Thursday, July 5, 2012

Not Much Going On...


'Joan Senior'

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There’s not a whole lot going on in my garden right now as a result of the heat. Blooms are indeed very limited but I snapped a shot of what I could find. :0) We’ve all be talking about how everything is blooming at the wrong time and how odd it all is… Can you believe one of my dogwoods is in full bloom right now? Talk about weird… this has never happened before.

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This is one of two sprigs of milkweed growing in my garden. I really, really hope it makes seeds this year. My garden is usually a happy breeding ground for Monarchs but I haven’t seen any caterpillars in almost 3 years. I was just commenting to Dee at Red Dirt Ramblings about how I would like to increase the number of host plants in my garden. I use to have a HUGE stand of milkweed and now it’s down to practically nothing. I was digging thru old seeds and found a package of pink milkweed from a kind blogger friend that I never planted. I don’t know how I managed to misplace it, but I will happily be scratching a place in the ground to plant it this fall. I think that’s when you are suppose to do it… please correct me if I’m wrong.

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Peegee hydrangea ‘Grandiflora’ is looking prettier this year than it ever has before. I’ve seen these get very large. Mine doesn’t seem to be getting any taller though. I don’t know how you are supposed to limb something up when the trunk gets no taller. Anyway, I’m okay if stay a little short thing it still produces lovely blooms for me.

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16 comments:

  1. I noticed that a lycoris bulb (naked lady) was blooming yesterday. They usually do not bloom until late Aug.

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    1. Phillip,
      This is just craziness! Hey, did you get any rain on the 3rd? We got a little.

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  2. I had great luck with winter sowing milkweeds. Give that a try. I thought the dogwood was jasmine!

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    1. I sure will Tina,
      I just don't need to forget it, that's what my biggest problem is.

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  3. My milkweed ain't what it used to be either, sigh...

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    1. Darla,
      I has so much of it one year I wa pulling it up to get rid of it. I don't know why it just disappeared like it did.

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  4. Randy,
    It looks like there is a gracious plenty going on to me, and all of it absolutely beautiful!!! I am taken back by the blooming Dogwood, amazing. But then again I should not be surprised since it seems you have the magic touch and the plants / garden / landscaping to prove it. Hoping you are have a great weekend. – gary

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    1. Gary,
      I hope the clean up is going good around your place and that you have electricity again. You should post pictures of the progress. Hope all is going well.

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  5. Hi Randy... beautiful photos in your post... very impressive. I've been outside working since 5:30 a.m. getting ready for tomorrow's open gardens... the old arthritis is starting to kick in! You asked about my edging procedures... I do my initial edging with a semicircular human powered "half moon" tool and use that whenever touch-ups are necessary. I try in most cases to leave a 4-5" drop into the bed since grass tends not to grow roots into air. I maintain these edges several times a season with a gas powered McLane edger and am extremely pleased with this machine compared to those I've had in the past. Take care, Larry

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    1. Larry sounds like your beds are set up the same way mine are, thank you for the information. I hope everything goes well in the garden for you today. Take time to enjoy all your hard work. :0)I'm going to look up the edger you are talking about. I just can afford any more loss of width with my paths.

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  6. Randy, thank you so much for the link love. We are all just doing the best we can helping the bees, butterflies and such. My swamp milkweed didn't come back this year. I'm trying an AZ one. It's buried down in the lower garden. I should probably uncover it. You do have beautiful blooms in spite of the heat. What a summer this one and the last have been. Weird. ~~Dee

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    1. You are very welcome, Dee. It seems several people did see much of a return with their milkweed this year. I may do a Round Robin seed swap this year.

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  7. My milkweed is one of the flowers that has bloomed. It has gone to seed pods but not burst open yet. Our weather is giving my garden fits too. It is almost unbearable. Love seeing those lilies bloom. Beautiful.

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  8. I think my favorite milkweed is the one you are showing. I know it is tropical, but plant it every year anyway. Unfortunately my normal source did not grow it this year and I miss it terribly.

    You can easily keep your Hyd. paniculata short by severe pruning in late winter. It is one of the few that bloom on new wood, so it will still bloom next summer whether you prune it or not.

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  9. That big white fluff ball of white takes me to Winter. Ahhh, I needed that fresh coolness on this hot summer day :-)

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  10. Hello Randy ! .. I love your Dogwood .. I have always loved that flower and I have it in a little ground cover native plant .. it takes forever to increase and of course I just had to move it so now it will really take forever !
    Something weird happened to my milkweed .. we call it butterfly weed here .. weed seems to be pretty popular eh ? LOL
    OK .. I am tired ergo the foolish side of me?
    Getting back to my butterfly weed .. it up and died on me .. just half of it, all from the same plant. So I cut it back and gave it a good water hoping the root stays alive for next year .. plus my Canada Lily is slowly browning off and I have no idea what is causing it .. not lack of water , because I baby it .. and not too much babying either .. plants are doing strange things is too right .. and we are all hoping like hell to have some rain tomorrow. It has been so long we are in a dangerous drought ... are the Mayans right ? wink wink
    Joy

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