August garden

18 Thursday Aug 2016

Posted by home, garden, life in Albemarle county, feeding wild birds, garden textures, garden thugs, home, home garden, Lifestyle, Monarch butterflies, season, summer, sustainable lifestyle, Virginia

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Albemarle County, Central Virginia, garden, home, life, lifestyle, plants, summer, Virginia

There is one word that describes the month of August in central Virginia… steamy. Not unlike steam room cloying temperatures and humidity with dew points in the 70’s.

August skies over Swallowtail Cottage

This year does not disappoint. Any Virginia gardener knows this month requires resolve and fortitude and multiple trips to the shower. If Mother Nature holds back quenching storms, this gardener must rise before dawn to drag hoses around for blooming plants, inviting nectaring insects and butterflies to have sweet tastes. Newly added plant material must be monitored for even moisture, if they are to survive and put down healthy root systems.

Despite these character-building conditions, I want to share with you the beauties that dot my landscape this month…

The Chinese Lycoris squamigera, more commonly known as Naked Ladies, are plentiful around here (zone 7a) as summer beauties yet are extremely persnickety. They send up tall, flat leaves in the spring that die off, then tall spikes appear this month. With multiple flowers on plain or naked stalks reaching 36″ tall, they are quite the show stopper. They never need staking, yet when I transplant them to other garden areas, many never bloom. Go figure…

Formosa lilies are native to Formosa and grow easily in my gardens where they readily self sow… the original seed came from Tufton, a property once owned by Thomas Jefferson.

The Formosa seed pods during winter, with actual seeds removed. Stunning, yes?

This Honeybells fragrant hosta and nine sisters were gifted to me last year. Now blooming and 48″ high, the steamy August garden is blessed with visual cool and fragrance. PS: generous applications of spent coffee grounds around the base of early leaves completely stopped the onslaught of slugs…a Whole Foods Barista was happy to give me their dregs any time that I asked.

A close up of this dreamy hosta Honeybells. Too bad the biting ants like the flowers too or I would cut stems for the house and market.

The only phlox I grow here at Swallowtail Cottage, Davidii stands tall and does not succumb to any mildew. Incredible.

Another gift from Kate. The Celadon poppy blooms early spring and again this month. I am told this poppy is invasive, yet tucked back in the rear garden, I invite a bit of delicate color and naughty.

THIS is a thug. Rudbeckia triloba…I do not remember ever planting it, yet this year a huge area of the butterfly garden is filled with these 6′ tall bloomers! I took many bunches to market and will stuff the rest in the burn barrel, as they have needles along the stems and are as rough as a cob. OUT!!!

Autumn Joy sedum attracts flutterbyes by the dozen and is an easy-care perennial. A classic in any garden. This was on the property when I bought it in 2001, and I have shared many clumps with neighbors.

Ahhh, my summer delight. The Natchez crape myrtle. One double trunk grows in the front lawn, and a five-trunked specimen thrives on the west side of the house. These beauties provide dreamy shade during summer months, have refreshing blooms where honey bees bury themselves, and in fall, leaves change to a brilliant hue. Did I mention the peeling bark during August? This shed reminds me all is well with much visual interest.

The shedding bark layer curls and twists, revealing the baby smooth leather-like under bark. I often find myself stroking the trunks as the sensation is like no other.

I laugh every year when this silly PJM rhododendron blooms in August…All of its companions bloom in the spring, when they should, but here, no. I really do not like pink of any kind in the garden, yet planted PJM’s years ago for their winter bronze leaf color.

Let me introduce you to a new variety… Black Diamond crape myrtle, added to my front garden this summer. Notice the wonderful deep leaf hue and pleasant color of the flowers…this plant blooms multiple times per year and the plant tag promises a mature height at 12′. I look forward to many years with this new variety…

And Babe, the topic of my last post, survives despite its weird appendage in front of its right leg. After emailing photos to the Wildlife Center, they too are stumped and suggest that as long as Babe is eating well, to leave it in the wild. Although Babe continues to molt and look rather pathetic with its shabby coat, I eagerly wait to see what sex it is…can anyone guess?

