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The photo above is Chrysanthemum ‘Frosty Jeanette’ and she’s been returning to our garden for three years now. I purchased them for seven cents a pot at the end of the growing season and they’ve always performed very well for us. Though this one looks haggard, they usually produce bold huge displays and the Gulf Fritillaries seem to love them.
Well this year I noticed the plant in the southern most section of the side bed is displaying two colors. Half of the plant is now a pinkish purple. It was really a pleasant surprise to discover.
Admittedly this is not the best photo; I posted it for the purposes of showing the plant and the two colors. I’m really curious to see what color returns next year. Has this ever happened to you before? I wonder if Schnauzer water has anything to do with it... Hmmm. Okay, Every one have a good week. I'm off to see my Reiki therapist this afternoon for some much need attunement. I'm so excited, I'm way over due for some relaxation.
Well,
These are probably the final “wide shots” of the garden for this season. Things are winding down and slowly the blooms are disappearing. In the background to the left you can just see a curly willow we planted two years ago. It’s already about 20 feet tall with a trunk about 8 inches in diameter. I’ve never seen a tree grow so fast.
It’s nice to see how much size the Crepe Myrtles have put on this year as well. We plated 8 of these trees in the garden in various sizes. They’re spaced so the canopies should slightly overlap forming a small canopy for us to stroll under. Our plan is to keep them limbed up so they provide nice gateway for us to pass through. Three of them are going to be a slight nuisance until they reach maturity, but the two in this photo or behaving just as expected.
The butterflies and bumble bees continue to flock to what is left of the blooms in the butterfly garden. They are most certainly welcome guest. Jamie and I are already planning a few changes for next year, but for the most part our gardening will be over for this season. All that will be left is cleaning up as it goes to sleep and maybe popping in a plant or two hear and there. That is, if we find something we just simply can not live with our.
In a final note, does anyone have any suggestions on what to get to control Iris borers?
What is this strange flower I found blooming in the garden? I believe it’s a carnivorous schnauzer bloom. It usually sprouts up under the Mexican Bush Sage and can be found munching on unsuspecting bumblebees and random pieces of mulch in the back part of the garden.
We got outside and cleaned up in the garden some this past weekend and I can’t believe how much better it looks. It’s amazing how much difference mowing the lawn and picking up debris can make in the appearance. The lawn is COMPLETELY devoid of any color or life.
Jamie and I both have not felt very well the past week or two. Our energy levels have been nonexistent I blame it on allergies. My nose is constantly stopped up and my eyes have been burning like someone threw sand in them. The goldenrods are in full bloom and the farmers are also baling cotton right now so the air is filled with allergens. Once I got outside and got going on the grass cutting I started to feel much better.
We didn’t kill ourselves trying to get everything done in one day. We just tidied up here and there and I was so pleased with the way everything looked when we were done. I really enjoyed getting out and walking around the grass paths later that evening looking at everything. I try not to walk on them too much because the grass is literally breaking off at ground level and I’m seeing a lot of dirt where there was once grass. I hope it grows back fast next spring.
Despite all the climate has done to it this past summer our little garden still rewards us with blooms. I have a sneaking suspicion winter will be coming early this year. It will only be a short matter of time and the garden will fall asleep for some much needed rest.
Wow! What a summer… Where have Randy and Jamie been? Trying to get our lives back together and I am happy to report everything is going great. Sometimes things just have to take priority over blogging and that’s what has been happening the past few weeks, well, the past year actually. We are so thankful to faithful readers that continue to visit us and comment on the scattered post, despite our truancy from blogland. We were just trying to do too much at one time in our lives and it all came crashing down on and around us.
Jamie, has been taking time to recuperate from several years of working full time, going to school full time, a full time hobby of body building and managing the demands of every day life. He’s also writing a book. And me, well, I’ve been exploring other little projects and interesting things to do. I’ve always wanted to learn how to make jelly and jams and that’s just what I’ve been doing. I been hunting down fresh fruits to make homemade gifts and so far I’ve been very successful. Jamie and our friends have been enjoying delicious pear, muscadine and pomegranate jelly. I also made some fantastic peach jam from the local peaches. I love all the beautiful colors that jams and jellies produce. Too bad you can’t put them in the window and let the sun shine through them.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but our garden just looks horrible. The heat and lack of rain has just sent everything into early hibernation. The past two months our garden has looked like we were in the last week of October or the first of November. The plants are hanging on and producing blooms, but bless there hearts they all look so tired and ready for rest. Jamie and I haven’t done any work in the garden for weeks now. With the lack of rain there aren’t even any weeds to pull. We’ll most likely get out there this weekend and do a little tidying up. I don’t even remember when the last time was that we cut grass. It’s been dry, dry, dry…
On a positive note, neither Jamie nor I can remember seeing so much wildlife and flying visitors in the garden. Despite its neglected and haggard look, it has been absolutely filled with hundreds and hundreds of butterflies, dragonflies, birds and insects of all shapes and incredible colors. It has been unbelievable; Jamie and I have been in utter amazement and wonder. Tiny jewels of color have filled the air like never before and our back yard has been a source of enchantment for both of us.
