alabama – Fine for Friday

Petals At The Corner 17 April

The Corner Garden continues to thrive in Vestavia Hills in Alabama.

The garden has continued to keep dry. The main task remains manual watering. The new plants continue to need watering daily. The nights remain cool in the evening so that is a relief. Soon though, the night temperatures will be rising. I still have many plants to be planted. It is delayed because I do have to keep up with the watering.

The main bloomers this week are irises and roses. I am also busy adding planters with coleus and caladiums. The shady area in the garden is filling up with hydrangeas, lambs ear, hardy geranium, sedge grass and ferns. It is a wonderful time of growth.

The iris on the left is thriving. It is a flag iris. It does get afternoon shade and is thriving.

The bearded iris is a beautiful blue. It is healthy and showy. It is along the busy street and it is very striking.

The stachys on the left is beautiful with the fountain in the background. It keeps well hydrated with the water spray and it is very happy.

The oak leaf hydrangea native is beginning to bud. I was eager to how it off today.

The red spotted admiral is hard to distinguish from other black swallowtail like butterflies. Inaturalist does identify this one with high degree of certainty.

The Carefree beauty is at its spring peak now. This grouping of roses was hard pruned this spring and it has responded very well.

Tomorrow, I will join the Six on Saturday group. Many other gardeners will post 6 recent photos to share with the group members. Here is the link. Come join us and enjoy. https://gardenruminations.co.uk/author/lairdstephens/

Happy Gardening!

Petals At The Corner 10 April

The danger of frost is past. The main task these days is planting seedlings and purchased plants. The shrubs have been pruned. The lawn is now in need of regular mowing. There is broad leaf weeds in it and the cool season grass poa annua. The poa annua will disappear as the temperatures rise and the broad leaf weeds will be choked out by the increasing growth of the turf grass.

The next most urgent task is watering. We are in mild drought conditions now. I am watering by hand and hose. Mostly, I want to reserve the irrigation for when it will be most needed in August and September.

The main show this week are the irises and the pair of nesting bluebirds that I introduced last week.

Tomorrow, I will be joining the SixOnSaturday group. Gardeners who share 6 photos at this link hosted by Jim Stephens. https://gardenruminations.co.uk/

The Iris virginica on the left is a shade of purple. It is a very reliable bloomer.

The bearded iris in the middle is part of a group I planted last year. They are large, showy and brilliant white.

The flag iris, Iris pseudocorus on the right love their location near the splash of the fountain pool. Their bright yellow blooms are visible from quite a distance.

The Tradescantia sp on the left is a native. Sorry, it’s a little out of focus. The stamens are golden in color and really stand out.

The Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed) on the right have been grown from seed. This will be part of a fundraising plant sale in 2 weeks.

The blue birds do not live in a blue house. It is an aberration of the photo editing software that I used.

Both parent birds were very busy today. They seemed to be finding ample food in the lawn for their obviously ravenous hatchling.

I hope you are managing to spend a lot of time outdoors. May the weather and your garden please you.

Happy Gardening!

Petals At The Corner 3 April

Since last week, so much more has emerged in the garden. It’s like meeting friends that you have not seen in a while. The weather forecast shows no frost chances so I think its safe to plant tender plants now. So once my tomatoes and peppers are ready, into the ground they will go.

Most trees have their leaves unfurling now. Alas, the hydrangeas, paperbush and the early azaleas had frost damage from 2 weeks ago and it will be a while before their undamaged leaves are fully out.

Garden tasks this week have included tip pruning the frost damaged shrubs, potting up seedlings, removing the excess leaf litter around the shrubs and planting salvia I have grown from seed. In addition, I have planted some pulmonaria and carex grasses that I purchased recently.

Tomorrow, I plan to visit the Six On Saturday website where gardeners from over the oceans meet to share 6 photos of the week. Here is the website of Jim Stephens where you can also visit https://gardenruminations.co.uk/.

I am starting out with the Yellow Flag Iris on the left. It is near the fountain and thrives there with the extra spray.

The bearded yellow iris on the right is magnificent. It is tall and stands out along the nearby street.

The native azalea on the left is R. canescens and is also known as piedmont azalea.

The azalea on the right is also a native azalea. It looks like R. austrinum but I am not certain.

