Thursday, July 9, 2009

Another Party in the Backyard?

Yes, indeed.
There was a party!

Party #2 -
WOO-HOO!

... and again, it was the three of us:
Me, myself and I!

Doing another tap dance in the backyard!
:-)

Here's the story from Last Spring


Perhaps you'd appreciate a bit of an explanation?

Four years ago, I planted a Ligularia - 'The Rocket' - in one of my backyard shady beds, but it wasn't damp enough.
'The Rocket' fizzled.
Disappeared.
Never to return.

I was SO disappointed!

In the Spring of 2007, I tried again.
I planted it at the "head" of the "Woodland Walk."

Because our home is in the middle of a fairly steep slope, we experience a great amount of run-off when it rains! Some of that run-off has been tamed by underground channels.

However, a LOT of rain runs down our driveway, through the front yard towards the Raised Bed Gardens, and veers off towards the Woodland Walk. I've been creating limestone rock and sidewalk-chunk paths and retaining walls to not only control the water but hold onto the soil!

So, Mr. Ligularia receives a good amount of water
and seems to love his new home!
Yea!

Now you know why the three of us enjoyed our party!
Actually, it was the 4 of us:
Me, myself, and I and "Mr. Ligularia,"
who not only returned again,
but is
Now in Bloom!



Nothing "Shady" here!

And I'm headed for more sidewalk chunks next week! ;-)

10 comments:

Bren Haas said...

Your shade garden is breath taking.
Wonderful place to relax on a hot day.

Chloe m said...

That is very refreshing yellow ...It looks great. Glad it is growing for you.
Rosey

Kathleen said...

I was just thinking how refreshing your garden has to be in the heat of summer. I grow "the Rocket" too ~ we have many plants in common, don't we? I giggled at you having your own party! We have to make fun for ourselves don't we?!!

Karen - An Artists Garden said...

Fabulous - Ligularia The rocket is such a great plant, I have one here - and now yours is happy - hopefully it will produce lots of little ligularias
:)
K

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I know just how you feel. I won't even tell you how many Rockets fizzled here before I got "one" to grow. It is exciting to see it finally shoot off those rockets.

Rosemary said...

Beautiful , gives such a sense of satisfaction when a plant is happy in a setting.

Helen/patientgardener said...

Well done at finding somewhere your Ligularia is happy - now you have it will grow and grow

Gail said...

What a great way to capture water for a thirsty plant! Shady, Mr L looks happy and he is a handsome plant..so party on! Have a good weekend, gail

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Congratulations on your Ligularia! I love them, but it's all way to dry here for them. I hope you two will be very happy together for a long time.

Shady Gardener said...

Bren, Come on over. We'll sit a spell on the bench. :-)

Rosey, It's a striking color back there in the shade. I wonder what will happen next year. Perhaps it'll "clump?"

Kathleen, Sometimes you just can't help yourself! We DO have a lot of the same plants. That's fun. :-)

Karen, Do they have seedlings readily, or do they "clump," or both?

Lisa, It's really worth the happy dance, isn't it? ;-)

Rosemary, You are completely right. Satisfaction and joy. :-)

Patientgardener, Your name exactly describes gardening. It's such a great learning experience!

Hi Gail, Party On, Indeed! I'm waiting to see the blossoms of two new daylilies. The buds are getting just about ready! Yea!

MMD, There's got to be a way for you to have a ligularia. Do you remember how Iowa Boy sank a tub in the ground, filled it with soil, and planted it with primroses... just to provide a little extra moisture? Suppose there's a little prospect there for you and a Mr. Ligularia??