So that's where everyone went to. It's like a double thread. Keith your containers are gorgeous. Is that dahlia Moonshine? My dahlias haven't opened yet.
What\'s Blooming 4
If you are talking the Dahlia in the tall orange profit is Sunshine. The leaves are near black. I am probably ahead of you because mine get a good start in the greenhouse. Chances are with the warmer zone you don't need to use a greenhouse????
No greenhouse for dahlias but they do get dug up and stored. I guess Sunshine is a shorter version of the original Moonshine. My dahlias are budded but they can take forever to open. I've been growing them for years so I have a ton of them in pots. Most of them will be from my seedling which I call Sunset. I used to have Moonshine.
The second dahlia pic is another seedling. It has overwintered in the ground for many years at my brother's house. It grows close to the foundation of the house and the masonry stairs and that seems to do the trick. It's zone 6.
Your garden looks so great, Keith! I can't imagine having everything look so perfect! It must be immensely satisfying at the end of the day to put your feet up and look around. Really, really beautiful!!
Loretta, I'm a little relieved that you hadn't discovered a hardy hymenocallis I somehow overlooked! I've always really like hymenocallis and thought about overwintering one in the garage, but I've never been very good at overwintering bulbs in the garage (I haven't done well with overwintering calla lily, brugmansia, zephyranthes, etc). I do better with semi-tender woodies in the garage.
Loretta, are those Oriental Lilies? Usually the spotted and fragrant ones are Oreintals. I especially like the one with the yellow stripes, beautiful. I find Oriental Lilies don't do well here. Asiatics do great but Orientals don't make it very well around here.
I have a glad that has come back prolifically for years and re-seeds a lot.
Wee, very hot here although last week was worse. No rain.
Deer ate the daylily blooms this year. Usually, we can discourage the deer but this year the blooms were way early and we didn't notice the deer were eating them.
Deer also ate the neighbor's green tomatoes and tomato plants.
Keith, I have the Flilipendula Flore Plena. It's one of the easiest plants I own.
Your gardens look really nice. Gosh, do you have a day job? A hired gardener?
They look immaculate.
Birder, google says they are oriental lilies but truthfully, I don't keep track of lily types. The lilies escaped being eaten. They seem to get attacked right after I plant them but then they are good except from lily beetles.
Keith, do you install the gardens yourself? They are immaculate.
Birder: I have been retired for just over 2 1/2 years. These are the glory years as I am retired but my wife is not yet. However she has been infringing on my space since the beginning of July and will continue until mid September. She gets a layoff at this time every year. Outside of that I am free to indulge in my passion 24/7. However right now there are days that she gets to plan the day like today was blueberry picking. Actually I shouldnt complain because when i was working and she got this time off, even though she really is not a gardener she did a lot of weeding and watering for me. We are on a well so we cant water the lawn or beds and I havent ever counted but probably have 40-50 containers that need to be watered by hand and are spread over a pretty large area. I have a 250 and a 100 gallon rain barrel collecting water from the house and another 100 gallon at the woodshed. The last couple years we rarely use up the water from the barrels but in drier years we refill them with well water to warm it before watering
Loretta: Yes I design and plant everything. We bought this 40 acre untouched blank pallet in 1976, cleared the lot and built a garage in 1977. We lived in the garage for a year and built the house in 1978 so the gardening probably began in 1979. We can actually tell our oldest daughter that she was conceived in the garage. You guys are all gardeners so you know how it works. You try something and it doesn't work so good so you do it over a few times until hopefully you get it right. Since 1979 there has been a lot of adding, changing, hauling rock and soil and digging and removing stumps etc.
And yes Wee it feels really good inside when you look back at the end of the day and smell the roses so to speak.
Keith
Prunotto lily and full view of Queen of the Prairie
All 3 lilies now in bloom
Beautiful blooms and photos you guys. A lot of those plants have been on my wish list, I'm feeling just a wee bit jealous but a whole lot proud...boy you gardeners rock!
I should take a page out of your book, Keith. My problem is I want to grow everything and I hate to pull anything out. I do, sometimes, but not nearly enough.
Loretta, I have been the same way about pulling flowers. Not so anymore. My plants were so tangled and competing for the little dirt space left. I dug up gobs of plants for our Spring MG plant sale. Now my beds look more under control. Please note, "more" under control. :)
And after all that work, it won't last long. At the moment, my new area has been over run by tomatoes of all things. I figure, they have about a month and then I will rip them all out and continue to plant the area before frost.
