done well. Luckily, the water quickly drains.
If you are having a hectic day or are emotionally upset and need calming it is good to have some lavender available in the garden when you get home.
Susan
Last night Sidney and Sophie, daughters of my husband's stepsister visited the garden. They were interested in the little fairy house and garden , which was an Easter Sunday project for young visitors. It is built under 3 Rose of Sharon bushes . Our Easter guests also put mardi gras beads in the branches of the bushes, so it is quite sparkly and colorful there. We had a great time playing ball toss, and then toured the herbs. I pinched off bits of the plants for them to smell and they took home some rosemary for their mom to attempt to root. I love talking about plants with young visitors.
Sidney and Sophie especially loved the lavender.
lavandula angustifolia, the name comes from the latin, lavare which means "to wash". The scent has a calming effect, and its oil has been called a "universal healing oil" The flowers are often dried and used as sachets, and it has been shown to be a a help in relieving intestinal gas. It is very good to use in the bedroom to help have a good night's sleep. It has also been used to help repel mosquitoes.
The ancient Phoenicians and Egyptians began its use as perfume and of course it is still being used for this purpose.
In the garden, it needs a dry sunny location. I have mine in a planter along the driveway retaining wall that sometimes fills with water, but once a year I add more sand to the soil there, and it has done well. Luckily, the water quickly drains.
If you are having a hectic day or are emotionally upset and need calming it is good to have some lavender available in the garden when you get home.
Susan
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Fragrant garden 1
Yesterday I had a the best time just walking through the garden grabbing handfuls of herbs and enjoying the smells. I started to think about all I had learned in aromatherapy classes about the effects of herbal oils on mood and thought I might share some of the information from the classes and all of my books.
Rosemary is one of my favorites. We use it a lot in chicken soup and of course with lamb and beef One of my friends added just a little to her rice for a dinner party. That was the best rice I've ever had!
Rosemarinus officinalis L.
Mint family
In ancient Greece, rosemary was said to strengthen the memory and students at that time wore sprigs of it in their hair as they studied. It also is a symbol of remembrance.
It has been used for centuries to rid the intestines of gas.
Used in baths, it can help increase circulation, and is also used to combat fatigue and headaches.
Rosemary likes alkaline, well drained soil, and full sun. In the Birmingham area it can be grown as a landscape plant. One friend, Diane, has a rosemary hedge. My sister in Wisconsin grows hers in a pot and brings it in for the winter where it likes her sunny window.
I seem to always have had difficulty propogating it , but have just been able to root some in a glass of water in my sunny windowsill. Lets see what happens when I put it in soil!
Susan
Rosemary is one of my favorites. We use it a lot in chicken soup and of course with lamb and beef One of my friends added just a little to her rice for a dinner party. That was the best rice I've ever had!
Rosemarinus officinalis L.
Mint family
In ancient Greece, rosemary was said to strengthen the memory and students at that time wore sprigs of it in their hair as they studied. It also is a symbol of remembrance.
It has been used for centuries to rid the intestines of gas.
Used in baths, it can help increase circulation, and is also used to combat fatigue and headaches.
Rosemary likes alkaline, well drained soil, and full sun. In the Birmingham area it can be grown as a landscape plant. One friend, Diane, has a rosemary hedge. My sister in Wisconsin grows hers in a pot and brings it in for the winter where it likes her sunny window.
I seem to always have had difficulty propogating it , but have just been able to root some in a glass of water in my sunny windowsill. Lets see what happens when I put it in soil!
Susan
Monday, July 16, 2012
Moonflowers and okra
Both vines are grown from seed and it is best to scratch the hard shell of the seeds and then soak them overnight for better germination. They are both annuals, but I did have volunteer (self seeded) morning glories this year from last years potted crop.
This year I planted a potted moonflower on the East side of our little front porch. Without our big tree there it gets a lot more sun than it used to. Bad mistake to put it in a pot. It is too thirsty all the time. I am going to prune it back this week and put it in the ground. Starting over. I do have another one in the back under the deck that is just starting to take off. A gift from friend Jackie, I was wise enough to put that in the ground from the start.
Moonflowers have huge, hand size white fragrant flowers that start to bloom at sunset, and you can sit and watch the flowers open. Very exciting event for kids and even adults.
They do bloom better if old flowers are deadheaded.
You can read more about these beautiful plants in Alabama Gardeners Guide by Jennifer Greer. For most of her entries she has put short human interest stories about her friend's gardens and their use of the plants she is describing. It is a good book for gardeners who love pass along plants.
