Month: August 2014
The Roots of Plant Snobbery
Recently there have been two excellent posts on the nature of gardeners’ personal plant likes and dislikes, one in The Blooming Garden and the second in Angie’s Garden Diaries. These thought-provoking posts reminded me of a very disappointing experience I had involving impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) and The Wall Street Journal. In March, 2013, I wrote …
Winners and Losers in the Battle of Dry Shade
My back garden raised bed has been something of a permanent work in progress. I was in my Raised Bed Period when I created it. Somewhere, I really can’t remember where, I had read about the virtues of raised beds. Over the next couple of years I created four of them in the garden. Anyway, …
I Need More Lilies
The ‘Casa Blanca’ oriental lilies are blooming in the back garden’s raised bed. I planted them last fall. There used to be ‘Casa Blanca’ in the Driveway Border, but they are no more. Foul play has not been ruled out. Anyhow, these are wonderful lilies. The ivory white petals are rich and luxurious. But it’s …
Blooming Stars of High Summer
With high summer comes a new cast of players in the front garden’s Driveway Border. There are many stars in the border, and it is gratifying to see them strut their stuff. At the far end, anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) comes to center stage. I’ve already written about the virtues of this plant, but let …
Beeing There
There are a lot more bees in our garden this year than last. That does not mean, I realize, that the crisis of bee survival is abating, but it is nice to know that at least our garden provides bees with good foraging. Here’s a little video of the bees on our anise hyssop (Agastache …
Cheerful Giants of the Garden
The Island Bed in the front garden really peaks in high summer. That’s when the cupplant (Silphium perfoliatum) and sweet joe pye weed (Eupatorium purpureum) come into bloom. These friendly giants are Midwest natives and great plants for birds and pollinators. In spring the Island Bed is blue – there is squill (Scilla sibirica) in …
A Royal Photo Shoot
Friday morning there was a Monarch butterfly nectaring on the Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia). It seemed so intent on the Tithonia that I was able to get pretty close and took a picture with my phone. Judy then came out, saw the Monarch, then ran back in for her good camera. I posted my cell …
High Stakes Gardening
Plants with bad posture: can’t stand ’em. Which is a problem in a garden like mine, intended to have an informal, even wild feel to it. Also, I like to grow big plants generally and especially wildflowers accustomed to a lean soil. My soil is fairly rich, the topsoil deep and with lots of organic matter. …
gardeninacity 