Filled

Even after I added the colorful “designer” coleus to my hanging basket, it still had gaps. I wanted more petunias but they’ve been hard to find this time of the summer since they get too leggy to sell. I was pleased to find a small pot of fragrant deep purple petunias at a big box garden center (yes, I like to “shop local” but the workers at the chains are local too). I turns out that they’re “mounding” petunias so they’ll keep the middle ground filled. I’m pleased. I’m glad I got them transplanted before the rain poured. We and our thirsty ground thank you Lord!

Color-full

Though my petunias surprised me with a comeback this spring, there was still a gap between them and the yellow-green sweet potato vine; I like full and flowing hanging baskets and this one wasn’t there yet. I added a magenta Superbells petunia but that didn’t do it; it even stopped blooming shortly after I brought it home. I looked around the local greenhouse last Saturday for some beautiful full flower to complete my composition—coupons “in hand”. What I found was this cool “designer” coleus with feathery leaves in bright fuchsia edged with yellow-green. I want some branches to trail but I’m pinching back others to make it fuller. Another plus of this “designer” coleus is that it can take full sun as well as shade. These types can be expensive so I was glad to have my coupons!

Combo

When I saw that the local garden center still had some Parrot Leaf plants left, I bought another—after all, I had requested them a couple years ago. As it turns out, it brightens the too-sweet-pink Fuchsia. Though the Fuchsia isn’t as colorful as I had hoped (you may have noticed that color is a BIG deal to me) the differently shaped flowers add a new interest to the garden. It’s been too hot—so far the hottest summer EVER, to spend much time in the garden though I have actually enjoyed a little morning heat. Thankfully, I can enjoy my garden through a window.

Hot & Cool

Last weekend, we got up early to beat the heat and take my coupons to the local greenhouse; the garden had a couple of open spaces that needed filling. My intent was to buy some of their small, brilliantly colored pots but someone else apparently had the same idea first so I looked once again to the flowers and foliage for color. I found something I had never seen before, a fringed, magenta/orange (together as though pooled in watercolor) coneflower! It looks like a Gerbera Daisy but the petals bend down in coneflower style. It was so cool, I couldn’t pass up the Hot Papaya Echinacea! Today, I repotted it to give it room to grow; as a perennial it should be around for a long time. The colors and shape go perfectly with my purple Angel Face Angelonia, red, orange and yellow-green Tropicana Cana and purple-leaved Persian Shield. As for the plain terra cotta pots? I may just pull out my paint brushes and paint them myself. The more color, the merrier.

New Avenues for Growth

It’s 108 degrees outside and will likely get hotter. And to think that we had night-time temperatures in the 50’s earlier in the week! That’s the great thing about living in the Southern Piedmont region; June almost always holds a “cold snap” (except in last year’s brutal heat). My “rooster plant” is maturing nicely and is sprouting branches along its “trunk”. The red hibiscus not only survived the cut (pruning) but as hoped, is branching out in new directions. More branches equal more flowers!

Thirst

Today is such a beautiful day! In fact, the weather is perfect; I could stay outdoors all day but I just might fall asleep. The rudbeckias and alternanthera (parrot leaf) are much happier now in their larger containers that hold more water. When I leave plants in the plastic pots they came in they usually don’t fare too well. The mild weather will help them adapt more quickly; though the strong, dry breeze feels really good to me, I’ll probably have to water some of the new plants again this afternoon as it will dry them out more quickly.

Deeper Color

The fertilizer seems to be doing its work with the Angelonias; both are producing more buds and the flowers that have recently opened seem to be deeper purple though nothing else seems to have responded yet.

Elbow Room

My beautiful red-violet dahlia is blooming again. This time I did nip the additional buds on its stem since they were so small. So far, I don’t think the flower that did bloom is any larger than when I left the other buds intact. Will it grow larger yet? Maybe so, maybe not—we’ll just have to wait and see (a favorite line from the curriculum of the ESL class my husband and I taught).

Bad Air Day

With an ozone alert today I couldn’t spend much time gardening but I could bring in some cut flowers for a little bouquet. The purple asters that came in a bouquet I bought at a gourmet grocery had to leave their main stem behind when I changed their water today. Changing flower water daily extends the life of flowers and prevents “bad air” indoors. So to the relocated asters, I added one of my “Becky” rudbeckia flowers, a stem of magenta and white Sweet Williams and some swirling, trailing lettuce flowers. For “greenery” I added some ferny yarrow leaves, leaves from a deep magenta shade plant whose name I didn’t catch and flat-leaved parsley. Oh yes, I cut a peppermint bloom to add to the mix. Using all kinds of things from the garden makes a bouquet more interesting.

Basil My Way

When I couldn’t readily find organic basil plants, I planted my own organic seeds (that I happily came across at a big box store); now they’re up and growing well! I suppose I can move the “garden sculptures” back into their places throughout the garden since the seeds are now no longer potential bird food. I’m not yet seeing any bursts of growth from last week’s fertilizer application. Gardening requires—and builds patience. My computer is acting up so if you don’t see any posts—pray for it to work again. Don’t give up on me, Lord willing, I’ll be back soon.