birmingham – Fine for Friday

Petals At The Corner Jun 11

For the last few weeks, I have been describing the debutantes at the Grand Ball. They are now assembled and the music has begun. But before I describe that further, I want to spend some time describing the supporting cast. There are some interesting plants that have made an appearance. Some of them are a complete surprise to me.

I will be joining the Six On Saturday group as usual in the morning. If you are interested, come see 6 photos posted by each of the group. Gardeners from global locations join in. Our host is Jim Stephens. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk/category/six-on-saturday/

I found the nest on the left on a wreath situated on the front door. Google search suggested it is a House Finch Nest. They are frequent visitors to my yard. The front door is used only once for twice a day. I will be following this closely.

The mushroom caught my eye this week. It is about the size of my hand. The bright color really stands out. We have had regular rain with very warm temperatures so the conditions are right.

The Scarlet Bee Balm on the left is a native which appears in a corner of the yard. It is a welcome visitor because of the cheerful color.

The Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Summer Crush’ was added to my yard last fall. It started out very well this spring but then the deer took a liking to it and ate all the new growth. Of the deterrents that I have tried, the best seems to have been a spray of dilute peppermint and cinnamon oil. It has to be reapplied every week or two but I count it a success to be seeing some blooms.

This 5 leaved Arisaema is new to my yard. It will have a bloom in a year or two which is green in color. I did have the 3 leaved Arisaema triphyllum ‘Jack in the Pulpit’ in my yard this spring. It was beginning to form a bloom which the deer promptly ate. I hope the triphyllum will bloom again next spring. I do not plan on keeping the Dragon Root.

My last photo is of my blueberry harvest. These are from Rabbiteye blueberries which have done very well for me the last 3 years. Blueberry muffins, blueberry cobbler and blueberry ice cream are a special treat.

I hope you will forgive me for this extra photo.

Happy Gardening!

Petals At The Corner May 29

The dance of floral beauties continues. New entrants are appearing regularly. The colors are outstanding and the variety if breathtaking.. They are untroubled by the recent rain. In fact, they seem to relish it.

I will be linking this blog to the Six On Saturday group in the morning. You can find it here https://gardenruminations.co.uk. It is capably hosted by Jim Stephens and is joined by gardeners from around the globe. Come join us and see the beautiful gardens.

The unnamed Daylily on the left has been a consistent performer over the years.

The Stokes Aster loves its location and has been spreading regularly. What started as just a few plants is now several dozen. They are very jolly.

The close up on the left is identified by iNaturalist as an Asian Lady Beetle. I am not sure of that but nonetheless, it is on the Shasta Daisies which are just beginning to raise up their lovely blooms.

The reddish blooms of Sedum on the right is ‘Autumn Joy’. It is another reliable visitor.

The fountain on the left has been repurposed with hardy succulents. It is nicely framed by the Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ in the background.

The problem of the day is a broken sprinkler head. This had been run over by a wayward motor vehicle several months ago. The car had also ruined two Encore azaleas and damaged our beautiful Katy Road antique roses. I only noticed this damage today. Repair will be done soon.

May your days be made more pleasant by the joy of gardening.

Petals At The Corner 1 May

It is much easier to find six photos for my weekly blog now. The garden is becoming more crowded looking and more colorful every day. Last weekend, we held our plant sale and it was a success by my standard. Most of the plants offered were sold and the surplus was donated to a local non-profit.

The deer have done some damage to my tomato plants and to my Echinacea. Other interesting activity this week was a groundhog but I did not have my phone handy to take his picture.

My raised bed continues to produce tasty onions. I have some beets that are making some wonderful progress and I did spy a yellow squash flower. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

I will post my blog on the Six On Saturday blog this week. Here is the link if you want to stop by https://gardenruminations.co.uk

The heavy rains come. Mild pleasant weather. Tasks continue to be garden planting and container managing. Working on shade garden. Working on native plants.

The rains came this week. I recorded more than 4 inches of rain. Soon thereafter, the sweet shrub on the left bloomed. This is Calycanthus floridus.

