The New with the Not So New for Fertilizer Friday

 

I am having fun trying out all kinds of fonts on this blog.  Haven’t decided which I will keep.   There are so many free ones out there in cyberspace.

We have had a week of rain and no sunshine.   I get kinda crazy with out sunshine.   I need it to bring out my sunny side.  There are plants that just bloom away despite the weather and I want to show you the ones that stood out this week.

The Aster Laevis or Smooth Blue Aster is a native to North America.   In the sandbox it is probably 6ft tall with many stems of blue daisy like flowers.   When I was taking this photo the bumblebees were all over it.

I have shown this one before but the plant is just loaded with bloom.   It is the Red Aster (sorry do not know the cultivar).   The bumblebees were liking this plant too.

The Euphorbia myrsinities or Donkey-tail spurge is not in bloom at this time.  It has yellow flowers on it in the spring.  But the plant really stands out in the border because of the blue-grey leaves in a spiralling column.  This plant does really well in the sandbox because it likes a hot and dry site. Even in the winter under the snow this plant is looking good.   It does self seed and produces many more plants than you need.   Just pot them up and give them away. 

Chrysanthemum ‘Clara Curtis’  is blooming is several spots.   I love the delicate pink flowers.  This plant can be aggressive in some gardens but I have never found it so in mine.  It is recommended that you snip the tips off in early July to keep the stems from becoming too leggy.

Over the weekend I was in one of my favourite plant nurseries.  They had a big sale on of plants so I came home with a few.   The fall is a great time to divide or plant perennials as the soil is still warm and the roots get a good start.   In the spring they are ready to grow and bloom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chelone Lyonii ‘Hot Lips’  has a beautiful pink flower that blooms in the late summer or early fall.   I will have to find it a location in part sun.  It like a moist location so it may go to the bog garden.  We will see how it makes out.

I love coneflowers so I just had to have this one.  It is Echinacea ‘Green Eyes’.    I did buy a couple of others but I did not want to write a book here.  Time enough next year to show them off if they do well.

I hope that you have a great weekend.  It is already October.  Next weekend is Thanksgiving in Canada so will be getting ready to have the family come to dinner.   Join Tootsie at TootsieTime for Fertilizer Friday.   Stay positive.  Valerie

First Week of Fall for Mosiac Monday

 

The first week of fall is now behind us.  I am noticing that the trees are well into their colourful period.  The  fields of grain are golden brown.  The sides of the highways are a wash of white and purple aster and yellow goldenrod.   Mother Nature sure knows how to plan a border.   My mosiac today is a collection of what is blooming in the garden interspersed with my fall decorating attempts.

Join the Mosiac Monday party at Mary’s.  I hope you have a great week no matter what you have planned.   Valerie

Polyanthas ‘The Fairy’ for SOOCS

 Polyanthas ‘The Fairy’ is a repeat bloomer in the family of floribundas.  It was introduced in England by Ann Bentall in 1932.  The only colour it comes in is this soft pink.  It is a small flower of about 3inches but the stem holds many blooms. This one had produced a fresh bloom for today.
More Straight out of the Camera photos can be found at Jan’s HERE.   Join us with a photo not edited in any way.  A crop is okay.  Hope to see you there.   Valerie

A New Love in the Garden for Fertilizer Friday

 

All summer I have noticed in various gardens and on garden bloggers posts a plant that has caught my eye.  Lovely long stems of blue fluff.   I just had to know what it was and could I grow it in my sandy soil.   The plant in question turned out to be Agastache or Anise Hyssop.   The other day I was going into my favourite superstore for a few things and outide the door were shelves of plants.  I stopped to look at what they had and my eye caught sight of blue.   Sure enough it was my hearts desire and the rest is history.

Agastache ‘Blue Fortune is in the family of mints.  You can tell that by the square stem.   It has the most wonderful smell of licorise.  It grows in full sun and well drained soil.   Originally this plant came from China and Japan and was know to grow in poor ground.  Agastache will bloom in Zones 5-9 Cdn from mid summer to end of autumn.

