Although we are still running a narrow
race with our IP regarding the month's data usage (see my last post),
I think I can afford to post for the End of Month View in the garden.
Once again, I'll keep the post short - all the easier since little
has changed in the Dry Corner, which has become the main focus of the
meme here.
The succulents are sustaining our
increasing temperatures beautifully. Senecio “Blue Fingers” has
been in bloom roughly since last month's view. It's not a
particularly spectacular blossom, but enjoyable to watch, and it
certainly changed the outline of the plant a little.
While most of its flowers are finished,
a few more may be lurking deep inside.
The most striking change to be seen is
with Crassula “Campfire”, which had darkened to deep mahogany
hues and has just bleached to a range of gold-toned greens, still
with red leaf backs.
I planted Aloe “Walburton's Blue”
in the Corner, as well as a Lampranthus (from which I still await
some blinding pink rebloom). No pictures of either, I'm afraid, but
both appear healthy. The bargain Anigozanthos I added was destroyed,
presumeably by rabbits - but not eaten, merely shredded... grrr!
Elsewhere in the garden there are a few
new flowers to enjoy. The Celosia planted for a summer experiment is
doing well. A tiny cluster of Anchusa “Dawn Mix” seems perfectly
contented even though it was planted just as temperatures began to
spike - a fact worth remembering!
The Gaura recently planted is also
thriving, but the Agastaches which decided to bloom early are
struggling a little, though I think they will win through all right.
Did I learn from these? No. Call it
greed, insanity, determination, or merely A Bad Mistake, but I did
pick up another plant just the other day. Lagerstroemia “Rhapsody
in Pink” came home from the garden centre and was popped into the
south bed. Just a few days ago. Just as temperatures went to the
century mark. It wilted next morning, but it revived well when
watered so I will be watering it religiously for a while. The reason
I went ahead was that I have been wishing for a crepe myrtle for
months, but I have always found them offered at tree-size and priced
accordingly. This was a young (very young, I believe) plant in a
five gallon container, which, in addition to making it more
affordable, should allow it to settle in more easily - or would have
if planted earlier in the year! The blooms are a lovely, delicate,
frothy pink. New foliage is deep red. Hoping for the best!
And now to the roses.
The biggest splash comes from William
Shakespeare 2000. Placed in a planter in the front patio, he
struggled with the aphids and spider mites which plagued some of my
other plants there. He is finally coming along with a couple of
those incomparable crimson blooms, packed with petals and fragrance.
It's a bit of a fight now to keep the
rose blossoms from crisping up in the heat. But here are some
beauties: a perfect bud from Crown Princess Margareta...
...and a shy bloom from Wollerton Old
Hall...
And a bonus of a lily bloom. Variety
unknown, it arrived as the “gift” part of my McClure and
Zimmerman order last spring. A little bag of three Asiatic lilies
was included with my package so I potted them up in the front patio, where they have
been growing well. This is the first flower. I did not order lilies
as I understood that they would not stand the heat well. However, if
these pull through all right, I'm sure there will be some lilies on
next spring's list. Our long, mild May might have fooled them so
far; but that patio is something of a heat sink, and June and July
will tell the tale. In the meantime, enjoy!
This was a longer post than I intended,
a bit of a ramble through the garden after all, but I didn't want to
miss a pleasant good-bye to May for the End of the Month View.
Thanks to Helen at The Patient Gardener for hosting this ongoing
theme!
Weather Diary: Fair; High: 104 F (40 C)/Low: 74 F (23 C)
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