Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Catching Up--Again


A good deal of my time recently has been spent in the garden--or, recovering from being in the garden.
I continue to grub away at the weeds in the flower strips--in addition to the usual stuff there is something very tenacious and invasive--I have no identification for it, but the root system is tough, sending out runners in every direction.
The second round of bloom on the roses began just as the Japanese beetles moved in. I've been snipping the roses as soon as the buds show color--at present I have four small vases lined up on the kitchen windowsill--the only way to enjoy the blossoms.  At that, the beetles spoil some of the roses before I can salvage them.


These lilies will be opening before the week is out.


Cleome.  I learned that the local name for this plant is 'grandpa's whiskers.'
Many seedlings appeared in the corner of the garden--I uprooted all but three or four, having learned that as summer advances these plants can sprawl over  everything in sight, dropping seeds enough for a plantation of cleome.


Clary sage also sheds its seeds generously.  The coarse leaves have a sharp citrus scent when brushed, the lavender and white blooms are exotically sweet.


The butterfly bush put out leaves very early and then was nipped by frost requiring pruning to tidy it up. The sweet-scented blossoms have been encouraged by a spell of hot weather.


The balloon flowers [platycodon] are past their prime, having been pummeled by rain over the weekend.


Hibiscus, locally called Rose of Sharon, is in bloom.


This double sport of the common orange 'ditch lily' was noticed by Gina and Matt when they were walking along the Old Gradyville RD near our first Kentucky home. These were dug up from the roadside, moved to our property in Cane Valley and finally here.  This spring I divided them and replanted in the small garden of native wildlings I am working to establish on the slope below the side porch steps.


Cucumbers have gone into high gear. The earliest ones I planted were slow to emerge, so Jim replanted, then bought a four-pak of starts to supplement the ones I had started from seed.  In the end it appears we over-did the cucumber venture.  We have been giving them away, eating as many as possible.  If we are utterly swamped with them I will resort to feeding them to the goats!


The local blueberry farm has a good crop this year.  We are on our second tray of fresh ones and have stocked the freezer with berries picked and quickly frozen right at the berry farm.


The days move along in a predictable way--the tasks that must be done in the way of housekeeping, gardening, errands--some projects started but not yet finished--those niggle at me, needing a mere few hours of focused time to be done.
Thoughts and words tumble through my mind, begging to be formed into coherent prose of sorts.
Instead of writing I am inclined to fall into a rocking chair and nod over a book!
Summer is here--and with it comes the need to mindfully pace ourselves to deal with days memorable for heat and humidity.

12 comments:

  1. You have some lovely blooms there in your gardens. Looking at the tray of blueberries makes my mouth water.

    Yes, do keep as cool as possible, and don't work too much more than you have to outside. Summer is here.

    Love & hugs ~ FlowerLady

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    1. Rainey; I don't know how you manage to keep your yard and garden tidy in Florida's tropical heat--when temps here begin to climb above 85F I start to wilt!
      The blueberries are lovely.

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  2. Your flowers are beautiful, I had no idea that the Rose of Sharon was a hibiscus. It's too hot and muggy for me to weed much so my garden is a mess.

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    1. Janet; From Wikipedia: 'One plant commonly called "Rose of Sharon" in the US is Hibiscus syriacus'---the photo matches--I wanted to double check this.
      We're approaching the sort of weather [hot and humid] when working outdoors doesn't seem to be healthy.

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  3. What beautiful flowers you have blooming in your garden. It is rose time here, and the earlier and later ramblers have decided to coincide with the Main Event, and they have put on quite a show.

    We are having temperatures in the 80s up to 90s, and humidity is high, which makes life uncomfortable. I don't know how you cope with your summers, and doing any work! I can't even go out early to garden (or walk) because the pollen levels are highest then.

    I am trying to "brew" a letter to you . . .

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    1. Jennie: I do have some lovely flowers--which is encouraging enough to keep me battling weeds, bugs and less than ideal soil. The beetles are making such a mess of the roses just now that I am tempted to cut back and let the plants 'rest' until fall.
      I shall look forward to a letter when properly 'brewed' and winging its way!

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  4. Your flowers are just beautiful. I laughed at your comment about cleome as I planted some about five years ago. Last year, I spent a lot of time pulling up all that had reseeded. It had just taken over. I still find new plants popping up several years later.

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    1. Shirley; I was surprised to see Cleome emerging this year as I had resolutely tweaked it out last season--cockscomb [celosia] is in the same category--I've pulled out literally hundreds of seedlings and still they pop up.

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  5. I am here recovering from a stint in the garden, and enjoying the things that will soon be emerging here, - you are a couple of weeks ahead of us with summer, I think. My lilies are just beginning to bloom. Loved your Cleome - I forgot to plant it this year, and have never experienced the reseeding that seems to make it plentiful in others' gardens, - sigh!

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    1. Hildred; Gardening at any age seems to be an invitation to over-doing--because we are never quite caught up. This year's cleome is from seeds dropped two years ago--last season I pulled up any seedlings that appeared.

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  6. My husband used to get us in trouble frequently by over-planting and I tried to make some use of every single thing he picked and brought in the house. Good luck with the cucumbers.

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    1. Lillian; It took me a minute to recognize you as 'quilt 32'--my brain must have been on vacation!
      I refuse to make more pickles just to salvage the over abundance of cucumbers--we enjoy them for a time and then the jars languish in the basement pantry. Anyone that stops by is offered cucumbers--almost as bad as zucchini!

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