Tonight’s garden offering.
Each bloom becomes more precious than the last.
There are fewer each day.
The threat of frost becomes more imminent.
Splendor.
Tag Archives: Flowers
Fall Bloomers
Dahlia
Clematis is stillness blooming
Datura
Morning glory. First time the purple ones have bloomed. Better late than never.
Sedum
Giant mushroom, about 8 inches across. Not something we planted but still impressive.
The garden is still providing beauty and magic, even this late in the season.
Flights of Fancy
I have been enjoying all the butterflies and moths in our garden. They are constant visitors right now.
The most common one I am seeing is this yellow tiger swallowtail. There are often several at one time.
This is the pattern on the bottom as one feeds while hanging upside down. We also have a few monarchs but they are much more skittish. Every time I am almost close enough to snap a photo, said subject takes flight.
I also captured a photo of this little guy. I believe that he is a moth that is active during the daylight hours. I see a few of these each day. It’s wings stand up when it is at rest so I think that makes it a moth.
If you look closely, you can see a hummingbird moth in this photo. Their movement is fast and jerky like a hummingbird but they are actually a moth.
One of the things that all of these have in common is that they are drawn to our house by our butterfly bushes. We purchased the original bushes from our County Extension Office. They reseed and come up prolifically. Gladiolus and petunias are also a big draw.
These flying gems are an added bonus to our garden. They bring much enjoyment along with them.
Restoration
Gardens can have such a peaceful, tranquil effect on the soul. If you can stop yourself from jumping up to grab the shears and dead head a few roses or pulling out “just a few weeds”, that is.
I do pretty well at relaxing and reading a good book or magazine though. It is a good way to pass an hour before going back to the rest of life and responsibilities.
I find that sitting still and watching butterflies, bees, hummingbird moths, and hummingbirds fluttering from flower to flower collecting pollen, has much the same affect on me as watching fish in an aquarium.
I am removed from my own world for a while and enter into an alternate one. That of various animals. It is definitely also a restorative way to pass some time. I encourage you to give it a try.
The Top Five Best Plants Blooming in My Garden This Morning
1. Cleome
The cleome are an added bonus. We have not planted any in about five years. They are a prolific re-seeder. We just move or weed out what we don’t want and enjoy the rest.
2. Morning Glory
The morning glories are also re-seeding plants. I have never planted any. They were here when I moved into this house 14 years ago and have come back every year.
3. Gardenia
The gardenia provides blooms with a two-fold gift. Not only are they are delicate and beautiful, their scent is also divine.
4. Verbena
I have to say, this particular verbena is the best one I have ever grown. I believe it is called “Cherry Blossom”. It has become the focal point of this urn.
5. Hibiscus
The hibiscus put on such a show! They have large, tropical blooms and new ones open up every day.
Stay tuned for more photos of new blooms as they arrive!
Hibiscus
I was taking an evening stroll around the garden. The hibiscus are, of course, always impressive. It was only upon seeing the digital images though that it registered that they are impressive because of form as well as color.
It made me realize that there are different types of perception within each sense in addition to between the senses. I will try to be more mindful now.
Gifts
Plants are amazing things. From tiny seeds, or sometimes bulbs, an entire plant springs forth. For most of the plants we are past the stage where they invest all their energy in growing stems and leaves. Now the buds that developed are bursting open and into flower.
The plants put on a show and enter one of the most beautiful times of the year. Certainly the most colorful.
These are all plants from our gardens and around our yard. We are blessed to live with such beauty.
This bed has plants that are loved by butterflies. We are just recently started seeing butterflies for the year but I anticipate many more to come.
And we must not forget the plants that bless us with beautiful scents. My husband brought this gardenia bush inside and tended it all winter. This is the year’s first blossom. It is the first of many as the bush is loaded with buds. On a summer’s eve few scents are sweeter.
May you enjoy similar such gifts from the lowly seed.
Peonies
These are my Sarah Bernhardt peonies. I’m so glad I planted them. Peonies are my favorite flower and all my other types are fading and nearly spent. But this cultivar is just now peaking. They extend my peony bloom season for nearly two additional weeks.
I researched peonies and while I did not find a repeat bloomer, I did discover that there are peonies that bloom at five different times from spring through early summer. I apparently only have two of the five covered so I will have to see if I can find others to extend the season.
My other peonies are of the type above. I’m not sure what they are. They were here when I bought this house and since it was built in 1830, I have no idea how old they are. They could be very old or a more recent owner could have planted them. I did move them about 10 years ago because a large ash tree was shading them out.
The peonies outlived the tree though. We lost it to the invasive Emerald Ash Borer, as we have lost all our ash trees. This did leave us with plenty of firewood. So plant more peonies!
(I think the lesson is beware of invasive species, but in my opinion you can never have too many peonies!)
Short Garden Tour
First pictorial garden walk about for this year. This year’s addition to the garden is a new flowerbed. The perimeter is planted with pink blooming spirea. Sunflowers are planted along the back fence line for this year. We’ll have to see what plantings are in store for next.
My favorite urn needed about a dozen plants to fill it up. It holds sweet potato vine, coleus, spikes, nicotiana, and assorted petunias.
This much smaller urn contains verbena, dahlia, and petunias.
The rose garden finally seems to be making a comeback. We had so many extra cold winters in a row that I was beginning to wonder if it would survive. The jury is still out on my America climbing rose. It lost a lot of canes.
More garden photos will be forthcoming. I am tired now from helping to cut down a pine tree and haul off the branches. Plus I have to watch the basketball game. Go Cavs!
Longing
Spring weather is exceedingly slow in arriving this year. Luckily my husband decided to grow this amaryllis so we do have some flowers.
We sit around in the evening admiring the beautiful flowers. We are not used to going so long without them.
They are a feast for the soul!
Sanctuary Acres 