Prairie Rose's Garden

The Arbor Bed Unveiled

2012-01-23T05:00:00.005-06:00

Frequent readers of this blog may have noticed that throughout the past season, I continually referred to "the new arbor bed," yet other than showing different plants blooming there, I never really featured this new garden area. Now that it's winter and I'm cooped up inside, I finally have time to sort through last year's photo files and show you the finished ( if a garden is ever "finished") project.

It all started with a bench . . . an arbor trellis with an attached bench, to be exact. Purchased at an end-of-the-season clearance sale in the fall of '09, the long box containing the pieces of the arbor bench was temporarily placed in the garage. For a year and a half, we walked over that box, tripped on it, and stubbed our toes on it, while I debated where to put the new arbor. Various sites were dismissed--too shady, poor soil, too many tree roots, or too far from a water source. Finally, as I was working in the then-new lily bed the following summer and wishing I had made it even bigger, I decided why not take advantage of the space behind the lily bed and create a bigger garden area there?

My back yard is not your typical rectangular yard bordered by a fence or property lines; instead it's a circular area bounded by a gravel drive that goes from the house to the barn and various sheds on the property. The old house where my husband grew up once stood here, and remnants of that homestead still exist, including part of a sidewalk, a well pit, and an old cistern. A small vegetable garden was created in the back "corner" (not visible here), and a year or two later, I planted the small butterfly garden between the well pit and the cistern. When I decided to add the arbor bed on the north side of this area, I began to dream of eventually turning most of this space into one big garden. It's an ambitious dream--and one that may require more negotiation with Mr. Procrastinator--but perhaps one day I'll see it fulfilled.

While the new garden was still just a dream, I had two special visitors that fall of 2010--Cheryl, who came all the way from England, and Lisa from Greenbow in southern Indiana. Both of them have a much better eye for design than I do, and as I explained my plans, they offered some valuable advice. Later, after she had returned home, Cheryl even sent me a drawing of what the new garden could look like.

Any heavy object in sight was grabbed to weight down the paper until the compost was delivered.

Once the decision had been made--and Mr. "You Have Enough Flowers" realized how determined I was--I began the preparations in the fall of 2010. An oval area about 23 feet by 15 feet was first covered with paper and cardboard, then leaves, and topped with a load of compost. Winter provided plenty of snow for ample moisture and time for the soil to settle before planting the following spring. I have learned that when spring comes, I would rather be planting than digging, so it was a thrill to have a brand new flowerbed all ready to plant when the spring of 2011 rolled around.

"Winter Interest"

Before the planting began, however, many, many hours were spent planning the garden. Armloads of books were carted home from the library nearly every week during the winter, and many a cold night was spent thumbing through the pages and copying ideas and plants I liked into a notebook. Eventually, the jumbled notes were turned into pages with columns, grouping plants by height, then color, and finally season of bloom. From these, I drew a rough diagram on graph paper, trying to pay careful attention to spacing--for once!

By the end of the summer, the hyacinth bean vine completely covered one side of the arbor.

Spring finally arrived, and the first order of business was putting together the arbor bench and situating it in just the right spot, the focal point of the garden. I enlisted the aide of Son #2, who is handy at such things and fortunately did not inherit the procrastination gene in our family. He and Husband put it together in short order, and after some careful measurements, I placed it in the center of the bare flowerbed. Spring rains kept me from planting yet, which was probably a good thing, because strong storm winds blew the bench over several times. I realized it needed a firm anchoring and purchased some rebar, pounded it into the ground, and then slipped the legs of the bench over the rebar. This held the bench firmly in place all summer, but as you can see in the earlier winter photo, in the past month the bench has now become the "Leaning Bench." Some adjustments will definitely have to be made this spring.

Ignore the background, please:)

At last I could begin planting! One of the design tips that Lisa and Cheryl pointed out to me is that an arbor should open to a view. As you can see in the photo above, the view beyond the arbor is anything but attractive--grain bins, ugly fuel tanks, and electrical wires are hardly what I want visitors to notice from my garden. I was thinking more of the view from the bench, not through it--a view of the lily bed, the sidewalk garden, and the trees lining the driveway and in the front yard. However, I realized they were right, and while I couldn't get rid of the objects in the background, I thought I might be able to obstruct the view, or at least offer some distractions.

Centered behind the arbor I planted a smoketree with two 'Morning Light' Miscanthus on either side of it. I'm hoping that in time they will grow tall enough so that this is what someone will notice when looking through the arbor. To the right (south) of this planting, is a small Viburnum 'Cardinal Candy.' I've wanted one of these ever since I saw it in a garden catalog covered in masses of bright red berries, but it didn't do very well during the summer's drought. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it makes it through the winter and puts on a growth spurt this year.

Tarzan approved of the final color scheme.

Deciding on a color scheme also took some thought. Inspired by a smaller but similar island bed I had seen in a local garden, I thought at first I would plant a white garden. But, as Cheryl said, a white garden needs some contrast to keep it from becoming monotonous, and frankly, I like color too much. A garden design book about color schemes stated that blues and purples were soothing colors and provided depth to a garden, which was exactly what I wanted, especially when the lily bed in front of this garden is filled with a kaleidoscope of hotter colors.

'David' phlox

I planted more white-blooming flowers than I ever have in any other garden area. 'David' phlox, 'White Swan' echinacea, a division of my white 'Becky' daisy, along with several varieties of white annuals provided the foundation of the garden.

Shades of blue and purple with accents of pink complemented the white. Blue Delphinium added a true blue in the summer . . .

. . . and 'October Skies' asters picked up the color in autumn.

Agastache 'Heat Wave' wasn't the soft pink I intended,

but this was such an outstanding plant, I wasn't about to complain.

The blue/white/purple/pink color scheme definitely soothed me during the hot, dry summer.

But things don't always go according to plan in a garden: this red, white, and almost blue grouping was purely accidental when I planted some free red gomphrena seeds close to the beautyberry bush and some white nicotania.

The color scheme was also ignored when I was choosing vines for the trellis. I chose this 'Don Juan' climbing red rose for one side, because I had to have red roses. I'm considering planting a clematis to climb up the other side, but for the first year I opted for an annual vine instead. The purple hyacinth bean vine did so well that I will probably plant it again this year and wait to decide on a perennial replacement.

Another element I wanted to add to this garden was fragrance. Whenever possible, when I had a choice to make between different plants or cultivars, I tried to choose one that was noted for its fragrance. Oriental lilies like this 'Casablanca' above were planted in the back north side of the bed; although they didn't do very well this past year, I'm hoping for a better show this season. Small lavender seedlings, the phlox, a 'Ruby Spice' clethra, as well as the annual nicotania also helped to add some fragrance to the garden.

A garden, no matter how small, isn't created in a year. I knew as I drew up plans last winter, that what I envisioned in my mind might not look as good in reality. I didn't want to plant the whole area in perennials and shrubs that I might later regret; besides, the budget wouldn't allow that all in one year. So I intentionally left the front area of the garden for annuals.

There was plenty of room behind the bench for an old favorite--tall pink cosmos 'Rose Bon Bon.'

A new favorite--shorter white cosmos, 'Knee High Sonata' was planted on the side border for all to see.

And when I looked at all the bare soil not covered by the small first-year plants, I decided to fill in some of the areas with more annuals grown from seed. The result was a mass of blooms, especially in late summer and early autumn.

The garden on an early fall morning. One of my goals this year is to take better photos of it!

Side view of the garden, facing north, in early fall

Was I happy with the results? Definitely. Is the garden "finished"? Of course not. There were disappointments, to be sure, like the Japanese anemones that never bloomed or the small Amsonia hubrichtii that didn't put on the expected fall show or the butterfly bush that mysteriously died. But they can be replaced this spring, if need be. And there is still some tweaking to be done as well as projects to finish, like adding some pavers in front of the bench as well as fixing the tilting bench itself. Many spring bulbs were planted this fall, but whether I planted enough remains to be seen when spring comes. I'm glad there is still work to be done here--otherwise, whatever would I do all summer??

Bloom Day: January 2012

2012-01-16T08:22:00.000-06:00

Well, it's finally here--winter has arrived! After weeks of an unusually mild winter, Mother Nature has decided it was time to get down to business. On Thursday a few inches of snow fell and the wind began to blow, causing slick roads and numerous drivers to land in the ditch. The temperature plummeted with wind chills below zero one night. Just two days before, I was hanging up bedding on the clothesline in the warm breeze and noticing surprising spots of green here and there in the garden.

The ruffled kale and pansies in a container outside the patio door were looking so good for January. I had intended to run out and take a photo Thursday morning when the first snowflakes began to fall . . .

. . . Oops! I guess I waited too long.

While the kale may be in hiding, the snow does add some appeal, helping to create that much-desired winter interest in the garden. Sedum 'Autumn Joy' always looks good with a little frosting of snow.

'Morning Light' Miscanthus in a sea of white makes me realize I really should add more grasses to my garden.

My favorite, though, is the still the beautyberry, adding some swirling accents in the snow.

There are still berries clinging to its branches.

The only real color outside is not found in my garden, however. If you look very, very closely, you'll see a spot of red in this photo. The cats were enjoying their early morning bird-watching through the picture window and were excited to see this cardinal at the bird feeder. Naturally, the minute I grabbed my camera he decided he would fly off to safer ground.

This year I'm not going to complain about the snow or even the cold . . . at least not for awhile. This is what winter should be like here in Illinois, and the garden can use the moisture and insulation of the snow cover. The change in seasons always makes me that much more appreciative of spring.

In the meantime, I'm bringing a little spring indoors--my first attempt at forcing paperwhites. Hopefully, they will bloom about the time I'm finally get tired of winter.

This post is part of the monthly celebration of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, hosted the 15th of each month by Carol of May Dreams Gardens. Carol is a colleague of such noted experts as Hortense Hoelove (see previous post) and Dr. Hortfreud. If you haven't already done so, be sure to visit her for a look at blooms--some without snow!--from all over the world.

Seeking Advice from Hortense Hoelove

2012-01-10T07:45:00.001-06:00

For those of you unfamiliar with the name Hortense Hoelove, Hortense is often a guest blogger at May Dreams Gardens, answering gardening questions. I'm not sure what Hortense's credentials are, but if Carol thinks she's qualifed enough to take over her blog once in awhile, then that's good enough for me. She was the logical person to go to for the answer to a question that has been bugging me for over a year.

Dear Ms. Hoelove,

Something has been nagging at me for some time now, and I hope that you can help me. A year ago I decided to dig up another area of the back lawn to create a new flowerbed. Usually I don't consult with my husband before doing such things, but I thought it would be courteous of me to mention it to him since he is the head of lawn mowing here. To my surprise, he wasn't very thrilled with the idea and told me, "You have enough flowers." "Enough flowers"?? I've never heard this phrase before and wondered if there was such a concept.

When I created the new lily bed, I kindly made it longer than intended for ease in mowing around it.

I do believe what my husband was thinking was "Great--another doggone flowerbed to have to mow around," but that is not how he voiced his objection. Fortunately, he eventually changed his mind (after some subtle persuasion that included a promise by me to mow this whole area) and even was helpful enough to help me spread compost all over the new garden area last fall. But his comment still haunts me--did I miss something in my MG classes two years ago? Is there a book or magazine article that explains this gardening theory? Are there bloggers out there who have posted about their finished gardens with just the right amount of flowers??

Without the new Arbor Bed, I never would have had the space to plant more than one phlox.

Now I understand that there may be people who have turned every square inch of their lawn into a garden and really don't have room to add one more plant without taking something else out first. But space is not an issue for me. I developed this obsession with gardening only a few years ago, and my garden is very small compared to others I have seen. I still have a few acres of virgin soil here, and unless I win the lottery and can afford outside help to remove all the lawn, I'll never run out of room for gardening!

OK, I admit it--I'm addicted to heucheras . . . and hydrangeas . . . and daylilies . . .

Perhaps my husband was thinking I have become too obsessed with gardening. I suppose some people might even call me a plant "addict." During the long winter months I get my garden fix by looking at books and thumbing through plant catalogs. By spring I have a long list of new plants that I really must have in my own garden. As if that wasn't enough, when I read garden blogs, I'll see photos of other plants that I don't have and that the writer is raving about. If I had the time and energy to double or triple the size of my garden, I still wouldn't have room for all the gorgeous plants that I want!

Not a penny was spent on these ruby-red lilies, passalongs from my aunt.

Some family members (who shall remain nameless here to protect the guilty) think my addiction may be going too far and that I'm investing their inheritance in flowers and foliage instead of mutual funds. True, I do get a little carried away each spring, buying trunkloads of annuals, as well as new perennials. And, of course, how can anyone pass up the fall clearance sales? But I do try to save some money by starting some plants from seed, and then there are the free passalongs I get from friends and other gardeners. Besides, my needs have changed in recent years, and I very seldom go clothes shopping anymore. The money I once spent on clothes goes to plants instead, and plant shopping is so much more fun--almost everything comes in my size! Another point I make to those non-gardening family members is that everyone needs a hobby; mine happens to be gardening. I would bet that if I were a golfer, I would probably spend twice as much just on green fees alone.

I can never have too many coneflowers!

Dear Hortense, if you can find the time to answer this pressing question soon, I would appreciate it. If there is such a thing as "too many flowers," perhaps you could suggest a 12-step program for plant addicts like me. The new garden catalogs are coming in every day, and I'm already developing plant lust--Help!!

Sincerely,

Bewildered

Update: Hortense Hoelove has kindly answered my question and given some wise advice, which you can read here, if you are having similar concerns. Mr. McGregor's Daughter also gave some keen insight into the male psyche of those non-gardening spouses, which can be read here. Thank you, ladies! I feel so much better now--let the dreaming and garden planning begin!

A Look Back at 2011

2012-01-03T11:24:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year to everyone! A new year always brings the hope for better times and the chance to start afresh, oftentimes with plans to make important lifestyle changes. I've made my usual resolutions--eat healthier, lose some weight, exercise more, etc., etc. I've also promised myself to make some changes in the garden this year. Before I completely forget about 2011, however, I wanted to take a look back at the past year in the garden to remember what worked and what needs to be done.

The lily bed in January '11

January picked up where December '10 left off--snowy and cold--and ended with a blizzard that paralyzed much of the Midwest. I can remember watching the news videos of Chicago traffic stranded in the snow on Lakeshore Drive after I had spent a day walking in the spring-like warmth of Portland, Oregon. Each night I called my husband and talked to him after he had put in another 12-hour shift of plowing snow. I was so thankful I had skipped town just in time, but payback came when I landed in Indianapolis the next week and had to spend an hour chipping ice off my windshield before I could drive home!

I spent the endless days of winter, though, checking out armloads of gardening books from the library and making detailed plans of the new arbor bed I had prepared the previous fall. Dreams of the ultimate perfect garden kept me going through those cold, gray days of January and February.

Diane, yours truly, Monica, Lisa, Beckie, and Linda, March '11

Even March started out cold, as Beckie, Lisa, and I had to bundle up to go to the Chicago Flower and Garden Show where we met up with fellow garden bloggers Diane, Monica, and Linda. But it was a typical March--one week cold and snowy and the next with days in the 70's.Anxious to get a headstart on the gardening season, I started a few seeds indoors along with some winter sowing begun in February.

By March 15 a few little snowdrops--my first ever--and crocuses were blooming,

and the foliage of tulips and daffodils were emerging.

My favorite place to be in the spring--my front yard.

Finally, the calendar said it was spring, but it was really April before it arrived in my little corner of the world. Spring--my absolute favorite season of the year! Nothing makes me happier than seeing the first blooms on the redbud tree and then the crabapples burst forth in full bloom. Garden work was delayed as the proverbial April showers turned into downpours, and strong winds blew away the crabapple blossoms much too soon. But at least we were spared the floods and devastating tornadoes that hit many other parts of the U.S. this year.

'Professor Rontgen', a ruffled orange beauty with petite 'Fur Elise' in the foreground, both newcomers this year.