Solidago.
Very nice. That's starting to bloom around here too. I guess your catching up to us.
Hello - "What's Blooming 4". Since my subscription had not ran out and I'm just now finding all of these WONDERFUL people & posts that I used to look for almost daily - WOW - you never cease to amaze me. Such beauty, great ideas and creative minds.
I stumbled my way to getting here and read my way though. For those in zone 6ish - How's this day for a wonderful weather day? If only we could hold on to upper 70 temps most of the summer - we could probably really shine like Oxdrift. Hats off to you Oxdrift - it's beautiful there! As for me, I still the busy gardener here in Southern Illinois. Here is some of what's happening in my neck of the woods: #1 My Queen of the Prairie is setting seeds and I don't have near the flowers as there in Canada hint hint, but I have. It has been a bit of a struggle, but at least it is still Queen of the Prairie alive. #2 Queen of the Prairie are the soft pink puffs to the back of photo. #3 I tried something different on my verticle arbs this year - this is white Hyacinth bean - which I find to be way spiker than the purple. #4 The Japanese Beetles were not as tough on my white hybiscus this year. #5 I finally managed to get another perennial sweet pea (from seed) - It took long enough (2 or 3 yrs of trial & error). Soon another one of my Newbies will bloom - I have tried the soft yellow cosmo and I see I have a few buds. Has anyone else tried the soft yellow cosmo?
I admire all your gardens/flowers/posts.
Hi Brenda,
I have missed you and your wonderful pictures! Where have you been? :)
I have never tried to grow perennial sweet pea as I read on this website years ago that it was invasive.
Your hibiscus is beautiful. I have the native one with the red eye.
Not sure whether I like the spikey white hyacinth bean or not. It wasn't what I was expecting. Do you like it as well as the purple one?
Glad you are back posting.
Thank you birder - good to be missed and I always like a good comment on my pictures. Dave's Garden site does not seem the same so I have been very lax until my zinnias really got blooming - then I went looking for ZM the hybridizer with all the knowledge. Now I am having to learn to maneuver the site again - difficult. I've had the perennial sweet pea before and split it up and killed it and it was never an invasive issue. Mine before did not put on the pea pods - this one has?? So that could be the invasive part - I'll see. Speaking of invasive - I have spearmint around a big pond and I always enjoy mowing through the mint here and there because of the release of fragrance. Well I think I created a monster with the mint. It has plugged up the area where I used as a crossing and it will not allow the water to pass through freely - not-a-good. Any suggestions???? Yes, I like that hibiscus. I, too have the red dot one and recently took one to a District Garden Club of Illinois show and it managed to win two ribbons. I have a picture, but it is the second day of bloom and it is a tad droopy -see below. Oh yes, I like the spiky white of the white hyacinth bean. I've used it in a couple of bouquets and it is good for a couple days. It would really be good trellised in a moon garden. I like the white better than the purple. Birder - I happened onto a MG plant sale way earlier this year at Cape - was that the one you were at? It was sure fun. Good to chat.
Hi Brenda,
Really good to hear from you again. We haven't really participated much on the same thread other than the site updates thread back wgen j was trying to collect my first photo contest winnings. I know the people on this thread have definitely missed your posts. I didn't even knows there was such a thing as a white hyacinth been
Keith
Lovely picture of your hibiscus.
Yes, that was my MG putting on the sale. I wish you would have introduced yourself to me. I was the one in the corner with the perennials.
Boy, I don't know about the mint. Round-Up would probably knock it back a little bit. You would have to be consistent. Maybe others will have ideas.
You could post on invasive plants forum. I'm sure the fragrance was wonderful. I grow mint in an urn way off of the ground.:) I like it in tea. So good.
Keith - Thanks and I hope you managed to collect those first photo contest winnings?
Birder - Thank you and as for the MG Sale I remember buying some lemon balm and sampling lemon balm bars there close to the corner from a sweetheart of a lady that had herbs and I remember another vendor (maybe you) in that same corner area . If it was you in that corner, you were busy with other people. My hubby was driving and spotted the MG Plant Sale Sign and I was so happy that it was the right day. Nice place there in the bldg. I don't even remember what all I bought - but it was a TREAT to be at the right place at the right time. Is this MG sale every year at a certain date? It would be nice to mark my calendar for 2018. One year I went to a MG plant sale in Paducah, Ky, too. SMALL WORLD!!