Here is the tag.

This fellow was on it before I could get it planted.   I have heard that this plant produces many seeds that pop up all over.   I will be happy to have it survive the winter.

I have just one other flower to show you that is just blooming now.  I planted a large container quite late and placed a Canna in the centre.   I have searched high and low for the tag but I can’t find it.   You may recognize it anyway.

It is not fully open yet but I wanted to include it today.   Join us over at TootsieTime for Fertilizer Friday.   Happy Gardening. Valerie

A Stormy Beach for Watery Wednesday

 

The day that my husband and I pulled into Agawa Bay campground in Lake Superior Provincial Park was very windy and on the cool side.   After setting up our campsite we took a walk down to the beach.  The waves were high and the plumes splashing up on the rocks went way into the air.

The campsites that were right on the beach were completely windblown.  They were having to tie extra ropes to the few trees to keep everything from blowing away.  The next morning the wind had died down and the lake looked fairly placid again.

For more watery scenes join us at Watery Wednesday.  See you there. Valerie

Fall is Here for Mosiac Monday

 

 

Summer ends this week and fall begins.   The look of fall is all around us now.  The vines, trees and shrubs are putting on their fall colours.  Beautiful reds, vivid yellows and beautiful purples can be found at the roadside with purple asters and goldenrod.

My mosiac today is just some of the colours of fall.  Join Mary for Mosiac Monday.  Have a great week.  Valerie

A Recent Guest to the Pond for SOOTCS

A recent guest to the pond has been a leopard frog.   We have several green frogs that have stayed throughout the summer.  As this is the first year of our pond we do not know what the frogs will do when the winter comes.  We have enjoyed watching them.  My husband has been finding the odd cricket for them as well.  


I can’t take credit for this photo.  My husband took it with the telephoto lens. 
More Straight Out of the Camera Sunday photos can be found at Jan's  Stop by and if you have a photo that has not been edited beyond a crop you can post it for the rest of us to see.   Valerie

Beauty Is Where You Find It.

This week I was sent a bouquet of flowers from a lovely lady that allowed me to hang out in her garden for our recent Master Garden fall tour.  If you are ever in downtown Newmarket, Ontario go in and say Hi to Karen who owns Flowers by Prestige. She does some amazing arrangements and her garden was beautiful.  I had the best job just talking to people coming to visit the garden.  But, being the gracious host she was sent me this bouquet that included Gerbera Daisies.  So, this first picture is one of them. 

As I was walking up the front walk to my friend Jennifer’s GardenofThreads house this week my eye was caught by the sight of a newly opened Sunflower.  As I did have my camera in my hand I took these shots.
 
I thought I would share these photos at FindingBeauty and MacroSaturday. I hope you enjoy them too.  Happy Gardening.  Valerie

September Blooming for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

You know it is fall when the colchicum’s are in bloom.  One day they just appear in the garden without any warning.  I have heard them called bare ladies because they have no foliage at this time of the year.  They are a wonderful surprise.

In the front garden I have a red aster. The tag has disappeared so I can not tell you its cultivar.  Asters come in many colours. It forms a good size clump. This one is drought tolerant.

A few weeks ago I posted Miscanthus sinensis “Summer Solstice.  This one is a relative of that called Miscanthus sinensi ’Huron Sunrise’.  They both have beautiful pink plumes that turn a white colour over the winter and hold their shape even though the snow piles up around them.

Cosmos ‘Bon Bon’ threw us another bloom.  If your order flower seeds try Renee’s Garden Seeds.  I grew some mesclan seeds from Renee’s in a container this year.  I wish I could tell you they were delicious but the ground hog had lunch on them before I got any.

