Where did the summer go?? This is a catch-up post covering several ‘shoots’ in the Temporary Garden at various times during September and October. Finally, in early September the direct-sown morning glory ‘Heavenly Blue’ decided to start flowering. The obelisk is about four feet tall and believe it or not, all that growth is…
There are times when I feel utterly foolish, and this is one of them. Remember back in the spring, when I was puzzling over the “tardy dogwood” in the backyard of the Temporary Garden? The one that was two or three weeks behind the seemingly-identical dogwood next to the driveway? Flowers and leaves looked the…
Among the many ‘why would anyone plant this’ discoveries in the Temporary Garden were three that I was especially dismayed to see. I do realize that all of them might appeal to those who favor prodigiously-self-replicating, low-maintenance plants that remain unfazed by the vicissitudes of nature, but let’s face it: These three are thugs. …
Well, the Temporary Garden has made it through a thankfully nonbrutal summer with only the thirsty genera (willows and hydrangea) showing any severe effects from my tough-love approach to watering. There are three crape myrtles on the property; the other two are red. Neither of those made even half the floral show that the…
I should confess at the outset that I’ve never been fond of shrubs and trees that have ‘artistic’ growth habits – meaning anything other than upright, spreading, vase-shaped or upright/weeping. Most do fall into one of those categories but for some reason the exceptions set my mental teeth on edge. Back in the early 1980s…
More than a month has passed since my last photographic walkabout, and here we are at midsummer already – where does the time go?? These photos were taken at various times between mid-June and the end of July. Shrubs and Trees I’ll begin by rewinding the clock to early May’s photo of what I’m almost…
No, this isn’t a review of a Grade B horror movie, although to my mind this shrub certainly could star in one if it had a mind to. It’s the same viburnum whose flowers were so attractive in May but whose evil nature revealed itself recently. Perhaps I’d better start at the beginning. This…
I’ve discovered that there are three feral cats that frequent the Temporary Garden. Even though I can never own or even handle a cat (mega-allergies) I’m hoping to encourage these to visit more often. The reason? One word: rodents. One of the more unpleasant surprises of the Money Pit was the fact that this very…
The Chatsworth Lady 