Let it go

I'm tired of complaining about the lack of bugs in my yard. Instead, I'm adjusting my attitude. If the native plants are not going to attract pollinators, I might as well allow myself to plant some (pretty) non-natives.

A handful of bees have been visiting the milkweed

This is a photo of a redbud leaf. Google Lens was not helpful in identifying whatever this black stuff is. I hope it does not spread to the other trees.

More plants are blooming, like this monarda, a.k.a. bee balm. It is planted amongst the northern sea oats on the south side of the house, but the sea oats appear to be overtaking it. I'll leave it be for now, but may add bee balm to the backyard for some summer color.

Many (MANY) years ago I planted (and transplanted) some tiger lilies in the yard. Most of them have died out, but occasionally one or two pop up in unexpected places. Go figure.

This coming week promises to be a scorcher. That means rolling out of bed and right into dog walking mode, sans coffee, before the day gets too hot. Keep cool!

HOT

When I look at the weather forecast, all I see are days and days of high temperatures, over 90 for forever. Some of those days include a "chance of rain" which means none. I've had to drag out the hose in the evening to encourage the droopers. It is only July; what will August be like?

It's too hot and dry to try to transplant anything, but there is plenty of other work to do. I have a few plants that I regret, in this case trumpet vine and forsythia, that I am eliminating by cutting back, then applying herbicide. The stuff I am using, Ortho Poison Ivy and Tough Brush Killer, doesn't seem to work very fast, but it did eliminate the poison ivy growing under the gold mop (plus a few hyacinth that were inadvertently sacrificed). I may try applying it to mulberry samplings, too.

After cutting back the trumpet vine on the inside of my privacy fence, I ventured into "no man's land", the area between the fence and my (now new) neighbor's privet hedge, to see if there was trumpet vine growing on that side. I was never able to convince the previous owner of the hedge to do anything to it, so I pruned back my side to keep the branches off the utility lines (cable and phone, not electrical) and allow me room to cut the grass and weeds. Last summer, though, I let the privet go because of my hip.

I have yet to meet my new neighbors, let alone discuss the privet, but initially they seemed to be making an effort to keep that area mowed. Then they gave up, perhaps after someone (I'm guessing the underground utility guy) pruned some branches, then let them lay where they fell. When I stepped through the gate this week, I found what looked like a Canada thistle farm.

It took me several morning sessions, but I cleared out the fallen branches, whacked the weeds, and "mowed" (with my string trimmer). The hedge needs some attention, however, as there is honeysuckle (the bad kind) and mulberry samplings (also the bad kind) growing there. The branches need to be pruned to protect the lines. Then I will borrow a truck to haul all the detritus to the compost site. Maybe while I am doing all this, I will get to meet the neighbors and try once again to broach the subject of what to do with the privet.

The west side of the house is as finished as it is going to be for now. We're all set for the AC to be serviced. I want to move the lilies sometime and fill that last bit with pebbles too.

I keep changing my mind about where to move the lilies, but once I get rid of one of the forsythias, they can join their brethren in a small bed of mixed lilies, like this one.

I have seen squirrels and chipmunks around the yard (no rabbits as of late), but I have also been finding dead voles in the back lawn when I pick up dog poop. Initially I suspected my outdoor cat, but Finn usually eats what he catches. From observing the dogs, I think maybe they are the ones trying to eliminate these pests. Good dogs!

A perennial (heh, heh) mystery is why some yarrow in my yard blooms while some does not. I gave my SO some yarrow and he experiences the same thing. I thought yarrow liked full sun, but now I have my doubts as the flowering plants receive afternoon shade while the non-bloomers are in the sun all day long. Anyone share this experience?

'Betty Corning' is just about done, but the 'Avant-garde' clematis is still blooming. My SO and I have been discussing alternative methods of supporting these vines, as they overwhelm everything I have tried so far. Maybe part of an antenna tower? Milkweed and bee balm is starting - they each have their distinctive aromas.

We saw plants, too

It occurred to me that I have posted very few photos of plants from the Garden Bloggers Fling. Believe me, we saw LOTS of plants, from acres of daylilies to native cactus. I didn't photograph many, just the ones to remind me of this or that.

These orange lilies remind me of the "ditch" daylilies growing in my yard, but in color only. They are Turk's Cap Lilies, a native wildflower. The blossoms perch on long stems. They can spread to form large colonies, but usually not in cultivation, where growing conditions may be less than ideal (like my claybound yard).

