Salvias and Chrysanthemums are the most prolific flowers in the garden now, and are beloved by the pollinators.
Salvia confertiflora made it clear that she would not share the stage with anyone in pink, so I have 2 vases, one with the pink Salvia involucrata ‘Bethellii’, ‘Boutin’ and ‘Mulberry Jam’ as well as the lovely scented rose ‘Nahema’.
There are flowers still amongst the growing number of brown seedheads. Salvia and Chrysanthemums are still covered in blooms. A few Penstemons, a few Roses, and the last of the standard Dahlias are sprinkled around. Fuschias have flowered all through the summer and are still making new buds as well as fresh green leaves. The Hydrangeas are finishing gracefully in shades of purple, brown and turquoise.
I had just picked a vase of flowers to grace the brunch table and celebrate C’s Dad visiting, when a friend dropped by returning my rose pruning gauntlets and bringing a stem of Rose ‘Compassion’.
I was envying all the scented Spring flowers that are flowering now in the Northern hemisphere, with the Calianthus finished the Autumn flowers are lovely but not so strongly scented. And then after 210 mm (8 inches) of rain in the last 2 weeks, up popped the newly planted ‘Grand Monarch’ narcissus and one or two others of the ‘Paper White’ type narcissi. These were only planted less than a month ago. Weird having Spring bulbs while the Dahlia and Salvia and Chrysanthemums are still going strong.
Continue reading “In a Vase on Monday- Rain and Way Early Narcissus”
Well, I ran out of light tonight, which I thought might happen so I took a few photos in the bright morning sun before leaving the coast. After years of carrying flowers back in jars and buckets and milk bottles, I finally realised the chilly bin (esky) is an obvious solution to keep them cool and prevent spills in the car. So I emptied all the feijoas and peppers into a box and packed in the flowers.
All weekend this smiley single Dahlia kept turning her face to me. I think this is a Keith Hammet dahlia ‘Mystic Haze’.
The first copper blossoms are opening on the chrysanthemums I grew from cuttings from cut flowers last year. The little green ones are still in bud.
It’s been another lovely Autumn weekend. Thankfully my finger was healed enough to get a big size glove over it and I was able to finish my garden tidy up and bulb planting. The Anemones are wildly flowering – a huge row of them all like soft cotton pleats and ruffles. And the first of my random seedling dahlias has flowered! Although it’s parent was a rather garish raspberry ripple this one is a smaller soft lemon and white. Probably nothing for the show bench but perfect for me.
In contrast to the wild colours in the garden right now, I’ve tried to keep the colours soft and quiet so as not to overpower the anemones. Pelargonium Appleblossom Rosebud which I used to have years ago, and recently got again from C’s aunt, who has a garden full of wonderful things, is doing brilliantly under the lime trees, so I picked quite a few of these.
Continue reading “In a Vase on Monday – Anemones with other pastels”
I’m happy to welcome a new tool to the family, one I have been wanting for a while. I bought it as an ‘edging shovel’ but it seems more like a edging spade to me. It’s much easier to use than a normal digging spade – heavier and more stable to stand on, and easy to get a standard depth. Hopefully this will help to keep the grass out of the garden.
I’m sure that grass all over the world prefers to grow into the garden where it can avoid being mowed, but here in NZ we have an African grass known as ‘Kikuyu Grass’. It seems to be able to survive anywhere, creating a springy green mat even in a dry hot summer on sand. It’s useful in paddocks to provide summer grass for stock, although it’s tough and not that good to eat. And it can spread across a meter or more in days. Left on its own it will bring down most garden plants and even shrubs. The only natural thing that knocks it back is heavy shade or frosty weather.
C keeps it under control by mowing it into a lawn, but what happens is that the lawn gets bigger and the garden shrinks. My rock and wood borders leave overgrown areas which are hazards for the lawnmower. Now as we wait for a new lawnmower part to come from Italy, I am trying this 45 degree edging procedure described by Meg Ruffman.
It has been a beautiful Autumn weekend. We slept well in the cool night, enjoyed the first Sugar Baby watermelon with grapes and zucchini fritters for lunch, and felt very lucky to be here. Monarch butterflies are floating around and the bees are enjoying the late summer flowers. The vegetable garden is doing as well as can be expected, so I concentrated on planting the first of my bulb orders in this perfect sunny weather.
Continue reading “Bulbs and bionics”
Absent Gardener 