Blooming at the Beach

My Photo of the Day:

Driftwood, Dune Grass & Goldenrod

Apples to Zinnias

Garden Club's event for August was billed as an Apples to Zinnias on Four Acres extravaganza. The apples were awesome and the pears were perfect, including this Asian pear:

My nostalgia for all things fall was heightened by the sight of the beautiful fruit clusters--soon it will be the season of apple picking, pumpkins, apple cider donuts and maybe a horseback ride or color tour through brilliant autumn foliage. I was already in the mood, having just browsed my first issue of Midwest Living (so inexpensive that I could not resist one more magazine subscription). It featured short stories of favorite fall excursions, written by gals, traveling with their pals, accompanied by professionals taking photos. Included was a reference to returning home to make Dutch Apple Pie from an old cookbook that is in almost every Dutch home in West Michigan.

The gardens we visited, developed between groups of trees and connected by woodsy pathways, included, as billed, a little bit of everything, even some darling brussel sprouts. I almost missed the Zinnias on the former chicken farm, now hidden in a suburban location. They were obscured by the beauty of the extensive plots of (hundreds) dahlias--at least 30 named varieties according to the retired super-gardener who takes care of all this without help. The large dahlia blooms definitely were the stars of this garden, and we all took home one beautiful bloom. A single bloom sells for up to two dollars at the local farmer's market.

Yes, men came too, this one not smelling the flowers, but rather, investigating the engineering--a single rod holding the clay pots together.

Ornamental Pepper

My Photo of the Day-a very bright spot in the landscape,

all decked out for fall at the end of August!

Chicken in the Garden---and peacocks!

Not only did I find a teenage chicken in my aunt's vegetable garden this morning, but tonight I had a close encounter with two peahens. I felt like I was back on my childhood farm in the Dakotas.

In case I haven't mentioned it, my aunt has chickens. The spring hatchlings are getting big and restless and occasionally fly the coup, or somehow manage to get over a very tall fence. I did not know how to get the chicken back in the yard so I scooped out a handful of grain and put it where I thought the chicken would find it. Pears on the ground would be a delicious way to wash down the grain in the gullet.

This evening I was at cousin D's. I like to work there sometimes after dinner because there are peacocks in the area and I hear their alarm calls which they sound in the evening, high pitched and haunting, but yet, comfortingly familiar. I assume they are caged most of the time. There are also wild turkeys in the area that wander over off the golf course, so when I saw two dark shapes approaching, I figured it was the turkeys. The birds came alarming close--I think I was attacked once as a child by a domestic turkey. I had a a brief reactionary moment, but quickly recognized them as friendly peahens. I wanted so much to toss them a piece of Mom's chocolate cake, which our peacocks back in the 50's and 60's loved. All I could find was a cherry tomato. They took one peck and walked away, even when I squished one open.

I didn't have my camera with me today and could not document this encounter.

A peacock spreading his gorgeous tail feathers would be a lovely addition to any garden, but two gray peahens and a squawky white chicken, not so much.

I used to do a good imitation of the peacock's call and was challenged to do so once in the late 80's while riding in a limo in the streets of downtown Chicago after a Blackhawks game. I stuck my head out the sun roof of the stretch and screamed out the notes of the call. I think it goes high g, a, f--but perhaps I am remembering wrong!

Sedum on the Rocks

My Photo of the Day:

Sedum - Munstead Peaches and Cream? or Strawberries n' Cream???

Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

If the heat has kept you out of the garden lately, you might be staring at a lot of dead heads. Yesterday I was confronted with a huge patch of brown-headed shasta daisies. I snipped about half of them and then gave up, not sure whether my clients even cared. Pulling out the dead stalks on the daylilies is also tedious, but they look so much better and some seem to respond with new foliage. It distresses me to see all the brown stalks around town.

How would you like to deadhead this patch of hostas and daylilies? (It is over 3 times the size shown):

Noticing all the crisping August lawns littered with maple leaves already dropping, I am thrilled with the prospect of some fall weather. The dog days are finally over. I actually opened the deck doors this morning for a little fresh air that did not compete with the air conditioning. AHHH.

Fall is probably my favorite season of the year. I love the freshness and abundant blooms of spring and even the rain, but the dryer cool air of fall is where it's at for me. The color of the trees in Michigan is just a bonus. Spring is for my heart. Fall is for my soul.

