flowers – 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 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 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!

Bright October Fall Flowers 24 October 2025

As winter approaches, shorter, sunny days and cooler nights benefit plants by reducing watering needs. Gardening tasks have been completed more efficiently, including propagating perennials and preparing tender plants for winter. Notable plants include Swamp Sunflowers, Brown Eyed Susans, Hardy Mums, and Zinnias, which attract migrating monarch butterflies. Happy Gardening!

The sunny days are continuing to shorten as we approach the winter solstice. Dry conditions prevail but since the nights are much cooler the plants need less water so they are actually faring much better.

I have been able to complete many more gardening tasks once the watering is done each day. It takes a lot less time to water. I have been busy propagating some perennials, removing annuals as the time of frost approaches and preparing the tender plants that will be moved to places of shelter.

I will be joining the Six on Saturday crowd this week. Look for us here at this link https://gardenruminations.co.uk

This helianthus is spectacular this fall after looking quite puny in the heat of August and September.

The Rudbeckia is a winner. I will be looking for more locations for this celebrity.

This mum is ‘Peachy Pink’ I think. It is putting on quite a show in the bright sunlight.

The Roselle is also a winner for me. It is annual so I will log it as a must seed start for next year.

The zinnias are such a pleaser and not just for me. The monarch butterflies have arrived on their journey south to the Gulf Coast and Mexico. They are seen here frequently.

The Confederate Rose is Hibiscus mutabilis. The blooms turn from white to pink. It indicates to pollinators that this flower has been pollinated so move on.

I hope you are enjoying mild weather that lets you enjoy your garden.

Happy Gardening!!

Bright Fall Flowers 3 October 2025

The October weather features blue skies and cool mornings, aiding garden work. Fall flowers are blooming, including swamp sunflowers and toad lilies, drawing bees and butterflies. The fragrant tea olive is a highlight. The author shares their gardening experiences and plans to post on the Six on Saturday group. Happy gardening!

The October skies are blue. I expect that this time of year. The morning temperatures are cool. I am grateful for that. The garden continues to produce bright fall flowers. I am grateful for that too.

Garden work is so much easier in these temps. It is still dry so a lot of work is being done. The butterflies are still abundant and the hummingbirds are still with us.

I hope you enjoy today’s photos. I will be joining the Six on Saturday group tomorrow and posting my blog there. Come look if you are curious. Here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

The swamp sunflowers are finally blooming. These blooms are bright yellow atop this 6 foot stem. The bottom leaves have browned as a result of the low rainfall.

The Solidago is attracting bees as you can see. The yellow is very intense.

The toad lily opened its blooms this week. There are several dozen blooms on this plant. The rest of the year it is nondescript. It does well is this part shade area of the garden.

The tea olive is very fragrant. In fact, I can smell it on the other side of the house from which it is located. It is a very pleasant fragrance.

I caught this swallowtail cat eating my parsley. This parsley is almost spent for the year so I was not unhappy about it.

The hydrangea is one of three that I bought last month at the Birmingham Botanical Garden Fall Plant Sale. This cultivar is in the Endless Summer series which blooms on this years growth and blooms for months. I will keep my I on it.

Hope your weather is favorable for gardening.

Happy Gardening!!

Plants that bloom well in fall 12 Sept 2025

The summer blooms are dwindling, but some plants remain vibrant. Hot, dry conditions require daily watering, especially for newly planted shrubs. The Clethra alnifolia and Euonymous americanus are highlighted as native species benefiting from increased sunlight after the removal of a dogwood. Butterflies thrive, and a Mediterranean Gecko is residing in the mailbox.

The best of my summer bloomers are exhausted. There are some that are still blooming. There is some other colors that are from seed structures.

It is hot and dry now. I have needed to water sufficiently to keep plants from becoming crispy. I have planted some small shrubs this month and I am busy watering them daily.

I hope to join the Six On Saturday group in the morning. If you are curious, here is the link https://gardenruminations.co.uk.

On the left is the Clethra alnifolia or Sweet Pepperbush. It is a North American native which tends to sucker forming clumps which have fragrant little flowers attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. This plant was shaded by a dogwood (Cornus florida) which I had to cut down recently since it was a casualty of dogwood borer.

On the right is Euonymous americanus or Strawberry bush. The fruit has this cracked open look so that another common name is ‘Hearts a’busting’. This native North American shrub will also benefit from more sun after the removal of the dogwood.

This coleus is self seeded from last years parent which was grown from seed. It is crowding a Dragon Wing Begonia in a small container. Since both are thriving, I will enjoy the combination.

The Rudbeckia triloba or Brown Eyed Susan is another North American native which is doing very well in the garden. It is acting as a tender perennial and it is tolerating the heat and drought extremely well. It will be used in more locations in my garden.

The gulf fritillary has thrived in my garden this summer. They are by far the most abundant butterflies. They have passionflowers as a host plant of which there are plenty in my yard. This one is nectarine on a golden buddleia.

I have mentioned the lizard in my mailbox which is located at the street. The mailbox is covered with a Sweet Summer Clematis. Here is a close up. The iNaturalist app identifies it as a Mediterranean Gecko. Hmm. It seems quite happy and harmless so it is being allowed to continue squatting.

Wishing you Happy Gardening!