What's Blooming in Your Garden VI

Thank you for the dahlia comments, the unusual weather made them flourish. We picked 5 monarch pillars at the same time from Joe Pye this summer. Grandaughters took them home and watched them until they hatched and flew away. I've never seen that so they gave me a monarch in a cocoon on Sunday that was soon to hatch. It hatched today and they "hang" around (literally) to dry wings for 3 or so hours. I got some great shots before it flew away. I am thankful for good photos after losing the whole summer's worth when taking computer in for a virus. No backup, so always protect pics - irraplaceable loss. Glad to have some printed photos of mine that can be scanned back to computer.

The flower in pic is Double Delight rose, another favorite.

Pretty vine lily. I got amaranth this year that I didn't plant. Gifts.

Vonnie

What a beautiful butterfly shot!

Here are some berries on my porcelain vine from last weekend.
I love the color. Mine is also the variegated version.
I have been on the lookout for it to be invasive, because it has that reputation.
But mine has been well behaved. I think it's in too much shade which keeps it's growth in check.

Vonnie, very nice. Robin, even though mine was planted by wildlife. I also knew it came from my neighbor's yard. But like you, I haven't seen many other stray seedlings. I wished I had more. lol I gathered that the seeds have to be dispersed by birds after they've been stratified by their digestive system before they will germinate? Just a thought. Nice shot of the 'twin berries'.

Robin the color of those berries are unbelievable! It always satisfies some part of my senses when I see something like that- love to bottle it for future. Very nice.

I really love these. Can't believe some of the photos here on dg of the places just taken over by this. :( can't bring myself to plant one but i love all these pictures.

Do you mean they, these porcelain vines can be that rambunctious in places? Such as where? I'm curious.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/167474/
Yeah, sorry. I saw this pic in your link to the plantfiles. If you check the discussion on the photosthere is a link to the national parks services that talks about it. :’(

Oh me, oh my!!!! Whoa! Never dream that it could be like Kudzu, thanks OH81.

I think it depends on the conditions how aggressive it will be. But seeing as yours was a critter transplant just think about that exponentially.

That is it! I've had this very same vine for several years. No other problem so far. But if the condition is conducive, exponential multiplication = Kudzu. lol

Lol sad but true. I'm sorry. Please don't kill the messenger!

LOL, the messenger is good with me, by me and for me. lol. Here is my vine at the end of the growing season.

How long have you had it?

It's at least 4-5 year-old. Maybe even older? I first noticed when I adopted this fella from my neighbors, whose garden where I discovered the vines and their colorful berries.

I've had my porcelain vine for 10yrs or longer, still a small well-manored plant.
But again, mine is in a very shady location.
Also the variegated version ('elegans') is less aggressive.
I like the variation of colors as the fruits mature.

Well i have a variegated honeysuckle that I'm keeping despite the warnings of how wild honeysuckle can get. Lol i just hope it never becomes a problem because i love it! I'm a sucker for anything variegated :)

OH81, it all depends on the 'just right' condition the plant is used to in order to proliferate. For instant lots of thugs from the hot, humid SE will not survive the hot dried desert of the SW, and via versa. Even those wild honeysuckles aren't invasive out west for lack of moisture, thus quickly be irradicated. So location, location, location.

Salvia, a late blooming variety. Pineapple sage.

editted for typo.



This message was edited Sep 30, 2011 6:44 PM

The less commonly seen 'flower' of elephant ears.

Monarchs!!!

Awww,I'm jeoulous of your Monarch cat. catzgalore. :)

Don't be jealous Lily ;) I was beginning to think I'd missed out on them this year. I found them all yesterday though. Whew!

The last monarch that I've seen was back on the 21st of the month. And this is my first year without any caterpillars. And, on top of that it appears that Fall will arrive earlier this year. ~sniff sniff.

