I am, at least, partially aware of my weaknesses, and others are frequently pointed out by my wife. One that I am particularly conscious of is poor attentiveness. If I’m not constantly reminded, I’m likely to forget what’s planted where, so bulbs are in constant peril of damage as I enthusiastically fill a gap that’s…
Category: Flowering plants
Patience is a necessity
I can be patient, when there is no alternative and there are plentiful distractions. The vigorous Dutchman’s Pipe vine (Aristolochia macrophylla, below) winds through lower branches of ‘Ivory Silk’ lilac, but there are no pipes, no flowers. The foliage is pleasant enough, and I expect that someday, some part of the vine will reach that…
Early summer and heat’s on the way
Few daylilies remain from days when dozens were scattered through sunny parts of the garden. I fondly recall a large, white flowered variety, but not its name, or why I let a dozen cultivars fade and disappear. I now regret the lack of attention. Certainly, other plants have come and gone as the garden has…
Wrong timing, but it will probably work out
I can’t believe that I transplanted a division of ‘Sun King’ aralia (Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’, below) to the shady side garden in late June. A decent sized ball of roots was dug, but I would never recommend to anyone to transplant anything in early summer. Plants purchased from the garden center with a ball…
Snakes, again and forever?
My wife warns that it is incorrect to kill snakes that have taken residence along the margins of our koi pond, but still she wants to be rid of them, by violence or persuasion, she doesn’t care. I remain conflicted. The Northern Brown water snakes are a bit of a nuisance, causing me to be…
Seedlings
While considered, no decision has been made whether the purple (pink-purple, my wife tells me) flowered coneflower seedling will be permitted to remain, intertwined as it is with ‘Pow Wow White’ (Echinacea purpurea ‘Pow Wow White’), though I lean towards doing nothing (as usual). The white coneflower seems vigorous enough to stand the competition, and…
Heat in the forecast
I think, I hope, there has been sufficient time between our many inches of rain two weeks ago and the heat that is forecast for early in the week. It is June, and heat is expected, but much of the garden was pumped up on a water high, and in sunny spots this could be…
Mad for medio
There is little doubt that my wife favors the old time mediovariegata hosta. Otherwise, how can her tolerance for this mostly white leafed hosta that strays considerably onto the bluestone path be explained? Any and every other offending leaf or stem in the garden is chopped mercilessly, but not mediovariegata, which is in a most…
A splendid place to garden
The sheltering effect of shade is readily apparent in the garden following a dry week after a particularly rainy period. Fortunately, temperatures in this rain-free week remained mild, and again we are headed into a rainy spell (hopefully, a short one). The lack of extreme heat should preclude damage to plants that are pumped up…
Kneel, don’t bend
A code word given by nurses following back surgery nearly two years ago was supposedly an easy to remember warning to lift appropriately, to bend at the knees, not at the waist. I’m afraid I’m not a good student, and besides, who else is there on the premises to bend to pluck the many hundreds,…
New planting
In recent years, the Autumn Full Moon Japanese maple (Acer shirasawanum ‘Autumn Moon’, below) has suffered in a bit too much sun. Leaves scorched slightly, several small branches died off, and if I wasn’t aware that this was a questionable spot from the start I would have been concerned. At first, I figured I’d wait it…
Where is the passion (vine)?
I fear that two passion flower vines (Passiflora incarnata, below) have not survived, though I have shared similar thoughts in prior years and been surprised to see growth beginning late in June. A year ago, root suckers began poking up through gaps in the stone patio early in May, late for most plants but typical…
Ramblin' through Dave's Garden 