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Rainy Connecticut for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day

joenesgarden — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:47:58 +0000

Rainy Connecticut for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day

With my Connecticut gardens receiving soaking downpours – pushing three inches of rain since early yesterday morning – I have some soggy additions to the August 2011 Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Carol, at May Dreams Gardens hosts this garden-fest on the fifteenth of each month so garden bloggers from all over the world can share what's blooming in their gardens.

Gomphrena and ageratum happily soak up the rain.

Autumn Joy sedum will soon burst into pollinator-attracting blossoms.

But phlox blossoms are putting on their final show.

The classic white zinnia I started from seed are off to a late start but that's okay … they will brighten the beds during late summer/early autumn.

Hydrangea paniculata and buddleia would have a flurry of bee and butterfly activity if not for the rain.

Just two days ago I caught the morning sun glinting off of the last of my Hemerocallis Hyperion. With such a sweet lemony scent, I hate to see it go.

The new-to-my-garden Knock Out Rosa 'Radyod' has lived up to its promise to bloom all season. It took just a brief flowering break in July after delighting me with many flowers during early summer. More buds stand ready to open after this flower fades.

Most of the Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bailmer' blossoms – an Endless Summer selection – have shaded to their late summer purple-blue tinge. But one large blossom shows off the early summer blue and the late summer tint.

One of my favorite blossoms, scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue', has flowered since late spring. Deadheading is the key to keeping this perennial in steady bloom.

Some flowers of an unknown variety of variegated hydrangea macrophylla still look fresh and cool blue.

And, in spite of leaf-nibbles from hungry … and unwelcome … deer, plus weather fluctuations from hot and humid to cool and soggy, anemone blossoms started opening a week or so ago and will … Mother Nature willing … continue into September.

That's it from my zone 6a Connecticut gardens. Be sure to visit May Dreams Gardens to enjoy what other garden bloggers' have shared.

Categories: Bloom Day, Gardening, Perennials & Annuals.
Tags: ageratum, anemone, buddliea, daylily, Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, gardening in Connecticut, gomphrena, hydrangea, rose, scabiosa, sedum, zinnia.

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Blooms of July

joenesgarden — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:06:05 +0000

Blooms of July

Mid-summer blooms in my Connecticut (zone 6a) gardens stand defiant in the face of the hot July sun so on this Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day there's much to share.

In the fenced garden, phlox steal the eye-level show. Blue Paradise fills the air with sweet scent.

David's Lavender grabs attention nearby.

Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue' show off a cool bluish-lavender tone against boxwood green.

A trio of daylilies (Hemerocallis) put on quite a show of their own.

Catherine Woodbury on one side.

Macbeth, the newest addition, opened her first blossom this year and will carry the opposite end of the daylily trio.

Prairie Blue Eyes takes the middle spot of the trio.

Hemerocallis 'Hyperion' waft a sweet lemony scent along the opposite bed as they wrestle attention away from blooming hosta.

At the very end of the long perennial bed Echinacea 'Green Envy' is just starting to strut its stuff.

Japanese beetles will be its biggest enemy. Cousin Echinacea may indeed be green with envy as they, located in unfenced beds, must also ward off deer.

A mid-June deer stroll left some of the unprotected Echinacea without buds, but most survived. A few White Swan avoided deer but they, along with the common purple coneflower, seem to be favorites of an unknown munching bug.

The largest stand of common purple coneflower managed to avoid all deer munching this year … whew!

Elsewhere in the yard Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) peeks out from behind a blue spruce …

and otherwise plays in wild abandon with an unknown variety of Veronica.

Now head over to May Dreams Gardens to see what Carol, the originator of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, and others are sharing from their gardens. It's worth the trip.

Categories: Bloom Day, Gardening, General.
Tags: Black-Eyed Susan, coneflowers, daylily, Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, gardening in Connecticut, phlox, scabiosa, Zone 6a.

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Mornings in the garden

joenesgarden — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 17:11:26 +0000

Mornings in the garden

Are you among the gardeners who make morning coffee strolls through your gardens? I am. Not only is this a wonderful way to begin each day, but you can observe so much by quietly wandering among your flowering and edible plants. Just you, a wakening cup of coffee, the birds, and bees and other pollinators. With sharp eyes and ears, and no other distractions, you pick up all sorts of details you might otherwise miss.

I often carry along pruners and a bucket to collect yellowing leaves, deadheaded plant parts, clippings and weeds.

This morning's tasks included removing spent blossoms from the last of my blooming iris ensata (unknown variety),

the earliest of my blooming daylilies (Hemerocallis 'Happy Returns'),

and whatever spent blossoms I found on Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue' and assorted annuals.

I tended to potted tomatoes, removing yellowing leaves and suckers on the indeterminate varieties. (Unsure how to prune tomatoes? Read Fine Gardening's great article)

While tomato tending I spotted a couple of holes chewed in one small tomato leaf near the lower region of just one of my potted plum tomatoes.

Being curious … and knowing the telltale signs of trouble … I flipped the leaf over. There, munching away was a very young, quarter-inch long, hornworm.

There are no signs yet of other hornworms which, when mature, have voracious appetites and will defoliate a tomato branch overnight. But you can bet a ripe tomato I'll keep a close watch for others.

I found just one hornworm last September, when it was quite a bit larger, had already had a good sized meal of one tomato branch, and had left its telltale droppings.

I'm leaving this year's youngster alone for now – watching and waiting to see if parasitic wasps decide whether it's a worthy nursery. If you see a full grown hornworm with multiple white oblong-shaped structures on its back leave it in place. A parasitic wasp … a garden beneficial … has chosen the hornworm as the ideal home and early feeding ground for baby parasitic wasps. This is good.

Inexperienced veggie gardeners may freak at the sight of their beloved tomato plants literally munched to stems by hornworms. Daily tomato inspections can prevent severe devastation. You have to check the undersides of each leaf and along each stalk since hornworms are really talented at blending into their surroundings. Control them with handpicking or … if squeamish … use my favorite icky garden creature control method. Partially fill a coffee or juice can with water then add a couple of squirts of dish soap. With a gloved hand, a wooden popsicle stick, a plastic spoon or similar tool, knock the icky creature – slug, caterpillar, Japanese beetle, etc. - into the soapy water. They drown.

But, before disposing of all hornworms take some time to really check this creature out.

They can be quite beautiful when viewed with the right frame of mind and with a photographer's eyes.

Categories: Creatures, Gardening, Techniques.
Tags: daylily, garden inspections, gardening in Connecticut, hornworms on tomatoes, iris ensata, Ralph Chappell Photography, scabiosa.

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