Uncategorized – Fine for Friday

Petals At The Corner 7 March 2026

The weather is great. The spring temperatures and the longer days are bringing on the much appreciated progress in the garden. Everyday it seems there is a new delight in bloom and more old plant friends emerging from the soil.

This past week, I found a source for more mulch and compost in the form of spent mushroom compost blocks. I have begun to spread it in the perennial beds. The source told me to expect a good crop of earthworms. I can’t wait. It is easy for my garden to become compacted so I hope this will help overcome that problem.

I am enjoying writing the blog. Share it if you like. I will be joining the Six on Saturday group again in the morning. Come and see. Gardeners from around the globe post 6 recent photos of their gardens. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk/

The kurume type Azalea on the left just opened this week. There are red blooms here and others that have pink and white blooms but have not yet opened. That will be for next week.

The holly fern on the right is evergreen. In the spring, I remove last years stems and you can see the new stems unfurling. This has been a very resilient fern in my garden.

The trillium appeared last year. I believe it is Trillium decumbens also known as trailing wakerobin. The bloom will be a deep red wine color when it opens. As you can see, it is in a thick layer of leaf litter.

The speedwell on the right is an early blooming groundcover but it thrives in full sun and near the street at that. It is a species of Veronica. I am hoping to use it as a groundcover in other locations in the garden.

This Lorapetalum chinense has beautiful red blooms. It likes to grow quite tall but I have pruned it to a 4 foot height. It responds well to the shaping.

The common blue violet on the right is a native (Viola sororia). It is a spring ephemeral that appears in the lawn and along the woodland edge. I let it be. As the weather warms and the grass grows, it is managed by the lawnmower. It returns faithfully each spring.

I hope you are enjoying the outdoors and I hope your garden is flourishing. Happy Gardening!!

Autumn Colors 7 November 2025

As autumn’s first frost approaches, temperatures are set to drop, prompting preparation for tender plants. This week showcases peak fall colors, particularly from Hydrangea quercifolia and Vaccinium ashei. Observations include various blooms and wildlife. The writer looks forward to sharing more photos and encourages participation in the Six on Saturday community.

Our first frost of this autumn is coming. It is cooling today and tomorrow. By Sunday morning, the temp will hover near freezing. During Sunday, the cooler air will move in and the temp will drop another 7 or 8 degrees Fahrenheit. I have my tender container plants ready to be placed in shelter. The other container annuals will have to fare the best they can.

We are at our peak color this week. My photos today will reflect that. I hope some other blooms survive for next week. If so, I will have them for next week’s photos.

I will join the Six on Saturday crowd tomorrow. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Come join us and enjoy the photos.

The best color comes from the Hydrangea quercifolia. This is the ‘Snowflake’ hybrid famous in these parts. You can see some purple and green in the leaves and the bronze blooms which will persist all winter.

The Vaccinium ashei ‘Rabbiteye’ has beautiful red color. It is very distinctive as well as a heavy fruit producer this year.

The ‘Fuyu’ persimmon is visible throughout the protective fence which wards off the deer.

The Alabama croton shows its gold leaf here. This plant is an endemic.

This beautifully colored hardy mum is ‘Mrs. Gloria’s Thanksgiving Day’. I have forgotten the explanation for this name but it would be just as beautiful if I did. This is the best bloom so far for this plant.

The anole was sunning on the edge of a container which was recently emptied of its plant. It may be he was residing in it and now is in need of another home.

I hope you are enjoying the color of autumn if you are in the Northern Hemisphere. It is beautiful for us now. More rain is expected this weekend which is good news.

Happy Gardening!

Corner Garden Fountain 31 Oct 2025

We have had rain. Enough rain to replenish the water table and to refresh the plants. Enough rain to end the doomsday talk. I am grateful.

The days shorten and the temps are much cooler. Despite this, it is still very pleasant and today there is plenty of sunshine. My garden tasks consist of taking perennial cuttings, ready my tender plant protection and order seeds and bulbs.

Last week, I went with a group of my gardening nerd buddies to Atlanta which is a 3 hour drive away. We visited a plant collector’s property where we were wowed by the variety. He took us to a plant nursery of which he is founder and I found some perennials and succulents which I could not resist.

Today’s photos concentrate on the Corner Garden that I manage. After a year of fundraising, we finally were able to finance the renovation of the fountain. We also fall cleaned and serviced the shed. There are a few plant photos but most are an indulgence that I hope you will grant me.

The fountain is in its glory with cascading water. It has some sloping rock additions on either side. There is night lighting and underwater lighting for the pool.

I may have shown the ginger lilies this fall but they are more abundant since the rainfall.

A view from the other side of the fountain shows the stone work. It also shows the Flag Iris that will bloom in April.

The left facing view show the beautiful swamp sunflowers (Helianthus angustifolius). They willl bloom until frost which is at least 10 days away.

The shed was given a cleaning today. It needed it. All cutting tools were sharpened. All surfaces were wiped clean. All wood handles were lightly sanded and treated with linseed oil. That is a battery operated lawnmower which was gifted to us recently.

The Hare’s Foot Inkcap appeared after the recent rains. It is a newcomer to me.

