Garden Pics: Braving the HEAT to Save our Blooms!!

Limerock Dream is a Blooms of Bressingham cultivar - right?
I thought it was more pink & yellow, like some of the other C. tinctorias.

I'm always behind LOL

I'm just checking in to see if "ya'll" have that weather under control yet in the Great Pacific Northwest!?? I'm coming home to Seattle over labor day, and we've litterally been baked here this summer and need coooool!
Rj

Rjudd (I need to distingush from our other RJ, LOL).....Thanks for checking in on us! I really appreciate it since that sort of heat is absolutely absurd for these parts! I would open the door and feel like I was walking into an oven. Anyhow.....we are gradually getting back to normal. The high on my porch today was 90 deg. and I think that I heard something like 85 for the Seattle area. But, I'm sure that the ones who live closer to that area can tell you more about it. I sure hope that it is a reprieve for you when you are here.... just the way that it's supposed to be!!

Katye.... Yep, you have the description of that one about right on.



Sooooo here's a picture of Coreopsis Limerock Dream. I found it some other place once I realized that the one that was mistagged bloomed something different.

Limerock Dream is in the forground. ( I can't found my other pic right now.)
Limerock Ruby is in the background.

This message was edited Aug 3, 2009 8:45 PM

this one is C. 'Sweet Dreams', but it was tagged as the one above.

RC - my vegie seedlings had x's on their eyes. I could not keep them hydrated while I was at work. After the first day, i knew I was going to start AGAIN. Between the birds & the heat....

Sweet Dreams did not live over the winter. I looked for Limerock Dream - did not find it. But I did locate Sienna Sunset which looks better in the picture I saw! I have yet to successfully winter over Limerock ruby. I do like Coreopsis - my fave is Full Moon for a solid. It's floppy, but it just screams "sunshine"! So I put up with the flooooooopiness...

RJ - We've submitted our order for lower temps. We're cooling off & most likely will be in the low 80's over Labor Day. Check back, though. You know things change quickly around here.

That's too bad Katye! Sorry to hear that. I would be soooo disappointed if I were trying to grow veggies (other than tomatoes) in that heat wave. Between the deer, bears, gophers, moles, squirrels, I've long since given up on just about anything edible.
I had hoped that you'd had better success with those coreopsis. I overwintered both Limerock Ruby and Sweet dreams maybe 6 or 7 yrs. ago. But, just for one winter and they were in pots. Although, unprotected in those pots. I planted them out and lost them both the following winter. I was hoping that the problem was that where I had put them had a lot of clay and didn't drain quick enough, which of course will cause a marginal plant to back away from the margin. At the time I also hadn't figured out that tags lie! Hardy perennials are not always hardy! I figured that this year I was going to try them again, mainly because I found L.Ruby and Sweet dreams on the bargain table, but in an area that has excellent drainage and good soil. Then hope for the best. Whaddya think? I have never heard of Sienna Sunset. i will have to check that one out.

I had one of the yellow coreopsis, zagrab I believe, but it lost the battle with my monarda before I really realized that it was a full on war. Have you had any luck with that variegated coreopsis? It's one that i've been thinking of trying.

Katye.....I looked up Coreopsis Sienna Sunset. it's a wonderful color! And the thought that it seems hardier than any of the other non-yellow's is geat. Might you know where I can get it? ..... If I can budget it. Lol.

I'm here. I've been lurking, LOL Sorry. Thoroughly enjoy all the scheming for 'things' to grow in your neighbor's yard, Judi.

I never knew deer ate tomatoes. They're the only thing I can think of that could reach a tomatoe at 2' off the ground. Anyway, it's frustrating! I left he chewed one on the vine thinking it would be eaten instead of a brand new one, BUT, NOOOOO a new one was chewed.

It's been very humid here lately and I wilt. I can't imagine what it was like out your way with the heat.

dogs, Jan. Mine are tomato thieves - ditto for strawberries, blueberries, apples, cherries, boysenberries - the list is long. No wings necessary for the cherries as they scarf those that fall on the ground.
Squirrels might be in the police-lineup, too.

RC - here's a picture, although I think it's a bit more golden yellow.
I went back to the nursery to get another - none left. I can divide next year, or if i find another one I will mail it to you.

I keep a pair of flip flops that I wear for watering outside my back door and when I went to put them on this morning one was in the big water bowl I keep filled for the dog and cats, and it was chewed and half eaten. I'm suspecting a raccoon because it was in the water bowl. I hope the thing has a stomach ache.

Flip flop poop - that will be exciting! and colourful.

lol. I agree with you Judi!! and hopefully it lasts a while!

Katye... thanks for the picture. I love that color. And thanks for the offer too!! I will keep an eye out for it this year and see if I can find it somewhere. If I'm still searching for it next spring, I might very well take you up on that!

I stopped by that nursery today right after work, double checked the coreopsis just to make sure that all of them actually had the wrong tag (and they did), and I told them about the mix up. I was really surprisesed at how ambivolent the seemed about it. She actually said 'well, that what the grower said and so that's what we have to go by". I just said that it's easy to mix up seed and cutting trays, but I figured that you might want to know to expect a few customers to want to return their plants. She just said "well.... I doubt that too many of them will notice." I just thought to myself, wow - I wouldn't want that sort of apathy if I rn the nursery!

I think it's irritating to buy a mistagged plant, and I would notice immediately when it bloomed.

I was able to keep the container plants alive during the heat - polymer crystals worked well.

