Grasses and mostly bad news

I recently learned Chinese silver grass is deemed invasive. I have not noticed it growing beyond its bounds locally - and there is a LOT of it in local landscaping - but that doesn't mean it isn't or won't be a problem.

Intellectually, I am against installing invasive plants in one's yard. BUT I can't help but wonder if my acting ethically makes much difference. This is me making excuses for keeping my silver grass. Any opinions out there?

I did remove my burning bush (or at least, I am still battling it - it's difficult to eliminate). Again, it is a very popular landscape option in theses parts AND I have not noticed it growing in undeveloped lots (unlike ornamental pear). I had an ulterior motive for removing the burning bush, though, as it was crowding the gold mop.

Now that the burning bush is (mostly) gone, the gold mop is beginning to fill out on the south side. If I at least prune back the barberry (ANOTHER INVASIVE) on the east side, the gold mop will be restored to all its glory.

And now I am wondering if dwarf fountain grass, specifically 'Hameln', is invasive. For years, my three plants behaved well. But now they are spreading all over the place. I would like to move it from its current location - it's crowding the cotoneaster - to a stone-mulched bed along one side of the driveway. Worth the effort? I don't know.

And then there are native grasses that are problematic. The northern sea oats spread very easily, and the switch grass flops. The latter problem is of my own making, as there is not enough sunshine in this location by the front porch.

In a sunnier location, the switch grass could look like this grouping at a local city park:

So far, I have not heard anything about hardy pampas grass being invasive. It also tolerates shade fairly well, although it too could probably use more light.

Meanwhile, prairie dropseed is spectacular in its un-spectacular-ness. Is this normal?

The final bad news is that my minimalist approach to dog fencing is not working out. Clio, a.k.a. Big Foot, is not about to be stopped by short ornamental fencing. I obviously need to come up with a better plan.

I'm thinking electric fencing, at least for a while.

The fun stuff

I spent a good part of yesterday weeding while waiting on the underground utility guy to show up (he never did). By midafternoon, I was bushed. By evening I could barely move. My gardening muscles have certainly atrophied over the winter. If my SO was not scheduled to come help me today, I might have laid on the couch watching golf with my eyes closed. But he came and we worked. But it was mostly fun stuff.

One task that definitely took two was installing a Coolaroo sun shade over the pergola. But first I tended to the pergola planters: coir liners, potting soil, and Margarita sweet potato plants (Ipomoea batatas). Last year's effort to grow something that would shade the deck was a big FAIL. I think these vines will work better, but we added the sun shade as insurance.

We noticed the difference the sun shade made almost immediately. Purchased at Costco, it's 7'x13' while my pergola is about 10'x10'. The sun shade fits between the main cross pieces, then hangs over one side, the side the sun will be on later this summer. I'm looking forward to enjoying late afternoon iced tea on the "veranda".

Even though the underground utility guy didn't come to mark the electrical and FIOS, the gas guy did show up on Wednesday, so I was able to plant the black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) and smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) shrubs I purchased earlier this spring.

I didn't take photos, but I also planted two more rattlesnake masters (Eryngium yuccifolium) in this corner of the yard. If I can ever get the creeping charlie under control, I think this area will be real purty someday.

I also didn't take photos of the madder (Rubia tinctoria) plant (the roots are used for dyeing fiber), nor did I document the removal of the yarrow from the native sampler bed on the south side of the house. My SO took one yarrow clump while I transferred the other to a raised bed where it presumably can't wander hither and yon. I moved what I presume to be a 'Husker Red' Penstemon into one of the yarrow holes.

I thought I had killed off all the Husker Red (by accident) a few years ago, but this one popped up in the sampler bed.

I know I said NO NEW BEDS in my last post, but I don't think this one really counts. Leftover lumber had been piled next to the deck, but that was not stopping the iris from trying to spread. We cleared it out and threw down a couple of delineating timbers. I'm not sure what I will do with this area other than reset some of the iris rhizomes come August. Daylilies? Sunflowers?

Elsewhere around the yard, the trees I planted last year are doing well, the Triumph Elm (Ulmus 'Morton Glossy') in the back and a hawthorn (Crataegus viridis 'Winter King') in the front.

I forgot that the hawthorn blooms. Pretty, but also pretty stinky. I don't care for the fragrance.

I need to mind the thorns when I mow around it. Yikes!

The tulip tree has been here since 2009 (?). It looks a little sparse in part because I have not yet lopped off the lower branches that the sparrows killed last year by stripping the bark for their nests. Actually, I blame the blue jays because they would wipe their beaks on the limbs, presumably damaging the tender bark. This spring the sparrows tried to pull off more bark but appeared to be unsuccessful. I also took a hiatus on feeding the birds; the jays can get their whole peanuts somewhere else.

Of greater concern is what I think is a weather crack. I first noticed this last summer. I'm hoping it does not prove to be fatal.

I wish I were better able to capture how bright and shiny the barberry is this year, a nice contrast with the gold mop. There used to be a burning bush where the flamingo is, on the left. You can't tell from this photo, but I cut out one of the barberry too. My hope is the gold mop will fill in the spaces.

I wasn't sure how the hostas would survive the fence installation last year, but I lucked out and two of them are on one side and the rest on the other side are just fine. There is a bit of volunteer rudbeckia growing around the 'Love Pat' on the right. The other hosta is a mystery.

I think this hosta is 'Golden Tiara' and I was afraid it was going to peter out a couple of years ago, the victim of home improvement. I shoveled some homemade compost on it a year (or two?) ago and it looks like it is recovering. I like it because of the small leaves.