This morning I picked a first batch of okra. It must be picked while very small or you have only too tough to use harvest. Once it starts producing it is best to be out there every morning to pick. The pods grow an amazing amount in one day. I enjoy the flowers . They are creamy white with a red/purple colored center. Very pretty. It will be tomorrow before I have enough to make it worth cooking them, but there are lots of little ones out there. This is the first year I have had so many plants, 7 of them. Since I planted them late, they are still less than hip high on me. When they get big I think I will be wearing long sleeves when I pick, the plants do not feel good on the skin!
Susan
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Well, Almost Daily
This was meant to be a daily blog, but I do tend to let other things get in the way sometimes.
Yesterday morning following a couple of days of rain was a real treat because the weeds came up so super easily. This was a big change from the past month of incredibly dry soil. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay out there for very long because I had a class starting at 8:30 AM. However, the class was a real treat. I did finally take the time to look up the butterfly I have been seeing in the garden.
They are a beautiful orange color and really stand out . I believe that they are gulf fritillaries ( and I probably spelled that wrong).
It was a class at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on ferns and lycophytes taught by Dan Jones. His sweet wife also furnished delicious cookies and punch. We spent the first part of the class learning the parts of the ferns and then the reproductive cycles. The second half of the class was of course spent in the gardens actually seeing and touching the plants we'd just learned about. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens has an absolutely astounding fern glade , plus, the Kaul wildflower garden is filled with native ferns as well. We spent time in both.
We got to see a sample specimen of the Asplenium tutwilerae which is a rare fern found only in Alabama and has so far been seen only at one place. It is so rare that the site where they grow is kept protected. There are only about 120 plants existing at that site. Very exciting to be able to see one.
Mr. Jones said the the best way to plant ferns is to get very cheap top soil in bags and mix it with 30% clay soil, then plant shallow.
He did tell us about a fern which might be suitable for my sloped area, . The Dryopteris marginalis or marginal woodfern. It is an evergreen fern that likes well drained hillsides. After I put the rest of my shrubs in this fall, I will find some marginal woodfern to plant near them on the hill.
Thelypteris kunthii will be another good one. It can take wet to dry soil and quite a bit of sun, so I could plant those a little further out from the shrubs. Nice to have a plan.
We had lots of information thrown at us pretty quickly in the 4 hour class, so now I will be reading a few books on ferns to reinforce what I learned.
Today in the garden I worked for a couple of hours before I went to Sunday school. The yellow finches were back. They look so beautiful sitting on the seed heads of the purple coneflowers.
I got a lot of weeding done and also pruned back the old canes of the blackberries. It seems to be time to get my loppers sharpened as well as my pruning shears. Neither did a good job, and I got out my handy pruning saw to finish the job. It is also time to get taller stakes and some wire so that I can tie up the new canes.
We may have a rain free day today, but then scattered afternoon storms are expected the rest of the week. I hope they scatter our way!
Happy gardening.
Yesterday morning following a couple of days of rain was a real treat because the weeds came up so super easily. This was a big change from the past month of incredibly dry soil. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay out there for very long because I had a class starting at 8:30 AM. However, the class was a real treat. I did finally take the time to look up the butterfly I have been seeing in the garden.
They are a beautiful orange color and really stand out . I believe that they are gulf fritillaries ( and I probably spelled that wrong).
It was a class at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on ferns and lycophytes taught by Dan Jones. His sweet wife also furnished delicious cookies and punch. We spent the first part of the class learning the parts of the ferns and then the reproductive cycles. The second half of the class was of course spent in the gardens actually seeing and touching the plants we'd just learned about. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens has an absolutely astounding fern glade , plus, the Kaul wildflower garden is filled with native ferns as well. We spent time in both.
We got to see a sample specimen of the Asplenium tutwilerae which is a rare fern found only in Alabama and has so far been seen only at one place. It is so rare that the site where they grow is kept protected. There are only about 120 plants existing at that site. Very exciting to be able to see one.
Mr. Jones said the the best way to plant ferns is to get very cheap top soil in bags and mix it with 30% clay soil, then plant shallow.
He did tell us about a fern which might be suitable for my sloped area, . The Dryopteris marginalis or marginal woodfern. It is an evergreen fern that likes well drained hillsides. After I put the rest of my shrubs in this fall, I will find some marginal woodfern to plant near them on the hill.
Thelypteris kunthii will be another good one. It can take wet to dry soil and quite a bit of sun, so I could plant those a little further out from the shrubs. Nice to have a plan.
We had lots of information thrown at us pretty quickly in the 4 hour class, so now I will be reading a few books on ferns to reinforce what I learned.