Finally, it was tulip time! I'm not sure if I like tulips so much because of their unique beauty or because they are the ultimate symbol of spring for me. Whatever the true reason, they are my favorite springtime bloom and worth every minute spent on aching knees planting them each fall.

Spring was a whirlwind of activity as we prepared to leave the country for Daughter's wedding in Cancun and then, on our return, preparing for the wedding reception here on our front lawn in early June. All I remember about May (after the wedding, that is) is furiously planting, weeding, mulching, and generally trying to get everything spruced up by the fourth of June. Still, I took some time to enjoy the new irises--all passalongs--blooming for the first time in the lily bed.

'Rocky Mountain Blue' columbine, mid-May '11

I was also thrilled to see the first-ever blooms on the columbines in the shade garden.

Summer started early with some of the hottest days in early June, including the day of Daughter's reception. June seems to be a transition time in my garden, with not a lot of blooms, but the shade garden was at its peak. Summer blooms seemed out of sync, with the lilies later than usual and the coneflowers appearing earlier than usual. One of the highlights of the June garden was my first success in growing poppies from seed.

Agastache 'Heatwave' mid-August '11

After consistent rain throughout the spring, the water supply suddenly dried up in July, and we went into a second summer of severe drought and high temperatures. After working feverishly in the garden all spring, I became a little lazy and ventured out to work only in the cooler hours of early mornings before heading back to the comfort of the air-conditioned house. Much of that time seemed to be spent in the new arbor bed (subject of a post soon to come) weeding and watering all the new plants. I fell in love again---with agastaches! These first-timers in my garden thrived in the heat and drought and were a hit with bees and butterflies alike.

'Limelight' Hydrangea September 'll

On a local radio show devoted to plants, one of the plant experts commented this fall that this had been a great year for hydrangeas--but not in my garden! The drought seemed to hit them the hardest, even though I was diligent about watering them regularly. The 'Endless Summers' produced lots of new foliage, but not many blooms. The new Hydrangea paniculata 'Vanilla Strawberry' produced blooms, but they were much smaller than I expected. It's the only paniculata I have planted in full sun, and I'm beginning to wonder whether that was a good idea. We'll see how it does this year. But the worst was my new 'Pink Diamond,' the hydrangea I thought I had killed last year. It had some scrawny foliage, so I know it's still alive, but not a single bloom. Only good old 'Limelight' (not so old, actually) lived up to my expectations, looking as glorious as ever by the end of the summer.

Looking back through last year's posts, I realized I never mentioned much about my vegetable garden. Since I'm already turning this post into a novel, it seems, just a brief recap of the veggie garden: spinach and lettuce did well in early spring, but the sugar peas were planted too late to pick more than a handful. Green beans were a success as usual, with enough to put up in the freezer, but the squash and cucumbers were a disappointment. The green peppers were a complete failure--they failed to grow past their original size and didn't produce any fruit at all, a mystery I have yet to solve. The tomatoes were the biggest success, next to the green beans. I planted half the number I usually do, but they still produced more than enough for us. For the first time in several years, they weren't affected by tomato wilt, perhaps because of better spacing and the sturdier tomato cages I invested in this year.

As if to make up for the hot and dry summer we endured, Mother Nature rewarded us with a glorious fall. The natives went crazy in the butterfly garden.

Front corner of the arbor bed, with petunias, zinnias, white cosmos, and pentas vying for attention with the fall-blooming 'October Skies' asters.

The new arbor bed reached its high point in the fall, with all the late-blooming annuals finally blooming. With the warm temperatures, most of the annuals lasted until late October. The warm and sunny days stretching into November also meant I had plenty of time to get fall clean-up done and some new bulbs planted for the coming spring.

By December, the garden had been put to bed for its long winter's sleep, but winter seemed slow in coming. A far cry from 2010, the snowiest December on record, 2011 ended with only one light snowfall and some unseasonably warm days. With Christmas preparations uppermost in my mind, I forgot about the garden until this week when I finally had time to look back and reflect on it.

Shade Garden, mid-July 2011. I love it, but I wish I'd paid more attention to spacing!

If you've made it this far, thanks for hanging in with me on this long-winded review. To be honest, this review of 2011 is as much for me as for any readers willing to trudge through it. Although I was better about keeping a garden journal this year, every little bit I can do to remember details helps. It's always good to look back at the past and remember our failures and successes, so we don't make the same mistakes again--though I'm sure I will be making lots of gardening mistakes once again in 2012:) One of the biggest mistakes I've made, I realized this year, is planting everything too close together, in trying to fill up every inch of bare soil I see. This year I've vowed that instead of adding another new garden area, I'm going to re-work the ones I have and try to give all these plants some breathing room!

And so we put away the calendars for 2011 and begin anew with 2012. I'm looking forward to the next few months looking through gardening books and catalogs, once again planning that elusive perfect garden. Happy Gardening in 2012!

A Snowy Wildflower Wednesday

2011-12-28T10:45:00.000-06:00

It's time for Wildflower Wednesday, the final post of showcasing wildflowers and natives in your garden for 2011. I had planned a wrap-up of the year's best native blooms for today as I did last year, but Mother Nature had other plans. I woke up yesterday to the first snowfall of the winter.

Only about an inch of snow fell, but it was enough to create a magical winter wonderland scene for a few brief hours.

My garden has been a gloomy vista of brown and gray the past month and a half, so the monochromatic scheme of black and white was a welcome sight.

The garden has been taking its long winter's nap for some time now, so I knew there wouldn't be any blooming wildflowers to photograph for today's post. But winter affords a different perspective of the natives. During fall clean-up I leave many of them standing, like these echinacea, a favorite of the bees and butterflies during their blooming season and a tasty treat for the finches later on. Besides thinking of the wildlife, though, I just like the look of their seedheads, especially when they wear their poufy winter hats.

Once it lost its blooms, the Joe Pye weed was nearly invisible against the backdrop of the large rough-eared dogwood behind it. But its cupped upper branches cradled the falling snow, calling attention to it once again.

Most of the natives reside in the butterfly garden, but the heavy snow made it difficult to distinguish the asters, the Rudbeckias, the phlox, and others from each other. I'm pretty sure, though, this is bee balm (Monarda) in the center with a stray hollyhock on the left.

There is no problem in identifying the native goldenrod, though, which is strong enough

to carry its own weight in snow.

In the lily bed, the Amsonia tabernaemontana is a plant I've decided looks good no matter the season. Whether it's covered with blue blooms in the spring or glowing with its golden leaves in the fall, this is one of the best additions I've made to my garden.

It's not just the natives that provide winter interest, however.

Sedum is another plant that is not only low-maintenance, but also looks good all year long.

Under a blanket of snow, it turns into a snowball bush.

Looking around the garden yesterday, I was surprised to find that not everything was black and white. The berries on the beautyberry bush are still noticeable.

They may not be the bright lavender of fall, but the faded purple still shows up in an otherwise barren landscape.

The yellow Knockout roses are also still sporting some green leaves.

Not everyone likes the snow, and I know I'll be tired of it soon if we have as much as last year. The Miscanthus 'Morning Light' found it too much to bear and just gave up. Fortunately, once the snow melted, it stood upright once again.

The garden gnomes guarding the arbor bench, a gift from friend Beckie, also weren't too happy and looked rather frosted that I had forgotten to bring them inside this fall. Sorry, guys.

The magic didn't last long--by late morning the snow was beginning to melt already, and today there are only a few patches remaining. But it was beautiful while it lasted.

There was enough time in the early morning hours for Sophie and Coconut to get in a romp and a wrestling match in the snow.

And to just sit and and enjoy the soft falling of snowflakes.

There is nothing like the first snowfall to make me appreciate the changing of the seasons, even winter! The snow may have distracted me from the topic of wildflowers, but if you are like me and are already thinking of next year's garden, be sure to visit our enthusiastic hostess of Wildflower Wednesday, Gail at Clay and Limestone. You'll be sure to get some great ideas for wildflowers and natives to plant next spring.

Christmas Greetings

2011-12-23T11:39:00.000-06:00

Just a few days before Christmas and all through my home

Preparations have been made for the big day to come

Presents are wrapped and under the tree

Treasured ornaments put up for all to see

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

A day with the grandkids making cookies to share

Little hands at work, sounds of delight

Some of those creations were quite a sight!

A busy season, I could use a rest

But times like these, I realize I am blessed.

Greetings from friends and family far and near

Remind us of all those we hold most dear.

Happy memories of times spent with those far away

And joy in the little one who will enjoy his first Christmas Day.

From our house to yours, wishes of peace and good cheer:

Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year!

GBBD and Lessons Learned II

2011-12-15T11:40:00.000-06:00

I don't know about you, but it seems that everything I do takes longer to accomplish these days. I've taken a mini-blogging break lately so that I could focus on getting some Christmas projects and the shopping done. But it's time for another Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, and I didn't want to miss out, even though there's not much to show.

There are a few spots of green out in the garden from the lamium, heucheras, and hellebores, but otherwise the garden is a soggy mess of brown. Besides, it's rainy and windy outside today, so we will have to stay indoors. I had hoped I could share some blooms on the small Christmas cactus for Bloom Day, but it turns out it is more of a Thanksgiving cactus instead. After a nice little showing for Thanksgiving, its blooms have withered, and it's time to move it and make room for more Christmas decorations.

A pot of pansies and ruffled kale are still blooming outside my patio door, but I showed them last month. Other than that, the only real bloom I have today is a geranium resting in the garage. Considering my shameful neglect of all the plants I brought inside last month, I'm surprised it's even still alive. And that's it, fellow garden bloggers. Not even a festive Christmas poinsettia to share with you . . . I really need to get that shopping done!

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Speaking of geraniums, I also wanted to participate in a meme hosted by Beth at Plant Postings about lessons learned in the garden this autumn. In September I wrote about what I had learned this summer, but there is always something new to learn in the garden--or maybe it's just that I need to have the lessons presented several times before I actually learn them:) If you will indulge me, here are a few things I learned (or re-learned) this fall:

1. Don't bother bringing in annuals or tender perennials to over-winter inside unless you're actually going to take care of them. Determined to be a little thriftier next season, I potted several cuttings of coleus and dug up some of the geraniums, begonias, and hibiscus that were still looking good in early November. I brought numerous pots into the garage while I tried to decide where there might be room in the house for them to spend the winter. A month later, they're still in the garage. The garage is semi-heated, so that shouldn't be a problem, but opening the back door repeatedly to let the dogs out and leaving it wide open on a very cold day for the furnace repairman meant some arctic blasts hit some of the tender plants. Instead of saving them for next spring, I may have merely consigned them to a slow death.

Kale and marigolds in mid-October

2. If someone else is doing the mowing and trimming, make sure you give clear directions as to what should not be mowed down. Mr. P and I have had repeated discussions on this subject, and for the most part, he tries his best to follow my wishes. But I was surprised upon returning from some errands in early December to see him mowing the lawn. Now that was fine because the lawn needed a last trim before winter, and the remaining leaves were shredded instead of matting the grass all winter. It was also fine that he mowed over the vegetable garden, except that I had wanted to leave the kale standing. It wouldn't have lasted all winter, but it would have lasted awhile longer and would have looked so pretty with the first dusting of snow.

Snow-covered fennel in January

I also like to leave the fennel standing, but it, too, was leveled. No frozen fennel to photograph this winter!

3. Planting spring bulbs isn't always as easy as it sounds. I love, love tulips, and the time spent planting them in the fall is well worth it. But I discovered this year that the amount of work it takes to have this beautiful show in the spring depends on where you plant them. Planting them in the compost-rich soil of the new arbor bed was a breeze and actually enjoyable, especially since I didn't have to worry about disturbing other bulbs. But I decided this year that a mass of tulips and daffodils in front of the large fir tree next to the shade garden would really provide some impact next spring. What I didn't realize is that the soil in front of the tree was rock-hard and mostly clay. Add gnarled tree roots every few inches, and you have the makings of a very difficult job. Several hours of pounding a shovel and then a trowel into this stubborn soil gave me quite a workout.

4. Take time to enjoy the season. We really had a lovely fall, and although I did enjoy the fall color around me as I was working or while I was driving here and there, I wish I had stopped more often to really enjoy it. For a month, I had promised Sophie we would go for a walk at our local forest preserve, but I kept putting it off until it was too late. Sometimes, you just have to put down the trowel and make time for simply taking in all the beauty that is around you.

If you would like to share some lessons you've learned in the garden this past season, there's still time to join in at Plant Postings. And don't forget to check out what's blooming all across the world at Carol's at May Dreams Gardens.

December Book Review: More Than a Mystery

2011-12-07T05:00:00.006-06:00

I can't believe it has been four months since I last participated in the monthly Book Review Club. I could blame my absence on spending so much time in the garden, a little traveling, or other activities, all of which are true. But it's just as true that although I've read more books than I can remember in the past few months, few have made any kind of lasting impression on me. That is, until I discovered Kate Atkinson. After reading When Will There Be Good News? a few months ago, I was hooked and recently finished the book that followed it. Finally, a book worth sharing with you!

Tracy Waterhouse, a retired police officer, is making her rounds as a security guard for a shopping mall when she sees a small child being dragged along and verbally abused by her mother. Tracy rushes to help the poor little girl and impulsively offers the mother money to "buy" the child.

Private investigator Jackson Brodie, also a retired police detective, is once again a single man after his last wife left him, taking most of his savings with her. But he takes on an unexpected responsibility, when he sees a thug swearing at a Border Collie and takes the dog after punching out its abusive owner.

Strange beginnings for a mystery novel, but Started Early, Took My Dog is not your typical mystery, and Kate Atkinson is not one of your typical writers of detective fiction. Even the title is quirky, a line taken from a poem by Emily Dickinson.

Started Early is the third in a series of four novels featuring private investigator Jackson Brodie. In this novel he is more interested in finding himself and wandering about the English countryside--now with a dog at his side--than he is in the case he's accepted--finding the birth parents of a young woman adopted some thirty years ago whose adoptive parents emigrated to New Zealand where she now lives. But when Jackson discovers he is being followed and when someone tries to kill him, he begins to think there is more to this case than a simple matter of identification.

Tracy Waterhouse, unattached and resigned to living out the rest of her life eating take-out suppers alone in front of the television, finds her life turned upside down after taking young Courtney. Determined to provide Courtney a better life than she must have had with her prostitute mother, Tracy buys everything she thinks the little girl needs, including a fairy costume complete with wand that Courtney wears everywhere, and she begins to plan trips to the zoo and the park. She begins to worry, though, that the little girl's real mother might want her back and that buying a child is not exactly sanctioned by the law. She realizes that establishing a new identity and moving far away where no one will question their relationship is the only answer.

When she bought the kid she made a covenant with the devil. She could have someone to love but it would cost her everything. She thought of the Little Mermaid, every step torture, a pain like the piercing of sharp swords. Just to be human, to love.

Kid dipped her wand in Tracy's direction. Granting a wish or casting a spell, hard to tell which. Courtney had knitted herself into Tracy's soul. What would happen if she was ripped away?

This was love. It didn't come free, you paid in pain. Your own. But then nobody ever said love was easy. Well, they did, but they were idiots.

Typical of many contemporary mystery writers, Atkinson alternates the stories of Brodie and Waterhouse along with two other characters, one of them Tillie, an aging actress. Tillie witnesses the same scene between mother and daughter as Tracy, but in the early stages of dementia, she is so confused she can't remember where she put her purse or why she is looking for a policeman. How all these storylines fit together piques the reader's curiosity, and Atkinson skillfully weaves the threads of the plot together as the novel progresses.

Critics have praised Atkinson's writing and often remark that her novels are more literary fiction than detective fiction. Although this series is labeled as the "Jackson Brodie" novels, other characters figure just as prominently in the book and are often more engaging. I like to think of her books as the thinking woman's mysteries. Her voice is unique and compelling, blending the characters' thoughts with literary allusions, keen observations on society, and wit in the face of tragedy. Unlike other mysteries which I often read at a fast pace in order to find out "whodunit," I found myself stopping to savor some of her prose:

The dog scampered by his side all the way back to Bella Vista in a state of near delirium. At the site of the train crash two years ago Jackson's life had been saved by a girl administering CPR. Now he had been saved by the loyalty of a dog. The less innocent he was, the more innocent his saviors became. There was some kind of exchange at work in the universe that he didn't understand.