My pond culture project, below, started out with all my optimism, then it soon died. I guess if we don't try, we never will have a success. I tried floating several different plants just to see if something would work - no! Now I get to go collect all my pieces of floating insulation. Then here are some more of my garden art projects this year.
Hey Brenda, it's good to see you back posting! I always love your pictures. I do like the white hyacinth bean. I didn't like mine but I didn't get nice long racemes like you did. Make sure you want the perennial pea because it is about impossible to get rid of it. As for your mint, I've killed it accidentally in the past by covering it with plastic. Well really a plastic cover blew over it. I don't think it took that long either. Drought also kills it off. I like your purple finials with the culver's root.
So I just came back from Vail, CO for a wedding and decided I didn't want to carry my large camera around. Was that a mistake. My hotel was adjacent to the Betty Ford Alpine Garden and there were gardens EVERYWHERE! It was hard to believe how everything was blooming at the same time like columbine and coneflowers! That would not happen here. And they plant it all! If you ever get a chance, go see. Sorry no pictures! There was an early yellow monkshood in full bloom - I think it was Aconitum lamarckii.
Yes - Hello Loretta - How interesting you adventure in the garden at Vail. WOW!! I think I would have had to go out and buy a camera or just make that my home. Those plants you mentioned like the cool - which we do not have during the summer. Though I'm trying to imagine coneflowers with columbine - pretty no doubt. Thanks for the tidbit on mint - I have some old tarps folded up in the garage - may have to give that a try. It is a mess - growing among cattails. Also, thanks for the pea pod info - I may have to go pick peas and take them to an old fencerow somewhere where they could be more welcome if they get carried away.
That was a fun thing with the purple finials - they are actually glass finials that had discolored over time so I purpled them with a little spray paint (like new again). Hope you enjoyed the wedding.
I've picked 4 buckets of tomatoes this morn and now it is tomato canning for a couple hours. Then maybe I'll go check out my zinnias.
Nice healthy looking zinnias Brenda
Brenda, such pretty pictures. I can tell you are really creative. I don't have that much creativity. I just grow flowers! :) I wish I were more creative. I'm sure I have stuff laying around that could be used somehow, but I can't ever figure out how. :(
Regarding the plant sale. Yes, we have it every year but the date changes slightly. I've tried to get the group to commit to the same Saturday every year, but they don't listen to me. :( Oh well. Anyway, I could let you know when the next plant sale will be. We also have a Native Garden Awareness type program the month before: usually in March. Then, Plant Sale is usually in April. One is more educational, however, it is all about Native.
I like Native, but my little yard won't hold a lot of native. Native can get out of hand fairly quick. I do have quite a bit of native stuff as it's tough and doesn't require much from me.
We are having lovely weather right now. I can't get out like I'd like as my house has been upset. We had carpet laid and I had to take everything out of the closets etc. So, there's stuff strewn all over the place. This has been going on for three weeks. I'm starting to get the stuff put back away. As I go, I have been doing a lot of deep house cleaning. Plus, I'm having company in a week. So, I'm trying to feed my birds, keep the weeds at bay, put stuff away and clean, and make some dishes to freeze ahead of time. I'm pretty tired right now. So, I'm giving it a rest.
Hey. Thanks for listening to my rant! :) Off topic I know.
1. Purple coneflower
2-5. Went up on the roof today and took things from a different perspective. BIRD'S EYE view
Thank you Keith. Your different perspective on pictures makes your garden look more like a botanical garden than ever. Just beautiful from every angle. I'm curious - are weeds an issue there at all?? I see nar a WEED. Your gardens look so pristine. I cheat a little and try not to show my weedy areas when I'm taking photo's. Too, that is an awesome veggie garden. How about raccoons - any raccoons there to help harvest the corn or moose or deer? I see no fence. Most of the people around here that want to grow corn have to fence their garden area. My hubby keeps talking about fencing ours, but to me that means more weeding around the fence. I'll just buy an ear or two of corn now and again. We do have loads of tomatoes this year - a good thing. It looks like you were pretty close to the edge of the roof - as I saw your shadow.
