Instructions for Rosemary Topiary

I have long been a fan of topiary. And this year I had thought I would take cuttings from my 2-year-old Rosemary to make topiaries ... Instructions However, I spotted this great specimen and decided to use it instead.

Blue Potato Bush

Blue Potato Bush, Paraguay nightshade Lycianthes rantonnei — to shape (Article: leaving 20 percent of the plant material at the top, she begins to clean away the lower part of the stem ... begin pinching off the remaining branches or stems) or simply allow to grow freely? That is the question.

This is another find from Hines Horticulture and one I hope proves to have the right stuff to weather an Oklahoma winter.

Found the following comments:
Prefers full sun; grows quickly; in severe cold leaves drop and branch tips may die back; prune to keep neat or use as a hedge; excellent container plant; bloomed continuously from spring thru summer; acclimated mine by putting a bag on it before the first frost in order to grow in my zone; inside for winter (moderate light) ... it loses many of it's leaves, then regrows them once back outside for Spring; loves a hot, sunny, well drained position in a pot or garden bed

Two New Groundcovers

Creeping Raspberry Rubus calycinoides, with compact, coarse-textured, dark foliage and Golden Dewdrop Duranta 'Cuban Gold' Flor Celeste with bright, long and narrow, golden-yellow foliage are two finds from yesterday's quick trip to Home Depot for more stepping stones. Although I am not sure of the "perennialness" of these additions (as they are native plants of coastal areas) I went ahead and got them anyway.

The Creeping Raspberry will grow in an area that needs a quick-fill-in plant located in one of the new garden beds for this year. The Golden Dewdrop will be in a container of hot pink Vinca Catharanthus roseus (aka Periwinkles ).

Monday Miscellany

A couple of notes for today:

I spotted a small cluster of Bergamot! It was "hidden" by the Apple Mint winding its way around the Bergamot and Hibiscus. Yay!
One other Salvia (Salvia greggii pink preference) and a Mexican Hyssop Agastache mexicana , grace my gardens. These are finds from a recent visit to an Herb Fest at the Harn Homestead, which I neglected to mention yesterday.

Off to deadhead my wet Geraniums and Verbena ...

Bergamot

This is a photo taken two years ago of my Monarda (Bergamot). However, I cannot seem to keep this growing. I am looking for a large pot of this (or hopefully a shovel-full transplant for one of my garden friends (hint, hint!!).

Miscellany

Lemon Thyme, T. citriodorus

There are so many things I enjoy having in my garden that appeal to my senses: Provence Lavender (Lavandula intermedia), Lemon Thyme (T. citriodorus), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) and of course, a variety of Mints and Roses.

I am still looking for some French Lace (Lavandula multifida) and some Orange Mint. Orange Mint and Chocolate Mint together ... Talk about your aromatherapy!

Other additions:

• Plantain Lily Hosta 'Minuteman' (Hostas do not thrive for me ... I am determined to change that.)
• Trailing Verbenas: Verbena canadensis 'Homestead Purple' and Aztec Red Velvet Verbena hybrida
• Liriope Variegated Aztec Grass (enjoy have this wonderful grass growing in my shade gardens to "lighten" and add diversity)
• Portulaca (always a favorite!)
• Marguerite Ipomoea (aka Sweet Potato Vine — wonderful solution for instant "bright" with its lime green leaves and abundant growth even in hot Oklahoma summers!)
• Kiss Kordana Rose miniature red
• Petunia x hybrida Dreams™ 'Red'
• Petunia x hybrida Dreams™ 'Midnight'
• Vinca Pacifica Dark Red
• Red Dipladenia Trellis (Dipladenia)
• Moonbean Coreopsis
• 'Leguna White' lobelia hybrid
• Diamond Frost Euphorbia
• 'Orange Perfection' Garden Phlox phlox paniculata (now planted in its permanent home!)
• Lonicera ‘Mandarin’ Honeysuckle (new; ordered from Wayside Gardens to add come color to my garden arch)
• Astilbe 'Gloria Purpurea' (also from Wayside Gardens)
• Hot Shot Girard Azalea Rhododendron girard (rescued from the trash as Ace Hardware; employee explained that it was dead ... I replied it was merely dormant; total cost $0.00)
• Golden Barberry Berberis thunbergii 'Aurea' another (almost) freebie; total cost $1.00)
• Bambino Bougainvillea Baby Alyssa (love this one! photo and other information are cited in the post below)
• Nearly Wild Rose [Rosa 'Nearly Wild' - Pink Floribunda (1941)
• This modern cluster-flowering Floribunda Rose was introduced by Dr. Walter D. Brownell in 1941 by crossing the large flowered wichuraiana climber, 'Dr. W. Van Fleet' (1910) with 'Leuchtstern' a climbing Polyantha (1899). 'Nearly Wild' has reemerged from an obscurity that found the few remaining plants only in old rose gardens. Source]
• Mexican Hyssop Agastache mexicana