New granddog Eddie was found living on the streets and taken in by a pug rescue society. He now leads a pampered life with my daughter and son-in-law, enjoying long walks in the park and watching football games--yes, that is a Chicago Bears jersey he's wearing!

Started Early, Took My Dog is a story of redemption and resiliency, of unlikely heroes and characters haunted by their past. These are ordinary people struggling to survive in a world full of sadness, and trying to make it a better place, one child or one dog at a time.

A damaged child that could still sing could be rescued, couldn't she? Could be taken to pantomimes and circuses, zoos and petting farms and Disneyland. Wasn't going to end up hanging around Sweet Street West looking for business. Chevaunne. She could have been rescued once. They could all have been rescued, all the Chevaunnes, all the Michael Braithwaites, all the starved and beaten and neglected. If there'd been enough people to rescue them.

If you're looking for a Christmas gift for that hard-to-buy for person on your list, a book is always a perfect fit. Whether that person is a mystery-lover or a gardener or a history buff, you're sure to find something that suits them. And there's nothing better to give a child than the gift of the love of reading. You might want to check out the other reviews at host Barrie Summy's for some ideas. As for me, I hope Santa takes the hint and puts another Kate Atkinson book in my stocking!

The Poisoned Pen Bookstore--photo from Wikipedia.

Author's Disclaimer--No compensation of any kind was received for this review. I review only books I like and purchase my own copy or check them out from the library. This book was purchased at one of my favorite bookstores, The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, Arizona. An independent bookstore that I'm happy to report is still thriving despite the economy, it is known for its collection of mysteries and Southwest literature, and it hosts many, many book signings by famous authors from all over. If you're ever in the Phoenix area, it's definitely worth a visit!

Wildflower Wednesday: Thanksgiving Edition

2011-11-23T07:57:00.000-06:00

Like most of you, at least those of you living in the U.S., I have a full agenda today. Bathrooms have been scrubbed and floors mopped, but there is vacuuming and dusting to do, though why I bother I don't know--by tomorrow afternoon there will be dirty dishes and toys strewn all about, as the adults sit, too stuffed to move, let alone notice a little dust. Ah, well, old habits die hard. Once the cleaning is done, it's time to begin the serious work--baking, chopping vegetables, wrestling the turkey (that I hope has thawed completely) into a pot of brine, and all the other food preparations that can be done ahead of time so that Thanksgiving morning is as stress-free as possible. Of course, a stress-free Thanksgiving dinner is an oxymoron at my house, if you recall my tale of Turkey Trials and Tribulations from last year.

With all this to do today, what in the world am I doing here blogging?? For one, I wanted to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. And two, today is Wildflower Wednesday. I have been racking my brain the last two weeks, trying to think of something I could show for this month's celebration of wildflowers. I could have shown another photo of dried seedheads and foliage, but with the rain recently, they've mostly turned to mush. Then, a small envelope arrived in the mail--serendipity!--and inspiration hit.

Orange cosmos in the butterfly garden 2010

Blogging friend Tina had kindly offered to send some seeds for 'Cosmic Orange' cosmos, after mine failed to appear this year. When I opened the letter from her, I was surprised to see not only cosmos seeds, but seeds for several other plants including some for Rudbeckia lacinata, a variety I have been admiring in other gardens for some time.

Photo from Wikipedia

Rudbeckia Lacinata, also known as Cutleaf Coneflower, can grow as tall as 8 feet, which makes it ideal for the back of a garden. It blooms in mid-summer to fall with central cones of green, turning to yellow with maturity. And like all Rudbeckias, it attracts all kinds of pollinators; in fact, it is the host plant for the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly.

Photo from Illinoiswildflowers.info

A second seedpacket from Tina included seeds for Scutellaria incana, commonly known as Downy Skullcap. Downy Skullcap is a native perennial that grows to 2-3 feet tall, and is covered with racemes of blue-violet flowers that are especially attractive to bumblebees. According to Illinois Wildflowers, "it's surprising that this plant is not grown in flower gardens more often" because of its attractive tubular flowers. Also noteworthy for many of you--deer usually don't bother this plant due to its bitter foliage.

I hope that next summer I can show you both of these plants blooming in my own garden--thank you, Tina!

Wildflower Wednesday is being celebrated all this week by our hostess Gail at Clay and Limestone--why not drop by to view other wildflowers or join in when you have the time?

Today I am grateful for all of you who have shared your gardening experience and knowledge with me over the past few years. As I plan for tomorrow's big dinner, I realize that I have been truly blessed this past year--a new son-in-law and a new healthy grandson top the list. I also am thankful that both my parents are in good health and can join us tomorrow, as well as my youngest daughter, who will be celebrating her first Thanksgiving dinner with us in three years.

May all of you have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

GBBD: November Swan Song

2011-11-15T05:00:00.001-06:00

This is the time of year when garden bloggers living in zone 5 or farther north are forced to get rather creative, especially on the 15th of each month when we join in the monthly celebration known as Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. With several nights of frost the past few weeks, my garden is pretty well done for the year and ready to hibernate for the winter.

This is what most of my garden looks like--a few spots of green here and there, like the lambs' ears, but mostly dried seedheads and fading foliage like the amsonia, all covered with a thick layer of leaves blown in by the wind. Even the grasses are losing their fall color.

Still, there are a few jewels to be found. The beautyberry may have lost all its leaves, but the purple berries remain for a bright accent in an otherwise mostly brown landscape. In case you're wondering about the strange foliage here, those are pieces of dried cornstalks blown in from the fields that have wrapped themselves around the plant.

The Knockout roses, especially the yellow 'Radsunny,' are still putting out some blooms, but even they look ready to give up for the winter.

One of the best parts of participating in GBBD is that it makes me hunt for something in bloom, especially during this time of year. If I hadn't been looking for something, anything at all blooming, I would have missed the few delicate alyssum plants finally blooming.

Another surprise as I walked around the garden beds was this solitary bloom on the daisy 'Becky.' Looking back at last year's November post, I realized that I actually have much more in bloom this year than last.

Not a bloom, this little seedling has me mystified. Does anyone recognize what it might be? I have several of these seedlings growing in the lily bed, and though I'm pretty sure they're not a weed, I have no idea what they are.

Most of the hydrangeas have already faded to shades of brown, but 'Let's Dance in the Moonlight' is the belle of the ball and still turning heads with its aging blooms of burgundy.

Nearby, the Itea 'Little Henry' is hanging on to its fall color.

As is the Spirea 'Magic Carpet.' The two spireas were afterthoughts planted last fall to fill in an empty spot among other shrubs. I didn't realize until now that they had such pretty fall color, so I'm really glad I chose them.

The last few weeks have been a real rollercoaster in terms of weather. We've had some days in the 70's and some mornings below freezing. The plants that remain must be totally confused. This geranium in the porch planter apparently isn't going to give up until the bitter end.

A few petunias are also bravely soldiering on.

Not surprisingly, the new Rudbeckia 'Prairie Sun' is still looking good in a container. I really need to plant this in the garden soon, though, because I definitely want to keep this one around.

The kale, however, will stay in its container for the winter, along with the pansies. Neither will survive our winter, but they're just too pretty to toss on the compost pile.

One last potted mum is still blooming away. Soon it will be time to put these fall decorations into the compost heap and bring out the Christmas decor.

There will be a scarcity of blooms the next few months here on the prairie, but on a positive note, I finally finished planting all my spring bulbs on Sunday. So, while my garden may be shades of brown and white for awhile, I'll have visions of colorful tulips and daffodils dancing in my head!

To see what's blooming today in other gardens all across the world be sure to visit the ever-entertaining Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

Fall Color Project 2011

2011-11-09T10:54:00.001-06:00

The older I get, the more I love autumn. Crisp, cool days--a welcome reprieve from the summer's sweltering heat--the smell of ripe apples falling from the tree, the hum of combines harvesting the fields. But most of all, the strongest sensory impression is watching the trees change color from their uniform summer green to glorious shades of gold, orange, and red. What a glorious show Mother Nature puts on before the big winter sleep.

Each year I like to participate in Dave's Fall Color Project as a way of recording the beauty of fall. This year the show began in late September and continued through the month of October.

The white ash nearest the front of our house is always the first to turn. Its leaves turn a deep purple and then drop quickly before the rest of the trees have even begun to think about changing.

Another ash tree nearer to the road begins the change a little later. As the first harbingers of the fall color show, they make me a little sad as I hear the reports of spottings of the dreaded Emerald Ash Borer closer and closer each year. I'm afraid these trees' time may be limited.

By early October the honey locust trees create a canopy of bright gold.

The redbud tree echoes this color, which looks especially dazzling on a bright sunny day.

Driving downtown to run some errands, I always pass my favorite tree in the autumn. I was too slow this year, because by the time I remembered to take my camera along, this large maple had already dropped most of its leaves. Just a week before, it was a vision of orange, covered in masses of glowing leaves.

I'm not so sure the homeowners appreciate this tree as much as I do, though:)

Down a back street, there were other maples, however, that were still full of leaves. This one is beautiful, but how about another look at it . . .

. . . for a full frontal view--not quite so pretty now, is it? There are several trees like this around town, but they don't seem as noticeable until fall. All of them are in older neighborhoods where I'm sure the power lines existed before the trees were planted--a good illustration for careful site selection when planting new trees.

I had hoped to take more photos around town and maybe even visit the nearby forest preserve, but time got away from me. As it was, there was plenty of fall color in my own front and back yards. Driving back home, the small roadside garden isn't much to look at in early October, but no one much notices the shriveled plants and dried seedheads when the burning bushes put on such a display.

The vivid red of these shrubs scream to be noticed by anyone driving past.

While the trees command most of the attention in the fall, if you take the time to look closely, you will notice the garden has its own fall wardrobe. Everyone notices the hydrangea blooms that age so gracefully, but the foliage is equally pretty. In early October the leaves began to take on tinges of a purplish-red.

Today, when I walked out to the garden for the first time in over a week,

the change was even more dramatic.

The leaves of the fothergilla show a variety of colors, though it, like the rest of the new shrubs I planted in front of the house last fall, was a disappointment this year. I think the drought really affected them, and I'm hoping they do better next year.

No disappointment here, however--the Amsonia tabernaemontana positively glows in the early morning light of early November.

Even the common rough-eared dogwood, much less refined than its sophisticated relatives, put on some bright colors this fall.

Back to the trees . . . the old Burr Oak isn't known for its color, its leaves turning shades of bronze.

But this granddaddy of all my trees doesn't need a gaudy appearance to be appreciated at any time of year. Its size and age are enough to earn it respect.

In my yard, Mother Nature has apparently decided to save the best for last. When the other trees have already lost their leaves, the maple is just beginning its transformation.

First, a few leaves at the top begin to change, and as the days pass by, the progress continues slowly down the tree, until it all is covered in a brilliant orange.

The timing couldn't be more perfect--this was how it looked on the day of our Halloween party, just the right accent for orange pumpkins!

I'm a little later than I had intended in posting my contribution for this year's fall color project--I've been out of town for the past week, visiting my Daughter and new Son-in-law and seeing some fall color of a different sort . . .

. . . I think you can guess exactly where I have been:) When I arrived home last night, I was surprised at how warm it still was here in central Illinois, but I also noticed this morning that all the trees are now bare. I'm glad I didn't leave before having time to enjoy this year's beautiful show of fall color.

Whether fall is still showing its colors in your area or you've already been visited by Old Man Winter, you will enjoy seeing other scenes of autumn at Dave's Garden and The Fall Color Project.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T05:00:00.001-05:00

I've never been one to get too carried away in celebrating Halloween, but ever since she returned home in August, Youngest Daughter has been planning "the best ever" Halloween party for her nephews and nieces.

A few weeks ago, we made the short trip to a pumpkin patch at a local farm to stock up on the essentials.

Filling up the back of the small SUV with a plethora of pumpkins and two bales of straw meant special seating arrangements had to be made to protect our precious cargo.

A few of the larger pumpkins turned into cute, scary, or even disgusting (see last photo) jack o'lanterns.

Daughter started decorating a week ago. Since I'm not as much of a night owl as she is, I was never quite sure what sights I would wake up to in the morning. Saturday morning I discovered my refrigerator had turned into a black monster with a huge gaping mouth.

I do try to dust fairly regularly, but cobwebs just seemed to appear overnight.

Outdoors, fluttering ghosts magically appeared, and pumpkin stakes marked the driveway.

On the night of the party, all the young grands appeared in costume, as did some of the over-20's as well.

Even newest grandson came in costume--a football, rather appropriate since his 4-year-old brother was dressed as a football player.

Coconut wasn't quite so thrilled, however, at being a hot dog, especially when he heard there was a weenie roast planned for later in the evening.

Daughter had planned everything down to the last detail with lots of activities for the kids, including pumpkin face-painting.

There were photo ops . . .

. . . and cookie and cupcake decorating.

Oldest grandson proudly shows off his cupcake creation . . .

. . . while his younger cousin preferred eating his.

There was even a pumpkin pinata.

To counteract the possible sugar-overload, Daughter prepared lots of tasty snacks, mostly "finger food."

There were ghoulishly "bloody" mummy toes.

And mummy pizzas.

A little bit of everything, including tasty morsels to munch on . . . or with:)

Everyone had a great time, and hopefully no one went home with a tummyache from too many sweets:)

I hope all of you have an equally spooktacular Halloween!

Wildflower Wednesday Wanderings

2011-10-26T09:02:00.000-05:00

Don't let the title mislead you--it is Wildflower Wednesday, the monthly celebration of all untamed beauties. But the wandering is a mental rambling of this and that, not a physical journey. I had planned to take Sophie to one of our favorite places, the nearby forest preserve or the prairie park for a walking adventure in search of late-blooming wildflowers for this month's post. But a nasty sinus/respiratory/icky something infection has kept me inside more than I would like for the past week and too drained of energy to do more than what is absolutely necessary.

So instead I wandered around the farm, looking for possibilities. The pickin's were slim.

I found only a small remnant of last year's October subject, the Aster pilosus, otherwise known as frost aster. Last year there was a swath of these airy blooms around the outbuildings, providing some late flowering interest. But a zealous trimming/weeding this summer by Mr. Procrastinator eliminated all but this small stem that escaped the powerful weedeater.

Ah, to paraphrase the old saying, "One woman's wildflower is another man's weed."

Speaking of weeds, nearby in the butterfly garden, a late Aster-maybe is nearing the end of its blooms. Its blooms are much smaller than the rest of the native asters and despite the photo's presentation, a pale pink in color. I have no idea what type of aster this is and whether it even is an aster--or ex-aster for the experts. The stems and branching habits are somewhat different than the New England asters, and in fact, I thought it was a weed of some sort. It resisted pulling, so I left it alone. Its late delicate blooms make me glad I did, although I may be sorry if it tries to take over this garden next season like some of the other natives.

One of those thriving natives, the New England asters, have completed their show and already setting seed. I did say a while back I was going to keep these from going to seed, didn't I? Oh well, spring will be a good time for pulling unwanted seedlings, and I do like the looks of dried seedpods in the winter garden. Hmm, this reminds me I still need to buy marshmallows for our weiner roast on Saturday.

Before we leave the butterfly garden where most wildflowers/natives reside, I want to show you this photo taken a few weeks ago. It's a Penstemon X (the proper name escapes me now) given to me two years ago by our generous wildflower hostess Gail. It's a spring bloomer, but never before have I noticed how lovely it looks in the fall--just look at that burgundy foliage!

Letting the feet and mind wander away from wildflowers now . . . two nights of frost last week have finally done in most of the annuals. The once multi-hued zinnias are now all a uniform color, in varying shades of brown.