At the Eloise Butler Wildfower Garden

This plant is growing in my blueberry bed, among the milkweed. I did not plant it, nor could I figure out what it might be. Now I know: it's Indian Hemp. It's the kind of cannabis one makes fiber with, not the kind one smokes. It's related to both Dogbane and Milkweed. It's also poisonous.

At the Eloise Butler Wildfower Garden

This plant is also in my yard. I did plant it and I do know that it is Blue False Indigo. I did not know it would get so big. So now I am thinking I need to move it to a location more accommodating to its future size.

At Vera's Garden

I used to have the tall reddish plant in my yard (if it is Red Husker Penstemon - I need to replace it), but that is not why I took this picture. Below it grows what I have always considered a weed. And of course, I can't confirm it's identity, but it is some kind of mallow or althea. We were shocked that it is deliberately allowed into the garden, along with other "weeds" like mullein (said the gardener spreading fleabane seeds all about).

At Vera's Garden

I was impressed with this tall specimen of what turned out to be Queen of the Prairie. It prefers moist soil, but so does Joe Pye and it grows in my yard, albeit through the deck. I bet I could get this going, too.

In the garden of "Ruth," a member of Wild Ones. At least, I think that is where I took this pic.

This is bent grass, the same kind of grass used on golf courses. Separating garden beds, it looks like a smooth green carpet. The owners said it was there when they bought the house, in the 1930's. It takes some special care, which made me remove it from my list of must-haves, but it still was a spectacular contrast to the lush garden beds.

At the garden of Lee and Jerry Shannon

My front yard is made up of primarily purple and yellow plants of one sort or another, but mostly purple. When I saw this Sunkist Arborvitae, I immediately pictured it as an anchor plant in my front yard.

At Bailey's Display Garden

Ditto this Golden Spirit Smokebush.

At Bailey's Display Garden

My Blue Muffin Viburnum refuses to produce the profusion of blue berries it is named for, so when I saw one lush with fruit, I had to snap it just to prove to myself that it is me, not the plant.

At Bailey's Display Garden

And finally, we have this echinops. I thought it might be some kind of rattlesnake master, but it is actually a kind of globe thistle. The pollinators *loved* it.

At Squire House Gardens

The Garden Bloggers Fling has filled my head with so many ideas, I barely know where to start. But hopefully I will at least keep in mind the plants above that I want to add to my yard.

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:

Lilies, Daylilies, and More (and a Fun Guy)

The lilies and daylilies in my yard are not all flowering yet. I'm wondering how much the staggered bloom times are due to their various and sundry locations in the yard. And I'm wondering how in the world I ended up with so many.











I think this is a bachelor button, aka cornflower. They grow wild along Hoosier byways and highways. I've always meant to plant some in my yard, but never got a round tuit. Once again, procrastination pays off. I wonder how they propagate. Must do some research.



The top of one of my arborvitae looks dead. Must do more research to see what is causing this.



Hopefully the cause is not this fungus growing beneath it. Looks like dog vomit, but it snot.



It is trying to rain today. Still, I watered select specimens in preparation for vacation. Not much rain in the forecast (good for vacationers, bad for plants left behind), but I think everything will survive.

Not Quite Yet

The estimator guy brought some drawings (I believe they are called "elevations") to show me what my new room will look like. We discussed more details, brought out the tape measure and the calculator (while I tried not to hyperventilate), but I didn't sign anything yet. I'm going on vacation, he's going on vacation, there is not a lot either of us can do before we each leave town. So I guess we have a verbal agreement to pick up where we left off today, in two weeks.

Despite doing my best to reduce the cost by abandoning features I decided were not that important, it is still a lot of money. Breathe deep. Breathe deep.

After he left, I mowed the entire yard, did a little watering (the additional 0.25" yesterday did not do much for the transplants), and deadheaded the daisies.

I'm enjoying the daylilies and lilies that are scattered all around the yard. The stellas are basically done (will they bloom some more later?) but others are just getting started.



The original landscape plan called for a bed of lilies in the front yard. I never implemented that idea because the thought of hacking through the heavy clay just did not sound like a lot of fun. Now that I know about lasagna gardening, though, I may just try that to get a bed prepared for a major lily transplant.

See my bee?



I am enjoying lots of bees. They seem to like a lot of what I've planted, but today they were especially fond of the coneflower.



As am I. I love pink.

