birmingham – Fine for Friday

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.

Sorry on naming. I seem to have lost the names on these two Camellia sasanquas. They are beautiful just the same.

The Ruby Slippers has a hint of color and I love the leaf shape. It shows no leaf damage from the frost.

The Limelight continues to have well structured panicles and still some of the lime color in the leaves.

The dogwood is showing gorgeous leaf color. It has not born fruit so it lacks the bright red fruit color.

The surprise is the resiliency of the Purple coneflower. It is truly a hardy native plant.

I hope you are enjoying the seasons changing where you are. Happy gardening!!

Summer Doldrums 18 July 2025

The heat is consistently stifling everyday now. It is energy sapping. Some days have breezes that provide relief but that is the exception. It will be this way until mid September so I have to buckle up and bear it.

The main jobs now are deadheading and removing the occasional plant which has succumbed. The sawflies are under control so the roses are happy.

The garden is still madly blooming. All the stored up rain is driving it. The mainstays of rudbeckia, echinacea and Shasta daisies are magnificent. It did rain some this afternoon so there is hint of cooling in the air.

As usual, I will be posting my blog with the SOS group tomorrow. Come take a look at beautiful gardens with 6 photos each. Here is the site. https://gardenruminations.co.uk The rules are there. Perhaps, you would like to post 6 of your own.

The Purple Heart loves the heat. It is a Tradescantia hybrid if you are unfamiliar. Others in this group are know as spiderworts.

The Indian Summer is a rudbeckia that I have grown for 3 years now. Some survive the winter and others are a reseed I think. The large bloom is spectacular and the foliage is hairy so it tolerates the heat well.

The coneflowers are butterfly magnets. Here I am featuring the Pipevine Swallowtail which is new to my yard. I planted its host 2 years ago and I am very pleased to see this butterfly.

The Mexican hat is one that I grew from seed this winter. It is a prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera. It has a cousin which has abundant larger yellow blooms. I like this one which is much smaller but with a distinctive bloom.

This prostrate lantana is really coming into its own the last 2 weeks. I was gifted six small plants this spring and I am very pleased with the growth habit.

Finally, I have a swamp milkweed, Asclepius incarnata, to show you. I bought it 4 years ago and I thought it was a no show. I think I had been it out thinking it was goldenrod. It has survived despite my misdeeds. I am grateful.

Happy gardening! I hope the rain and the sun are meeting the needs of your garden.

Our Beautiful Spring Continues 9 May 2025

Here in the SouthEast, we usually expect May temperatures to be in the 80’s. Wonderfully, that is not so this year. We have had mild weather and adequate rainfall for weeks now. It is very welcome.

The bluebirds are making nests. The songbirds are in full throat. The butterflies are fluttering by. The bees are buzzing.

My winter vegetable garden is bolting. I planted some tomato plants and peppers just to say that I am a vegetable gardener too. I do have a good crop of blueberries coming and a Japanese persimmon that looks very promising for fruit later this year.

The milkweed is blooming and ready for the Monarchs. This is the first Rudbeckia that I have seen.

The dahlias are from an assortment of seeds that I propagated a few years ago. The lambs ear is my favorite when it blooms.

The hybrid Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snowflake’ is a showstopper. It is covered in panicles now.

The Hydrangea panniculata is known to me as French Hydrangea. I do not know the cultivar. It is a long lived legacy in my yard. It does not bloom every year since it blooms on last years growth and is susceptible to cold winters. This is the second year in a row that it will bloom.

Those are my picks for this week. It is getting more difficult to cull it down to six.

Happy Gardening!

Spring Officially Arrives 21 March 2025

The meteorological Spring is here. The calendar Spring is here! Why do we still have the threat of frost this morning? Oh well, that last frost date is still the important one for gardeners.

The birds are singing. The bluebirds are nesting. Butterflies have appeared and the bees are buzzing. Lets check out the garden.

I have some pretty blooms to show. My plan is to post on Six on Saturday and see what my fellow gardeners are showing from their gardens. You can check it out at this website hosted by Jim Stephens. https://gardenruminations.co.uk

The first 3 will be called the pinks. First, is the Allium karataviense “Red Giant”. This is my first year with Alliums. I chose this one because it is suited our weather. So far, so good.

The Lorapetalum is very impressive this spring. I do not have the name of the cultivar.

The third is an Aroma Hybrid Azalea “Spring Sensation”. These azaleas are deciduous as you can see but the petals are marvelous. The Aromas were developed in Mobile, Alabama near the Gulf of Mexico.

This late appearing daffodil “British Gamble” is new this year. It is a large cup with subtle coloring.

The Pearl Bush is really magnificent this year. It has grown well this year and is now over 6 feet tall.

The Illyciium floradanum (Florida anise) has unusual blooms with elongated leaves. They like the shade and as the name suggests there is a hint of licorice fragrance to the leaves.

Happy Gardening!

Setback 21 Feb 2025

It has been a cold, dreary week with no progress in the garden. There has been some rain and a flurry of some beautiful snowflakes. By my gauge, there has been about inch of rain this week. The forecast is for relief from the freezing overnight temperatures by late weekend or early next week

The daffodils continue to push up. Between them and the window boxes full of pansies, there is some bright color. The paperbush continues to provide wonderful fragrance throughout the yard. The rabbit eye blueberries are about to bloom. I am optimistic about the muscadine vines and the Japanese persimmon.

I did get busy with seed starting. I finished a flat of 72 cabbage and other late winter vegetables which I will transplant. I also did the same with native monarda and other native wildflowers. I am hopeful.

Tomorrow, I will join the Six on Saturday group. Keep up with us. Join us and post your own blog or file. The rules are on the website which is hosted by Jim Stephens. https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

These small cupped daffodils are a bright spot this week. I hope the rest of the clump continues to open up after 20 degrees F this morning.

This Camellia japonica has over performed this year. I moved it 3 years ago and this years display confirms that I made a good decision.

The quince started blooming this week. It is a prostrate form as you can see.

This orchid resides in the humidity of the bathroom. There is plenty of indirect light from skylights. It has not bloomed for two years but diligence has payed off this year.

The holly fern has begun to put out new growth. Sorry, but the image is unimpressive. Pickings are still on the slim side.

I am anxious to do some outdoor gardening next week.

Happy gardening!