Foliage and stuff.

It's 63 degrees at 10am. There will be no rain at least for the next week. This morning I found two squirrels digging in my potager where I had planted squash and bean seeds yesterday. One has no hair on its tail. The owls were after it yesterday evening. I'm hoping they achieve their goal soon.

The foliage tour begins in the basement. I stuck cuttings of my red camellia, black & blue salvia, Mystic Spires salvia, Russian sage, and White Profusion Butterfly bush. It's probably too early for the camellias, but the growth on the others were nice and firm. If I'm successful with the japonicas, I'll be taking another walk through the neighborhood early one morning next week.



Artemesia.



Hosta



This variegated weigela was rooted last spring. I plan to root several more very soon. I love the foliage. The white flowers are just an added bonus.



Wine & Roses weigela is more wine than roses at the moment.



Larkspur, Dame's Rocket, and a yellow climbing rose named Golden Showers at the perennial bed arbor.



Golden Jubilee, red clover, Bloody Dock, irises, and lots of weeds.



Proving that plants are forgiving things, the oakleaf hydrangea looks the best it ever has. I took a cutting yesterday. It may be too early. This one has buds at the ends of the two main stalks.



Eastern Redbud loves you too.



Ginkgo. Grown from seed, these were tossed late last spring when I figured there would be no germination. I noticed I missed another when I dug them out this winter and moved them before they leafed out. All three are doing well. The bright yellow foliage will be welcomed in the gully over the next 20 years as they mature. I'm learning patience.



Virginia creeper has latched onto the dead oak tree. It's over now.



While scouting for plants to pinch, I found this little gem. The first rudbeckia bloom of the year. R. triloba.



I saved the best for last. My favorite foliage of all comes in the form of gigantic trees that ring the backyard. The undergrowth has filled in. To compensate for the lack of foliage in winter, I've spread evergreens along the edge. Leyland Cypress, arborvitae, and soon, Foster Holly will provide enclosure and privacy in the years to come. I made a promise to one Leyland yesterday. No more moving. Maybe.

Figs, peaches, and ginkgo.

Rooted last spring in an outdoor sandbox, the unknown Sixth Street fig is showing signs of producing a nice breba crop.



What I still think are Black Mission cuttings (maybe?) have nice large leaves. I took one of these to my mom on Easter.



The tips from Black Mission cuttings are rooting just fine. I potted these last week after leaving them in the hoophouse most of the winter.



Shy baby peaches are afraid of the camera. The tree is absolutely loaded with swollen growth at the base of many flowers.



The ginkgo seedlings were moved about a month ago from the spot at the end of the driveway. I had tossed an unsprouted container into the edge of the woodsy growth there last spring. I was able to move 3 plants. All three have leafed out in the gully where I planted them.



Finally, Dogwood seedlings are up and growing in several containers. There's also about 20 sprouts in the winterberry container. We'll see if they're actual winterberry seedlings or if some weed made its home there in a few weeks.



It's 59 degrees. The high today, 94. Yes. 94. Let me say that again. 94. I'm going to see a woman about some poo for my beds this morning. Horse poo.

Potpourri

In the perennial bed, there are two plants blooming that have similar blooms. One's a weed.





Hyacinths. This photo was taken this morning though I noticed them a couple days ago. We haven't even had a frost yet.



I'm still considering potting these begonias to bring in for the winter.



I did pot the last castor bean, the only really dark purple one I got out of the bunch. I also gave the Boston fern a haircut. It'll come into the basement in a couple days.



The castor bean has new growth, so I removed all the large leaves hoping to relieve some of the stress of being yanked from the ground.



Osmanthus fragrans is blooming all over the yard. They really put on quite the olfactory show after it rains.



I have to admit, I told a lie. I thought I had lost all my ginkgo seedlings. Apparently, several seeds germinated over the summer under one of the hostas I planted at the end of the driveway. I've marked them with a stake so I can keep an eye on them next spring.



It's a beautiful day with clear skies and leaves still falling from the oaks in the backyard. It's 55 degrees. The high today should reach the mid 60s.