Two years ago I planted some hollyhocks I bought at Kroger. They were blooming at the time, but within a week were done. I considered it a short lived experiment and moved on. But look what popped up recently.



The plants are rather short, and I'm suspicious that this is not really a hollyhock but a wild mallow of some sort. But it's still pretty.

The early hostas are bursting. In front of these guys are some that bloom later.



My neighbor has what looks like a giant blue hosta that is in full bloom right now. My big blue is still establishing itself, so I am not happy that I will have to move it prior to the construction of the new room.

And tada! The first tomatoes are almost ready.



These are 'Sweet Olive' grape tomatoes. I am so ready to enjoy these babies ASAP.

Flip Flop

A co-worker of mine was describing how he and his wife have different styles when it comes to major home improvement. After they gnaw on a project for a while, he gets worn down and says, "Fine. Do whatever you want. I don't care." She, on the other hand, leans in the opposite direction: "Just forget about it. We just won't do it at all." Yin and yang.

Well, that's what goes on in the back of my mind all day long. I go back and forth, weighing the options, changing my mind about every 30 minutes. Today, I called the estimator guy and left a message. In the couple of hours it took for him to get back to me, I had pretty much decided to just scrap the whole room addition. But then he called and now I'm excited all over again. Tomorrow he is stopping by with the guy who does the architectural drawings. Thursday he will be back for some final negotiations. I need to plop some money down. Then I will quit vacillating.

All the plant moving I have been doing is in preparation for the room addition. Besides yesterday's transplanting, I also moved some daisies from the south side of the house to fill in the hole by the monarda in the front yard. Then I moved a young hydrangea from the front of the house to where the daisies had been. Then I plan to move the yellow daylilies from the south side to the front, to make room for coneflower that will be rescued from its location beside the Florida room. And I still haven't figured out where to put the blue hosta, Avant-Garde clematis, and two columbines that can't stay where they are next to the soon-to-be-gone deck.

Tonight all I did was water, though. There is a chance of scattered thunderstorms, but we all know what that means: fat chance!

Meanwhile, the gayfeather gets gayer...



... more tiger lilies show their true colors...



... not to be outdone by the daylilies...



... and the hostas are coming on fast.



The prednisone is doing its thing for Betsy Beagle. She is beginning to be interested in life and popcorn again. Not quite bushy tailed yet, but definitely bright eyed.

Stellaaaa!

Despite dedicated deadheading of the Stellas, a few seed pods have slipped past, due no doubt to my poor technique. I am learning something about daylilies from such intimate contact, like how only one blossom per stalk is in full bloom at one time. We are down to the last of the blooms. What happens next? Does the plant send up fresh stems of incipient buds? Do the current stems have to dry up and fall off first? Will all my efforts be for naught? Stay tuned.

This morning I did manage to get the last of the 'Jethro Tull' planted, but there is room for one more if I care to make that purchase. Tonight no other tasks were completed, as the air is heavy with a brewing storm. The weather forecasters are promising us strong winds, one or two inches of rain, and maybe hail. The wind is gaining strength, but I'll believe the rest when I see it.

Hopefully, the wind/rain/hail won't disturb these pots.



My SO helped move these: three miniature apples and three pots brimming with tomato, pepper, and hardy aster plants (I know - weird combination). These guys needed to be out of the way while I mulched, but they will also get more sun here. They can't stay forever, as this deck is to be transformed into my new room.

Yes, I picked a builder, although he has to do one more estimate. I am happy with my plans and will turn off the part of my brain that has been churning ever since I first hatched the idea of replacing the Florida room. Now I am anxious to get started.

But first... I will have to dig up some plants that are next to the deck, including this Avant-Garde clematis.



A previous photo of the flowers was less than flattering, but they grow prettier each day. The blossom itself is very interesting, with a chrysanthemum-style center, surrounded by petals. And in the very center is a droopy appendage. Very odd.

What is also odd that how I put forth all this effort to attract hummingbirds, and what do they prefer?



The volunteer milkweed. Good thing these smell so sweet.

The gayfeather, aka Liatris spicata, are here.



These fellows are enjoying additional sun this year, so hopefully they will bulk up a bit so I can divide them in the future.

And now the unknown lilies:



If I dig around a bit, I may be able to find the name of this gorgeous redhead...



... but the blonde was one of about six freebies I received from a mail order place many moons ago.



One of these days I will look through some notes and try to identify these beauties.



For now, I will just enjoy them.