September... October? Help!

It's turned towards Fall, and it's happening Quickly!

Bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis

In Denial

#1

Really? We’re really leaving September?

But July’s not yet far behind…

Did we actually experience August?

I must be losing my mind!

I quite clearly remember awaiting

the arrival of Spring yesterday...

I know we left May, but what happened??

It’s not nice messing my mind in this way.

Are you able to enunciate “October?”

Living there just won’t compute!

That the clock speeded its hands ‘round

Is something I’d hardly refute.

Yes, I’ve trouble in leaving September –

Hadn’t this month just begun?

It’s akin to crossing a finish line

Before the race had been run!

September 29, 2009

"Shady Gardener"

Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea

Gooseneck Loosestrife Lysimachia clethroides

below Burning Bush Euonymus alatus

Do you have enough acorns?

More Garden Projects

I've had some great inspiration during these past few years -
sources include gardening magazines, hgtv, and Frances at Fairegarden.
(Warning: Frances may inspire you, too!)
:-)

This was the summer to try hypertufa.

Some of my gardening friends who are game to try new projects and I got together a few weeks ago to try our hand at creating hypertufa containers. We were so busy mixing and creating (myself included) that no photos were taken during the process, and I can't provide you with photos of what they made because they took them home!

]

The photo below shows my first hypertufa planter. My mold was a squirrel baffle that I placed upside down on the work table. After creating the mix of portland cement, spahgnum peat moss, perlite and water, I placed a 2 - 2 1/2" layer over the top of the baffle and let it cure.

You will see this photo yet again during a garden whimsy post in the future. ;-)

The first photo in this post shows my second hypertufa project.

I received the inspiration to make concrete balls from Frances alone.
It's great fun and very easy. Please don't look for perfection!

The left-over mix was used for "bases."The Woodland Walk is home to both hypertufa containers and one concrete ball.

Another concrete ball resides here, in the backyard, and the third was a gift to my parents' garden. :-)

As long as I was "on a roll" (no pun intended! ha!),
I made a birdbath using a 'Sum and Substance' leaf for some friends.

I peeled off the leaf today and here it is!
I used concrete colorant to tint part of the mix and place it over the back of the leaf only. Then I covered the leaf and created the entire birdbath with natural colored concrete mix.

Again, there was enough mix left to make a stepping stone.

I'm not yet finished with hypertufa!
The next couple of photos were taken at a friend's home.
We made a hypertufa container two weeks ago and planted it a week ago Friday.

We then mixed a little more concrete.
She should have her own concrete garden ball by now!

I look forward to visiting her this coming Friday.
We're each planning to mosaic a garden ball.

Guess I'll be outdoors tomorrow, creating a couple more for us to work on! :-) (This will be the subject of a future post!)

Concrete projects are definitely not a shady subject - However they tolerate any growing conditions: sun through shade and hardy in every-zone. lol!

Plant Involvement Last Week!

I visited my parents this past week! It was about time!
:-)

We had lots of adventures and interesting events.
However, last Tuesday I spent the day at my brother and sister-in-law's.
You might like to see a landscaping project now underway.

This is a new daylily (I couldn't resist just one more!)
by the name of 'Siloam Double Classic.'

I purchased it from a wonderful nursery nearby.

On the way home yesterday morning (Saturday, 9/26),
we stopped to see Aunt MEA.
Her Garden Club members were hosting a plant sale,
as well as coffee and rolls, etc.

I was delighted to find this Pasque Flower,
Pulsatilla rubra (red).
It now resides in the Raised Bed Gardens.

You'll probably see this photo again soon,
as I want to post on recent Garden Projects.
This hypertufa bowl is holding a 'Ginko Craig' hosta on the left,
an unnamed hosta on the right,
a couple of miniature sedum (also unnamed),
and some Hens and Chicks purchased at the plant sale!

Yes - I'm happy! :-)

Green Thumb Sunday

What is blooming for you today?

Visit As the Garden Grows and/or

Join Green Thumb Sunday!

Nothing Shady about this Meme. :-)

So... What Do These Guys Know That I Don't?

I did look around, but I didn't see or hear a grasshopper...
;-)

Hardy Cyclamen Unfurling

Isn't this a charmer?
There's another to the left (under the astilbe)

I don't know why there are some leaves without flowers...

...and some flowers without leaves.

These are on the west side of the bed - getting a little evening sunshine.
(The photo's not as clear, but I like the contrast.)

Isn't it interesting how the blossoms unfurl?

Poetry in (slow) motion.
:-)

A Little More About Shady Toads!

Oops! I mislabeled a tricyrtis in an earlier post. I accidentally labeled 'Seiryu' as 'Gilt Edge.' Click here to see the difference (and I did correct the label!)

Now This is 'Gilt Edge'

You saw 'Taipei Silk' in a sunny pose in that other post.
Here's another view of this pretty Toad Lily.

You also saw 'Shining Light' as she was preparing to blossom.
I've caught her blossom just peeking out a bit.

This is my poor 'Lightning Strikes.'
Actually, I'm quite content that there's any of it at all.
This Spring there was Nothing where it used to be, and finally this little piece began to grow.

This photo of 'Lightning Strikes' was as a new plant in 2007.

This show's 'Lightning Strikes' last Summer (2008).

You'd better believe I'm going to coddle that little fellow this Fall - in preparation for Winter. We'll hope to see him again next Spring! :-)

Waiting for Tricyrtis Hirta, Variegata, and the mysterious 'Matsukaze.'

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

This is such a fun, late-blooming flower!

Can you tell how it gets its name??

'Turtlehead'
Chelone obliqua

There are a LOT of people posting to this meme. If you want to join and/or see who's posting, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens!

Happy About These Two Hydrangeas

I completely understand and agree with Mr. McGregor's Daughter that silly names for plants are uncalled for. After all. However, I so liked this plant that I purchased it anyway. It came to my house last Fall in a 3" pot. I put the entire pot in the ground and let it stay there until this Spring when I relocated it to the south side of the house. Normal south sides are sunny. This one is quite the opposite, but it's blooming!! Here are the blossoms. I'm hoping next year it will be even showier.
:-)





You've seen this photo (or one similar) before, but if you look in the foreground, you'll see the other hydrangea I ordered last Fall. This is 'Quickfire.' It's not blooming, yet. It may not this year. But that's okay! I'm sure it'll bloom next year... and I'll wait!

I've never thought I'd wanted hydrangeas until I spotted these two. There might be another couple I'd like out there, but for now... these will make me happy! :-)

Tricyrtis - the Toad You'd Love to Kiss!

'Blue Wonder'

'Tojen'

'Taipei Silk'

'Moonlight Treasure'

'Shining Light' bud

'Seiryu'

Pretty Princely, I'd say... Lord Fauntleroy for sure!
I'm nominating (would you vote?) these plants as
Stately Shady Royalty.
:-)

Wordless Wednesday

An Update on "Mattie"

Do you remember "Mattie?"

This is the phlox that was shared by my Aunt MEA.
You can read about it here.

She's blooming now. Isn't she pretty??

"Mattie"

This is her neighbor. This unnamed phlox stands beside her.

They're going to like each other, I think! ;-)

Adding family ties to the garden are a wonderful way to be connected.
Tell us about Your garden's family ties.
:-)