But the beginning of fall is over a month away and that old song  from the 60's comes to mind, the first three verses written in 1955 by Pete Seeger and hitting the pop charts in 1961 as recorded by the Kingston Trio:

Where have all the flowers gone?

Long time passing.

It is a simple, repetitive song and I'm not sure what it means, but it was a strummin' good campfire song for years.

I grabbed my camera at Aunt V's house today, determined to find something interesting to photograph. In the back I found that the toad lily had opened--such a bad name for this dainty beauty:

Tricyrtis 'Taipei Silk'

In the front I found the Japanese Anemone just about to open:

By the waterfall pond the Ligularia was blooming:

The white hostas (above) were still in bloom; around the bend I saw that the Rainbow Knock Out Roses planted last year had some new blooms after being ravaged by Japanese Beetles earlier:

Rosa 'Radcor'

Near the back of the berm I found these flowers:

On the back of the berm I spied Joe-Pye Weed and some pink turtlehead:

Eupatorium

Chelone Lyonii ('hot lips'?)

I had to search hard, but was gratified that I could find a spot or two of color in the landscape today.

Leaves of Concrete

Yesterday I went with Aunt V. to a garden club event-- an outdoor (in a garage) class on how to make concrete leaves in a sand and Saran Wrap cast. The materials are simple--I have everything I need except the cement-- a bag of vinyl patch Quikrete. I can find sand, pails, gloves, plastic wrap and things to scrape with and even left over spray paint. I hope to try it soon. I did one small leaf (easier to transport home) that is still drying but I would love to try a larger specimen--rhubarb, butterbur, hosta and more. I took a photo of one of the leaves created by our instructor:

It was 80 + and humid so we all kept drinking lemonade and ice-water to stay hydrated. The two retired husbands who attended helped by making sure the Quikrete mix was the correct consistency (instructions suggested thick brownie mix) and we all tried our hand at forming a (vinyl) leaf. I am hoping to have a successful "reveal" to post soon, if this heat wave ever subsides. The leaves need to cure for a week after they have dried and have been removed from their casting, and then the painting and sealing begins, so it is not an instant rewards project, but I think that this is something I can do. I have always wanted to do my own garden stones, but these are much more natural and can be made into flat stepping stones if desired, or rounded out (mold the sand underneath the leaves to desired shape) to form a bowl or even birdbath basin. We were all excited to go home and get creative.

Our instructor has a large garden/property, but the August blooms were few there as well, except for the baskets and containers. I couldn't help but capture a few more Hibiscus blooms, however, and some cute "jacks" that are on their way to red with no remaining leaves visible.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit "fruit"

Jack-or-Jill-in-the-Pulpit?

My Photo of the Day:

I make no pretenses about my knowledge of native plants or wild flowers, but last week I discovered this clump of berries and had to find out why I had never seen anything like it before. My first thought was "Is this Jack or what?" For years now a few leaves of some transplanted Jack-in-the-Pulpit plants (an herbaceous perennial with many alternate names) have been growing under the trees in the hosta garden at Aunt V's. This year we had several flowering jacks which I photographed for the blog in May.

Well, I have just learned that this plant is unisexual and as it matures it may produce more female than male flowers, and if it is pollinated, will produce these green berries which will ripen to bright red in late summer. I also learned that this is another toxic plant and to harvest the seeds from the ripe berries requires wearing gloves. Also, not that you were even considering it, but do not eat this plant or the corms from which it grows. The oxalic acid will burn your mouth, possibly kill you if you ingest a sufficient quantity, or perhaps just cause infertility. I don't want to bore you with too much detail, but of course, lots more information is readily available with a google search. But yet, an interesting question posed on one site . . .

      Is this Jack or Jill-in-the-Pulpit?

(Apparently under the right circumstances Jill will become Jack again)!

Rudbeckia and More - Return to my "Secret Garden"

Hibiscus with Rudbeckia 'Herbstsonne'

'Herbstsonne' (Autumn Sun)

Rudbeckia 'Denver Daisy'

 

Ligularia

Hibiscus 'Kopper King'

Colorblaze 'Sedona' Coleus

Begonias in a Circle

Yesterday morning was the day that a small weekly crew of volunteers deadheads and weeds at the church garden. I took a photo of the begonias that I hope become ridiculously huge by September. The sprinkling system was out for a week because the lawn people had run over a valve and shut off the system without informing the church, so everything suffered a tad--but the flowers are again looking good and growing in the steamy summer weather.