Today in the garden I worked for a couple of hours before I went to Sunday school. The yellow finches were back. They look so beautiful sitting on the seed heads of the purple coneflowers.
I got a lot of weeding done and also pruned back the old canes of the blackberries. It seems to be time to get my loppers sharpened as well as my pruning shears. Neither did a good job, and I got out my handy pruning saw to finish the job. It is also time to get taller stakes and some wire so that I can tie up the new canes.
We may have a rain free day today, but then scattered afternoon storms are expected the rest of the week. I hope they scatter our way!
Happy gardening.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Finally we have had much needed rain and a break in the temperatures. We did have a storm on Monday night which took out our power for 12 hours. Not fun. It put me behind on everything, especially getting to the computer.
We are swimming in figs, so I am trying to come up with some fig recipes that my husband will like.
Last night I used a recipe from a facebook friend sent last year. I put a layer of figs in a glass casserole, added crumbled feta cheese on top, then drizzled with Alabama honey, made a topping with 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar with 1/2 cup butter cut in until it was crumbly. Baked at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Excellent flavor. Can be served hot or cold. This morning I stewed up some figs and strawberries together to make a topping for cake, ice cream, whatever. I my get bold and try to make some preserves, but that will require a trip to the store for supplies.
I collected several cucumbers yesterday and unfortunately the birds got my best looking heirloom tomato. I had left it on the vine an extra day to ripen. I won't make that mistake again. I have had good luck in the past with the use of fake snakes I purchase from Smith's Variety Store in Mountain Brook Village. They are placed near the tomatoes and act as a deterrent. I moved it to a different location, so maybe it will be more noticeable now.
I have noticed one blossom starting to form on the okra. As soon as I have enough I will call my friend whose parrot loves okra. She only gives him organic. Birds are very sensitive to any kind of chemicals. She can sometimes find him some at the Pepper Place Farmers Market on Saturdays.
I will be happy to indulge her sweet bird with some of his favorite snacks!
We are swimming in figs, so I am trying to come up with some fig recipes that my husband will like.
Last night I used a recipe from a facebook friend sent last year. I put a layer of figs in a glass casserole, added crumbled feta cheese on top, then drizzled with Alabama honey, made a topping with 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar with 1/2 cup butter cut in until it was crumbly. Baked at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Excellent flavor. Can be served hot or cold. This morning I stewed up some figs and strawberries together to make a topping for cake, ice cream, whatever. I my get bold and try to make some preserves, but that will require a trip to the store for supplies.
I collected several cucumbers yesterday and unfortunately the birds got my best looking heirloom tomato. I had left it on the vine an extra day to ripen. I won't make that mistake again. I have had good luck in the past with the use of fake snakes I purchase from Smith's Variety Store in Mountain Brook Village. They are placed near the tomatoes and act as a deterrent. I moved it to a different location, so maybe it will be more noticeable now.
I have noticed one blossom starting to form on the okra. As soon as I have enough I will call my friend whose parrot loves okra. She only gives him organic. Birds are very sensitive to any kind of chemicals. She can sometimes find him some at the Pepper Place Farmers Market on Saturdays.
I will be happy to indulge her sweet bird with some of his favorite snacks!
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Saturday Morning Changes
This morning when I checked our lone sunflower it was in pieces and all the seeds gone. Hungry birds.
Clipped it off and we'll attempt to get more of them to germinate next spring. Last year they came up all over the place, gifts from the tornado. This year, when they were intentionally planted, not much happened.
I had just about finished with my spot watering when it started raining. It only rained lightly for a short time though, and then got very hot again this afternoon. So I guess I hadn't watered for nothing. There are a few spots that missed their turn, so I'll be at it again tomorrow. We are supposed to have more rain this week and then get a little cooler. Below 90 will feel good.
I got lots of weeding done in the veggie garden this morning, and then my husband mowed, so I had lots of grass clippings to use for mulch in the weeded areas. We just got a new mower. Its a Honda brand and has a setting so that you can partially mulch and partially bag when you mow. Very nice for when we want some clippings for the compost or for mulch.
Its about time to put in another planting of beans. We're still getting quite a few from the previous planting, but I'd like some later in the fall as well. I am still amazed by the purple beans I planted this spring for the first time. They turn green when cooked and are difficult to tell apart from the green ones.
The late planting of basil is doing well, and its almost time for home made pesto. Yummy. My daughter tells me that my home recipe for the stuff is much better than store bought. I usually combine a couple of recipes from my herb book. It just depends on which ingredients I have handy.