The iris on the left is Iris tectorum. It is called Japanese roof iris. The foliage is evergreen like other irises but it is smaller.

The fern on the right is Autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora). It has an evergreen foliage but it has this more copper tone with spring growth and then again in the fall. It tolerates more light than other ferns. Its size and color makes it a special garden fern.

I hope you are enjoying the change of seasons. It is a special time of year.

Happy Gardening and Happy Easter!!

Petals At The Corner 27 March

The weather is sunny and the temperatures are pleasantly warm. The frequent question comes to mind “Is it time to plant?”

The grass is green and it could be mowed if only to remove the seed heads from unwanted grasses and broadleaf weeds. I have already begun to add some fertilizer and broad leaf applications to the lawn. I started to irrigate the lawn today but only because we don’t expect any rain for the next week.

Ornamental shrubs are blooming. The azaleas, camellias and paperbush have all bloomed. Some of them prematurely it seems since a mid-March frost ruined some of the early blooms.

I have planted some onion sets, cool weather vegetables and some zinnias.

Is it time to plant tomatoes? Is that what you mean? Even here in Zone 8, I will not plant summer vegetables for another 2 weeks.

Here is my 6 for this week. I will post on Six On Saturday tomorrow. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk/

The double daffodil on the left is a beauty. I have forgotten the name. Anyone recognize it?

On the right is Kerria japonica. It is also known as Japanese kerria and Japanese rose. It is very beautiful this spring.

The Spanish bluebells on the left (Hyacinthoides hispanica) have such beautiful blue blooms and have popped up in several locations this spring.

The little daffodil on the right was a surprise. The iphone plant identifier calls it a Rush-leaf jonquil. I’ll take that. It is a very delicate plant.

For your pleasure, here is a bluebird pair on the left that are very busy foraging today. They watched warily as I worked in the area. I could not hear cheeping and I could stare into the next box but I could not discern any gaping mouths.

The right photo is a cloudless sulphur sugar snacking at the coral honeysuckle.

I hope your weather is beautiful and you are enjoying some gardening.

If you want to share photos,

Happy Gardening!!

Petals At The Corner 14 March 2026

There are many new petals to see at the Corner Garden this week. The pine pollen is blowing pretty freely the last few days. I washed my car and it lost the yellow look but it was just 2 hours later that my car was covered with it again. The water oak is also putting out a lot of its pollen. It is covering the ground and crunches when you walk on it.

The weather is warming but it is still March so it is no surprise that we will have a frost threat early next week. As protection, we banked the Shasta daisy cuttings with leaves. The hydrangea cuttings will be protected in the shed for those days. We potted up some fern divisions today that will also be sheltered in the shed for the frost risk days.

I will be posting this blog on Six on Saturday tomorrow. Come look and see the 6 photos of the week chosen by gardeners from around the world who also post there. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk/

The first two photos are of azaleas. I don’t know either of the cultivars. The one on the left is a bright Kurume type. The one on the right is a lavender which I believe is one of the Encore series.

The white azalea on the left may be Satsuki but it is on the verge of a breakout of blooms.

The Knockout Rose on the right is a red. This cultivar has responded very well to the pruning of 2 weeks ago. Last year, we had three bloomings from this group of roses. They have been bothered by sawflies last year but responded well to Neem oil treatments.

The Oak Leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is beginning to leaf out. This Alabama native is a favorite. The dried pannicles are still on the branches and you can see the attractive bark which persists all winter.

The sixth photo is also an Alabama native whose photo I had posted last week. It deserves another look this week since the bloom has opened. This is the Wakerobin Trillium (Trillium decumbens). It is a stately plant.

The garden is continuing to wake up and show off its beauty. Weeds are beginning to appear so it is time to consider a layer of pine bark mulch after a thorough weeding.

Another plan for the future is low voltage up lighting for 6 or 7 shrubs and trees as well as some lighting along the walkway.

Happy Gardening! Drop by and see us again next week.

Late Winter Green 27 Feb 2026

The garden is waking up. I am seeing more green and more blooms. The branches look plump and more and more buds are appearing. There is more activity at the bird feeder and I have seen some bees at the blooms that have opened.