This is a new design, under that new coral burst crab tree, including a ring of taller begonias of a different variety. Frank gave up on the zinnias that were prominent here last year, as most of them developed powdery mildew, even with treatment of the soil and spraying of the leaves. Next year the partial edging of dusty miller could be extended and the blue salvia (a "river runs through it" concept) could do a partial wrap around the back perimeter of the circle and it would be one (more) awesome maze of beauty. I will get a better picture in subsequent weeks and add it to the post.

Mandevilla trellis in pots

Zinnia & Lantana

Angel's Trumpet

My photo of the day - Brugmansia

Today the trumpets were all blazing on the brugmansia. I thought I would find out a little more about this plant that was overwintered dryly at about 55 degrees and amazingly sprang back with vigorous growth this spring, showing appreciation for all the water and Miracle Gro and tropical weather it has been provided with this summer.

Gardeners familiarly call these plants brugs. I love that! They were named after a Dutch (love that, too) natural history professor named Sebald Justin Brugmans who died in 1819. They are shrubs, native to South America, which can attain a 20-foot height in the right environment. They do best in the ground and protected from hot afternoon sun. (This one is container grown and will never get that tall in Michigan). They come in different colors and varieties with names like Isabella, Tropical Sunset, Dreamsicle and Strawberries and Cream. They sound delicious.

However, the most interesting information is yet to be told. At first, with hasty research, I warned Aunt V that all parts of the plant were toxic (many garden plant parts are--it shares a family name with the tomato and other night shade plants). The truth is, all parts of the plant contain psychoactive properties that if not used judiciously (?) can result in delirium and hallucinations that last for days. It has been used for centuries by shamans, and is known for many delightful special effects, but also has proven to be deadly when used by stupid teenagers and others who have experimented with it and did not know what they were doing. I'm just sayin'. . . you've been warned!

I also read that hummingbirds are attracted to the exotic colorful blooms,  but now I have another curious question--do hummingbirds ever get tripped-out on the brugs?

Primary Colors

Today was the Michigan primary. Voting was in a new location--a church, with a garden!--and I with my camera in my purse.

The area beyond this begonia basket is a shade garden, and the only color was from a few annuals, mostly impatiens. The shady garden was great--green and peaceful--with the usual suspects like hosta, fern and hydrangea; my camera, however, is primarily a color-seeker. Out front the hosta  buds were beginning to open--pure and white. I was seduced.

Also in front were a few more colorful perennials, with some added annual color. Somebody here cares enough to take time with the landscape. That is a good thing! Mixing politics and religion can be a bad thing, but filling in my ballot here today was the most pleasant voting experience I have ever had.

May Peace Prevail On Earth

Ajuga Container Garden - Update

My Garden Photo of the Day: one of the duo of ajuga containers with added coleus and impatiens. It's all blending against the shady side of the brick building, no popping. The ajuga spiller continues to be attractive and problem-free although its growth has slowed. I hope the coleus thriller attains full height of about 2 feet. The impatiens filler was a new one to me, described on the tag as Exotic, with high voltage new colors.

Coleus (Solenostemon) 'The Flume' with Ajuga Reptans 'Black Scallop' and Fusion Heat Coral Exotic Impatiens

        

The Color Purple - in the Vegetable Garden

Eat your colors! we are told--the brighter the better. I don't think purple is the brightest or best, but it surely is an intriguing color in the garden. My aunt likes to grow purple beans. While she was in Chicago last week I pilfered a few meals of purple beans. The blossoms on the beans are also a deeper color than on the green beans:

Well, I ate my colors last week. However, unless you eat the purple beans raw you miss the color--they turn green when cooked!

This red cabbage has been tasted already by a few small creatures. It seems doubtful whether it will still form a head if it looks like this in mid-July.

 I found a most beautiful eggplant in cousin D's garden. It almost has the shape of a dolphin and it really was shiny and almost black. I didn't edit it that much. I rubbed  it up a trifle before the photo!

Solanum esculentum 'Ichiban'

Cousin D. also has lots of basil. How do you use the purple? Purple pesto?

Erica's eggplant looked ready to eat, also. Her first eggplant was a more usual shape.

I can't say that I have ever noticed an eggplant flower before! Of course, it is purple, too.