In May, when I was in NYC we ate at a restaurant called Spring on Park. They had the best appetizer.
It was pistachio pesto topped with feta cheese and cooked beets with honey drizzled over the top. Wonderful flavors. I like just about anything with feta cheese anyway, but the pistachio pesto was excellent.
The finches were back this morning to eat off the seed heads of the coneflowers and from the zinnias. I'm happy to go without deadheading in order to feed the birds. We also had a hummingbird enjoying the zinnias.
Happy planting to you,
GMa Susie
Clipped it off and we'll attempt to get more of them to germinate next spring. Last year they came up all over the place, gifts from the tornado. This year, when they were intentionally planted, not much happened.
I had just about finished with my spot watering when it started raining. It only rained lightly for a short time though, and then got very hot again this afternoon. So I guess I hadn't watered for nothing. There are a few spots that missed their turn, so I'll be at it again tomorrow. We are supposed to have more rain this week and then get a little cooler. Below 90 will feel good.
I got lots of weeding done in the veggie garden this morning, and then my husband mowed, so I had lots of grass clippings to use for mulch in the weeded areas. We just got a new mower. Its a Honda brand and has a setting so that you can partially mulch and partially bag when you mow. Very nice for when we want some clippings for the compost or for mulch.
Its about time to put in another planting of beans. We're still getting quite a few from the previous planting, but I'd like some later in the fall as well. I am still amazed by the purple beans I planted this spring for the first time. They turn green when cooked and are difficult to tell apart from the green ones.
The late planting of basil is doing well, and its almost time for home made pesto. Yummy. My daughter tells me that my home recipe for the stuff is much better than store bought. I usually combine a couple of recipes from my herb book. It just depends on which ingredients I have handy.
In May, when I was in NYC we ate at a restaurant called Spring on Park. They had the best appetizer.
It was pistachio pesto topped with feta cheese and cooked beets with honey drizzled over the top. Wonderful flavors. I like just about anything with feta cheese anyway, but the pistachio pesto was excellent.
The finches were back this morning to eat off the seed heads of the coneflowers and from the zinnias. I'm happy to go without deadheading in order to feed the birds. We also had a hummingbird enjoying the zinnias.
Happy planting to you,
GMa Susie
Friday, July 6, 2012
Feng Shui In The Garden
A few years ago I was trying to use feng shui to improve our home, and hopefully our fortunes. I had read that if your house has an L shape that you need to put a water feature at what would be the corner of the house if were square. It has something to do with having and keeping friends. Making new friends and keeping the old ones is important to me, so I put a birdbath in that corner. It just so happened that that corner was in the front middle of a path to access the veggie and herb garden.
At that time (pre-tornado) there were not a lot of places to put any kind of garden that had enough sun, and the shape of the garden was dictated, and still is, by a retaining wall and the place where a big pine tree was cut down.
This morning I just got finally fed up with walking around that thing! I think that blocking a path at the very beginning of the path is probably not good feng shui either. I moved it to the side just a foot or so and put it next to the lemon grass. It looks so much better, and we'll see what happens with the friendships! It is still lined up with one of the corners of the house at least.
There must be some feng shui books that are specific for gardens. I will look at the library this next week.
Other news:
Our baby robins left the nest last week. This was the second batch. Poor mom and dad must be worn out by now. The nest was under the deck where I need to go all the time. I guess we didn't bother them too much. We both loved to go out there every morning and check on the progress. We could just see the little beaks sticking up from the side of the nest. This last time there were 3, the first time 4.
The figs are starting to ripen so I go out first thing every morning to pick some before the birds get them all. I am leaving the very top ones for the critters. I believe in sharing.
The blackberries are about done, and it is time to start cutting back the old canes and tying up the new ones. We had some huge plump berries this year. I purchased the thornless bushes a couple of years ago. Painless picking. Petals from the Past in Jemison, Alabama has some good videos on pruning and trellising blackberries. I plan to review them before I get to work.
Most of this morning was spent digging out weeds from around and in the rock path and garden on our slope . It was mostly ignored last year after we cleaned off the fallen trees and despite that we still have a lot of our plants left. The weeds seem uncontrollable this year though. I guess they decided they were welcomed last year. So wrong. In some places I have had to resort to using an herbicide. It is just overwhelming. The roots are so intertwined that it is hard not to damage the desired plants when I am digging. I hope that when I replant them there are enough roots left for them to survive. I have lost some dwarf mondo grass from between the stones in the upper path. They had just been planted last spring before the tornado and didn't get enough time to get established. Since this is the second year I think that if I can keep enough alive that next year it will really take off.