Some annuals are more cold-hardy than others, however. The white 'Snow Sonata' cosmos in the same garden are still providing a feast for the hungry bumbles and honeybees. Many of you have commented on these cosmos in my last few posts, and I will agree that these are definitely must-haves in my garden from now on. I only wish I had saved more seeds from them, but they should be readily available again next year from Renee's Garden

I've been giving a lot of excuses in the past month or two for why I haven't completed all my intended fall gardening chores, and here's one more. I spent many hours over the past several weeks completing this crib quilt. I'm no master quilter--that's my mother's forte--so this piece is not perfect, but lots of love goes into making one of these every few years. This is the sixth baby quilt I've made, each one for a special grandchild.

And did I forget to mention I have a new grandson?? Already a month old, here he is at one day old. Grandma is anxious to get over this icky virus to get some new photos and spend some quality cuddling time with him again.

Thanks for indulging my ramblings this morning; for more informative posts on this Wildflower Wednesday, be sure to visit the ever-enlightening Gail at Clay and Limestone .

October GBBD: It's Not Over Yet!

2011-10-15T00:01:00.001-05:00

What a glorious fall we have had! Day after day of bright sunshine and temperatures in the 70's or 80's with comfortably cool nights. The trees are showing off their fall colors, and the fields are full of the hum of combines. Though the garden knows it is time to wind down for the year, it is still looking remarkably good for this October Bloom Day.

Though there is nothing actually new blooming in the garden now, some plants have been rejuvenated by this fall weather. The Knockout roses are looking much better than they did during the summer.

The yellow Knockouts 'Radsunny,' I've noticed, turn a paler cream color as they open.

'Black and Blue' Salvia's electric blue color is one of my favorites. The only drawback to this plant is that it is an annual in my zone 5 garden.

While the purple coneflowers Echinacea purpurea have long since turned to brown seedheads, this Echinacea 'Big Sky Sundown' has surprised me by putting out a few new blooms for the past few months.

True to its name, the 'Bloomerang' lilac has rebloomed this fall. Not the best photo, but it does have a few more blooms than this. The fragrance of 'Bloomerang' is much fainter than the traditional lilacs, but it does have that wonderful smell. Sophie, however, is interested in other smells:)

Fall is the time for grasses to shine, and I finally have a few to admire. Miscanthus 'Morning Light' is a newcomer in the arbor bed, but it's beginning to show its potential.

The switchgrass 'Shenandoah' has lovely red foliage that defies my camera settings.

I showed a glimpse of the newest bloom in the garden last month, but 'October Skies' is now a mass of blooms. I would definitely recommend this aster for anyone looking to add a fall bloomer to their garden.

Although the perennials are sticking to their usual fall schedule, it is the annuals that don't realize it is almost the end of the season. Usually by this time of year we've had at least one night of frost, but not this year, and as a result the annuals are still going strong. Masses of zinnias in every shade provide lots of color in the arbor bed.

Even the few zinnias in the roadside garden provide a pop of color, especially against the backdrop of the burning bushes which are a brilliant red this year.

'Snow Sonata' cosmos will definitely be planted again next season.

Even the vegetable garden still has some color as marigolds and zinnias mix with the purple leaves of kale.

Although I've been savoring every moment of this beautiful fall, there is just one problem with this extended blooming time. You would think I would have been taking advantage of the perfect weather to get all my fall garden projects done. But I haven't cleaned out all my containers because some of them are still looking good. And I had hoped to have all my bulbs planted before the end of October, but most of them are going in where the annuals are growing. I worked around this border of lantana to plant a few bulbs.

But I can't bring myself to pull out this angelonia just yet.

Nor do I want to rip out the Profusion zinnias or the 'Victoria' salvia. I'm not really procrastinating--I'm just enjoying the moment for as long as I can. Once again, it looks like I'll be planting bulbs in my winter coat and stocking cap, trying to keep my fingers from going numb.

While I'm happy with all the color in my October garden, I'm one of those who can never have too much color. Warning--for those of you who are garden purists and have a disdain for the common variety of mum, you might want to skip the next photo.

Yes, I know these will all wind up on the compost heap in a few weeks, but I just can't help myself, especially when the garden centers are cutting prices to sell off their inventory. When I see "buy two, get one free" all I see is the word "free":) I did give one to my daughter-in-law, to avoid feeling too extravagant. To me, fall just isn't fall without pumpkins and a few mums to celebrate the season.

Thanks once again to Carol of May Dreams Gardens for hosting another monthly meeting of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.

Post Season Garden Awards: 2011

2011-10-07T05:00:00.001-05:00

It's October, and you know what that means--it's baseball playoff season! Baseball fans across the country are cheering on their favorites, hoping they can make it past the playoffs into the World Series. We have been watching some Brewers' games, since they are Youngest Daughter's second-favorite team, and keeping an eye on the Cardinals, the favorites of some friends and misguided extended family members. But I can't get too excited about any of the games this year, since my team, those loveable losers, were out of contention for the pennant by the first of June. After last year's disappointing Cubs' season, we looked to the garden for candidates for post-season awards, and it seems only logical that we do that again this year.

This year's Silver Slugger Award goes to--drum roll, please--the Hyacinth Bean Vine! For the non-baseball fan, the Silver Slugger is awarded to the player with the most impressive offensive stats, such as batting average and on-base-percentage. Despite adverse conditions this year, the Hyacinth Bean never went into a slump. Its sheer size made it an imposing figure at the plate, looking more like an offensive lineman than a first baseman. In fact, it might have also been awarded the Golden Glove for fielding percentage, except that it had a habit of running into other players on the field. Its enthusiasm at times had to be curbed by the manager.

Hyacinth Bean's home run stats were off the charts, producing beautiful purple blossoms like this throughout the season as well as the shiny purple bean pods this fall. A free agent, it was signed to only a one-year contract while the head office debated a permanent replacement at this position, possibly a clematis or another climbing rose like the one on the other side of the arbor trellis. But its performance as well as the devoted fan base of hummingbirds this season may warrant a contract extension.

In professional sports there are no walk-ons. But if there were, Cleome would be the clear winner of the Walk-On Award. One cleome plant in the lily bed last year, pulled in late September, resulted in many seedlings in the same area this year. At first, their appearance wasn't welcome, since the roster was already full and they seemed to upset the team chemistry. But when the rest of the position players went into a slump in August, the Cleomes stepped up to the plate and carried the team through the late season. They've developed quite a fan following, too, especially the bees. ( By the way, if you notice a brown blur in the background, that's the assistant manager giving some motivational words to the benchwarmers.)

There were so many candidates for Rookie of the Year this season that it was almost difficult to choose a winner. The Beautyberry was a strong contender, especially since several of the new shrubs purchased this year had a disappointing season. It is hoped that another year of maturity will produce better results with them, but the Beautyberry was a consistent performer all season long, finishing strong with these beautiful purple berries.

Incidentally, last year's Rookie winner was a no-show this year. 'Wendy's Wish' Salvia apparently signed with a team in Oklahoma, because she was unavailable for contract negotiations this spring. (I've notified local agents, i.e., garden centers, to please stock her next year!)

Despite the number of candidates, the clear-cut choice for Rookie of the Year in 2011 goes to the Agastache 'Heat Wave.' This newcomer started out as a scrawny seedling in May and quickly put on bulk to grow to three feet tall and at least the same width. It began blooming some time in mid-July and has dazzled everyone since with its showy pink/purple flowers. Besides being a unanimous choice of the judges, it's been a hands-down favorites of the fans as well--bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds swarm it for autographs every day.

This superstar laughed at droughty field conditions and took the heat of late summer in stride. In fact, it was also a strong contender for the MVP award as well. While a few players have won both the Rookie of the Year and the MVP award in the MLB, it's rather unusual. In 'Heat Wave's' case, the only barrier to its receiving both awards is a concern whether it can repeat its stellar performance next year. Some research on Agastaches has revealed that they aren't particularly fond of the wet, cold winters common to Illinois, so we must wait and see whether it returns for another season. If it doesn't, the general manager has assured us there will a contract extended to a new 'Heat Wave' (or three) next year.

And now for the most coveted award of all--the MVP of the 2011 season. Last year's winner, 'Lucky Lemon Creme' Lantana, was replaced this year with a more colorful player .... (sorry, its name on the roster is illegible). It performed every bit as well as last year's winner and has been signed to a long-term contract for the lily bed border. However, its playing time was reduced somewhat due to salary demands. In garden language, that means that while I was able to buy a flat of lantana seedlings last year, this year all the varieties of lantana I found were available only in 4-inch pots. Trying to plant the same number as last year would have meant spending five times as much, so I opted for a smaller section of lantana with Profusion zinnias filling in the rest of the border. Next year I'm going to scout in more places for the flats so that I can have a full border of these butterfly magnets.

Another candidate for MVP would have to be the Shasta daisy 'Becky.' It is one of those solid performers that often go overlooked, but deserves praise for its consistency. A little more encouragement this year (i.e., more frequent deadheading) has resulted in non-stop blooms from June through October.

Another possible choice for this award might be the hostas. Veterans of the shade garden, they avoid the glare of the spotlight, unlike some of the other more colorful members of the team. But they were the Cal Ripkens of the garden, bringing their A-game every single day from May through September. Only now, as the season winds down, are they beginning to show a few signs of exhaustion.

It was a close race, but the winner of this year's MVP Award goes to the Hydrangea 'Limelight.' Some voters were a little upset, charging that those of us who selected 'Limelight' were fickle and thinking only of what looked good now, rather than all season. There might be an element of truth in that claim because it has only been blooming for two months. But baseball fans still remember "Mr. October," and 'Limelight' will no doubt also linger in garden fans' memories through the long off-season. Besides, it was a superstar compared to all the other hydrangeas on the team who produced very few hits this year. And to be honest, there was somewhat of a sympathy vote here, as 'Limelight' survived what could have been a life-threatening injury when a large limb fell on it as the groundskeeper was trimming a nearby locust tree. Thankfully, it was still intact when the limb was removed and the chainsaw-wielding groundskeeper properly chastised. It continues to impress the crowds today with its white blooms turning to a lovely shade of pink.

I'm sure other garden managers have their own candidates for awards, and I'd love to hear about the choices. As for me, the season may not be over yet, but I'm already heading off for spring training-----planting tulips and daffodils!

Wildflower Wednesday: It's Party Time!

2011-09-28T10:50:00.001-05:00

There's a party going on in my butterfly garden!

Apparently, the natives heard it was time for Wildflower Wednesday and decided to celebrate. I've been preoccupied with non-gardening related activities the past two weeks, and so, like some unsupervised teenagers, they decided to call up their friends in my absence and have been partying with wild abandon.

Once upon a time--well, two years ago, to be exact--I planted one Obedient Plant Physotegia virginiana and one native aster, probably a New England Aster whose botanical name I don't know, purchased from the local prairie plant society. Since then, they've multiplied and spread throughout the butterfly garden. The goldenrod was never invited, but since it lived nearby, it decided to crash the party.

The purple asters decided this year to invite their pink cousins to join in the fun. I was certainly surprised to see them in attendance, but I really don't mind.

The natives called up other friends to enjoy the refreshments, too, though the past few rainy days have kept many of them away.

Obedient plant is not to everyone's taste, especially with its tendency to spread rapidly. But it's hard not to admire these perky pink blooms. Gail, the enthusiastic hostess of Wildflower Wednesday, calls all these robust plants "rough and tumble" or aggressive self-seeders, but definitely not invasive. I agree. All three of these are located in my butterfly garden along with other strong survivors like purple coneflower, false sunflower, Joe Pye weed, Phlox pilosa, rudbeckia, and others. The garden is located at the back of the property, hiding some unsightly fuel tanks, so the more they spread, the better. This area is also far enough away from other garden areas, so that they haven't encroached into areas where they wouldn't be so welcome--at least not yet.

I admit to being rather ~~lazy~~ lax this year in supervising this garden area, so things have gotten a little out of control. But a little chaos in one's life can be a good thing sometimes so that one doesn't get in a rut or become too complacent. And surprises like this volunteer pokeberry seedling that appeared out of nowhere this fall can be an unexpected delight.

But if you don't have the room for prolific natives like these, there are always tamer hybrid choices. Though this NOID aster in the sidewalk garden is a bit windswept and disheveled from the rain here, it has been very well-behaved.

A new addition in the new arbor bed this year, 'October Skies' aster is living up to its name. They are just coming into bloom, providing some much-needed color for the coming month. The three plants have a nice mounding habit, perfect in front of taller blooms and visible behind a border of annuals.

I purchased these this spring after admiring them last year on several blogs. I was hoping the blooms would be a true blue, but their lavender color is still appealing.

My native goldenrod is often considered a weed by many. But again, there are better-behaved hybrids to choose from. I forgot to check the tag on this one, which is planted in the county nursing home garden where I volunteer occasionally.

But as you can see, it plays nicely with others. There wasn't much work to be done in this garden on Monday, so the few of us there had time to enjoy the dazzling fall display.

Whether you prefer your parties to be wild and spontaneous or more subdued and organized, fall is a great time to celebrate. Why not hop over to Gail's to join in the fun of Wildflower Wednesday.

Welcome, Autumn!

2011-09-23T05:00:00.002-05:00

You don't need a calendar to know that fall has begun. All you need to do is look around . . .

Some of the leaves on the ash tree are beginning their transformation to purple hues.

The flowering crabapples have dropped many of their leaves already,

and tiny red fruits are ripe for the picking by the birds.

The yews have already started decorating for Halloween!

Tired-looking annuals--ok, let's be honest: DEAD annuals--in a few of the containers have been replaced with cool-weather combos. Buying annuals may seem like a waste of money when the first frost may occur any day, but the ruffled kale and pansies will last quite awhile. The new rudbeckia 'Prairie Sun' was just too pretty to pass up, and it is hoped it will re-seed if transplanted into the garden in time.

Another small pot on the back porch has been re-planted with my favorite fall colors--

Orange and (almost) Blue.

Saturday afternoons are spent with thousands of friends with a similar color preference:)

Although the cooler weather makes gardening much more pleasant, I can't seem to find the time to get much done outside these days, especially the lower-priority chore of deadheading. The garden is filled with many blooms past their prime, but the bumbles and friends don't seem to mind.

Shades of gold have replaced the sea of green that stretches for miles. If you stop to listen, you can hear the cornstalks rustling in the breeze. Harvest season has begun.

After a hot and dry summer, I am savoring all the joys of Autumn.

September Bloom Day

2011-09-15T05:00:00.001-05:00

September has been a month of extreme mood swings so far, with temperatures fluctuating all over the place, including a few days in the high '90's to a forecast for the low 30's the next few nights. Instead of worrying about watering, I may need to dig out the blankets and cover up my tomatoes and annuals instead! But fall is definitely in the air, and there are visible signs in the garden.

Sedum is putting on its fall wardrobe, and the asters are beginning to bloom. As I was going through my photos for today's post, I was surprised to see from a similar picture I took last week how much the sedum has changed in such a short time. Last week this 'Autumn Joy' was just a pale pink, while today it sports a much rosier hue.

In the Arbor Bed another sedum looks even more like fall. This new sedum was a passalong from my aunt who said it was also an 'Autumn Joy.' But it must be some other cultivar because its stems are burgundy, and its florets are also more of a burgundy, much darker than they appear here. Whatever cultivar it is, I do like it, especially since it has a sturdy upright habit, unlike some of my 'Autumn Joys.'

Most of the true fall bloomers are in the butterfly garden where self-seeders goldenrod and native asters have really taken hold. And to think, just two years ago there was only one aster here and no goldenrod. These two are almost as prolific as rabbits!

Two years ago there was also only one Obedient Plant, and that one never bloomed. Anyone wanting to establish a native garden in a hurry could plant these three species and cover a lot of garden in no time.

A new favorite in the Arbor Bed this year is the Beautyberry. I planted several new shrubs this year, and of all of them, the Beautyberry has done the best. I've admired this plant on other blogs for several years, and I'm happy to finally have my own purple berries this fall.