Well, this is my offering today for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.  Visit MayDreamsGardens for more delights from the garden.   Happy Gardening.  Valerie  

No Labour Day for the Animals for Mosiac Monday

It came to me last weekend as we were relaxing in the backyard and enjoying the last long weekend of the summer that our little wildlife friends were madly searching for food in their usual way.  The hummingbirds were dipping and diving and squeaking all afternoon.  If one came to the feeder another one would swoop down and they would fly away into the trees. The squirrels and chipmunks were busy collecting seed.  The birds were at the bridfeeders.  There is no labour day for the critters.  They must work to survive every day. 

Join Mary at DearLittleRedHouse for Mosiac Monday.   Have a great gardening week.  Valerie

A Trolley in the Garden for Straight Out of Camera Sunday

 

Our Master Gardener Group held a Fall Garden Tour today.   Last night we were invited to take the pretour to see all the gardens on the tour.  It was a chance for home owners and members of the group to see all the gardens and not just the one we were assigned to for the tour day. 

All of the gardens were lovely. One of the gardens was delightful to see.  The home owners have a little train that runs from the front yard to the back and all around the property. All the little houses were historic buildings built by the homeowner. The plants were bonsai size.  The grass was a low groundcover.  We viewed this garden last last night so that in the dark the homeowner could turn the lights on for us.   Isn’t this so cute. The little trolley was stopped at the station for people to get on.  Please join us at Murrieta365 for more Straight Out of the Camera fun.  Valerie

Colourful Chrysanthemums for Fertilizer Friday

This week I removed all the petunias from their containers. They were really looking pretty shaggy.  I purchased pots of Chrysanthemums in different colours to give a clean fresh look. 

Costco sells really large containers so I purchased this one, a pale pink one, to put at the front of the house.

This one, a brighter pink, is out by the pond alongside the white allysum. I think they compliment each other.

This one, a bright yellow chrysanthemum I put down in the flower bed.  It will add a bright pop of colour in the fall.

I had to add this one.  The Clematis Orientalis has finished flowering for the most part and I just think the seedheads are so cute.  I call this photo the “ She Love You Yeah Yeah Yeah” They look like the moppheads of the Beatles. 

The Rosa Rugosas have huge hips on them now.  The chipmunk has been busy eating them lately.
Well, that is all this week.  I am trying out a new posting site called Windows Life Writer that Back Porch Musing mentioned on her blog this week.  I like that I can use a different font.  Let me know if you like it too.  Happy Gardening. Valerie
Join us at TootsieTime for more Fertilizer Friday

Beware: Woman with Shovel

I purchased Hydrangea Endless Summer about 3 years ago.  The first year it did bloom with two or three blooms for the season.  I really enjoyed the autumn colourations of red and gold.  The second year and this year the plant grew bigger but it produced not one bloom.   I had mixed feelings about it whether I would move it to another location in the garden or just toss it in the compost or give it a way and call it a day.   An empty hole is an opportunity to try something new...shaking my head up and down.   This morning I came to a snap decision.   Today is the day I take that shrub and move it to another location.   I will give you one more chance.

Earlier in the summer I expanded a bed on the southwest side of the house.   I used the lasagna method.   I am sure you have heard of this.   I ran a rope along the area I wanted to expand.   I dug out a trench at the front of it and removed the grass in the trench.  The rest I left as grass.   I next got several layers of newspapers and wet them down to hold them in place.  They would blow away otherwise.  Use as many layers as you want.  Mine are 3 or 4 layers thick.   Next, I emptied the compost bins of ready to use compost and spread it on the area trying to cover as much as I could.   I then went to the pile of manure that is sitting at one end of the garden.   Hubby brought it home in the spring.  It is really rotted.....good stuff.    I then added a layer of manure over the whole area.   The final layer is good triple mix hubby   purchased from the nursery and loaded  in the truck.  I did not measure how deep I spread it but a good 4 or 5 inches anyway.   I then left the bed to just settle and the grass underneath to decompose over the summer.

Here is the soil going on the top.    I did not have any plan for particular plants at the time.  There are always a few in the yard that need moving for one reason or another. 