The pretty bell shaped flower on the right is Penstemon calycosus. That tubular flower makes it a wonderful nectar plant for butterflies and hummingbirds. I started these from seeds last year.

The Mock Orange (Philadelphus sp) has been a challenge. I moved it two years ago and it has resisted. I have had to prune it several times because of dead branches. It is doing better this year.

The Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ on the right is another edit job. I repotted it in the fall and I am grateful that it returned. It is responding well to its new surroundings. I could have waited to take a photo in the fall when the blooming portion turns its beautiful bronze color.

The blue bloom is Stokes Aster (Stokesia laevis). It has done very well in the garden and spreads peripherally in a mannerly way. Beautiful late spring bloomer.

The bearded iris is a beauty. My iris have not bloomed well this year. We did have a significant cold snap in mid March which I think led to this poor show.

Hope you are enjoying your garden !

Petals At The Corner April 24

Blooms, Blooms, Blooms

My time is occupied with some repeating tasks. The plants I started from seed this winter need to be planted as they reach a good size. I am slowly accomplishing this task.

Since our rainfall has been sporadic, I also have the task of seeing that they are adequately watered, both before and after they are planted.

I have been organizing a plant sale for the benefit of the Corner Garden. There are plenty of tomato plants, pepper plants, Shasta daisies and milkweed. The sale is April 25. I have planned and organized as much as I can. It is now time just to go for it.

The Itea (Sweetspire) is a wonderful native. It has a clumping habit which I like. The hanging panicles are unusual but vcry eye pleasing. I know there are some cultivars available but I am pleased with his native.

The Climbing Hydrangea is another eye catching native. It is slowly growing up this water oak, which is about 50 feet high, as it reaches for the light.

The oak leaf hydrangeas has begun to bloom. This cultivar is ‘Ruby Slippers’. As the name suggests, the blooms will begin to redden along the edges as it continues to fill out.

The knockout roses are in their first mass blooming of the year. There is not evidence of saw fly damage … yet.

The photo on the left shows the Plant Sale offerings with the tomatillo showing out in the front.

The Flame Azalea on the right is a native. It is one of the natives from which many hybrids have been developed.

I hope to post on the Six On Saturday website tomorrow. If I don’t get that chance, it is because I will be quite busy with the Plant Sale in the morning. Hoping you are enjoying the spring season. Here is the website or Six on Saturday hosted by Jim Stephens. https://gardenruminations.co.uk/.

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 20 March 2026

It’s Spring. It’s beautiful weather. The grass is waking up and the predominant color is quickly becoming green.

We had frost early this week and even a snow shower but the next ten days will be frost free. In fact, our likelihood for any more frost is very low.

The birds have been very active and more butterflies are appearing.

Here is the challenge. Take 6 photos and post them. I will be doing that with the Six on Saturday group tomorrow. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk/.

The Japanese maple has leafed out. I think this is Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’. It is doing nicely in a large container.

The Limelight cuttings on the right is a spring project. All 20 cuttings taken 2 weeks ago seem to be thriving.

The Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides) are very impressive this spring.

The Ajuga is a volunteer but it is serving as a welcome groundcover. It is a welcome addition.

The daffodil is all alone in its part of the garden. I have forgotten the cultivar.

The Amaryllis is a surprise. I bought the bulb in the fall and forced it in the house for the Christmas decoration. After it had bloomed, I planted it in the yard for summer blooming. It quickly recycled and bloomed early in the yard.

Those are my 6 for today. What are your 6?

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!

Autumn Colors 14 Nov 2025

We had frost 2 nights this week. It was a light touch so only a few very tender plants are done for the season. We are in a stretch of warm days and cool nights so the autumn color will persist for at least the next 10 days.

This week the feature is the Camellia sasanquas. They have emerged this week and they are stunning. The dogwood is in beautiful color as are the hydrangeas.

We are dry again but rain is expected in a few days. We will soon enter the rainy season. I have stopped irrigating and I am focusing watering on bulbs and winter pansies that I planted this week.

I will join the Six on Saturday group tomorrow. Come take a look and see. The link is https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Our capable host is Jim Stephens.