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. 

Going Bananas

Last spring I purchased my first banana plant while attending a spring plant sale.  The beauty of the red splotched leaves with the burgundy undersides drew me into its spell. 

Grand Nain X Sumatrana is a cross between an ornamental banana and one with very good tasting fruit.  No blooms have appeared on any of my bananas yet so I just content myself with enjoying those tropical leaves.

As I began talking about bananas to all my friends and making banana related posts on various gardening websites, I discovered that there are "banana enablers."  Suddenly, a Dwarf Cavendish showed up in my garden.

The next thing I knew, someone brought me an Ice Cream banana plant.  This plant grew over 8 feet tall in just one season.  Sadly, no blooms on this one either.  I really want to know if it tastes like ice cream.

I went to a garden swap party this April and came home with yet another variety, Raja Puri.  This plant is more cold hardy than the others.  So perhaps I'll get some fruit from this one.  These are all pictures of  the bananas as they currently look.  This January's freeze killed the first three pictured plants to the ground but they have put out lots of pups and have grown just as large as ever, as you can see.  They are just like gingers in coming back from the corm.  I'm hoping to successfully separate some pups so I can pass on the love.  Last year I tried separating some of the pups but I didn't let them get large enough before cutting the connection to the mother plant.  None of the separated pups lived.  Hopefully, I will be successful this time.  I need to "pass it on."

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

Just Before Sunset

When the sun gets low in the western sky, the light cuts across the backyard and glows through the foliage.

The tropical leaves of bananas, cannas, gingers and cyperus are a bright reflection of the sunlight's last rays.

Even the common Purple Queen becomes a translucent beauty in this magic light.

The bog area which is usually pretty non-descript becomes a bright beauty. 

The last shadows play against the back fence and then the day is done.

(Just finished weeding and mulching this area along the back fence and wanted someone to see it before the weeds grew back.)

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!

Total Devastation

Before.

The current state of the area.  So sad.

The gingers and bananas along the back fence are unrecognizable. 

The past two weeks have brought a prolonged freeze to the garden.  So many plants are nothing but brown crispiness or black mush.  It will be a while yet before the damage is understood completely.  Patience.  This new blog will be an opportunity to chronicle the re-growth and re-learning process along My Garden Path.