I will join the Six On Saturday crowd tomorrow. If you have the time, please give us a look. Gardeners from around the globe are sharing 6 photos from their gardens. Here is the link. https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

We set our clocks back an hour tomorrow here in the US. I like “gaining” an hour.

Happy Gardening!!

Pollinator Tracking

Three Days in the Life of a Milkweed Patch

Awakening 7 Feb 2025

The earth continues to warm up and opening to reveal new life. The brown of winter is slowly fading and being replaced with fresh green growth.

My thoughts are focusing on spring planting and new projects. After the dreary winter, I am again interested in looking for new photos to post.

I will be joining the Six on Saturday group again after my winter absence. You can join us there. Post some photos of your own from your blog. Just follow the instructions there. Jim Stephens is our host. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

The hybrid hellebore is very beautiful this spring. This was gifted a few years ago by a fellow gardener. It is responding very well in its “happy spot”.

The white Camellia japonica is outstanding. It is now about 7 years old and it is still far from mature size.

This holly is covered with berries. We have migrating Cedar wax wings that come through in February. They will strip the berries as they “fuel up” for the remainder of their northward journey.

This Camellia japonica is unlabelled. I think it is “Professor Sergeant”. It is magnificent indeed and mature at about 15 feet.

The paper bush is a unique arching plant. It has a sweet fragrance.

This tiny salamander was found on a field trip that I was on a week ago. The field trip was part of my work to complete the requirements to qualify for my Alabama Master Naturalist Certificate. I only have two more modules to complete.

I am glad to be back posting. Happy gardening!

Autumn Colors 15 Nov 2024

Last week, I spent several days on the Gulf Coast of Northwest Florida. The area is known as the Florida Panhandle. It is about a 4 hour drive from here in North Central Alabama to the beautiful white sand beaches near Destin, Florida. It was a glorious time with excellent weather.

We had some rain 2 days ago so the fall colors are persisting. Fall clean up continues and most of the less hardy plants have been moved to places of shelter. It has not yet been cold enough to plant bulbs but there are many other tasks to occupy my time.

As usual, I will be sharing this blog with the Six on Saturday crowd in the morning. Come join us and see what gardeners from around the world are doing. The site is here https://gardenruminations.co.uk. If you wish, post 6 of your own by following the instructions that you will find there.

The dogwood is showing magnificent color. The one on the right is showing the floral bud which will not bloom in early April.

This camellia blooms in January. It is Kramer’s supreme.

This begonia will bloom until frost. I usually cut it down before then. It makes a drippy mess if you don’t.

The hardy mum is in its second year and is spreading and putting on quite a show. I believe that this one is ‘Mrs. Gloria’s Thanksgiving Day’.

The camellia is a sasanqua. I captured an image with the bud showing how the outer petals are pink while the inner double petals are bright white. This is quite a show stopper.

Hope you are enjoying the fall. Happy Gardening!

It’s Just So Hot

August has begun and it is hot. We have had heat advisories several days this week. The wise thing to do is stay indoors. If I do need to garden I should either go out just after sunrise (not my favorite) or drink plenty of fluids and finish the work before noon.

The summer perennials are beginning to wane. The Rudbeckia and the Echinacea are still hanging in there. The summer vegetable patch is still producing a few tomatoes. The blueberry patch is done and some pruning will be necessary there. I may have my first Japanese persimmon to taste soon.

Because of the heat, my photos today are of some shade and part shade plants.

I will be joining the Six on Saturday group tomorrow to post my blog. Join us there to see the worldwide offerings for your enjoyment. Take 6 photos of your own and join us. It’s easy. The rules will be found on the host website https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

The dragon wing begonia does so well in the window box that faces west. It is in shade in the morning but sunny in the afternoon.

This dahlia continues to produce these beautiful blooms.

My ferns have done very well this summer. These are a few that reliably grow and spread each year.

The Southern shield (Thelypteris kunthii) is quite happy amongst the Lenten rose. I also have daffodil bulbs planted among them. The daffodils are done blooming when the ferns begin to rise again.

The Japanese painted (Athyrium niponicum) are a very striking fern with a grayish tone to the leaves and a reddish color in the main stem.

The Japanese tassel (Polystichum polyblepharum) is evergreen. It is a stately fern and appears bold and sturdy.

This Heuchera is blooming now. It holds the blooms for several weeks. This photo doesn’t quite exhibit all the subtle green shades in the leaves. This is a shade lover but it does tolerate several hours of direct sun each year.

August heat can be brutal here. It may also have low rainfall so out with the irrigation and hoses.

Wishing you happy gardening days!

End of June 2024

The garden activities are now restricted to morning and late afternoon. It has been just too hot to brave the heat in the afternoon. Our dry spell was broken on Monday thank goodness. It brought a pleasant evening yesterday.

The perennials continue to be the hit of the show this week. The roses are also thriving. I have a Monarch host plant and a Petal from the Past for you.

I will be joining the Six on Saturday crowd tomorrow morning. Come and take a peek at gardeners from around the globe posting 6 photos of the week. If you wish, check out the link, follow the directions and post 6 of your own. The link is https://gardenruminations.co.uk. We are hosted by Jim Stephens.