This plaque, found in a shop at Tryon Palace, reminds me that the garden teaches forever.

Twice per week this time of year I run errands and make deliveries very early, then confess to enjoying short afternoon naps in the air conditioning. Heat is hypnotic. Reclined on the loveseat, dozing between paragraphs of a Baldacci novel, I later rise and do indoor chores. Then around 7PM I dress for insects and head out weekly to mow and perspire. Soon. Soon. Very soon, there will be lower dew points and garden clean up, as the blooming show will be mostly over until next spring. And this gardener will sigh a large exhale.

Thanks for reading along. Your comments are always enjoyed.

Swallowtail Cottage update

26 Friday Apr 2013

Posted by home, garden, life in Back Yard Birds, birds, Bluebirds, environment, Lifestyle, season, spring, sustainable lifestyle, Virginia spring flowers

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high tech farming, hot house, mealworms, Mennonite nursery garden, morning in the country, nature, nesting bluebirds, open house nursery, plants

Last night the moon was splendidly full yet overnight temperatures dipped to 34F again. For the end of April in central Virginia, this is cold.

Dogwood in full bloom

The nesting female bluebird survived freezing temperatures last week and was quick to find their private feeder full of mealworms this morning—ordered in specially for her, her mate, and the soon to be nestlings.
Freezing temperatures often limit the number of edible insects bluebirds require, therefore human intervention can aid the overall success of the pair and brood.

The order of 5,000 mealworms arrived this morning. After three days in the post, they are hungry and thirsty. Notice how they converge on the kiwi fruit for moisture. Organic lettuce leaves and the bed of organic oat bran provide food as well.

Knowing that both bluebirds were in good feed, I joined a neighbor and her darling daughter on a visit to a nearby Mennonite garden nursery. The sun shone brilliantly burning off any chill from the night—good day for an open house.
These fields are serious business for a man, his eight children, and many grandchildren.

High tech farming practices in place along the sleepy foothills of the Blue Ridge

Tomato plants already in the ground.

Inside the fragrant hot-house, the annual plants display row after row.

A pre-schooler learning the wonders of plants. A white petunia she had to have.

Little Abby back home from the nursery already in a farming mood!

While snacking on a freshly made donut, still warm from the kitchens, I managed to part with a few dollars for annuals that will go into the butterfly garden.
Abby inhaled two donuts, never blinking twice. Ah to be five again!
Another great day in the country, yet time to return to my kitchen as Saturday market will be here soon enough.
May you all have a splendid weekend.

tgif

30 Saturday Mar 2013

Posted by home, garden, life in environment, garden, home, landscape design, Lifestyle, March, quick meals, season, spring, sustainable lifestyle, Virginia, winter

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container planting, food, garden, home, life, nature, plants, spring, Virgina

slow snow slide…try saying this fast

Yesterday marked the official end of winter in my landscape, so said I. The droopy snow slide of last week is now merely a memory. Today, with the sun blazing in all her glory, I headed out into the garden to complete yet another task on my spring checklist.

This planter, and her sister, survived many years of neglect, continuing to flourish season to season. However, during the winter, both planters collapsed, or the contents did, forcing me to pay attention.

sunken in the center

This sedum is bullet proof and flowed for years, simulating water, as the centerpiece of my restored herb bed—now it needed surgery.

with my trusty Rambo knife, surgery was successful

When I planted this container years ago, I placed onion bags filled with packing peanuts into the bottom. This provides great drainage, reduces the amount of fill dirt, and will biodegrade in a thousand years, making this process very sustainable!

a good use for those non-biodegradable peanuts

notice the peanut filled onion bags tucked into the bottom of the container

landscape cloth and good earth await

operation successful thanks to a good knife

The old flat sheet provided a great catch-all for any wandering bits…

A few fresh peanuts were added

then all were covered with a bit of landscape cloth. This prevents dirt from clogging the engineered drainage

I just adore the color of these Angelina Stonecrop ‘Sedum rupestre’ ‘Angelina’ PPAF or trailing perennial.