'Limelight' is still going strong in the shade garden; its flowers are now taking on a subtle pink tinge.

Coreopsis 'Moonbeam' is putting on a new flush of blooms after taking a rest for the past month.

Nearby, the volunteer cleome have been blooming for over a month

and show no signs of giving up anytime soon.

In fact, if it weren't for the annuals, I wouldn't have had many blooms the past few weeks. From Angelonia to Zinnias, the many different annuals have provided lots of color during the transitional time from the summer garden to the fall garden. I'm beginning to think my procrastination in planting seeds this summer actually turned out to be a good idea. These are 'Cool Crayon Colors' zinnias from Renee's Garden.

'Snow Sonata' cosmos are a shorter variety than most cosmos, and not as prone to flop over. Also from seeds from Renee's Garden, they have just started to bloom.

'Victoria Blue' salvia has always been a favorite of mine for late color in the garden. This year I added some 'Victoria White' in the Arbor Bed as well, and it's performed just as well. Bumblebees and other pollinators seem to find it just as appealing as the native plants in the garden.

But the annual that has out-performed all the others this year, at least when it comes to size, has been the Hyacinth Bean vine. I'll have to talk about this plant in more detail in a later post, but let's just say that a few seeds are more than enough to cover a trellis:)

The hummingbirds have loved this plant, though, and now besides the pretty purple blossoms, we have these cool purple bean pods.

What is blooming in your garden today? Join garden bloggers from all over the world in celebrating Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, hosted each month by gardening guru Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

Lessons from the Garden

2011-09-07T09:20:00.000-05:00

Researchers say that continuing to learn new things helps to keep one young and may even help to prevent Alzheimers and dementia. That's good news to me because I have always had a love of learning. I often take a class to learn a new skill, attend workshops and presentations on various topics, and read a lot. But there's no better place to continually learn new things than in the garden.

I've come a long way since my early days of gardening--not so long ago--when I couldn't figure out why those pretty blue hydrangeas I bought had pink blooms the next year. But the more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know. Every year there are new lessons to be learned in the garden. Here are just a few of the new things I learned this season:

1.Pay attention to the recommended spacing on plant tags. It's easy to ignore those guidelines when the plants are small, and you want the immediate gratification of a lush, full garden. But after a couple of years of growth, the result can be a very crowded garden, especially when the plant-addicted gardener adds even more new acquisitions in every bare spot of soil. I like the look of a sea of green, like this scene from my shade garden, but things have gotten out of hand. The poor hydrangea had to fight for air amongst the hostas, ferns, and hellebores. I tried to resist the urge to plant too closely together in my new arbor bed, but the rest of the gardens need some major division and moving of plants next year.

2. Spending a little more on sturdier tomato cages is worth the investment. Those flimsy metal cages I'd used for several years were beginning to rust, and the ends were bent every which way. Since I cut back on the number of tomatoes I planted this year, it didn't cost that much to buy some new cages for them. This year the tomatoes were taller than ever before and stayed upright, not falling over in the first strong summer wind. This also meant fewer tomatoes lying on the ground where they would be more likely to rot. As my Dad always said, "You get what you pay for."

3. If you don't want your garden taken over by aggressive self-seeders, then deadhead when the blooms are spent or pull the seedlings in the spring. Volunteers are nice, but you can have too much of a good thing. The Susans that filled so much of the butterfly garden last season didn't have a chance this year, and the few that appeared had to fight for space with taller bullies like goldenrod and asters.

As if that weren't bad enough, the Obedient Plant has their backs. All these vigorous self-seeders make for a nice fall showing, but I'd like a little more diversity year-round in this garden; too many of the other more delicate plants cowered in fear at these tall gang members and just gave up. A big part of the problem here is that I don't recognize all the seedlings that come up in my garden. I nearly pulled some seedlings in the lily bed until friend Beckie pointed out they were poppies. I've nurtured an unusual plant only to discover when it was full grown and blooming that it was a noxious weed. I do want some goldenrod, asters, and Obedient plant next year, but I'm going to deadhead them this fall before they spread any more. And next spring I intend to learn more about the appearance of different seedlings so I can have more control over what is growing in my garden.

I have no excuse, though, when it comes to the cleome in the lily bed. I had one large cleome at the back of this garden area last year and pulled it in September to make room for a new hydrangea 'Vanilla Strawberry.' Apparently, though, it had already dropped its seeds, because I had dozens of cleome seedlings appear in late spring. I do know what cleome seedlings look like, and I pulled quite a few, but thought I'd leave a few for late summer blooms. But egads, I forgot how tall they can get! Now instead of noticing the fading hydrangea blooms at the back of this garden or the yellow Knockout roses that are re-blooming, the first thing anyone notices here are these tall, gangly spider flowers. They're pretty, but they're out of place. Next year their offspring are headed to the butterfly garden where they will fit in better.

4. Don't buy any new plants in the heat of summer unless you're going to give them some extra TLC. You would have thought I had learned this lesson last year when I nearly killed a much-desired new hydrangea. I planted it during the middle of a prolonged hot and dry spell and then forgot to water it for a few days. I managed to revive it, and it did come back this year, but it's rather spindly and never did bloom. This year I lost a new heuchera planted in the heat of July, again forgetting it needed some extra water. A new Japanese Anemone also looks like a goner, even though I did give it frequent waterings. I didn't want to show either of these pathetic mistakes, so the photo is of my lantana which loves heat.

5. Keep your eyes open for possibilities. This was not a lesson I learned in the garden, but I had to include it as my final point anyway because it is garden-related. I was taking in some aluminum cans for recycling and had to wait my turn in line, when I noticed this old wrought iron chair sitting next to a dumpster. I asked about it, and after some checking, the recycling attendant said, sure, I could have it. Another worker then said there was a second chair already in the dumpster and went to dig it out. It was a missing an arm, but I didn't care. They were destined for the metal crusher, but I picked up both of them for a few dollars each. I can see them sitting under a tree with a colorful pot of annuals next year, can't you?

Over the years the garden has taught me patience, a respect for all the living creatures that inhabit the garden, and an appreciation for the simple pleasures that nature provides. But every year the garden also gives me some specific valuable lessons to help me improve my gardening skills as well.

What about you? What lessons have you learned from the garden this year? If you like, you can join Plant Postings in sharing your experiences. There is always something new to learn in the garden!

Adieu, Portland!

2011-08-31T08:45:00.001-05:00

It's been nearly two weeks since I arrived home from helping my daughter move back home, and I think the chaos has finally settled down somewhat. There are still a few boxes that need to be unpacked, and there have been some adjustments in my routine, like having to share a bathroom once again and re-learning how to cook for three, not two--actually, I never was very good at cooking for just two anyway:) Coconut, Daughter's Pomeranian, and Sophie have gotten re-acquainted, and Coconut enjoys sitting in the shade watching me garden just as Sophie does. Even the newest member of the clan, Widget, Daughter's gray kitten, has finally decided Sophie is not as intimidating as she looks and has taken to exploring every corner of the house.

I've enjoyed my trips to Portland, Oregon the last two years to visit Daughter; it's such a beautiful and friendly city. And despite the claims that the skies are usually gray in the Pacific Northwest, I've seen mostly sunny skies and enjoyed the moderate temperatures while visiting. But this trip was a working "vacation," and most of our time was spent sorting and packing and carrying endless heavy bags of unwanted belongings down a flight of stairs to the dumpster. And then there was that long drive home . . .

Still, there was some time to have fun and enjoy some special moments with Youngest Daughter.

The main purpose of the trip, aside from helping to move, was to attend Daughter's graduation and to celebrate her receiving her Master's Degree. The timing of this event meant I couldn't go to Seattle for this year's Fling. There will be other opportunities to meet other bloggers, however, but not so many opportunities to share milestones like this.

Daughter also made sure this was not an "all work and no play" trip. For my birthday earlier this summer she bought tickets for the two of us to see one of my favorite singers in concert--k.d. lang. On a lovely summer evening, Daughter and I wound our way through the Oregon Zoo to an open arena where concerts are staged regularly and managed to find a few square feet in the packed lawn to lay down our blanket. Regular lawn chairs were not allowed so as not to obstruct anyone's view, and I found myself shifting positions every few minutes to get comfortable until a kindly pair of ladies behind us, who preferred to stand, loaned us their beach chairs. It was a great concert, however, and k.d. lang's velvety voice made the evening worth a little discomfort.

Portland also holds "Movies in the Park" throughout the summer, changing the locale each week, and we went to see "E.T.," a movie I was surprised to learn Daughter had never seen before. It was shown in a small park in the heart of downtown that I soon discovered had a beautiful garden surrounding the open grassy area. Coconut and I explored the gardens at one point, but by that time it was too dark to take any good photos.

I have no idea when or even if I'll ever get to visit Portland again, so I wanted to make sure to visit two of my favorite places in the city one more time before leaving. The last time I visited the Portland International Rose Garden was early last May before many of the roses were in bloom, but this time the garden was resplendent and full of the heady fragrance of all kinds of roses.

Portland's Rose Garden is a test garden and contains all kinds of roses. I talked to a volunteer who was tending one of the hybrid tea cultivars, and she mentioned that the roses weren't as full of blooms this year as usual because they had had so many overcast days. I don't know, they looked pretty magnificent to me. Seeing this 'Artistry' above made me want to re-think my reluctance to plant some tea roses in my own garden..

Near the Rose Garden is my favorite place in all of the city. There is something about a Japanese garden that always draws me in, and the Portland Japanese Garden is the most mesmerizing of the few I've seen. Surrounded by the majestic Douglas Firs of the the Pacific Northwest, this garden is truly a sanctuary where one can forget the rest of the world for a while.

One day I would love to have a little Zen area in my own garden, but to have a true Japanese garden requires years of patience as evidenced by this carefully pruned tree.

An authentic Japanese Garden contains several necessary elements, which you can read about in a previous post here if you wish. The Zig-Zag bridge, surrounded by ferns and irises and taking you over a koi-filled pond, is one of the traditional details.

A Zen garden for meditation is another.

The element of water plays a primary role in a true Japanese garden. Statues of cranes, Japanese symbols of longevity and good fortune, grace one of the many ponds.

But you don't really need to know all the philosophy behind these gardens to enjoy the sense of serenity they invoke. Walking down the hillside paths, you can find little surprises at every turn like this mossy tree trunk.

Or a small waterfall hidden among the shrubs.

The most dramatic use of water is Heavenly Falls, which cascades down the hillside into a large pond.

I'm glad I got to visit the Portland Japanese Garden one last time; I left it feeling refreshed and calm, ready to begin that long journey home . . .

All too soon it was time to leave for our four-day drive home. We weren't on a time schedule like the first time we drove out, but when you are driving with a cat and a dog in the car, there isn't time for dilly-dallying around. You can't leave them alone in a car while you stop to tour a museum or even for a sit-down dinner in a restaurant. Besides, we wanted to get Coconut and Widget in their new home as soon as possible.

For this drive home we took I-90, the northerly route, and saw some beautiful scenery, albeit not always under optimal conditions. I'm sure the Rockies were magnificent, but I could only see their silhouettes in the light of a full moon as we drove through them at night. We drove past the northern edge of Yellowstone, and Daughter and I both regretted afterwards that we didn't take time to stop.

But we did take in one sightseeing stop which Daughter wanted to see and the reason for our longer route home. Like so many well-known places, Mount Rushmore is a monument whose size and magnificence can't really be appreciated until you actually see it.

After a late start and some snags on the first day, including nearly getting stranded in Spokane, Washington until we had the car battery replaced, the rest of the trip was uneventful. One evening, after passing through a rainstorm, Daughter and I both were excited to spot a double rainbow. This photo taken through the car window is not that good, but this was the most amazing rainbow we'd ever seen. Not only was it a double rainbow, but you could actually see both complete arcs. We took it as a good omen and spent the rest of our journey watching the wide open spaces of the West pass by until we reached the familiar scenes of farming country in southern Minnesota, then Iowa, and finally, Illinois.

After riding in a cramped car for four days and eating way too much fast food, it was sooo good to be home. By that time we were all tired puppies:)

Wildflower Wednesday Walk

2011-08-24T07:24:00.001-05:00

Once again it's time for Wildflower Wednesday, hosted each month by Gail of Clay and Limestone, and I really thought I would have much to show you this month. But it seems to be a transition time in the garden for everything, including wildflowers and the natives.

The purple coneflowers are but shadows of their former selves, and even the Susans are in a state of faded glory. A few sprays of the common goldenrod are turning yellow, but little else is in bloom right now in the Butterfly Garden, where most of the natives reside.

Obedient plant and asters, which along with the goldenrod seem to have claimed most of the territory in this area this year, are still a few weeks away from blooming.

Since there aren't many native blooms in my garden now, let's take a little walk, shall we? One of my favorite places to look for natives is at Meadowbrook Park in the Tall Prairie restoration planting. In April Sophie and I checked out the prairie when the dried grasses and blooms of last year were still standing and only a few trees were in flower. The plan was to go back in June and again in July when the area was full of interesting blooms, but somehow we never got there. Today there were errands to run and a new session of Tai Chi to attend, so poor Sophie didn't get to go with me once again.

Obviously, the prairie is in transition, too, as more dried seedheads are spotted than blooms.

Native Sumac is showing the first signs of its autumn coloring . . . or maybe it's just suffering from the prolonged lack of rain.

Ah, here's a bloom--the tall thistle is just opening up. Most people would consider this a weed, and I really don't want it in my garden, but it's a favorite of bees, butterflies, and especially goldfinches.

A few yellow blooms dot the landscape here and there. Perhaps you can identify this, but I'm not going to venture a guess. It could be a type of Rudbeckia or Helianthus or even something called Yellow Crownbeard. There are so many wildflowers with yellow blooms that it takes some study and research before I can identify them, and today I left my wildflower book at home.

Much easier to identify, though, is Culver's Root, Veronicastrm virginicum, even when it is no longer in bloom. Set against a darkening sky, it towers above many of the other prairie plants.

I thought we might be able to see a compass plant today as I've noticed them while driving past the park in recent weeks. But there seems to be some strange rumbling noises from the sky, and the wind has suddenly picked up. The tall prairie grasses are swaying in the wind, making photography very difficult.

Let's ignore that flash of light in the sky and see if we can identify this plant about to bloom--perhaps an Evening Primrose? . . . Oh dear, something is falling on my head . . . what's going on here? Could it be . . . yes! Raindrops are falling! And now they're coming down even faster . . .

I'm sorry, but I guess we'll have to cut our walk short and come back another time to look for the compass plant and identify the fall bloomers in the park. Maybe next time Sophie can come with us; she loves it here.

Please go ahead and visit Gail's for some other wildflower scenes. But if you will excuse me, I think I'll just stand here in the parking lot awhile and do a little happy dance, my "Thank you for the Rain!" celebration.

Late, Late August Bloom Day

2011-08-18T13:00:00.001-05:00

I just returned from a week in Portland, Oregon, helping Youngest Daughter pack up and move back home. It was a v e r y long four-day drive back home, and it will take me a few days to recuperate and get back into the swing of things. But I haven't missed a Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day yet and wanted to participate in the monthly celebration of blooms hosted by Carol at May Dreams, even though I'm several days late.

I wasn't sure what I would find in the garden after being gone for more than a week; the heat and lack of much rain has certainly stressed out many plants. But I was surprised to see a few new blooms and some plants that are actually thriving in this weather.

I'm still on Pacific time and didn't get out very early this morning, so the sun was glaring already, not the best for photo-taking. But here's a quick look at what is blooming this hot and dry August:

Surprise lilies emerged while I was gone, and are already fading.

Also fading is the 'Vanilla Strawberry' Hydrangea, which was blooming

and just beginning to turn pink when I left.

But the 'Limelight' hydrangea is just coming into its own. I pruned it this spring, hoping to train it into more of a tree shape, but I guess I need to be more ruthless next spring--it's sprawling everywhere.

I love these beautiful blooms, though.

