mens – Fine for Friday

Five for Friday 17 Feb 2023

We are about to have a freeze tonight. The low in the morning will be 28 degrees F according to the forecast. We have had a lot of rain yesterday (2 inches). The temps are forecast to be in the upper 70’s next week and probably the next 10 days. I am feeling the need to seriously think about some hardy plants.

I did plant some sweet peas last week and I hope they survive the night temps. My onion transplants are standing straight and I am optimistic about them.

More and more green is beginning to appear but not a lot of blooms yet other than the daffodils. Next week should be one for more blooms.

First, here is an amaryllis well out of the ground. I cannot say what cultivar it may be since these are generally those we had for the holidays which I plant in the ground each spring.

Second, here is the colorful bark of a crape myrtle ‘Natchez’. It blooms white in the middle of spring but the winter bark color is the winner for me.

Third, this a noticeable frond of a Southern Shield Fern. These are well established now after 3 seasons and I expect a generous clump of them this year. They are deciduous but they do tolerate a fair amount of sun which is wonderful during the hot days of summer.

Fourth, this is Iris virginica. It just emerged last week and I am grateful. It will be a few weeks before it blooms. The common name is Blueflag Iris.

Fifth and final for today is an oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia. It is a hardy native perennial with the noticeable red bark in the winter. Those are my best for today.

Join Jim for Six on Saturday tomorrow here. Gardeners from around the world will be joining to update us on the latest in their gardens.

Until then, happy gardening!!

Five for February 3 Feb 2023

Its a sunny day which is especially delightful since we have had a run of gloomy rainy days. We are storing up the rain now since we can expect dry hot weather in the summer.

The plant world is showing more evidence of emergence aided by the increased duration of sunlight. I am seeing more daffodils, some tulip magnolias and even a few early azalea blooms.

It is becoming easier to find 6 photos to feature on this blog.

First is a glorious cluster of Lenten roses which are a brilliant white.

Second is a smaller cup daffodil which is in a cluster as you can see. I am unsure of the name. The leaves on the ground are mostly water oak. This spot is mostly in morning sun.

Third is the early buds of blueberry. This is Vaccinium ashei which are rabbiteyes. I think is the cultivar ‘Tifton’. I had to put a glove behind them before the iphone camera would focus.

Fourth is an asparagus fern coming to life. This is Asparagus sp which is not a true fern. It is perennial in our Zone 8A.

Fifth is a heucherella which I have in a container in a mostly shade area. This is exciting since it looked to be wiped out by the Christmas flash freeze.

Sixth is Rudbeckia triloba or Brown eyed susan which is a native to our area. I plantd these last year in a container. They were severely affected by the flash freeze at Christmas but I am proud to say they are making a comeback.

I have one more photo to show today. We have a number of feral cats in our neighborhood. Two days ago we heard a lot of noise from under the hood of my wife’s car. These were the culprits.

They were right on top of the battery. By size and movement, we think they are three weeks old. The neighbor is keeping them as she has been feeding the mother. The kittens will go to a shelter as will the mother.

Join us for Six on Saturday tomorrow hosted by Jim Stephens here. Check out gardens from all the world.

Happy gardening!!

Five for Friday 20 Jan 2023

It has been a month now since the record cold here in Birmingham. The weather has been seasonal since, which means warm days with rain and sunny days with near freezing temps. A close watch on the garden continues to reveal many hopeful signs that plants are entering their late winter/early spring phase. There is even a daffodil bloom to feature for this post.

First, is the first sign that the Southern Shield Ferns (Thelypteris kunthii) are beginning to rise out of the ground. There is the characteristic fiddlehead.

Second, is a chrysanthemum. There are increasing numbers of newly emerging growth stalks. These are hardy mums and they bloomed prolifically last fall.

Third is a photo of Shasta daisy awakening. It took a significant hit but prospects of a good summer bloom are increasing. This is the ‘Becky’ cultivar.

Fourth is Stoke’s Aster (Stokesia laevis). It seems to be well recovered and in better condition than the Shasta. It is a native which explains the better response.

Next are two other natives. The resurrection fern which always freshens up after a rain and the leatherwood (Dirca palustris). The leatherwood is now 5 years old and this is the first bloom that I have seen on it.

Finally, the prize goes to the first daffodil. I am unsure of the cultivar but it may be ‘Ice Follies’.

We will have rain this weekend with continued seasonal temps. The hellebores are making good progress so I hope to have photos of them next week.

In the meantime, tomorrow, wander over to the Six on Saturday forum and see gardens from all over the world as our group shares. Jim Stephens hosts our group here and it is a pleasant place to gaze as you enjoy a morning beverage.

Until next time, Happy Gardening.

Friday Favorites

It is Friday. Our beautiful weather continues. It will be dry for the next week so some judicious watering is in order. These tasks will have to be done today as you will soon find out.

Football season has begun so the wife and I will be watching college football tomorrow.

First off are two spider lilies. They are sometimes called surprise lilies because they seem to just appear overnight.

Second is the Sedum “Autumn Joy”. It was really putting on a fine display today.

Third is this trio of purple coneflowers looking so fine in the morning light.

Fourth, here are these red knockout roses. There is a new wave of blooms that have begun this week.

Fifth, is this beautiful, large bloomed hardy hibiscus. They were just planted two weeks ago. I hope this is a good harbinger of things to come.

Sixth, I encountered two visitors, one small and one large for you to see.

The small is the tussock moth caterpillar and the large is one of two healthy bucks that came walking through the front yard a few mornings ago.

Happy gardening to all and remember to take a look at the Propagator.

His blog Six on Saturday is the inspiration for this blog. He would appreciate you stopping by and giving him a like if you favor what you see.

A Stroll In The Gardens

The weather here in the American South continues to be wonderful. It has been just a little cooler each morning. Each afternoon we have been having a little bit of rain. The sky is a clearer blue each morning as the humidity has fallen.

It has been time to take on some fall tasks such as clearing the vegetable garden, pruning some of the spent perennials and planning some hardscape projects.

This weekend is the Fall Plant Sale at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. I have volunteered for this sale for several years now. I took the time to stroll through the gardens and took some photos for you there.

I began my walk crossing this bridge leading into the area of the Bog Garden.

Along the way, I found this Paw Paw tree (Asimina triloba) with plenty of hanging fruit. The pawpaws have a sweet taste said to be a blend of mango, banana, berries and pineapple. It is the host plant for the Zebra Swallowtail although I did not see any.

A little further along, I found these seed pods of the strawberry bush (Eunonymous americana). Its common names include bursting-heart and hearts-a-bustin derived from the image of the fruit I suppose.

I then spied this flower of the jewel weed. It is common along creeks and ditches since it likes bottomland soil. It is just past its prime but there were abundant blooms remaining.

This is the fall panicle of the oak leaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia). It is a common plant in our woods. The blooms linger after the spring and gradually take on a bronze color like this gem.

I next found this inland wood oats near the water of the bog. It is very popular as a low maintenance shade grass. Its color transitions from green in the spring to ivory in the fall to a brown during winter.

Out near the vegetable garden, I saw this cotton at near maturity.

Next, I saw this eyecatching orange cosmos.

Finally, as I exited the garden I saw this planting of a dwarf sunflower. It was very happily showing off its bright yellow color in the bright sunshine.

I hope you enjoyed these glimpses of my stroll in the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

Happy Gardening.

Be sure to take a look at the efforts of the Propagator.