Bambino Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea is native to South America's Amazon rain forest. There are four different species of these evergreen, thorny, woody vines, named in honor of Louis Antoine de Bougainville, a French military man who discovered the plant in 1768 in Brazil. It took several more decades before the tropical vine was actually grown in Europe; the first plant was brought to France in 1800. From these species have come numerous hybrids of varying sizes, from 2-foot-tall dwarf cultivars to vines that can exceed 30 feet tall. Source

Groundcovers

Phlox subulata 'Candy Stripe'

Perennial ground covers are one of my favs! For some reason, I allowed English Ivy to be planted in an area, I presumed, could handle this invasive garden selection. Not so much ... But I am working on using it for topiaries this year, so maybe it will redeem itself?

Other ground covers in my gardens:

• Creeping Phlox Phlox subulata (colors: white; hot pink; pink and white stripe; lavender; violet-red; link to photos)
• Ajuga reptans ('Atropurpurea’ dark bronze-purple leaves; ‘Silver Beauty’ gray-green leaves edged with white; and a small leaf variety known as ‘Chocolate chip’)
• Dichondra 'Silver Falls' (new for me)
• 'Moneywort' Lysimachia Nummularia
• Asiatic Jasmine Jasminum (this is supposed to flower, but mine has never flowered ...)
• Vinca major, Vinca minor (Periwinkle) variegated and regular variety
• 'Emerald Gaiety' Euonymus fortunei
• Sedums: reflexum ’Blue Spruce’; Sedum spurium ’Fuldaglut’ (aka Dragons' Breath); Sedum rupestre ’Angelina’; Sedum Selskianum (with these wonderful small yellow star shaped flowers); Sedum album 'France' (White Stonecrop)
  
• Woolly Thyme Thymus pseudolanuginosus
• Pachysandra Terminalis (new for me this year)
• 'Irish Moss' subulata (new for me this year; currently remains in a pot as I am not sure about where to put it - how it will do, etc.)
• Creeping Raspberry Rubus calycinoides
• Golden Dewdrop Duranta 'Cuban Gold' Flor Celeste
  

Salvia

Black and Blue Salvia Salvia guaranitica

There are numerous favorites in my garden. But some of my very, very favorites are Salvias. Being born in Oahu, I have a special affinity for pineapple anything ... So, Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans — reseeds itself; usually grown as an annual; bright red flower stalks in late summer; leaves offer a sweet pineapple fragrance when rubbed between your fingers) is a very favorite.