'Black and Blue' Salvia in the lily bed.

The biggest changes in the garden in the past week and a half are in the arbor bed. This is a mystery plant, and I wonder if anyone can identify it. When the foliage first emerged, I thought it was part of the liatris planting. But I eventually realized it was something different. It has gotten huge, and the seedheads have emerged in the past few days. I'm pretty sure it's a weed in the grass family, but I've never had anything like this before. I'm ready to pull it out, unless someone can identify it as something other than a weed.

Also growing like crazy are two vines on the arbor trellis--cypress/cardinal vine from Lisa

and hyacinth bean vine.

On the other half of the trellis the new climbing rose 'Don Juan' is putting out a second flush of blooms.

Still not many butterflies here, but the pentas are waiting when they arrive.

Nicotiana has finally started to bloom.

Pink cosmos are filling in behind the arbor bench. All annual seeds in this area were gifts from Renee's Garden. One of these days I'll find the names for all of these and post them, because they have all been great performers.

Competing with the cosmos for attention, though, are the zinnias, one of my favorite annuals.

From purple to pink to orange to pure white, they are really making a statement now.

As for the perennials in this area, the new 'Heat Wave' Agastache is living up to its name. I ordered this from Bluestone Perennials because it was described as thriving in hot, hot summers, and it is fulfilling that promise.

Agastache is a hummingbird magnet, but as you can see, the bumbles love it, too.

After a week and a half of neglect, I'm happy to see anything blooming in my garden!

Thanks to Carol for hosting another Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.

Fun in Chicago

2011-08-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

For years I dreaded this time of year--the first of August always meant that the start of school was not far away. Oh, it wasn't that I didn't want to start another school year; it was that I usually had a long list of summer projects that hadn't been accomplished. I don't have to worry about getting back into the work routine anymore, but I still don't seem to be able to complete all my summer plans. The last few weeks of unbearable heat have meant little gardening has been done, other than dragging around the hose to try to keep everything alive. Weeds are growing rampant and deadheading has been ignored. And now that the temperatures have "cooled" off to a more tolerable mid-80's range, I have too many activities going on, it seems, to make much more than a half-hearted attempt at controlling my messy garden.

Nevertheless, it was time Grandma finally made good on a promise to the older three grandchildren to take them to Chicago for the day. Their mother was away on business, but their dad--my oldest son--had time to accompany us as we headed north to catch the Metra for an afternoon of kid-friendly activities.

The younger two had never ridden on a train before, and all three were excited to see Sue, the most complete T-Rex skeleton in existence at our first stop, the Field Museum of Natural History.

Younger Grandson was full of enthusiasm, proclaiming each new stop "the best ever"!

Here he gives us his best fierce gorilla impersonation.

After a few hours of touring the Museum, we hopped on a water taxi with a great view of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline to head to Navy Pier.

The kids and their Dad rode the ferris wheel while not-so-brave Grandma took a break.

Of course, we would pick one of the hottest days of the summer to make our excursion into the Big City. The two grandsons found the fountain near Millenium Park a great way to cool off before taking the train home.

They weren't quite as brave as some kids, though. I think this group found the perfect way to beat the heat:)

We had just enough time before catching the train home to visit a favorite spot of mine. Does this look familiar?

Maybe this will jog your memory, especially those who attended the Chicago Spring Fling two years ago.

My son wasn't familiar with "Cloud Gate, aka "The Bean," but the grandkids quickly got the idea of its photographic possibilities.

Youngest Grandson was the most creative.

This was the grandkids' day, but Grandma found some other scenes to make her smile as we walked to our different stops.

Whether it was a field of coneflowers on the way to the Field Museum or a formal planting near Lakeshore Drive, downtown Chicago provides a feast for the eyes for any gardener.

From large planters on the Museum campus . . .

. . . to colorful plantings at Navy Pier . . .

. . . to planters lining a sidewalk cafe, Chicago deserves praise for its landscaping.

Although we didn't have time to stop to enjoy one of my favorite places, the beautiful Lurie Garden, we did get a glimpse walking by on our way to "The Bean."

We had a great day, obviously. The weeds and deadheading will be there for another day, but grandchildren are only young once!

Next week I'll be off to help youngest Daughter move back home. I may be offline for awhile, but I'll catch up with all of you when I return.

August Book Review Club

2011-08-03T06:00:00.002-05:00

Epic is an often over-used term, loosely applied to any movie with a "cast of thousands" involved in battles, or to books that are especially lengthy. But the term epic can be accurately applied to Ken Follett's latest bestseller. Fall of Giants has a broad setting, encompassing most of the Northern Hemisphere, and it involves the fate of most of the earth's inhabitants. While it doesn't have one great hero on a quest to save the world, it does have several characters who exhibit some traditional heroic qualities.

Giants begins in 1914 as Europe is poised on the brink of war. After attempts at peace-making fail, one country after another enters the war, impacting all of the major characters. There are battle scenes, of course, but the most interesting parts of the novel involve the personal lives of the main characters Their stories are intertwined, and Follett's technique of changing the focal character from one chapter to another makes the story faster-paced than one might expect.

Differing viewpoints on the war and social issues of the time are seen through the characters representing different countries:

Billy Williams is a young coal miner from Aberwen, South Wales, and his sister Ethel is a housemaid in the Welsh country home of a rich earl.
Earl Fitzherbert and his sister, Lady Maud, are English and part of the old aristocracy, though they spend time in their country home in Wales.
Walter von Ulrich is a German count and a military attache at the German Embassy in London.
Grigori and Lev Peshkov are peasant brothers who eventually rise above their poverty-stricken and violent surroundings in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Gus Dewar, an American from Buffalo, New York, meets all the other main characters in his travels throughout Europe as an assistant to President Woodrow Wilson.

Royal Irish Rifles at the Battle of Somme (photo from Wikipedia)

I didn't realize how little I knew about WWI until I began reading this book. The novel is not just a war story, however, as it also deals with some major social upheavals of the time, including women's suffrage and the increasing power of the middle and lower classes, especially in Russia. But as interesting as the plot is, it is the characters who fascinated me and kept me reading. The book ends in 1924, with each of the characters at a pivotal point in their lives. Fall of Giants is the first book of a trilogy planned by Follett; I'm sure I'm not the only reader eager to find out what happens to Ethel, Grigori, and the others as the years pass by.

I must admit I was hesitant to start reading a book that was nearly 1,000 pages long during the height of gardening season, and I didn't expect to finish it in time for this Book Club meeting. When I read Follett's Pillars of the Earth a few years ago, it took me nearly 100 pages to get "into" the book. But Giants had me hooked from the beginning, and it was a great way to spend those hot afternoons the past two weeks, curled up with a book in the comfort of my A/C. I can't wait for the next in the series to come out!

____________________________________________

One more note . . .

I rarely see movies in the theatres, instead waiting until they come out on DVD. But I will definitely be making a trip to my local multiplex in a few weeks to see The Help, which opens in theatres on August 10. The movie is based on the bestseller by Kathryn Stockett, one of the best books I've read in recent years and one I reviewed here some time ago. I can only hope the movie does the book justice; if you see the movie, be sure to read the book, too--you won't be disappointed.

After a few months' hiatus, I'm glad to be joining once again in the Book Review Club hosted by Barrie Summy . Click here for more recommendations for summer reading.

Wildflower Wednesday: Perennial Favorites

2011-07-27T08:33:00.001-05:00

It's time for another Wildflower Wednesday, the monthly celebration of wildflowers and natives hosted by the gracious and enthusiastic Gail of Clay and Limestone. It is perfect timing for me, as so many of my favorite natives are in bloom right now. Driving along country roads or even the interstate the past few weeks, one can't help but notice masses of the white umbels of Wild Carrot Daucus carota, or as I prefer to call it, Queen Anne's Lace. In many places it is bordered by a profusion of blue blooms from Chicory Cichorium intybus.

Most farmers would say that Chicory is a weed, but I've always had a fondness for this weedy wildflower. Probably it's the color, since blue is my favorite, and not many plants have such a true-blue bloom. It pops up around our outbuildings each summer, and I'm inclined to let it stay.

I was hoping to get a long shot of the roadsides filled with chicory and Queen Anne's Lace, but pulling off a busy highway or a narrow country road didn't seem smart or safe. So instead I pulled into a turn-off near my home to get a few close-ups. Illinois is "The Land of Lincoln," and throughout the state you will find not only museums, but promotions of any ties the area has to the man many of us consider our greatest President. Just a mile from my home is this historical marker, where Kelly's Tavern once stood, a place where Lincoln once stayed during his days of riding the circuit practicing law.

Next to the marker is a small planting of various prairie plants, including tall Rudbeckia, Joe-Pye Weed, common milkweed, rattlesnake master, and other yet unidentified wildflowers. I'm describing all this to you because when I downloaded my photos yesterday, my computer was acting up and I accidentally deleted all those photos, including what I thought were some great shots of butterflies--grrrrr.

But I did manage to save one of the best, this one of a rattlesnake master Eryngium yuccifolium. The unusual name of this native probably came from its use by some Native American tribes who used the leaves and fruit in their rattlesnake medicine song and dance. As you can see, the bumbles and other pollinators love it; in fact, this whole area was full of buzzing creatures who didn't exactly appreciate my disturbing them to get a few photos--maybe they hexed my camera:)

I don't have to travel anywhere, though, to find natives this time of year. The Joe-Pye weed Eupatorium purpureum has been impervious to the thugs in my butterfly garden this year and towers above them, though not to the exaggerated height I claimed in a previous post--it stands about 6 feet, not 10 feet tall. This specimen does not have the purple tinge to its stem as many of these plants do, and for awhile this spring I wasn't sure if this really was Joe. I was so glad to see it start blooming a few weeks ago and being reassured that it wasn't a giant ragweed instead!

A newcomer to my garden this year is Liatris spicata, planted from bulbs purchased at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show in March. Talk about easy to grow! The plan was to have them interspersed with white coneflowers to add some vertical interest in the arbor bed. The coneflowers didn't get planted, but the liatris filled in this area quite nicely on their own. I planted eight bulbs, imagining eight spikes of purple, but as you can see, they are much more robust than that.

When the coneflowers start winding down, I get a little sad, but not to worry--the Susans take their place. All of them are re-seeders from previous years, so I won't even try to identify them, though most, I suspect, are from original Rudbeckia hirta. I was a little disappointed in the turn-out in the butterfly garden, no doubt due to the proliferation of asters and obedient plants, but I was happy to see one specimen of the new 'Cherry Brandy' Rudbeckia return. Many of the returnees this year are taller and more slender, perhaps because of the limited space. The Rudbeckia pictured above is in the lily bed, where I definitely did not plant it! It doesn't fit into the planting scheme in this garden area, but with a cheery face like this, who would have the heart to pull it out? I certainly didn't.

Finally, my favorite of all the natives--my beloved purple coneflowers Echinacea purpurea. After a month of blooming, they're beginning to fade and look a bit ratty, but I still enjoy them. Soon the goldfinches will be feasting on their center disks.

I've gone on and on before about the many admirable traits of purple coneflowers, so I won't repeat myself today, but if you would like to know more about these natives you can click on a much earlier post here. Suffice it to say, that they are pollinator magnets of the first order.

Butterflies have been scarce around here this year, but when one does arrive, it's sure to find the coneflowers. This Monarch doesn't seem to mind that the flower has seen better days. Attracting birds, bees, and butterflies, and pretty to boot--what more could you ask of a flower?

As a final note, it is still hot here in central Illinois, but we have had a few much-needed rainshowers over the last few days. During this heat wave and near-drought, though, all the natives pictured above have been real troopers, braving the heat and lack of attention without complaining like their fussier non-native companions. Another good reason to go native!

If you would like to know more about any of the native plants featured here, you might want to check out my favorite source, Illinois Wildflowers Or better yet, check out this month's contributors to Wildflower Wednesday at Gail's.

"Lazy, Hazy, Crazy" Days

2011-07-20T20:45:00.000-05:00

Anyone close to the same age as I may remember a song by Nat King Cole popular in 1963, "Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer." That description certainly fits this week in July, although the connotations of that song seem a little different in reality.

It's crazy hot here! The temperatures are soaring--95 degrees as I type, with a forecast for even higher temps the next two days. Sure, it's hotter in Phoenix where newly married Daughter lives, but Illinois has something Arizona doesn't--humidity. The buzzword here these days is "heat index," the combination of heat + humidity, which means it actually feels like 110 degrees or even hotter outside. I took over a dozen photos out in the garden early this morning before I realized the blurry images in my viewfinder weren't from not having my contact lenses in yet, but because the camera lens fogged up from all the moisture in the air! The windows of my house were equally foggy. Hazy days indeed.


'Sunrise Rose' lantana loves the heat, but I don't.

All this heat and humidity is making me lazy, too. There's much to be done in the garden, but I just don't feel like leaving the A/C to do it.

Early morning or late evening is about the only time I want to venture outside. Some half-hearted attempts are made at weeding, but for the most part, I don't do anything much more strenuous than deadhead lilies. The passalong division from best friend Beckie, 'Dragonfly Corner,' is the most prolific bloomer of the daylilies right now.

Although 'Nettie's Ruby,' more passalongs, are still going strong, too. The heat is even creating a haze in my brain. It's a good day for staying inside and reading some blogs, but I'm too lazy to even write a coherent paragraph today. Instead, I'm opting for extra-large photos and random thoughts . . .

I'm still on beetle patrol morning and night, but the Japanese beetle population seems to be going down. The yellow Knockout Rose 'Radsunny' finally is able to put out new blooms.

Earlier this spring I was regretting that I hadn't planted any cleome. Not to worry . . . it has re-seeded all over one end of the lily bed.

I really should deadhead the 'May Night' salvia, but that sounds like too much work right now. Besides, the bumbles don't seem to mind it as is.

I also need to plant the new hydrangea I bought. This is not the optimal time for transplanting anything, but I couldn't pass up this bargain at one of my favorite garden centers. This 'Little Lamb' was only a penny, with a $30 purchase . . . which means, of course, I have a few other plants to plant as well:) There's Sophie again in the corner of the photo--maybe I could get her to dig a few planting holes for me.

One of the chores I try not to neglect, however, is the watering. In this heat, containers need to be watered every day, and I have so many new plants in some of the beds that I try to make sure they get a good watering every few days. The arbor bed has most of the new plants, so it gets special attention. Maybe it's not as dry as I think if these little mushrooms are popping up.

Today it's the veggie garden's turn for a good watering. It will be a few weeks before the first tomatoes are ripe, but they're looking promising.

Sugar peas, on the other hand, were a bust. I planted them much too late, so it's my own fault. I think I picked enough for one serving of peas.

It's nearing 8 AM, and I am already "glowing." Who am I kidding; I'm no Scarlett O'Hara--sweat is pouring down my face, and my shirt is plastered to me. Time to stop taking photos, turn on the sprinkler, and head into the cool house. But wait--there are green beans to pick again! Oops, I had forgotten to check these in awhile.

Twenty minutes later, I'm finally ready to head indoors and call it a day.

Mr. P and I love fresh green beans, but there is no way we'll eat this many right away; besides I still have some in the fridge from last week's picking. I really should put these up in the freezer, but that means boiling water for blanching them, which would heat up the kitchen. "Don't be such a wimp, Rose!" I scold myself. My mother used to can green beans with a pressure cooker on days like this, for heaven's sake . . . in a kitchen without air-conditioning! My pioneer spirit kicks in--along with a little guilt, I surmise--and a few hours later, I have several quarts of very fresh beans stored away in the big chest freezer.

Ah, finally time to sit down with a good book and relax. Unless you're a tropical native like this hibiscus, this heat is stifling and can be dangerous. Check on elderly neighbors and family to make sure they're all right. Keep hydrated and stay inside where it's cool if at all possible.

On hot and hazy days like this, it's okay to be lazy.