Birder - Yes, if you can remember to - let me know when the next MG plant sale is. I would probably be up for the adventure. When the company gets there - take time to kick back and relax and enjoy. We sure don't want you to stress out in the mean time. Wish I was getting new carpet - but I'm like you with all my collectibles (hum). It takes company coming to really motivate a person to get a few things done - I can attest to that. Remember - enjoy!
Brenda; Believe me we have weeds. They are a bit out of control right now as my wife is off until mid September and I am not allowed to garden all the time when she is off, hahà. We have no raccoons but lots of deer. I refuse to use fences. I can't handle the ugliness. I spend a lot of money on Bobbex. I buy the concentrate and mix my own to save a bit. I also use blood meal between the rows where I can't spread the edible leaves like beets, Swiss chard etc
Fantastic BIRD'S EYE view Keith. Impressive!
Thanks Robin. Nice to see you popping in once in a while
By now most of the hostas are exhausted but these ones in the Japanese garden are still going strong
Keith, Absolutely Beautiful! I agree with Brenda, it looks like a botanic garden. And to think, you do it by yourSELF! Unbelievable. I try to keep the weeds at bay, but really, I can find a weed anywhere - anytime if I look!
Yes, there's nothing like company to get jobs done that's been sitting around forever! :) I'm going through bunches of stuff and tossing stuff and putting it in boxes for a garage sale latter.
Keith - Such healthy leaves on those hostas. I don't think you would find that healthy of leaves on any hostas in this area - this time of year.
A few more pictures of my garden areas.
As for the 4 o'clocks - well I went out of my way to purchase "Tea Time" 4 o'clock seed because they were said to be fragrant. I really enjoy fragrance in the garden.
Well I have had 4 o'clocks of sorts for several years and I have yet to get a whiff of their fragrance. Anyone have any thought on the fragrant 4 o'clocks? Is there a frangrant one or no. Last year I planted white ones that were sold to me as fragrant - NOT. ??? Confused.
Keith, it's like it is eternally May in your garden. So plush and green and nothing overgrown!
Brenda, I love the grass and what is that, heliopsis? combo. Perfect! I can't say I've ever grown 4 O'clocks so I can't say anything about fragrance. Did you try smelling them at night?
Thank you all. I'm also curious what all the yellow is in your photos Brenda. Can't help with the "scent" dilemma. My old sniffer doesn't work so good. Must be some reason for having a name like 4 o'clock. Is that a clue. Maybe they send off a whiff at 4? Haha
I had a meeting at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum yesterday and took a few shots.
1. I thought this was an interesting combo, Eupatorium with hosta. I'm not really sure what the tall white stems are, they looked like a white Joe Pye Weed but it was getting too dark to find tags and I really didn't look close.
2. Down the border, they had Annebelle Hydrangea. Pretend you don't see the orange day lily peaking through. Can't imagine that was on purpose.
3. Not sure which hydrangea this one is.
4. Hydrangea Silver Dollar
5. Tansy and Golden Rod combo
1,2. I'm guessing this grass is Panicum virgatum 'Northwind', no tag. Interesting structure, I thought.
3. Echinacea 'Green Jewel'
4. Justica carnea with coleus and euphorbia.
Thanks for sharing those Loretta. I really like the goldenrod and Tandy combo and that grass appears to be very well behaved. I have Karl Forrester grass and it behaves very well. It stays in very tidy clumps and can take a real beating from wind and bounces right back
This is my Karl Forrester grass in fall colour last September
Loretta - the Joe Pye & Annabelle - I like that combo. Thanks for sharing your aboretum pictures. I should Google and see if there is a white Joe Pye - very interesting.
As per the 4 o'clocks - that is when the open each day 4 o'clock. Maybe the open and frangrant the air at that time - I so go check out for fragrance then. HUM!
The yellow bloomer you asked about is Rudbeckia laciniata 'Hortensia' and here are a couple more pictures. I really enjoy this plant and it is one tough perennial though it takes a lot of space being so tall. It edges out, but I don't consider it invasive. When it blooms it looks really pretty until it rains, then it gets heavy headed as in photo #2. I usually end up taking the loopers to it after the finale.
The Karl Forrester Grass is one of my favorites - and it looks specially good with the fall mums - Keith. I seem to keep mine moved around and have not found just the right combo - yet.