This morning the Hydrangea Endless Summer got planted in the new bed.  I hope it is happier here.   We will give it a chance to settle in over the winter and then check its progress next year.   The plant itself is very healthy.

Daylily Many Happy Returns went in the hole that Endless Summer came out off.   I can rely on the daylilies for bloom and performance.  They rarely disappoint.    So,  if you see a mad woman with a shovel it is probably me.   Happy Gardening.  Valerie

A New Grass for Straight Out of the Camera Sunday

I am sure you have done this once or twice.  You go to the grocery store for just a couple of things and come out with items that you had never even thought about.  Well, I did this the other morning.  I was going to the "Loblaws Superstore" for some items I needed and before I even got in the doors I came upon a cart of grasses.   I have plenty of grasses but this one I did not have.  It is Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln'.   It is so cute with those little fuzzy plumes.  I just had to have it.  This is decribed as a deciduous companct form of fountain grass. Buff coloured bloom panicles arch and appear from August through October. Golden russet colour to the foliage in the fall.  Drought tolerant.  Zone 5-9.   Now I just have to find a good spot to plant him.

Join Jan at Murrieta365 for Straight Out of the Camera Sunday where you post a photo that has not been edited (crops allowed).   Valerie

Close Up After The Rain

We has a good downpour today so I took the camera out after to see what was looking good for a close up.  My white zinnias that I have grown from seed are just showing signs of blooming.  I like seedheads and buds as much as I like the flowe bloom.   There is a lot of detail in a macro shot of an emerging bloom.  Look at the edge of the sepals with the dark colouration. Then the petals emerge and the stamens are just a white fluff inside.  

This photo shows the bud looking similar to SpiderMan with the dark edges on the sepals hugging the bud tightly.

Just as I was walking on the deck I noticed on the edge of the licorise vine a dragonfly.  I identified him as a red-veined meadowhawk or sympetrum madidum.  I could be wrong as he is not supposed to be here but he sure looks like the picture so I will go out on a limb.

I am posting to Macro Saturday and Camera Critters.   Have a great long weekend.  Valerie

A September Morn for Fertilizer Friday

We had a lovely rain last night.  We really needed it as the last week has been record breaking temperatures for southern Ontario.  The plants were just drooped out there in the Sandbox.  With our sandy soil the moisture disappears from the roots really quickly leaving the plants gasping.  I took my morning walk around with coffee and camera in hand.  I found Daylily 'Many Happy Returns'  blooming away.

Sedum 'Autumn Joy' is just coming into bloom now.  This is its season to shine.  I thought this one was especially attractive with one of many morning glorys that reseed them selves all over the garden.

I really love my grasses.   As grasses tolerate less than stellar soil and don't mind the heat but love the sun I have quite a few.  Some are summer bloomers like Calmagratis 'Karl Foerster' but this one the Miscanthus 'Summer Solstice' is a fall bloomer.  The plumes are huge and a beautiful colour of pink.  

Miscanthus 'Summer Solstice' is a very tall plant at about 7ft (US) or 2.13meters (Int) tall.  It is really a specimen plant in the garden.   This plant gives a bit of height as the backyard year is basically flat.   So, I call it an architectural plant to give some highs to the flower bed of otherwise shorter plants.  

Thanks to those who commented on my blunder last week of loosing my photos on the blog.  I found out by digging around on the net that Picassa Web Albums was storing my photos used on this blog.  I did not give it permission to do that.   I had been using the feature of draft in blogger as it made it easier to upload photos.  I did not know, and maybe I should have, that picassa had the power to cache those photos.   Anyway,  I now do not have picassa in my computer at all now.   I rarely used it to edit my pictures.   I have photoshop elements 7 and one day I will become proficiant at using it and my preferred photo edit softway of Photoscape that I use 99 percent of the time.

Look for other September blooms at Tootsie Time for Fertilizer Friday.   Happy Gardening.  Valerie