In no time this plant will spill over the edges of this container creating a fountain effect

meanwhile the mower charges

I repeated this surgery on the second container, then proceeded to the lower garden where the eight sections of retired sedum were re-purposed. They should do well in this hot, sunny lower area.

Virginia soil is full of clay, therefore this mortar pan is handy when adding amendments like Pro-Mix.

slave girl at work–moi!

tools of the day

time for a late lunch–butternut squash ravioli

with brown butter and sage

a tasty reward following a good afternoon’s work

So fare-thee-well winter storms and heavy snow.
This gardener is out in her domain, making a small difference in her spring landscape on a highly productive Friday afternoon.

faces in the garden

08 Sunday Jul 2012

Posted by home, garden, life in garden, home, life, Lifestyle, Poetry, summer, sustainable lifestyle

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beauty, nature, photography, plants, poetry, summer flowers, Virginia

The following images resound from the gardens surrounding my home despite horrendous heat and humidity…

Queen Ann, Queen Ann has washed her lace

she chose a summer’s day and laid it in a grassy place

to whiten if it may.

Queen Ann, Queen Ann

has left it there and slept all through the night

to wake to find the sunshine fair and all the meadows white.

Queen Ann, Queen Ann

is dead and gone, she died a summer’s day

yet left her lace to whiten on, each weed and tangled way.

Author Unknown

(I memorized this poem as a child)

better late than never?

07 Saturday Jul 2012

Posted by home, garden, life in Dominion Power, Lifestyle

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Fourth of July, Independence Day Celebration, Monticello, Monticello Gardens, Nadia Comaneci, naturalization ceremony, outdoors, photography, plants, travel, vacation, Virginia

Dear old Mother Nature had her way with Virginia again last week. She sent 80 MPH winds throughout the state, dropping trees and power lines like toothpicks. I was one of the lucky ones, with garden damage limited to the Ichi Ke Jiro, which split in half. Electricity was out for 6.5 days during triple digit temperatures and high humidity. A bit of deja vu from last fourth of July weekend—see my blog.

I defaulted to the lower level of my home, where I have a small bed, bath, and comfortable sitting area. I hauled water from my neighbor’s spigot to water necessary herbs and flush toilets, then retreated to the basement until dusk, when I would check birds feeders and baths. I went to bed at dark and woke at dawn, where I would again haul water and scrounge for a meal from my assorted collection of nuts, seeds and dry berries. Reading and naps filled my afternoons while gently transported to idleness.

On the actual fourth, I decided to join the living and drive to Monticello’s 50th Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony. The following images portray that visit and give an update of Jefferson’s garden progression. See my earlier blog: the thing about historic gardens, posted in late winter.

Dramatic contrast between reenactment soldier and Nadia Comaneci.

Remember to slide your mouse over images for further captions.

in the midst of a very full life

04 Monday Jun 2012

Posted by home, garden, life in garden, home, life, Lifestyle, photography, sustainable lifestyle

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beauty, fairy gardens, friends, neighbors, plants, vacation, Virginia

This is a very special blog dedicated to my friend and neighbor Stella

who is six years old.

Since a toddler, Stella showed interest in the outdoors. She accompanies her father into the yard most days to sing, play, giggle, and enjoy. When I have butterfly larvae in my gardens, Stella comes to see. She is always eager to visit and share moments of garden wonder.

Stella sat with me one afternoon last May while we observed the flight of tree swallows—a few days following the death of my beloved Miss Kitty. I could hardly speak, yet Stella’s presence eased my grief and her innocent gesture remains with me to this day.

