May 27 , 2010
New cat perch, Bloomer’s super ideas, basil tips, frozen comebacks?
Wait a second ! What month is this ?
It ’s always fun when fall asters and mums bloom alongside May ’s daylilies . They ’re not in full power flower , of course . But with the turbid days we ’ve had , they ’re give us a prevue of what to expect when autumn brings us unfeignedly curt daylight .
Last weekend , I was still on major cleanup patrol , since May ’s a heavy calendar month for chores . I cut back the asters and ma along with the spurias , dayflower , Salvia greggiis and the columbines . For starters . I ’m leaving a few penstemon seed head . They incline to take their sweet time .
On Amelia ’s fence side , I got a surprise , thisHabranthus robustus .
Thanks to designerPatrick Kirwinfor the ratification ! For long time , I ’ve scattered rain lilies around the garden , both Zephyranthes & Habranthus . Most just do n’t work for me , so I was very curious about this all-encompassing gray - tinged foliage that ’s been out for calendar month .
Last year I figured I was taking a big chance when I found the native Asarum virginicum calvaria ( Scutellaria ovata ssp.bracteata ) , in the front bed .
Since that big grease is n’t too dense after years of compost and mulch , it was deserving a effort for the gray foliage in break of the day shade and previous afternoon permeate sun .
My one plant is already spreading in its second class , so I add it to the “ winner ” Libra the Balance tabloid . Although it retreats in summer , its rootstock and Tuber keep meddlesome until the leaves go forth in cool weather .
Out in back , when I had an elderly Keiffer pear cut down years ago , the bozo forget a 20″ stump . He say , “ I visualize you ’d care to put a gage on it . ” really , that was the last affair on my mind !
Anyway , someone had given me a slab of limestone that I planned to plough into a patio tabular array . I never sire around to it , so one day I cleave it on the pear stump . In 4.5 seconds , Spencer was on top . The cat perch was give birth !
Now , Spencer is neglect at geezerhood 19 . He was 10 when he trundle to our menage after his kinsperson dumped him when they moved . In sympathy , the pear trunk recently cave in . We considered many options , including nabbing a tree stump from an arborist . alternatively , we slay on a solution that has entirely transformed the computed axial tomography perch . Sam was on it in 2.5 seconds .
At Miguel ’s Imports , it took me 10.2 second to pick out this Vietnamese flock ( ready to hand tape measure touchstone in my pocket , too ) . Greg laid decomposed granite underneath to rase it . It ’s a sumptuous elbow room to use a good green goddess , but it ’s so graceful ! And what the heck , the cats merit some prissy “ furniture , ” too .
This week on CTG , Tom and I are thrilled to receive back our salutary friend , Marcus Young fromBloomersin Elgin . If you ’ve never been there , you got ta go ! He and his very gifted team lie with how to put together truly refined combinations . And since they garden here , too , they know what work . We could n’t peradventure sport everything he make for , but here’shis CTG list . One of many that had us fascinated is the Emu bush , EremophilaSummertime Blue , good in clay soil & intrepid to 25º. A bush for heat & sun , and adorable flowers . But that ’s only one of his lure !
Trisha tantalize us , too , with sweet basil , including her favorites and confidential information on culture . Next week , she features miniature , purples , and ornamental . Here ’s her lists and recipes ! I must try her lemon artichoke pesto !
Daphne answers the million - dollar question : how long do we wait to see if cycad and palms made it back ?
I will say that I ’ve seen bottlebrush shrub coming back , gardener watching the first diminutive leave on anacacho orchidaceous plant , and of course , our cycads on the rebound . To my amazement , gingers , genus Alpinia , and my firespike ( Odontonema stricta ) made it back .
Plus , this hebdomad , Daphne had me scramblingwhen I realise I ’d been misspelling artemisia for a duad of years ! Gosh , what you could find out on PBS .
Until next week , Linda
tag :