GBBD: Daylilies and Other Delights

2011-07-15T05:00:00.000-05:00

Woohoo! It's time for another Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, and this July edition is the one I've been waiting for all year. It's the height of the summer season, and my garden is obliging with a multitude of blooms right now. I'm always happy to show visitors around this time of year (as long as you don't notice the weeds), but I know you have lots of other places to visit, too, so I'll try to keep the narrative to a minimum and let the flowers speak for themselves.

I know I've been going on and on about purple coneflowers for the past few weeks, but I can't help myself. They are my favorite flower, and their pretty pink faces always make me smile. I have them everywhere here, including at the back of the butterfly garden along with fading monarda and a barely visible Joe Pye Weed that must be eight feet tall.

Next to coneflowers, my other love is daylilies. I seem to be drawn to peaches and corals, like this 'Prairie Sunrise,' a one-of-a-kind hybrid that I named myself.

Another one-of-kind is 'Dragonfly Corner,' a division kindly passed along to me by best friend Beckie.

'Tangerine Orange Ruffles' is really the color of orange sherbet.

Not all the daylilies here, though, are in the peach or yellow color spectrum. Passalongs from my aunt, 'Nettie's Ruby' is at the forefront of the lily bed. Obviously, I don't worry too much about color coordination when it comes to lilies.

Purple is represented, too, by 'Little Grapette,' a shorter cultivar that works well in front of its taller relatives.

While color and shape of bloom entice me to certain varieties, I'm also drawn in by the names of plants. 'Prairie Blue Eyes' was a natural to be added to my garden:)

As was 'Canterbury Tales.' I've shown this lily several times in the past few weeks, but I had to include it again because it just keeps putting out the blooms. Chaucer never got the chance to finish all his tales, but this daylily seems determined to add a new "tale" every day.

The yellow edged and throated lily on the right was chosen purely for its name--'Romeo Lies Bleeding'--whereas the delicate beauty on the left was chosen for her appearance and because she was another unnamed hybrid. My choice for a name? 'Juliet,' of course! I'm happy to say that these star-crossed lovers are happy and living peacefully in their first full year in my garden

Trying for more diversity, several new Oriental lilies were added to the garden this spring. This is the first of what I hope will be many blooms to come--'Stargazer.'

My garden isn't just about coneflowers and daylilies, however, although it may seem that way. An errant Rudbeckia, variety unknown, found its way into the lily bed. The yellow spider lily on the right still commands attention, but other daylilies behind are somewhat obscured--there's that need for crowd control again. The Rudbeckia will be allowed to stay . . . for now.

Drumstick alliums bob and sway in the front and center.

My first hybrid coneflower, Echinacea 'Big Sky Sundown,' was a gift last year from Tena, Lisa of Greenbow's sister. I'm happy to see it covered with blooms this year.

No need to adjust your monitor--this is a partial view of the lily bed through the growing switchgrass, Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah,' ready to take over center stage as the lilies fade.

Nearby, in Roco's garden the geranium 'Rozanne' nestles at the feet of super-performer Leucanthemum 'Becky.' This photo is for Sissy --our faithful companions are never forgotten.

The Knockout roses are starting to put out new blooms again in spite

of the recent onslaught of Japanese beetles.

The shade garden is primarily a sea of green at this time in the season, except for Hydrangea macrophylla 'Let's Dance in the Moonlight.' The 'Endless Summer' mopheads are looking healthy and full, but blooms are very few. They seem to be in a two-year cycle--one year lots of healthy foliage and the next more blooms.

Hosta blooms are also providing a contrast to all the green.

Other new blooms can be found in the arbor garden. I've been waiting until later to do a post on this new area because it's still so young, but we can take a peek at a few of the plants, all of which are first-timers here, including this 'David' phlox.

The last of the delphiniums 'Connecticut Yankee' is the tallest and strongest of the three I planted. No need to stake this one.

Sweetpeas, though, have outgrown their support.

Sorry about Sophie in the corner of the photo--she likes touring the garden, too:)

Liatris has been a resounding success.

All together they make a combination in one corner that I've been very happy with.

I've tried to resist the temptation to plant too close together in this area, satisfying my need for dense plantings by using annuals, especially in the front part of the garden. There is still room for Tarzan to perch comfortably behind the 'Victoria Blue' and 'White' Salvia and next to a dwarf butterfly bush, 'Lo and Behold Blue Chip.'

Thanks for stopping by today, and I do hope I haven't kept you too long. There are many more gardens on the tour today--just drop by our hostess Carol's for directions for your next stop and enjoy!

My Eyes Are Bigger Than My Garden

2011-07-11T12:07:00.001-05:00

While growing up, I was a member of the "clean plate club." I was never a finicky eater--except for liver--so this was not a problem. But just in case I didn't finish everything on my plate, my mother would remind me of the sin of wastefulness and the starving children in some far-off land who would be happy to have a small morsel of what I had eaten, even that disgusting liver. At family dinners or community potlucks where the array of tempting choices prompted me to fill every inch of my plate, my mother might warn me not to get too carried away, that "my eyes were bigger than my stomach."

These days I don't have to worry about my stomach not being big enough, unfortunately, and I try to limit portion sizes somewhat so that I don't waste food. But this problem seems to have carried over into another area of my life--my garden, where my plant addiction has caused me to fill every available bare inch of soil with plants, so that my "plates" are overflowing.

Case in point: the roadside garden, which is a smorgasbord of color right now. These lilies are one of my favorites; passalong NOID's from my aunt, I named them 'Nettie's Coral' in her honor. They really are the prettiest shade of coral and might cause drivers passing by to slow down to admire them.

But when you look at the larger picture, you can see the problem. Most of them are planted behind the coneflowers, which have gotten taller every year and now hide many of the lilies' blooms. You know how much I love coneflowers, so removing them is not an option.

Maybe I should dig up the corals and move them to the front of the coneflowers. Right now there is a row of 'Stellas' in front, which are shorter in stature and work well as a border. Even this taller "rogue" daylily in the midst of the Stellas doesn't look too bad in front. But the corals are taller yet and might end up obscuring the coneflowers. I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but I need to do something before the garden police arrest me for lily abuse.

To the left of the center of this bed, the butterfly weed has nearly doubled in size, so that the Profusion zinnias and a few 'Arizona Sun' gaillardias can't be seen unless you get up close. To the right of the butterfly weed is a container with purple petunias and 'Diamond Frost' euphorbia. I thought it looked rather appealing sitting on its side as if the flowers were spilling out, but again it's hardly noticeable next to the butterfly weed.

The roadside garden was purposely crammed with plants to create more of an impact in a limited space and also to make it as low-maintenance as possible: I'm too ~~lazy~~ busy to walk the 1/8 mile down the lane to check it for weeds everyday. But maybe it's time to do some thinning out.

Back up at the house, things aren't much better. This zinnia is actually part of a container planting in the

front sidewalk bed, but other than this bloom and a few glimpses of helichrysum and persian shield, you can't even see this pot because it is hidden by coneflowers once again. When we moved here in the fall of '04, I decided this area filled with gravel was the perfect place for a small flower garden. I dug out all the rock by hand and the following spring planted perennials and some annuals. At the time my knowledge of gardening, other than growing vegetables, might have filled one paragraph--if that. I ignored the recommended spacing on labels of perennials and packed plants closer together for instant gratification. It didn't take long for me to realize what a mistake that was! The next spring I dug up everything--one Knockout rose still hasn't forgiven me for tearing up her roots--and moved them all further apart.

That did help, but the narrow end of this triangular bed needed some oomph, so I decided to plant some coneflowers there, too, to hide part of the overgrown yews behind them. (My repetroire of plants in those days was pretty limited, too.) Fast forward five years, and the coneflowers have reseeded and expanded their original territory, flopping over the sidewalk and the aforementioned pot. This time I do know the solution--pull out most of the new seedlings next spring--but I'm thinking a re-working of this whole area is overdue anyway.

Another area that needs re-working is the shade garden. This is my favorite garden during the hot days of summer, and I really do like the look of hostas and ferns dancing cheek to cheek. But I think we may have passed that point some time ago, and it's time for some crowd control. The macrophylla hydrangeas aren't putting out many blooms this year, much to my disappointment, but those that are appearing have to fight for space between the bleeding heart and the large hostas. The cause of this problem area is quite obvious--my plant addiction again, always finding another heuchera or other shade-lover that I manage to shoehorn into a tiny space. It's time to divide and conquer!

Apparently, I'm a slow learner. When I created this new flower bed last year just for my growing collection of lilies, I wanted to make sure I had blooms or foliage interest when the lilies weren't blooming, so I kept adding more and more plants.

Again, many of these plants have exceeded my expectations of their growth. The amsonia that looks so lovely in the spring has gotten huge and is crowding out other plants in one corner of the bed. This poor little balloon flower has to peek out from underneath the branches of the amsonia.

I've already decided the amsonia needs to be moved to another area with more space, and I need to be more ruthless in getting rid of volunteer re-seeders. My parents were visiting the other day and my dad asked about a particular daylily and its unusual foliage. When I looked where he was pointing, I laughed--the daylily had the usual leaves, but it was growing in a stand of volunteer cleome. It can get confusing: 'Moonlit Masquerade,' above, sometimes likes to play with the switchgrass 'Shenandoah."

As for the butterfly garden, well, we won't even go there--you'd need a machete to get through that jungle of promiscuous natives and self-seeders.

The solution to all of this over-crowding is pretty obvious--time to divide and do some selective weeding out. My garden is very small compared to most people's I've seen on garden walks and here in Blogland, so I could probably double its size just by dividing and moving some plants. But that is a project for later this fall and next spring. It's definitely too hot right now to be moving perennials, and I have more pressing matters to attend to . . .

Unfortunately, it's Japanese Beetle season. My poor Knockout roses have been decimated, and the blooms on my two hibiscus plants are devoured before they can open. My father recommended spraying Sevin on the plants, saying that would knock these little villains right off. Yes, it probably would, but it would also knock a few bees and some other good guys off, too.

Ack! This means war! There will be no chemical warfare here, however; my preferred method is to pick them off by hand and dump them into a can of soapy water. Very early morning or late in the evening are the best times while they are sleeping off their gluttonous escapades. I've been faithful about doing this for the past two weeks, ever since they first showed up. In fact, if someone were to make a movie of my life right now (which would be pretty boring, to say the least) it would have to be a documentary entitled "The Making of 'Beetlejuice.' "

Amid the groans after that last comment, I bid you adieu for the day. It's a hot one here in the Midwest today; I hope you are all staying cool!

A Very Late Thank-you Note

2011-07-06T18:27:00.000-05:00

Is it just me, or has blogging slowed down the past few months? While some garden bloggers are still posting on a regular basis, some are posting less frequently, and some long-time blogging friends have disappeared for long stretches of time. I've noticed fewer comments, not only on my posts, but on others.' I'm not complaining, just observing. Heaven knows, I haven't been keeping up with blogging as much as I would like. After all, it is summertime and vacation time for many; it's the height of gardening season, and weeding and watering seem to be everyday activities. I find myself pushing myself away from the computer earlier in the morning (my usual time for blogging as the body unstiffens and the brain cells become more coherent with a fresh infusion of caffeine), so that I can get some work done outside before the temperature rises to intolerable levels. Evenings are often ~~wasted~~ spent watching Cubs' games with Mr. P.

Who wants to be inside when it's coneflower season??

Another reason for fewer blog posts might have to do with Facebook, a phenomenon Frances wrote about some time ago. I do hope Facebook doesn't replace blogging because I do enjoy reading more detailed blog posts and seeing more photos of everyone's gardens. But I do understand--it is much easier to post a quick comment on Facebook than to take the time to write a full-length blog post. I have posts I started in February that I haven't finished yet and ideas for summer posts I can't seem to get around to writing.

But I digress . . . the real purpose of this post is to thank some generous garden bloggers and garden friends. All this ruminating about blogging, I guess, is just my excuse for why it's taken me so long to get around to writing this.

Sometime in late winter I was the lucky winner of a giveaway hosted by Carol and sponsored by Jolly's garden shoes. As the winner, I got to pick out any pair of garden clogs from their website, and I decided to be a little more daring and picked these pink-soled shoes decorated with leaves and pink posies. They are by far the most well-made garden clogs I've ever worn, very comfortable with more support than most garden shoes. They come in a variety of patterns as well as solid colors, too--thanks, Carol and Jolly's! The only problem with them is that they're almost too pretty to wear out in the garden:)

I was lucky again a few weeks later when I won another giveaway hosted by Kylee at Our Little Acre for some free seeds from Botanical Interests. I chose several different types of seeds including a mix called "Fairy Meadow." Not having a meadow handy, I scattered some of the seeds in a barrel planter and now have my own mini-meadow, thanks to Kylee!

Another thank-you goes out to Renee's Garden, who has always been very generous to garden bloggers. I've been on the company's media list since the Chicago Fling in '09, and each year have been given quite a few free seeds. One of the packets I chose this year was a basil collection called 'Scented Trio,' which has done extremely well in a large pot on the patio. I've used only a little bit of it in cooking so far, but even if I never make pesto, it's pretty enough just to look at.

Other garden bloggers have shared seeds from their own gardens with me, but I know if I start naming names, I'll surely forget someone. So, I'll just say thank you--Garden Bloggers, you are the best!

Gratuitous shot of one of many daylilies also in bloom right now.

Totally unrelated to gardening, I have another BIG thank you, this time to a higher power. Some of my Facebook friends already know that I thought I had lost Sophie this past Saturday night. I went outside late that evening to see the fireworks that neighbors were setting off, and Sophie followed me. Sophie doesn't like loud noises, so when I turned around and she wasn't there, I didn't think too much of it--I assumed she had gone into the garage to get away from the noise. But she wasn't there, and when I called her, she didn't come. I became more and more frantic as more time passed and lightning thundered in the distance. I drove up and down the road, and walked up and down the cornfield with a flashlight, calling for her. By midnight, my husband convinced me we had to give up, but sleep didn't come easily. I awoke the next morning at dawn and travelled the roads again, going even farther this time, in case she had gotten really lost. I made up flyers to post and called some of the neighbors to see if they might have spotted her, but no sign of Sophie.

Sophie enjoyed a Fourth of July cookout with the grandkids.

Many tears were shed, for I was sure something terrible had happened to her or she surely would have come home right away. But around 8:30 Sunday morning, my husband spied her in a distant soybean field, and when he called her, she immediately ran home, dirty and wet, but safe and sound. I can only think that she hid in the cornfield from the noise of the fireworks and thunder and then got disoriented. Sunday was a day of tears of joy, many hugs and kisses, and catching up on missed sleep--for all of us. There must be a doggie guardian angel who watched over her that night . . . but just in case, the angel gets busy, I haven't let Sophie out of my sight since!

The most affectionate creature in the world is a wet dog.

~Ambrose Bierce

Simple Pleasures

2011-06-28T10:46:00.000-05:00

Some people spend their lives wishing they were rich. Some people crave power. Others wish for fame. As for me, it doesn't take much to make me happy. Sure, a little more money would always be nice, but I find that joy usually comes from simple things. A few hours spent with good friends, talking and laughing. A grandchild suddenly saying, "I love you, Grandma." These are the moments that make me feel happier than any millionaire.

And when I'm feeling a bit blue or bored, I can just walk out the door. Here are some simple pleasures that bring a lift to my spirits:

Seeing the first coneflowers beginning to bloom.

Finding a new daylily blooming each day. This one is 'Lavender Dew.'

Finally having success in scattering poppy seeds in my garden.

Another success--my first ever delphinium. And finding it to be just as blue as the catalog pictured it to be.

Even better with a friendly visitor.

This visitor, however, doesn't make me so happy. But otherwise, the cheery faces of Susans always bring a smile to my face.

When I see 'Canterbury Tales' next to 'Moonlit Masquerade,' I'm glad I let the daylily grower talk me into buying 'Moonlit,' too. I think these two were meant for each other.

I'm happy, too, I didn't pull what I (and Beckie, too) thought was a weed. When your memory plays tricks on you, like forgetting all about planting this phlox last year, it's nice to have a pleasant surprise.