This spring I noticed that Stella created her own garden, aside the house, on bare dirt. There she plays with her imaginary fairies. She resurrected a statue and other items—yet I had a plan.

On her birthday, I gave Stella a metal butterfly sculpture for her garden. Following permission from her parents, I brought over unused terracotta pots and seeds, added mulch to the patch of dirt, arranged her sculptures, then awaited her return from school.

Together Stella and I planted flower seeds in the pots and I showed her how to care for them using a watering can. I truly thought Stella was ready for a real garden of her own, where she could nurture tiny seeds and produce colorful flowers.

This is the Stella’s garden today

The wood path was later added by Stella,

as it leads to the blue roof of the fairy house.

This is Stella’s garden sculpture

she says is too pretty to go into her garden

so she keeps it in her room.

Slide your mouse over images for further captions.

snake in the grass?

04 Monday Jun 2012

Posted by home, garden, life in garden, home, home ownership, life, Lifestyle

≈ 9 Comments

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Eagle Scout, garden, outdoors, plants, snakes, Virginia

Sunday mornings I linger in and around my bed. Yesterday, as I gazed into the landscape, I noticed what appeared to be a black gasket, in the top of the nandina shrub, just below my window. Yes there was wind yesterday, but a gasket in my shrub??

I grabbed my camera, where I could view through the telephoto lens, and much to my amazement, spotted not a gasket, but a black snake! It appeared small, until I attempted to trap it in a lidded bucket.

Since the nandinas are a thick stand, positioning the bucket proved impossible, as the snake quickly slithered down the branch, and was lost in the day lilies. Damn! I have not had black snakes here in two years—because these reptiles thrive on bird eggs, nestlings, and toads I strive to capture any snake and release them down the road near a stream bed.

This black racer is a small version of former garden reptiles. Although as it made its escape, I realized that it was nearly a yard long and chills walked up my spine—not sure why I react this way. The Eagle Scout who captured my first eight foot racer, coolly pressed its head to the ground, picked up the critter behind its head, and placed it into the bucket. Go Eagle Scouts!

I on the other hand nearly have heart failure when I encounter a snake. I KNOW most of them are beneficial, yet I startle every time, no matter the size. So my summer here at Swallowtail Cottage just upped a notch, knowing that until this racer is captured, my birds and toads are at risk, and so my heart!

Ichi Ke Jiro anyone?

11 Friday May 2012

Posted by home, garden, life in garden, landscape design, Lifestyle, sustainable lifestyle

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afton virginia, Edible Landscaping, Ichi Ke Jiro persimmon, nature, plants, still life painting

2009 was the year I explored local grower inventories for exceptional, unique, and edible plants. At Edible Landscaping in Afton, Virginia, I selected an Ichi Ke Jiro, or dwarf persimmon. This is a Korean plant grafted onto native stock for hardiness, yet yields desirable fruit. Edible in the early fall, one fruit fills my hand, unlike native persimmons, yet Ichis may be eaten when hard, like an apple. Not only are they beautiful, they are tasty and worthy of a still life painting.

Life here in zone 6/Central Virginia/USA makes plant selection challenging at best. We often have drought, and always endure hot, humid summers where fungus and mildew thrive. Any addition to my garden must stand the rigors of this environment. Therefore, I returned to the nursery in the fall of that year to see for myself what the fruit looked and tasted like. Awesome on both counts. The plant requires little care, and sports beautiful, shiny, leathery leaves.

For the past three seasons I nurtured this specimen and am rewarded this year by the spectacular buds, flowers, and tiny fruit. This plant never missed a beat. I so look forward to harvesting my first crop, and introducing these jewels at market. I am confident there will be many folks scratching their heads and puckering their lips.

In the meantime, I must share the fantastic shapes dazzling my daily garden visits.

See if you agree…and remember to glide your mouse over the images for further description.

I will do a follow up blog in the fall so stay tuned!