Our 2 day episode of overnight freezing temperatures passed without much damage seen in the yard. The forecast is for spring like temps over the next 10 days. We had a substantial rainfall over the last 24 hours. Conditions are favorable for a time of great advances in the garden.

Last week saw the completion of the majority of pruning of beauty berry, roses and Rose of Sharon (Althea) at the Corner Garden. The Limelight hydrangeas are next but not until buds begin opening on them. This year, cuttings will be taken to propagate Limelight hydrangeas. Today, Shasta daisies were potted up for a Spring Sale planned for late April.

I managed to capture drops of rain lingering on the Salix sp (Pussywillow) buds. You can just see some green below those buds.

The Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is advancing well. It has survived the winter in its container and it indeed looks very spry. It is a delightful plant.

The Roses were pruned back very hard last week. As you can see, they are beginning to respond well. This variety is Katy Road Pink also known also known as Carefree Beauty. There is a collection of 7 of them now.

The Lambs Ear (Stacey’s Byzantine) is beginning to spread out again. It never disappears. Rather it slows down and gradually turns a grey dried out color. Now it is beginning to show the pretty blue green color. It loves its location near the fountain.

Here are the Shasta daisies that were potted up today. I harvested them from one of the many patches present at the Corner Garden. They will be available at the plant sale.

I am showing the Corner Garden fountain in its splendor after last year’s renovation. It was made possible because of a fundraising project. The main elements of the fundraiser was a GoFundMe project and a plant sale.

This year’s project will be to enhance our lighting. This would include uplighting on several trees and shrubs as well as some pathway downlights. It may also include some colored lighting for holidays.

I will be joining the Six on Saturday group in the morning. Come join us at this website https://gardenruminations.co.uk. Join in. The rules are on the website. Gardeners from several countries join in to post 6 photos from Saturday or the previous week. It is very interesting.

Happy Gardening!

Late Winter 20 Feb 2026

This has been a beautiful week of weather. It has been warm with several mostly sunny days. There is a cold front coming. It will bring some frosty nights for 2 days so winter still has some punch left in it. It is so wonderful to have the increasing amount of daylight. The plants have all benefited.

I have spent my week pruning shrubs. The beauty berry, hollies and viburnum all now have their spring trim. I have also cleaned up containers that are holding pansies and sedum. There are a few trays of perennials that are ready to be planted but that will wait a little longer.

The most impressive bloomers in the garden right now are the daffodils. I am also enjoying crocus and the winter lettuces and the onion sets that are making substantial progress.

These red Camellia japonicas are glorious at the moment. The earlier blooms were damaged by a significant frost but thank goodness for sequential blooming. The mild weather has brought out an abundance of beautiful blooms. I do not know the names of these cultivars but they are magnificent.

I have shown the Edgeworthia ‘Paperbush’ a week or two ago but indulge me since these opening blooms have a beautiful, bright golden color. In addition, the fragrance is intoxicating.

The Star Magnolia is also blooming and fragrant. The white strap flowers make this a very showy shrub. It is about 12 feet high but it is having a struggle with crown rot. 2 of the 3 trunks have been lost and the third trunk is beyond remedy I fear. I identified the problem too late to do much about it. There are some azaleas underneath it that will benefit from the additional light. C’est la vie.

The daffodil is ‘Ice Follies’. It is tall at 12 inches. The yellow cup stands out against the white. I have a very nice crop of them this year. Many other varieties of daffodil are now blooming and I intend to show you more next week.

The nest box is for bluebirds. The male was courting the female today. The flew around it several times. They did not settle in because of the activity around them but it was exciting to see their interest. I didn’t capture a photo but here is one from another time.

I will be sharing this post with the Six on Saturday group tomorrow. If you want to see photos from gardeners from around the world, here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk/

In the meantime, happy gardening!

Late Winter 13 Feb 2026

There has been such a dramatic change in the weather this week. It is spring-like with a gentle breeze and warm sunny days. There is no frost in the forecast for at least the next 10 days.

The spring bloom display has begun. The daffodils, the crocuses and the snowdrops are full. There are some red buds appearing on the roses.

The late winter tasks are well underway. Most significant has been the pruning of beauty berry, Rose of Sharon, anise and vitex. Since they bloom on this years growth, this should bring out more blooms later in the year.