My memory recall can be strange at times--for example, while playing a trivia game I can recall the capital of Bulgaria learned long ago in fourth grade geography (it's Sofia, by the way), but not where I laid my reading glasses two minutes ago. A sudden flash of recognition last week reminded me that this mystery plant was the balloon flower I planted last year. I'm happy that it's going to bloom soon even in the shadow of the ever-growing Amsonia towering over it.

And if all else fails, I can always count on a wagging tail and big brown eyes to lift my spirits.

Sophie makes everybody, even Marmalade, happy:)

"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance;

the wise grows it under his feet." ~James Openheim

Wildflower Wednesday: Late Again...

2011-06-24T07:00:00.003-05:00

Everyone loves trees, but not all trees are created equal. Wild mulberry trees are a good example of a nuisance tree. They often pop up here around the foundations of the farm outbuildings or other undesirable places, and they grow so quickly that if not removed immediately, they usually have to be cut down with a chainsaw. Another tree that I assumed was a "weedy" tree grows at the back of what is now my butterfly garden. But several springs ago, when I first planted this area with some natives and other butterfly-friendly plants, I noticed this tree was blooming. It's taken me awhile, but I am 99% sure that this is a Rough-leaved Dogwood Cornus drummondii.

Rough-leaved dogwood is a native woody shrub or tree common in most areas of Illinois except for the northeastern part of the state. During late spring or early summer cymes of white flowers develop and remain in bloom for 2-3 weeks. The photo above was taken two weeks ago, but a few blooms still remain.

The nectar and pollen of the dogwood attract a host of different species of bees and other insects. Later in the summer white drupes develop, which are a high-caloric food source for many birds and some mammals. This has been one of the difficulties in identifying this dogwood for me, because I've never seen the drupes. However, according to Illinois Wildflowers they disappear rapidly in the fall because of their attractiveness to wildlife, so perhaps that is the reason I've never seen them. Young twigs and branchlets are a reddish brown; the red twigs in winter were the first clue for me that this was some type of dogwood.

Rough-leaved Dogwood develops from a branching taproot. "However, if this woody plant is subjected to disturbance, it may develop suckers or underground runners that send up vegetative shoots. These vegetative shoots can develop into a colony of multistemmed shrubs" (Illinois Wildflowers). Obviously, I have disturbed this plant because it has responded to my attempts in cutting back suckers to tame it by producing even more. Despite its importance to pollinators and wildlife, Rough-leaved dogwood is not a plant I would recommend adding to your garden, especially in a suburban landscape. But in a woodland setting or in the wild, such as at the nearby forest preserve where I've seen it growing along the trails, it is rather pretty, especially in bloom.

While I didn't plant the Rough-leaved Dogwood, I did purposely plant some Butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberosa which seems to grow larger and larger each year. The blooms start out orange and then turn to an orangey-yellow as they open fully.

The foliage of this plant is consumed by the Monarch caterpillars, which is why I planted it in the first place. But if you look carefully at this enlarged photo, you'll see it attracts all kinds of insects. If anyone can identify these striped insects, I would love to know what they are because I have them everywhere. The smaller insects are also a mystery--after zooming in much more closely, I'm pretty sure they are some kind of alien ants:)

My favorite natives, the purple coneflowers and the black-eyed Susans are just beginning to bloom here. But as a taste of what is to come, here are two photos taken of a Rudbeckia fulgida taken yesterday morning at the Idea Garden.

Celebrating National Pollinators Week, this is another reminder why native plants are so BEE-autiful!

This post is part of the Wildflower Wednesday hosted by pollinator champion Gail at Clay and Limestone, the fourth Wednesday of every month, not the last Wednesday. (Note to self: check the calendar!)

Lessons From the Masters

2011-06-21T05:00:00.001-05:00

Picture this scenario: You have just retired or your youngest child has just left for college. Suddenly you have time on your hands, and you decide you would like to create a garden just like the ones you've admired in magazines for so many years. Where to begin?

Reading books on gardening, attending workshops at your local nursery, and even reading gardening blogs are all good ways to learn about plants and how to create a beautiful garden. But nothing tops personal experience for learning what works and what doesn't. I certainly made many mistakes in the first few years of gardening, from not preparing the soil well enough to planting perennials much too close together. Having gotten a later start in life in gardening than many, I decided I didn't want to wait until I was 80 to have a garden I was proud of, so last year I enrolled in the Master Gardener program at my local County Extension Office to learn the basics and make up for lost time. While I learned so much during these classes, what I didn't realize is that I would learn as much or more working alongside some of the most experienced gardeners in the community.

After taking over a month-long hiatus from MG activities for Daughter's wedding and later reception, I've finally gotten back into putting in some volunteer hours at the two gardens I worked in last year. As interns, we were required to put in at least 20 hours in the Idea Garden, the showcase of the local Master Gardeners program, and I randomly chose the Sensory Garden section as the place to spend most of my time. Active MG's, however, aren't required to volunteer in specific areas, but I've come to feel a sense of ownership in this garden and wanted to continue to work there.

Besides working with a great group of people, I've learned to know the plants here and how best to care for many of them. The nearly thornless 'Zephirine Drouhin' rose is such a beauty and has grown so quickly in just three short years that I decided to choose the same cultivar to climb my new arbor. In addition, when plants are divided, extra divisions are often put up for sale for a very nominal fee to whoever grabs them first. I've brought home quite a few bargains this way, and all of them have done extremely well. Perhaps it's the good start in compost-rich soil that makes them so hardy; the small start of Amsonia Tabernae I picked up last spring, for example, has grown so huge this year that I may have to divide it already.

Last weekend, after we finished working in the garden, I stayed around for an interesting "Garden Chat" given by Ann, a Master Gardener extraordinaire, and Phyllis, one of the original designers of the Idea Garden. They spoke about the origin of the Idea Garden--begun in 1996--its history, and how it has evolved over time.

Ann explained plant selection and cited some of her personal favorites as well as pointing out some design tips in placement of plants. One of the more interesting tidbits of history had to do with this hydrangea. The plant originally came from the garden of a U of I professor whose wife later donated it to the Idea Garden. Although it looked like a lacecap, no one was quite sure what type of hydrangea it was. Phyllis decided to contact famed plant expert Michael Dirr, a friend of Professor McDaniel, who eventually classified it as a unique cultivar of Hydrangea arborescens. It is now named 'Mary Nell' after the professor's wife and is included in Dirr's Hydrangeas for American Gardens. I had no idea until last Saturday that we had such a special plant in our collection.

Another garden where I spend some volunteer time is at the County Nursing Home. When a new nursing home was built a few years ago, Master Gardeners had to start from scratch with a new garden planned at the back of the facility. Many of the plants from the old garden were moved here, but new ones were added as well. The soil left after the building was completed was mostly clay and not very suitable for gardening, but loads of compost added over time have created a lush and beautiful place.

This garden is smaller than the original one and is designed somewhat differently. The wide sidewalk that provides the inner border of the garden is handicapped accessible, but I recently learned its design has another important purpose. According to co-chair Phyllis, the original garden had several paths meandering through it, which she learned was not a good idea. The new garden is behind the Alzheimer's unit, and the circular path is designed specifically so that residents can stroll through the garden without getting lost.

Other accommodations were made as well. Several grasses and other tall plants were eventually moved when it was discovered they were blocking residents' views from inside.

Many "old-fashioned" plants are included in the garden, such as this Blanket Flower, or Gaillardia, in hopes of stirring residents' memories of their mothers' or grandmothers' gardens.

The nursing home garden is enclosed by a tall fence with a locked gate and is accessible only to residents and their visitors. But this year the garden is one of several featured in the annual Garden Walk to be held this coming Saturday, so the public will have a chance to see this very special garden as well.

I was a latecomer to joining the crew here last summer when I realized I needed additional community service hours. I wasn't sure I would continue working here this year, because there was already a large group of regulars who volunteered each week, and I often felt as if I was just looking for something to do. But then the garden co-chairs assured me my help was definitely needed, and two other reasons kept me going. One was that this is a fun group to work with, and the interesting conversations always make the time go quickly. If you are wondering why everyone is standing around here, it's because after a little over an hour of work yesterday, there wasn't a weed in sight nor a faded blossom to deadhead. My garden should be so lucky!

The other main reason I continue to volunteer here is because of the leadership of Phyllis and Carol. Phyllis (pictured earlier at the Idea Garden) is one of the original Master Gardeners in the group and is simply a walking encyclopedia of gardening knowledge. This spring, a few volunteers were carefully pruning the Purple Smokebush that had grown to 8-10 feet tall last year. Phyllis came over and told them to hack it down, leaving stumps only one or two feet above the ground. Here it is less than two months later, obviously none the worse for its extreme "haircut." I've learned to listen when Phyllis recommends a particular method or technique, because it usually works!

When I have a chance, I'll pick her brain or ask for advice on particular plants, and she is always so gracious in taking time to explain things. I wasn't sure about what grasses I wanted to add to my garden, but Phyllis reassured me that the switchgrass 'Shenandoah' that I had purchased was a good choice, and also recommended 'Karl Foerster' (above). She also assured me that the beautiful 'Morning Light' Miscanthus I admired in the garden was not a re-seeder like some Miscanthus. Taking her advice, I've added two of these to my own garden this spring.

Working in both of these gardens gives me a chance to learn about new plants I'd like to add to my own and ways to plant them for pleasing combinations.

Oakleaf Hydrangea and Betony

I learn from the creativity of others--this "trellis" for a mandevilla is actually two of the neon-colored tomato cages, available in many garden centers, tied together, one on top of the other. I would never have thought of this!

Every week there is something new to see. This beautiful iris--a flag iris perhaps??--wasn't in bloom last week at the Nursing Home garden.

Making it even more appealing is its placement in front of a chartreuse sumac.

Working with people who have gardened for many years is a great way for any beginning or still-learning gardener to gain invaluable knowledge. You don't have to commit to the Master Gardeners' program to do this; joining a garden club or volunteering to work in a community garden can be just as helpful. Whatever you choose, you'll find that gardeners are a generous group, always willing to share their expertise (and often starts of plants). They are living proof of the old adage: "Experience is the best teacher."

GBBD: Early Summer Blooms

2011-06-15T07:50:00.001-05:00

My, but the summer days are flying by . . . well, technically, it is still spring until June 21, but last week's heat wave certainly makes it feel like summer. At any rate, here it is the middle of June already, which means it's time for another Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day hosted by our fairy godmother Carol of May Dreams Gardens.

As I said on my last post, bloom times seem to be out of sync this year.

The daylilies 'Stella d'Oro' are finally in full bloom.

Another latecomer, though, is the star of the garden right now. I had hoped my lone Asiatic lily 'Brindisi'
would bloom last week so that my daughter could see it, but it waited until this week to open up.

Look at all those buds! I have been so smitten in recent years with daylilies that I have passed by the Asiatics. I must find a place for more of these next year. That's Hemerocallis 'Moonlight Masquerade' in the right background; a close-up of it is featured on my last post.

Nearby is another prize--my first red poppy. I've never had much luck with poppies before, but this year I scattered some seed in late February over the melting snow, and they apparently liked that cold start. I still had some seeds leftover from Spring Fling of '09 when Cindy generously shared her bounty with us, and I also had seeds from Tatyana, whose red poppies I so admired last summer. Both packs were spread with abandon in late winter, so the lineage of each plant is unknown.

In the butterfly garden, chaos reigns as usual. Bachelor's buttons have reseeded again,

and yarrow invades any empty space.

Penstemon from friend Beckie--'Husker's Red,' I think--is nearly swallowed up by taller plants, either asters or goldenrod. Not knowing what they are until they bloom means I am surprised every fall:) The asters/goldenrod were cut back after this photo was taken.

Another re-seeder, Nigella, bloomed before I had time to take a photo, though a few florets remain.

Butterfly weed, however, is just beginning to bloom.

I'm hoping the Monarchs can find it in the midst of this jungle.

The first hollyhocks have opened up. There will be fewer than usual of these old friends this year, I'm afraid--in the feverish trimming that went on here a few weeks ago many of these fell victim to the weedeater. But I know they will be back again next year.

The new Itea 'Henry's Garnet' was chosen for its fall color, but the little white brush-like blooms are a welcome sight this spring.

And for something different, you can't get much funkier than the vertical blooms of the Lamb's Ears.

There are other blooms, too, as the garden begins its summer session, most notably the first of the coneflowers as well as 'May Night' salvia and the geranium 'Roxanne,' but it is pouring down rain at the moment with thunder booming overhead, so those flowers will have to wait for another day. There are many annuals, too, that will have to wait for their own spotlight, but I will leave you today with one of the most eye-catching at the moment, the yellow Hibiscus.

To see what else is blooming across the country and across the world, be sure to check out the list of participants at Carol's.

And my best bloom of all?--My garden buddy who turns eight today.

Happy Birthday, Granddaughter!

Back to Normal

2011-06-12T14:00:00.001-05:00

Life has finally slowed down to a less stressful state for me. After a week of catching up on some rest and completing some postponed chores, I am back into a semi-normal routine at last. Time for chauffering Younger Granddaughter back and forth to sports camps, time for a long-overdue sleepover for Middle Grandson, and time, of course, for gardening.

Thanks to all who offered words of encouragement on my last two posts when I was feeling under pressure, to say the least. Daughter's wedding reception/party went very well, despite the threat of storms late in the evening and the heat--who knew when she set the date for this party back in January that June 4 would be the hottest day of the year?!! By the time the first guests arrived, my make-up was streaming down my face and my carefully fluffed hair was plastered to my head. But no matter; a good time was had by all, and that was all that was important. Unfortunately, I was too busy the first few hours attending to some last-minute details and greeting guests to take any photos of the setting. Thanks to my Dad for this photo early in the evening of the tent with Daughter's tropical theme.

All my worry about the garden was probably for naught, as the heat and a chance to visit with the bride and groom kept most people from venturing too far from the tent. But I'm sure if I hadn't bothered to weed and edge the flowerbeds, that would have been when everyone wanted to see the garden! Even Daughter, who was super-busy the whole short weekend she was here, noticed one plant--the clematis, which was still in full bloom last weekend. She noticed this immediately as we drove up the lane at 1 AM, its blooms shining in the moonlight.

I'm glad she got to see it while it was still in its full glory, because after a few rainshowers and some wind, all the blooms now look like this.

After a week of neglecting the garden while I attended to other details, the weeds had grown by leaps and bounds and I also had missed a few things. I barely noticed this Allium roseum while it was in bloom, and now it has already turned to seed.

My garden seems to be on a different time schedule this year. I had hoped this Asiatic lily would be in bloom last weekend, since Daughter loves lilies. Last year it was blooming the first week in June, but so far all I see are fat buds (and the camera-shy Marmalade who has taken to following me throughout the garden this year).

The Stellas are late, too. Normally, I have masses of blooms by this time, but they are just now beginning to open up.

On the other hand, the daylily 'Moonlight Masquerade' is way ahead of schedule and surprised me when I found it in bloom this week. Maybe the weather has had something to do with the different timing of blooms this year. Like much of the country, we have had oppressive heat for the past week and a half. Temperatures in the 90's with the typical Illinois humidity have made working in the garden unbearable for most of the day. I'm not a morning person, but I've forced myself to get out of bed as early as possible this week to head out to the garden before the sun drives me back inside to the cool air-conditioning. I've hoed weeds and spread mulch, often still in my PJ's and minus contacts, still clutching the first cup of coffee.

June is my favorite month of the year, but it isn't supposed to be this hot! Today (Sunday) is the first pleasant day in a long time; I'm hoping the cooler temperatures will stay with us for awhile. The heat, though, may have jumpstarted this first coneflower, which normally doesn't bloom until weeks later. Late lilies and early coneflowers . . . I'm beginning to wonder what July will bring.

Good old faithful yarrow, though, is right on schedule; I guess the garden timetable isn't completely topsy-turvy this year. After the last few busy months, it's good to get back to normal . . . whatever normal is:)