Goodbye Petunias!

The pink and purple petunias that flowed from windowboxes on my front porch have called it quits. Lasting till Dec. 1--not bad at all. But it's time to clean out the boxes and plant some pansies--or tiny evergreens if I can find them. Or both!

Purple sage is still blooming in the front yard. Three plants with tall spikes. The ice plant still offers a few spikey flowers and one valiant Gaillardia opened up the other day. Oh, almost forgot: one super-strength coneflower is sporting a half-dozen beautiful blooms. The other plants--same variety, same location--long since gave up flowering. But those six orange flowers sure look pretty.

Grass is still green, thank goodness. I do detest that brown stuff.

The Bradford Pear is turning red. The yellow and orange leaves seem to fall quickly, but the red hangs on a while.

The backyard's looking kinda raggy. Really should get out there and rake. Get those pine needles down for mulch. So much to do!

Up north, this would all be covered with snow. So how lucky am I?!

First time bluebird sighting

Spent several hours this morning cleaning up my backyard garden. Glorious golden autumn sunshine kept me warm and cheerful.

I was sitting in the sunroom admiring my space and saw a bird with a blue back fly to the fence. It had a rosy breast and I hoped it was a bluebird. Since I've never, ever seen one in my entire life, I was thrilled.

A few seconds later, a smaller bird joined him on the fence and I hoped it was a female. They sat there companionably for several minutes and I finally thought to get out the binoculars. When the female turned around I saw a small spot of bright blue at the base of her tail.

The male flew off and I got a good look at his blue back. And where did he fly? To the ancient bluebird house that was here when we bought our house and has been nothing but ornamental for three years. He hung onto the hole for a few seconds then disappeared.

Did he go inside to inspect the interior as a possible domicile? Is this bluebird mating season? I am totally bluebird ignorant.

The female flew off into our big pine tree. I lost her in the needles and branches and didn't see the male again.

What a lovely way to top off a pleasant morning in the garden.

Transplanting Daylilies

Yesterday I transplanted nine daylilies from the two-tiered circle in the front yard to the garden under the redbud tree. I love the colors: deep pumpkin, yellows, maroons. I'm not an orange flower person, but the pumpkin shades are so rich I enjoy them.

Then the rains came last night and soaked those plants good! Just what they need.

The weeds have calmed down with cooler temps, but the dollar weed--or is it penny weed?--is still invading the mondo grass. Will get down and pull that out next week.

Ginger lilies are still blooming. Pentas (red) is almost as pretty as it was during summer. I love that plant and will fill the backyard with more next year. It never wilted once in the summer heat.

And my lovely Chaste tree still has one or two blooms!

Georgia

River Birch graces back yard

In August, I saw three river birch in my cousin's back yard and was intrigued by their shaggy bark. I know it won't give a tremendous amount of shade, which I desperately need on the west side of my house, but the tree is too lovely to ban from my backyard. So I added one lovely river birch, easily viewed from the sunroom, near the Seiryu Japanese maple. So pretty.

Chaste trees blooming again!

I read in Southern Living recently that if I clip the spent flowers off a Chaste tree it might encourage a second blooming. So, out I went and clip, clip the old faded blue spires were gone, into the compost pile.

Well, here we are, only a couple weeks later, and my dear Chaste trees are once again boasting beautiful blooms, nearly as many as the first showing. A treat to have such color at the end of July, when we're still in the heat of summer.

If you don't have a Chaste tree, get one! It'll make you happy.
Georgia

Indominitable Dusty Miller

Who knew Dusty Miller could be such a knock-out plant? It over-winters here in Wilmington, at least in my garden. And it flowers! Tight, round yellow flower heads that last a long time--months!

I planted three Dusty Millers behind some red carnations and WOW! What a combination! Red and silver. Very nice. I planted some around a clematis because I know the latter likes cool roots and WOW! DM took over. The clematis managed to climb out and blossom, but it's overwhelmed and I'll need to dig up and transplant the DM to another location, leaving maybe two to block the hot, hot, hot afternoon sun.

Up north, Dusty Miller was so-so in my garden, nothing spectaculer, and I bought some plants here in Wilmington on a whim, because I like the soft, gray, lacy foliage.

Hey! I think it's a staple, providing nice contrast to more vibrant colors. And it's certainly hardy, drought tolerant and willing to dress a garden.

Get some!

Rain! Rain! Rain!

Six and a half inches of blessed wetness fell last night and it's cloudy again today. I hope it stays cloudy and even if more rain doesn't fall our trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals will have a chance to recover from the parching heat and blasting wind that has punished my gardens for several weeks.

Everything is standing up straight and tall, their roots stimulated by the cool, soaking rain.

It was a beautiful thundery night. Flashes of bright light charged the sky. A show of strength and promise from the Gardening Angel.

Thank you!
Georgia