I keep thinking it is early this year as well. I went back into my journals from the previous years and last year we shut down our pond earlier than normal and started it up later than normal, which tells me that the entire Fall/Winter was about 3-4 weeks longer last year. I really don't want a repeat either - we had our share of snow.... I have never been a 'winter' person - as a child, I was always the first kid to go back inside.

The geese have been gathering and I see them fllying overhead from one river to the next. I am always sorry to see them go, but so very excited to see them come back. Usually in the Spring, I hear the robins before I see them. Haven't seen a robin in a number of weeks... :(

I can relate with your feeling, Carolyn. I've never been an avid winter person either myself. Our temp. dips down to the mid-40'ish at night for the weekend. I don't like to think that Fall is going to arrive early, thus winter is fast approaching. But it may, just may be a repeat long Fall/winter this year? The Geese will be arriving to our area lake soon. I love them, but there are a growing number of people that don't love those birds, such as those that play golf. Patueeye! I don't like that. My hummingbirds left us today, I think I haven't seen them all day long. But, as the sky was clear, and sunny. I got a visitor. I was so glad I still have blooming plants in the garden for HER. ^_^

Hmmmm.... Ok, i totally thought those fuzzy black caterpillar with the brown middle bands were monarchs... I just looked woolly bears up online and they make tiger moths. I have no idea about them. I am freaked out by caterpillars but love butterflies if that makes any sense at all. Lol while i was googling woolly bears i did find a picture of a huge red and black fuzzy one i saw in the yard under the pear tree the other day, it will be a giant leopard moth! Very pretty.

i think you are completely right about location lily- so many plants invasive anywhere else are annual up here. Funny. Things people in Hawaii might consider a common weed would be an exotic houseplant here! Lol

here is my weird caterpillar.

Here's what he'll be someday! Hope i get to see it.

Kim

I have not seen a hummer in a while either. Time to think about bringing in my feeders and getting them cleaned up, however, Ithought I had read somewhere quite some time ago, not to take them down until mid November. I will still take mine down - they are a mess. Have seen some straggling monarchs as well. Years ago, one of the most beatiful things I had seen was an old corn field that had not been planted out that summer, was full of monarch butterflies. Apparently they were all gathering there to start their journey. I will never forget it -

Outlaw - I love that little spotted guy. I don't think I have ever seen one of those before, have you?


This little guy was taken back in early August....

OH81, I've seen the same moth's caterpillar down South too, but not so lucky to witness the beautiful spotted fella like Carolyn has mention myself. ^_^ for the reason that the majority of moths are more active at night -- and I seldom outdoor late. But when I do, I caught eyes on beautiful moths such as the Polyphemus moth -- a BIG beautiful moth in the garden, and that was a treat! Carolyn, hummers are gone here too. I will try to maintain at least one nectar feeder out there for 'late arrivals' AEB by report from neighboring states (such as yours) that they're still working their way South.

Kim

do you know where the hummers go to overwinter? Something I have been wondering about.

Do I? Nope, lol I read that they winter in Mexico. Yes that far! Carolyn. Please come and join us birders/ enthusiasts on the birding forum. I've learned so much from the active forums there.

This thread is getting very long for dial-up. Unless dial up is a thing of the past anymore? Please come and join us here http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1223397/

Hi ladies, did you see monarch article in Dave's newsletter this week. Guess they do go to Mexico. I got my grandaughters 'pillar cage and watched themonarch transformation process firsthand - it was totally awesome. The cocoon is a beautiful lime color with a golden ring at the top. Once the monarch hatched it took 3-4 hours for the wings to dry (they do this upside down). Then a while to get "sea legs". My monarch was crawling up my sleeve and onto my head before "she" finally took off at dusk. I worried about the timing - dark.

I posted a story and picture before on Sept 28 of the one that hatched but now look................these monarchs (now cocoons) will probably not hatch before it's too cold in MN to survive outside. Is it against some postal law to send them somewhere warm before they hatch? The picture is hard to see inside the cage, but they are in upper left hand corner. Thought it was neat they cocoonned so close together. Maybe siblings for were same size.

Vonnie