There is still more planting to do, and some plant moving, which is almost as much fun as planting. Then it is back to the weeding and mulching.

Inside out(side)

First, the floor is done.



I forgot to take a "before" picture, but basically what was there was neutral wall-to-wall carpeting. My daughter and I were concerned that the fireplace would clash, but decided it is okay. Daughter is also trying to persuade me to get a round table for the room, one about the size of that there card table. I'm seriously weighing that idea.



Meanwhile, I now have an acre of Durastone to mop.

The story with the upside down tomatoes is, one had a broken stem, which is why it looked parched even though it was supposedly well watered. I broke it off completely, stripped the lower leaves, and stuck it into a pot to see if it will take root and recover. I have not had this problem before, but it only makes sense because, even though the plants are upside down, they are trying to grow rightside up.

The heat and humidity have done in some of the bloomers - the clematis by the front door dropped its petals faster than a streaker in January - while forcing others out of their buds.

Dragon's Blood sedum:



It never looks as good as the photos in the catalogs, but it does well in dry conditions.

A red lily of some variety:



This one does not last long once it blooms.

Shasta daisy:



I finally figured out that deadheading this plant severely limits how well it comes back the following year. I thought it regrew from the roots, but actually it reseeds itself.

Some yellow daylily that was part of a collection:



I keep meaning to do something new with all the different lilies and daylilies I have scattered around the yard, but have yet to get around to it. It's not like they are going anywhere.

This is a small-flowered clematis - I can't find its name right now - that I think blooms most of the summer.



It has been moved and abused so often I'm surprised it is still alive, let alone blooming.

No vegetable garden is complete without marigolds:



Usually I select a mahogany-colored variety, but now I'm favoring orange.

This hosta gets a lot of sun, but doesn't seem to mind:



Behind it are Stella d' Oro daylilies.

I know the name of this tickseed:



Coreoptis Grandiflora 'Early Sunrise'.

And, now that the privet is done blooming, the volunteer milkweeds are serving as aromatic replacements:



Every year I let a few of these go, and sometimes monarchs visit, but I never find any eggs, let alone caterpillars, on the plants. Maybe this year.

I keep trying to capture just how lovely the barberry looks with its new growth. This is the best I can do.



It's even better in real life. Trust me.

And because no entry this year would be complete without a bunny pic:

Good News

One of the estimators I have been entertaining lately paid a return visit this afternoon, to discuss the New Plan. I had drawn up a picture of my Dream Room, which includes a half-bath at the north end of the house. He checked out this and that and proclaimed my plan Good. Now we will see just how much money it will cost.

This is the back of the house. The Florida room is in the center, and it would go away. An added bonus of this amputation is the family room and kitchen will get more light. The new room would go on the left and be as wide as the gable on the right, but jut out deeper into the backyard, measuring 24' x 18'.



When I first went house hunting way back when, I said I did not want a well or a flat roof. I wound up with both. Last year I hooked up to city water (the outdoor faucets are still on the well). With this remodeling, the flat roof will be history as well. So, in a way, I was right.

Yesterday I moved some daylilies from the back fence to the south fence. These daylilies are supposed to be what I call tiger lilies and some people call ditch lilies. They grow tall along country roads and bloom a long time. I see them in other people's yards but I don't know where those plants come from because every time I bring some home from a nursery, they turn out to be not quite what I want. I planted these last year, and I can't remember if they even bloomed. In their new location, they will get more sun and rain, so hopefully will grow tall and strong and beautiful.

Today it rained again, but just enough to wet everything down.

Let's go for a walk around the yard:

Here we have the first blush of yarrow.



Butterflies like yarrow because of the flat surface. This variety comes in several colors.

And here is the first of the Stella d' Oro daylilies.



The ones at the shopping centers have come on strong, but mine are a little late, probably because they get less sun. Mine also don't bloom for very long. This year I am going to try to keep the blossoms coming, by daily dead-heading. (Does someone do that for the parking lot Stellas?)

The privat is filling the air with its almost-too-cloying fragrance.



The bees love these blossoms, which made yesterday's relocation of the daylilies, um, a challenge. No insects (or humans!) were injured, though. Well, except for one deer fly, but I killed him in self-defense.

Every year, some milkweed pops up in my front yard. Monarchs come to visit, but I have never found any eggs, caterpillars, or cocoons on the plants.



This year there are some volunteers in the backyard. Maybe the monarchs will like that location better.

I have been trying to capture the beautiful new growth on the barberry. This photo does not do it justice.



Other varieties are less subtle than mine. These are still luscious, especially when lit from behind by the setting sun.

What I am trying to show in this photo is how tall the yucca stalks are.



It's difficult to see, but the top of the yucca stalk is about three-fourths of the way up the asplenifolia. I don't think I fertilized this bed yet, so this must be a fighting-for-some-light growth.

The surviving Shasta daisies are doing well.



What makes daisies seem so cheerful and innocent?

And the roses are still hanging in there. The hot and humid days have been somewhat balanced by some fairly decent ones, so they haven't crumpled to the ground yet.



Hmmm. It just occurred to me that maybe I should try saving some of the petals. Do they hold fragrance? Could I use them in sachet or potpourri?

The pestemon is still in its beginning stages.



Last year I was impressed with the way it swept up against the fence. Hope we get a repeat performance.

Up close and personal, individual flowers show fascinating variations. This scabiosa has delicate stamens in the center.



Scabiosa bloom all summer long. The flowers are supported by nearly naked stiff stems, and appear to be just hanging in midair with no support.

The petals of the 'Jethro Tull' coreopsis are fluted.



Get it? Jethro Tull? Fluted? I guess you have to be (ahem) middle aged to understand.