I have friends, friends who don't garden, who ask me, "What's new? What have you been up to?" and the honest truth is that I haven't been doing much. I wander out into my front garden and I stare at bees. It's too hot and dry to do any real gardening but I find I like deadheading perennials almost as much as I like having my hair shampooed (which is a lot). It's very relaxing. And I can squat and gawp at one plant that is crawling with bees, making my neighbors wonder if I've had a stroke or something.
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| Agastache 'Blue Blazes' |
The kids from three doors down wander by and I mutter, "Look at how the bumbles keep to the agastache while the honeybees feed on the sedum. And I don't even know what these tiny guys are on the tithonia." They no longer like talking to me because they are teenagers now and also, I'm rambling about bees.
This year has been a banner year for pollinators in my garden. It could be that they were always there and I never noticed or maybe they really are flourishing because I gave them so many blooms. On the flip side I have no butterflies, save the cabbage whites. I don't even have skippers. I whine about the yard wondering aloud, "Where are you? I gave you muddy drinking stations." My neighbors think I'm insane.
If we're being honest, I hate August. I'm sick of the heat and I find myself thinking, "I miss eating soup. I want ragout and pasta!" while simultaneously seeing mums at the grocery store and despairing because, what the hell, summer just started! It's that annoying time of year where I can't enjoy my successes because I'm already plotting how things will be better next year. I'm grumpy and I suspect I'm unpleasant to be around.
I planted
Eryngium partitum two years ago and it promptly fell over. The seeds waited two years to germinate but they had the good sense to do it in a patch of Rose Campion, which holds them aloft. Good job!
The heathers that I planted last fall survived our terrible winter and bloom in shades of lavender that I hate. But I'm thrilled they're alive.
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| Calluna vulgaris 'Fraser's Old Gold' |
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| Calluna vulgaris 'Easter Bonfire' |
Sedum 'Blade Runner' shocked me by blooming from the top, as well as the stalk.
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| Rudbeckia hirta (I think) and Helenium 'Mardi Gras' |
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| Crocosmia x crocosmiflora 'Solfatare' |
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| Crocosmia 'Golden Fleece' |
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| Shut your bloom hole, Leycesteria formosa. You're so pretty. |
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| Sedum telephium 'Hab Gray' |
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| Joe Pye, you're a bee whore and I love you. (Eutrochium purpureum) |
Potentilla gelida needs to stop blooming because I planted it for its foliage and the way it mingles with brown grasses. Brown + silver 4-EVER.
Happy bloom day, from my cranky garden to yours! Thank you,
Carol, for hosting us.
Is that my Zauschneria ? It looks fabulous , I keep splitting mine up and moving it around so much, I only have tiny patches .
ReplyDeleteYour garden is "just luvly' as my mother-in-law would say !
Happy GBBD! I can't keep heather alive in my garden to save my soul, so you better watch out if you ever visit. I've found I get cranky at this time of year every year. I read somewhere that the PNW is kind of scarce on butterflies. Monarchs don't come this far north, and we don't get that many swallowtails either. I seldom see them in my garden. Lots of hummingbirds, bees and other bee-like critters though. And this year, tons of those big flying grasshoppers.
ReplyDeleteI have an old coworker who doesn't garden a lot but has tons of heather in her garden. "It's so easy to grow, everyone should do it!" she told me once. She had no idea they were so fussy.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard or seen these grasshoppers of which you speak. That sounds terrifying!
It is! I love it so much. I am forever grateful that you talked me into taking some at that exchange. The hummingbirds like to dive bomb me when I get near it. :)
ReplyDeleteI think your garden looks great this August. It's another kick in the behind telling me I've got to plant some tall varieties of Sedum and some Crocosmia for next year's garden.
ReplyDeleteI love the tall sedums. The less water you give them, the better they look.
ReplyDeleteWow--look how bodacious your front garden is! It's just fabulous.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
ReplyDelete'shut your bloom hole' and Joe pye, you bee whore'. My day is complete! What is that giant plant with red flowers by the sedum? $10 says it does NOT grow here. Your garden is fahhhbulous, dahlink. Not many butterflies here, either.
ReplyDeleteThose are Zauschneria septrionalis 'Mattole Select' and they are hardy down to zone 7.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.greatplantpicks.org/plantlists/view/1664
They are fabulous. The hummers love them and they get no water all summer.
Er, Zauschneria septentrionalis, that is.
ReplyDeleteWell, no wonder your garden is full of pollinators. With all those beautiful flowers, it must be like paradise for them! I've failed twice at growing Tithonia from seed (direct sowing, 'cause I'm not good at sowing indoors and transplanting). Sigh. If I ever can find a Tithonia at a local nursery, I'll buy it in a hot minute and then hope it self sows. It's my only hope. Bloom on!
ReplyDeleteYou have friends that don't garden? Why?
ReplyDeleteAnd, I need a cutting of each of those two sedums! Great post.
Nice to see that one shot in among the close ups of blooms, of the tantalising view of the front of your house with beautiful planting!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy summer, I bet you'll miss it while sipping soup in the middle of Feb :)
You are so very right.
ReplyDeleteJust a couple. I don't like them as much, though. I have a whole pot of cuttings of Hab Gray and I'd be happy to cut up anything else you want.
ReplyDeleteYou've got that potentilla! It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one distracted by the pollinator hordes. I wander among them in a happy daze. I rewatched the first Hobbit movie last night and realized I am that daffy wizard Radagast the Brown, with the bird nest under his hat. I can never make up my mind which sedum to grow, so don't grow any, but I think it's going to be the white-flwrd ones like that Hab Gray.. of course, love the name Blade Runner just because.
ReplyDeleteI can't even imgaine hating summer where you live! Come to Houston some August ( I have two guestrooms) you will have a new perspective! Your blooms are amazing and I am glad the bees are keeping you good company! Odd about the butterflies. We have had both but most have moved on as the humidity becomes sufficating! Alas September is around the corner and if not cooler days at least shorter : )
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one who hates seeing the mum sales displays come out! Not quite as bad as the early Christmas displays, but almost. It does mean that plant (and tree!) discounts should be available though...
ReplyDeleteI also love the wide shot that includes the Zauschneria. Wow!
You know how nasty reviews are so much more fun to read than the ones that are filled with praise? You are at your best here when grouchy, though I have never found you grouchy in person.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, except for the part about me not being grouchy in person. I think you inspire friendliness.
ReplyDeleteThat Zauschneria is so great. I love watching the bees try to stuff their fat little bodies into the blooms!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right--I'm a terrible weather wimp and we have nothing to complain about. I think I like winter here more than most people, though.
ReplyDeleteThat's the only reason I could ID that potentilla on hour post. I'm so useless that way, otherwise. I tip my bird nested hat to you! Do you want me to send you a Hab gray clipping?
ReplyDeleteHow big are the grasshoppers? I'm floored hearing this!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice offer, and of course I'll say yes. email me at agrowingobsession@gmail.com and I'll send my address -- if you need any Agave parryi I just thinned a mess of pups yesterday. This is not truncata, however, if that makes a difference. Great for a hell strip.
ReplyDeleteI like the 'Bladerunner' sedum. I may put that in my Left Bank garden. I also get mesmerized while deadheading and watching bees. Sorry your not seeing many butterflies.
ReplyDeleteHeather, I am SO with you on the hatred of summer, but I think you probably don't have much of a summer where you live. Still, I sympathize, as temperature comfort is all relative. Your garden looks lovely in spite of the heat, and I'm glad to know there are others out there muttering to themselves and crouched over their plants while the neighbors wonder WTH. http://www.penick.net/digging
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