The hellebores have been hesitant to bloom for the last few weeks, but they have come out with many blooms in the last few days. The reliable more common one on the left is more abundant but the subtle shading of ‘Pink Frost’ on the right makes it my favorite.

The Crocus ‘Snow White’ was planted last year. One bloom appeared a week ago but another two blooms appeared yesterday. This is a small bloom but it is bright white and shows up well.

The Edgeworthia chrysantha (Paperbush) on the right is also a small group of blooms but really stands out with its egg yolk yellow color. This is one of my favorite shrubs because of its striking stem architectural shape.

The daffodil on the left is unnamed. It was done a good job of becoming established and has many clumps.

The daffodil on the right is ‘Lovelady’. I think. Whatever the name, it is a beauty.

No. This dahlia is not blooming now. I am posting it because of something I learned yesterday. A local nursery sells dahlia blooms (Stone Hollow Farmstead). They sell dahlia blooms and the my informant states it is not necessary to dig them up in the fall in our area. They will do well left in the ground and survive our winter very well.

I hope the weather is pleasant wherever you are and that you will be able to get out to enjoy your garden.

I will be posting tomorrow with the Six on Saturday group. Come check it out. Here is the website https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

Happy gardening.

Late Winter 6Feb2026

The winter season has been much colder than usual here in Central Alabamal. Since there has been such cold, I have not posted in several weeks.

We are coming through 12 days with frost but the forecast is for much milder weather next week. Rambling through the garden today, there is much more interesting photos for posting. Here we go.

The Camellia japonica was bravely blooming before the cold spell. You can see the effect of temps well below freezing. Some neighbors made a valiant effort to cover their camellias with various covers and blankets but to no avail.

The oak leaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia) is showing signs of budding today. If you look really hard, you will see them. Mostly, you will see the pretty winter color of this delightful native shrub.

The limelight hydrangea (H. paniculata) is in winter mode with the persistent panicles but its buds are also beginning to swell. Once I see the buds, I plan to harvest the limbs for propagating and then I will prune these shrubs back to 18 inches or so.

The Hellebore to the left is in a protected shady spot and is blooming magnificently. Soon, its brethren in less sheltered spots will be blooming also. That is my hope.

The Hellebore ‘Fire and Ice’ has been blooming for several weeks now. It seems to be a sterile hybrid.

The Salix species is beginning to open nicely. I purchased two one gallon pots of this species last year. These remind me of the Polish legend I heard in my youth. The mother cat was crying for her kittens that fell into the water while chasing butterflies. The willow branches bent their branches into the water to rescue them. In spring, the trees sprouted soft, fur-like buds where the kittens clung.

I hope to join Six on Saturday in the morning. Come join other gardeners showing their six current photos. Follow the rules and post your own. Here is the site hosted by Jim Stephens. https://gardenruminations.co.uk/2022/11/05/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/

Happy Gardening.!!

Autumn Colors 21 Nov 2025

The leaves are falling rapidly. Soon the tall tree canopy will be bare. I am gathering up the leaves and they will be composted with the perennials that have finished blooming. Of course, I am leaving enough leaves under trees and shrubs for the insect life, birds and other critters that use it as habitat.

We are expecting some rain this week so I have been busy with the tidy up phase of the garden. The perennials are cut back and the lawn has finally stopped growing. We do have some mole infestation to manage but that treatment is also done. I hope it works because the “tunnels” are unsightly and annoying to walk on.

I will join Six on Saturday tomorrow. I am eager to see the preparation of the bloggers there. Join us and see. The link is https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

The Hydrangeas are outstanding this week. I have shown these two before but this look is so beautiful that I thought I would bring them back for an encore.

The native azalea caught me off guard. A bloom was not expected until April but the spell of warmer weather brought it out.

The paperbush (Edgeworthia) is turning leaves and forming blooms at the same time.

Purple Heart (Tradescantia) is also blooming out of season. I do not mind. I enjoy the extra bit of color.

I have show the Dogwood (Cornus florida) recently but once more this is an exceptional amount of red color.

Hope you are enjoying the season. Next week is Thanksgiving in the USA. It will be a busy week at my house. I may not be posting.

Happy Gardening!