A Morning Look at the Garden

Lately there has been little time to spend in the garden.  What time has been available has been spent watering drought thirsty plants.  This morning I took some time to observe my garden in anticipation of having an entire day tomorrow to spend caring for my favorite place to be.

The crinum 'Ellen Bosanquet' has sent up a scape of beautiful pink flowers.  There are three of these planted at the foot of the Raja Puri banana tree.  (Note for tomorrow:  The bamboo could use a little trim to keep it from covering up the banana tree.)
 

Oh my goodness!  There are bananas!  These are the first bananas ever at My Garden Path! 

A quick walk over to the circular path around the oak tree allows for a beautiful view of morning sunlight shining through all the colorful foliage of coleus and caladiums.

This is a really tropical looking spot along the path.  The pinecone gingers have grown quite tall and are already forming pinecones. 

Over in a sunny area the white guara is putting on quite a show.  I've never seen it so thick before.  Usually it is quite spindly and thin.  I like this new look.

Little green bees with loaded pollen pockets are enjoying the guara too.  This morning there are many of them and some honey bees too enjoying all the flowers.

One of my favorite things about walking through the garden in the morning is the way the slanting eastern light backlights the normally dark, shady corner. 

I'm looking forward to spending tomorrow outside for the day.  There is much tidying to be done and fertilizing with fish emulsion and compost.  The roses need their monthly Mills Magic application.  A passing rain shower would be a nice occurrence. 

Whatever your weekend plans may be, I hope they include some time in your garden. 

A Monday Morning Meander

After a Thanksgiving holiday weekend full of family and food, this Monday morning brings a feeling of contentment.  A quiet peace flows through the shady gardens in the front yard and a meandering walk through them satisfies the heart.

There are plenty of blooms but they are not the exuberant blossoms of spring and summer with their hot colors.  These flowers are soft pinks and purples giving rest to the eyes.

The hallmark of any shade garden is the variety of textures, shapes and hues of green.  There is no sense of hurry here.

An unknown nidularium bloom reflects the pinky purple of the baby Queen Emma crinum which was recently gifted to this garden by a gardening friend.

In the springtime the light pink blooms of these azaleas will blend perfectly in the new front entry-way bed.  Until then, their green leaves make a perfect backdrop for my favorite cranberry pentas. 

A lazy bumble bee reflects the mood of the morning as he drifts from flower to flower.

The white bench at the top of the driveway provides a perfect spot for enjoying another cup of morning coffee.  It is situated between pots of  rabbit foot fern and  angel wing begonia.  While sitting here and observing the front planting beds it is easy to dream of changes and additions for the future. 

The pathway between mature formosa azaleas could use a focal point to draw the eye to the the base of the oaks at the other end.  Perhaps a colorful bromeliad grouping or a variegated cast-iron plant would be the perfect thing.  No hurry, plenty of time to let this idea develop.

Thanks for meandering with me through My Garden Path this Monday morning. 

New Blooms for My Garden

This sweet, simple white rose, White Out, was gifted to me for Mother's Day.  At the time, she had not one bud on her.  Lately though, she has been blooming away.

This was a small plant but she is growing well and I'm enjoying her very much.

This crinum bloomed just a week ago!  I love this color.  I was out weeding and edging when I noticed these blooms  and took a quick picture.  Good thing I did.  On my next walk past them I noticed the stem with the blooms was lying on the ground.  Curious, I walked over for a better look.  A big Lubber grasshopper was chomping down on the stalk!  EEEK!  I didn't stop to snap a picture, I just shovel whomped him .  I picked up the stalk of blooms and brought it into the house to put in a bud vase.  At least I was able to enjoy them for a few more days.  I HATE those grasshoppers and this year I am overrun with them.  

The grasshoppers haven't bothered my Regina walking iris though.  I purchased this in the early spring when I read that this plant is cold hardy.  I have two other types of walking iris that did well coming through our January deep freeze, so I was happy to add another.  Regina has a larger bloom than the others and a beautiful purple color.  She seems happy in my dappled shade. 

When It Rains....It Pours!

Obviously I need a bigger rain gauge.

Four inches of rain fell on My Garden Path between 2PM Sunday and 11AM Monday. 

The back yard is very low and has always held water at the bottom of the slope.  An attempt to make this area into a bog garden was begun last summer. 

Sedge, Cyperus involucratus, Papyrus, Cyperus papyrus, and Soft Rush, Juncus effusus, were planted here to help keep the soil in place.  A Crinum americanum was also planted in anticipation of flooding.  The water stands here for as long as 3-5 days and then will disappear.  Definitely a problem area.  This is the earliest flooding ever experienced for the bog.  Usually it is mid-June after repeated rains that the water stands like this.  The water table must be very high already for this one rain event to cause such a big puddle.

The Leather Leaf Fern, Rumohra adiantiformis, loved getting the rain and began putting up new fiddleheads.

The Resurrection Fern, Polypodium polypodioides, is showing it's loveliness on several of the oaks since the significant rainfall. 

I can almost hear the mosquitoes buzzing.....

They Made It!

I know that whining about the big freeze has been very much overdone at My Garden Path, so today I declare that I am officially over it. 

Clockwise from Top Left - Fig, Firespike, Butterfly Ginger, Papyrus, Crinum, Ice Cream Banana

Many of the plants I thought were never to be seen again have begun to push through the oak leaf mulch.  Soon they will back better than ever just as they were last spring.

Clockwise from Top Left Ending in the Middle - Cat's Whisker, Penta, Canna, Tibouchina, Passion Vine, Grand NainxSumatrana Banana, Butterfly Cassia


The list of plants not showing signs of life is very short:  a few Hibiscus, Firebush, Pseuderanthemum, Clerodendrum.  By the end of March if they haven't woken up they will be replaced with other more cold hardy specimens.  The only one I will really miss is the Firebush, so I may get another of those for the hummingbirds.


At last, I'm able to go out into the garden and see life and growth!