Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Ending the Growing Season


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.

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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.

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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?

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13 comments:

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I love seeing the overall photos of your garden Randy. It looks so inviting and has so many interesting plants. My Crepe Myrtle is more of a shrub. I wonder if it is a different plant than what you grow. Maybe our winters keep them from forming into trees. I love the bark of those southern crepes. I shudder at the thought of iris boreres. The only way I am aware of to get rid of them is to dig up your irises and get rid of all signs of them.

Randy said...

Lisa,
Crepe Myrtles vary in size from three feet to thirty feet. We have varieties that are 8, 10, 15, 20, and 30 feet. I wanted some of the shorter ones that only get 3 feet and then cascade to the ground, but Jamey isn't a big fan of them. Plus, we are running out of room.--Randy

Phillip Oliver said...

It looks good, especially considering the drought we've had. Our garden looks pathetic at the moment.

Barbarapc said...

It's all so beautifully neat and tidy. Mine is a thunder of leaves. Now is a good time to tackle your borers - dig up - hose down tubers and cut out all revolting rotted bits. I'd suggest replanting in a different area if you're able. Good luck.

scottweberpdx said...

Ah yes, time to stop and savor these last few days of beauty before closing out another gardening season...looks lovely!

Antique ART Garden said...

Looks great, I am also going to try to buy less plants for next Spring. I planted 8 crape myrtles in my yard, 3/4ths from the little babies they have all the time in my yard. One I had to take somewhere else, they need lots of water to do best ( in the beginning ). Love them, thanks for the tour, Gina

Southern Lady said...

Your garden looks so inviting. I always enjoy the wide shots that you take. It really shows the hard work that you must put into it! Carla

tina said...

It is as beautiful as always. So glad you have some trees for shade now.

Anonymous said...

It still looks lush and lovely! I can imagine the canopy of crepes providing shade for a pleasant stroll, how delightful. Be careful of the curly willow, it will grow to be a monster quickly. We had to cut the two down that flank the knot garden, they were shading it too much. But I couldn't bear to cut the whole thing down so it resprouts about five feet up the trunk and those stems are used for arrangements.
Frances

Les said...

Winding down? Aren't you in Alabama and shouldn't camellias season be starting soon?

Randy said...

Frances,
When we planted that tree we honestly had no idea just exactly how large it was going to get. Jamie loves it so much we are prepared to accept the consequences of our action. I do wish though, we had planted it about two more feet to the right of where it is now.

Les,
Right now we just have four very small camellias and another that I dug up from my grand mother’s house. Actually I think I’ll tell you more about that one later on in a blog post. You do have a good point though; there is something to look forward to. :-)--Randy

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Your lawn edges still look so nice and crisp? How often do you need to redo them? I meant to do mine this year... well, maybe next year!

Wayne said...

Iris borers. Hate them!
I got them one year on my siberian iris. I mixed up a big bucket of Malathion. and dosed the area good, letting it all soak the plants and ground. I left it for 2 days, then flushed the area with clear water. What wasn't destroyed by the borers, came back and is doing great!