The Daylilies (Hemerocallis sp) are blooming this week. No name for this cultivar but since there are 10, 000 plus different cultivars of this popular perennial it is not surprising.

Each year I buy caladium bulbs and plant them in containers outdoors. They always make a beautiful display. They will not survive the winter. If I was diligent, I could dig up the bulbs and keep them in a dormant state for the following spring but I am not motivated enough to do that. There are 1000 named cultivars of Caladium bicolor. This one is “White Queen”.

The hardy hibiscus began blooming this week. I have 3 similar shrubs which have been slowly growing. They are still only 3 feet high but this year they have numerous blooms. Like their namesake, the blooms are short lived but very showy.

The Lime light hydrangeas also began blooming this week. They have become very popular in our area these last few years. They will tolerate some sun and the heat which is the reason for their popularity.

The Althea or Rose of Sharon is really Hibiscus syriacus. It is a tall shrub which blooms prolifically this time of year and is a very resilient shrub. I consider it a Petal from the Past since it can be found on abandoned farm properties and cemeteries. It reseeds readily and some would call it a nuisance plant. I like it and don’t agree with the ‘thug’ label. I show this one because it has a white bloom and a white center.

The Swamp Milkweed came up this year after having been absent last year. As all Asclepius species, it is a Monarch butterfly host plant. I have not seen any Monarchs so far this year but this plant is ready for them. Sorry for the blurry photo but the subject was being blown by the wind.

It is Fourth of July coming up this week. There are plans for an end of week outing to the mountains so I will not be posting.

Happy Gardening!

March is still a lion 8 March 2024

There is a front coming through the Southeast US today. It is strong and large. We will probably have 3 inches of rain today with blustery winds. It will cool off for the next 3 days but no frost is forecast. I am grateful for that.

The spring inches forward and more green is appearing in the grassy areas and in the trees. The daffodils and hellebores are waning now but more blooming trees are appearing.

Here are my 6 photos for this week. If you like gardening, take some photos of your own and share them. Join us tomorrow for Six on Saturday. There will be cheery photos of gardens from around the world. Here is the link. https://gardenruminations.co.uk

The hyacinth appeared a few days ago. It is a stunner. Last year, I had some in containers but I then planted them under some crepe myrtles.

The pink azalea has been in my yard for many years. Sorry, it has to be unnamed. The azaleas have just begun. Watch the Master’s in a few weeks to see many more in Augusta, Georgia.

The Pearl Bush is looking very good this year. The blooms do look like little pearls when the buds first appear.

I don’t consider the wild violet a weed even though it appears in the lawn. This one is being crowded out by some dogbane. I leave them too since they have a pretty daisy like white flower.

The anemone is new to me and it is a “keeper”.

The camellia was a little disappointing to me for a while. The blooms on the shrub hang down and seemed unimpressive. However, when it was placed in a small bowl in the kitchen, it looked magnificent.

There are many garden tasks to complete now. It is wonderful to be back in the garden and after the front is past, I will be back enjoying the weather.

Happy Gardening!!

Spring is Coming Closer 23 Feb 2024

New blooms are appearing daily now and of course the daylight is increasing. The forecast is favorable with warmer nights. We are soon to enter March and I know that there will be at least one more cold snap before the equinox.

This week I have some beautiful blooms to show you. I also have some wildflowers that I saw in the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. I am ending with a photo of a special day I spent this week at a friend’s large acreage in a nearby county.

If you enjoy spring and you enjoy blooms, come join our Six on Saturday group. It is exciting to see photos of blooms and plants taken by gardeners from around the world. Come join us at this link https://gardenruminations.co.uk. Our Saturday online event is hosted by Jim Stephens.

Now on to my photos for this week.

Here are the two wildflowers. They are both spring ephemerals. The blood root is spectacular with the large bright white bloom and bright yellow stamens. The name is apt since the root is red. The early peoples thought it was medicinal for that reason.

The little anemone is not as showy but it has pretty texture.

The quince is just beginning to open. I moved this plant last year and I am very happy to see it bloom.

The blood red double camellia is unnamed by me. Its source information is gone. This bloom is also special to see because of the damage to my camellias from the deep freeze of December 2022.

The anemone was planted last year so this is its first blooming. It is an area developing into a moon garden.

I found these daffodils blooming and I do not remember planting this type. I am not sure this is the correct name but it is the closest that I came with a Google search.

Last week, I was invited to a friend’s property in a county 3o miles south. He has several stands of loblolly pines. He was performing a controlled burn to clear underbrush and promote the growth of sagebrush for habitat renewal. I had read about these techniques and was very pleased to be able to witness this and to provide some help.

As you can see, the road was cleared as a firebreak. Conditions were as required with almost no wind. The fire is begun in limited areas and is directed against the wind. The fire is set to only include a few acres at a time. Nature used to do this every 2 or 3 years by means of lightning. It is understood that the indigenous peoples knew this and cleared underbrush in this manner to improve hunting success.

Hope you marvel at this as much as I did.

Happy gardening!