Well, I have blabbed enough for one day. More tomorrow!
Gma Susie
At that time (pre-tornado) there were not a lot of places to put any kind of garden that had enough sun, and the shape of the garden was dictated, and still is, by a retaining wall and the place where a big pine tree was cut down.
This morning I just got finally fed up with walking around that thing! I think that blocking a path at the very beginning of the path is probably not good feng shui either. I moved it to the side just a foot or so and put it next to the lemon grass. It looks so much better, and we'll see what happens with the friendships! It is still lined up with one of the corners of the house at least.
There must be some feng shui books that are specific for gardens. I will look at the library this next week.
Other news:
Our baby robins left the nest last week. This was the second batch. Poor mom and dad must be worn out by now. The nest was under the deck where I need to go all the time. I guess we didn't bother them too much. We both loved to go out there every morning and check on the progress. We could just see the little beaks sticking up from the side of the nest. This last time there were 3, the first time 4.
The figs are starting to ripen so I go out first thing every morning to pick some before the birds get them all. I am leaving the very top ones for the critters. I believe in sharing.
The blackberries are about done, and it is time to start cutting back the old canes and tying up the new ones. We had some huge plump berries this year. I purchased the thornless bushes a couple of years ago. Painless picking. Petals from the Past in Jemison, Alabama has some good videos on pruning and trellising blackberries. I plan to review them before I get to work.
Most of this morning was spent digging out weeds from around and in the rock path and garden on our slope . It was mostly ignored last year after we cleaned off the fallen trees and despite that we still have a lot of our plants left. The weeds seem uncontrollable this year though. I guess they decided they were welcomed last year. So wrong. In some places I have had to resort to using an herbicide. It is just overwhelming. The roots are so intertwined that it is hard not to damage the desired plants when I am digging. I hope that when I replant them there are enough roots left for them to survive. I have lost some dwarf mondo grass from between the stones in the upper path. They had just been planted last spring before the tornado and didn't get enough time to get established. Since this is the second year I think that if I can keep enough alive that next year it will really take off.
Well, I have blabbed enough for one day. More tomorrow!
Gma Susie
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Morning Coffee
Had a lovely time early this morning just sitting in the shade drinking my lovely cup of O'Henry's Southern Pecan coffee. I generally have so much to do that I don't sit, but instead drink while I weed, or prune. I forced myself to enjoy and rest today.
We have a covered patio which overlooks the back garden. It also serves as my potting shed. It was mostly clean this morning, and there was a gentle breeze. My pink flamingo wind chime was tinkling, and the butterflies were enjoying meals from the zinnias. Finches were flitting in the birdbath.It was one of those all is well with the world moments we need to remember to savor.
The crape myrtle is starting to bloom, the garden is filled with purple coneflowers and blackeyed Susans, yellow coneflowers , and zinnias.Cypess vine is also blooming . All have been planted to attract butterflies and birds. The yellow finches have been feasting at the coneflowers on a regular basis.
It is especially good to have natives that don't require a lot of water and care this summer. We continue to have very hot temps. It was near 100 again today. Tonight I will have to water the lawn.
Not one of my favorite tasks. No, we are not lucky enough to have an automatic sprinkler system. I
really don't even like to have grass, but we had some new sod put in part of the front garden this spring ( due to repairing tornado damage from last year, but more about that later). We also have to have a large patch in the back because we have a septic system. It is also nice to have a spot of lawn when we want to play croquet with the grand kids!
Cheers,
Gma Susie
We have a covered patio which overlooks the back garden. It also serves as my potting shed. It was mostly clean this morning, and there was a gentle breeze. My pink flamingo wind chime was tinkling, and the butterflies were enjoying meals from the zinnias. Finches were flitting in the birdbath.It was one of those all is well with the world moments we need to remember to savor.
The crape myrtle is starting to bloom, the garden is filled with purple coneflowers and blackeyed Susans, yellow coneflowers , and zinnias.Cypess vine is also blooming . All have been planted to attract butterflies and birds. The yellow finches have been feasting at the coneflowers on a regular basis.
It is especially good to have natives that don't require a lot of water and care this summer. We continue to have very hot temps. It was near 100 again today. Tonight I will have to water the lawn.
Not one of my favorite tasks. No, we are not lucky enough to have an automatic sprinkler system. I
really don't even like to have grass, but we had some new sod put in part of the front garden this spring ( due to repairing tornado damage from last year, but more about that later). We also have to have a large patch in the back because we have a septic system. It is also nice to have a spot of lawn when we want to play croquet with the grand kids!
Cheers,
Gma Susie
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