Thursday, August 13, 2009

Random bits

It drizzled most of the day yesterday. More rain in the forecast for today. It's 70 degrees and cloudy. The mosquitoes think they own the whole yard. We got less than 1/16" total precipitation. The soil is still dry in many parts of the yard.



I really like this variegated lantana. It finally started performing a week ago. Guess it does like the heat. I'll take cuttings this fall in case it doesn't return next spring.



Purple Althea.



White Althea. I need to remember to tag these. I plan to move the white ones to the white bed this fall.



I'm very disappointed with the white bed. It's not what I had envisioned at all. Very dry, hot, and needs constant attention. That'll change next year.



Gomphocarpus, aka Hairy Balls, is budding. I might get a few seeds. I think it's too late though.



The lavender crepe myrtle is budding too. I didn't expect blooms this year after moving it just a month or so ago.



Red Texas Star hibiscus is about a week away from blooming too. These were wintersown. I moved them into the shrub island in the back yard. They get more sun here.



What am I going to do with 16 Carolina Cherry Laurel seedlings? These things get up to 30' tall. Anyone want some? They make a great privacy hedge blocking out small skyscrapers.



Butterfly bushes, white crepe myrtles, figs, sweetshrub, and Confederate Rose. All were wintersown or grown from cuttings (figs). I'm giving away most of these to people around here. I can't use them. I'll take more fig cuttings this winter for next year's plant sale. The forsythia will be planted around the edge of the backyard this fall. I just need to clear out more of the periwinkle first.



Got plans for today. We'll see if I manage to get it all done.

3 comments:

Jean Campbell said...

Curious thing about Carolina Cherry Laurel. We have them a single area on the farm. They start at the top of the slope coming down by the field backed up to what used to be woods and is now a tree line between us and the neighbors. They follow the drop in elevation until it flattens, about a ten foot drop over about 300 feet. Then they stop. There is a difference in soil there someplace according to some .gov site I've looked at.

Curious. I dedeuce that Cherry Laurel likes excellent drainage and sandy soil, as it gets wetter and richer, going down.

Farther down the way is a chinaberry grove, which should tell us something, and then lots of grapevine. When I'm in a scientific mode, I study these things, and then forget what I read.

lynn'sgarden said...

Hi Tom, is the laurel hardy in zone 6? I'll be curious to try one! My plans were kabotched today for weeding. Managed about
2 hours then it started to pour! Can't wait to see the blooms of Red Texas Star ;)

Tom - 7th Street Cottage said...

Nell, I've noticed the curiousness here of plants doing well in one spot and not so great in one very near or on the other side of the yard. The soil is different all around the property, even if it looks very similar. It's all just one big experiment.

Lynn, the hardiness zone of this one is supposed to be 7a, but depending on where you are in zone 6, it might work. I'd be happy to send you a couple if you want to try.