The Salvia genus includes more than 900 species of shrubs, herbs, herbaceous perennials and annuals. Its name, Salvia (also referred to as Sage), comes from salveo, which means "save," referring to the medicinal value associated with this genus. A native plant of Mexico, and all are easy to grow and attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

Other Salvias in my gardens:

• Meadow Sage 'May Night' (Mainacht) Salvia de la Pradera
• Red Salvia Salvia splendens
• 'Lady in Red' Salvia Salvia coccinea (if the seeds from last year germinate ...)
• Common Sage Salvia officinalis
• Black and Blue Salvia Salvia guaranitica (new variety for me)
• Golden Sage Salvia officinalis aurea
• Salvia greggii pink preference

One other Salvia I plan to include: Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea) Probably because I enjoy the folklore (and the aroma of the pet deodorizer I use by Mrs. Meyers ...): Clary sage has an interesting history that reveals itself in the names which were applied to this plant. Medieval authors called the herb "clear eye" and considered it beneficial in healing visual problems. The name "clary" is derived from the Latin word "clarus" meaning clear. Nicholas Culpepper, an early herbalist, said the sticky mucilage from the seeds, when put into the eyes, would clear away any foreign objects. In the middle ages it was known as "Oculus Christi" the "eyes of Christ". Source

Recollection Day

Favorite View for Today

The groove of work and play has been a smooth and ever flowing one ... With beats of jazzy interlude added while composing in my gardens. Not much recorded as of today but that is about the change!

This is one of my very favorite years of gardening! I have replaced most of my favorites (which merely grace my gardens via their remnants in my compost pile as they "passed" due to extreme heat and/or my journey back to wellness) and added some new and delightful varieties! Thus there are numerous varieties of perennials, herbs, vegetables and annuals blooming and adding color and dimension currently within my garden.

Of course one of the most difficult parts of gardening in the short term is pruning back blooms to facilitate growth and health. I planted a flat of Dream Red and Famous Blue Petunias yesterday. Each plant bearing numerous blooms, many of which were clipped in order to celebrate more blooms later this month.

I have been busy transplanting Iris and Daylilies and Victoria Blue Salvias to their new homes as well as planting previously container-grown items into their new homes. What a blessing to see these tasks complete.

Salvias are one of my favorites due to both their beauty, constant bloom — but most of all their hardiness! More about Salvia later ...

Current status of backyard project: 80% complete. What remains is final clearing of backyard full-sun garden corner and shade garden corner. As well as moving my garden work station to the shady area of the NW corner of the backyard gardens.

What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade. ~Gertrude Jekyll

• Beautiful images from a flower farm ... Worth the work!
• Enjoy seeing progress via lasagna gardening. (This link has long been one of my favorites ...)
• Garden Plans (Great ideas and I enjoy the drawings.)
• Backyard Gardener
• More Garden Planning helps
• Container Gardening
• OSU Extension
• Organic Gardening
• Emily Compost ...
  

Fab Friday!

After the rains of this past week, the soil was so easy to work with. Today was productive right up to the point where a thunderstorm blew in and caused the warm, sunny sky to be transformed into dark clouds and start pouring rain.

The rain watered in the grass I plugged and planted as well as settling the mulch I layered over the front porch garden and new transplants. I have been pleased to see continued progress as the backyard makeover from pool to grass and landscaped takes shape.

I uploaded new photos today ... Look over at the right margin.

Garden Blessings, my friends!!

After the rain ...

Count 'em, 5 inches of rain in two days! Oh, how very different this year is from last year! Reading back over last years notes and viewing my garden shots simply adds to my delight concerning my garden endeavors.

One of the reasons I blog is to have an easy-access journal of my garden adventures. Collecting photos and notes in one place proves to be very useful (and reassuring) with regard to progress.

Iris: Lovely and faithful blooms coupled with low maintenance.

More garden photos: Click here.

Monday Miscellany

April 30 (former pool view ...)

As the rain and soggy ground has kept me inside this morning, I will invest this time to post a bit overdue update my garden journal ...

Wonderful progress has occurred in my gardens and on our small acreage! We have been blessed with rain and my gardens are thriving! It is such a blessing to enjoy the progress as well as the end result.

Almost every overgrown area has been liberated ... Our new stone pathway is complete, sans the last layer. (I have yet to decide which soil medium to fill around the stones.) All of the renegade Elm seedlings have been removed from their unintended places. Well, except for one. It is in such a "delicate" place; and with my absence this weekend, I didn't trust "my crew" to do it without me.