Yeah, i agree. I noticed it right away. But, Ohhhhh welll....

That container held up great! I think that those crystals were an excellent invention too.

Maybe they will get a lot of complaints about wrong tags and be more diligent in the future. I've had the experience of getting the wrong plant and it's disappointing! At least when Jackson & Perkins sent the wrong rose they are sending the correct one in September. Redchic, they should have thanked you and given you a free plant.

This is a good reason to keep the plants in a pot ghetto! Take it back in when blooming, to prove your point. My favourite mistag mistake is the Hinoki Cypress I bought - tag indicated it was the dwarf variety, slow growth to 6'. Well, 6' came & went - it is a full blown tall-guy in a short-guy space. I cannot move it, so it will become firewood eventually. Oh well...

For some reason I coul not attach pictures yesterday - preview button was there, but no send button. Weird.

Coleus, Alternanthera

mixed bag: Heuchera, Ipomoea, Diascia, callibrachoa, coleus...

Coleus, Osteospermum, wire vine, callie, ipomoea & a weed at the base of the pot. The wire vine survived the winter in this pot & has spilled out over the top & looking to overtake the walkway. I was surprised at the hardiness of this plant.

This message was edited Aug 5, 2009 10:25 AM

Begonias & Amber-buns.

I love that first Coleus Katye. I do have a pot ghetto, and usually the plants spend much time there as I tend to pick stuff up and then find a spot for it. lol. a little backwards, I know! But, this was an extrememly rare case where I had the spot in mind when I bought it. So, I was really proud of myself because I actually planted it right away, just as if I was actually organized. Since it is a plant that I like ok anyhow, I can't bare to dig it up since I know that it's already begun the process of getting established. Anyhow.... now I have a good excuse for mantaining my pot ghetto!!

Portland. Thanks! I agree. I would've been very happy with a "thanks for the info." and an offer of an: exchange, or return of my plant, or a free plant, although I wouldn't have taken them up on it since it's something that I'm fine with. Actually it's a plant with colors that I do like, I just don't really have it in the right spot now since I planted it in an area that would compliment a salmon/coral type of color. I'm really not sure of what I think of the red and white blooms there. However, the black stump behind it is an excellent contrasting color to really make it very showy there. I'm glad that Jackson and Perkins was a much better sport about your rose. That's good!

Lordy, behinder than ever!!!!!

I can't even comment on an ounce of stuff that I would like to! All the pics are just wonderful!

Highlights that can't go without coment:

Judi, your "cat in heat" had me laughing so hard I had tears coming out of my eyes!

RC, Totally drooling over your beautiful coreopsis still! My "moonbeam" which is a darker yellow than it is supposed to be is several years old and jumped the path last year to start a lovely new batch on the other side. The only other coreopsis I have had luck overwintering is one that I started by seed, and it is lovely, but appears to be quite agressive where it is planted (rich and wet). It is what I have attached the pic of.

Jan, I have seen deer eat tomatoes, and the rotton things take just one bite or two, and then move on to the next one, but

Katye, I would believe the dog theory too. Learned the hard way that you don't teach them (actually, you don't even HINT) where the goodies might come from, because they have NO problem with picking their own. Blueberries, check. Tomatoes, check. Strawberries, check. Grapes, check. The tree fruit is the only safe stuff, and my puppy still came back from the vegie garden with a tummy ache the other day from spending too much time under the plum tree.

Ok, well, I was going to show a pic of the coreopsis, but can't find it to save my life, so will post a frog instead. Little cutie that scared me to death the other day.

And a bat that has taken to roosting up on Mom's deck when the weather got too hot for the bathouse. We had three up there one night. He wasn't very pleased with being "flashed", but a picture was the only way I could see him clearly.

At least I didn't poke him.....

Such a cute little green froggy! :D

Yay for the little batty bat! I have a bat house on my Amazon wishlist. LOL! I've seen a few around here, so I know if I put a bat house up I could attract them. I have the perfect spot for it, too.

Pony, Bat houses are fairly easy to make, and you can find directions in several places on line. Dad and I made one for each of our houses. Mine had bats in it the first year, which I hear is somewhat uncommon. Unfortunately, mine is on a pole and it tipped at an angle a bit last winter, and now this year NO bats. DH straightened it out, but I am thinking it was a bit late. Mom has all of my bats now...she has at least eight in her bat house, and most likely more. We like to sit up on her deck and watch for them leaving the house at night.

This is the one that we built:

http://www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife/bathouse.cfm

I dunno about making one- frankly, I kinda suck at making things out of wood. Especially things with plans that need to be "just so". Guess I could try, but it's been my experience that I'm better off just buying things like that. ;)

Katye, LOVE the container posted at 12:15. Those colors are spectacular. and I love Amber buns. :)

We had a bat behind a shutter on the front of the house. Don't think it's been there this year.

I bought a plant labeled cardinal flower anticipating beautiful RED flowers, it turned out to be a purple Veronica. Kinda disappointed.

Lovely flowers Kathy

Julie....I love your little froggie and that cute little bat!!

RJ.... Nice pic of the bat and frog. You mentioned the two coreopsis that you have had luck overwintering. But, do you remember which ones it was that you didn't have luck overwintering? That would be good to know!!

Jan...now the mix up with a lobelia and a veronica would really frustrate me! You handled that very well.

Most mix-ups I wouldn't even notice. Ignorance is bliss!

Awwwwww, how cute is that little bat!!! I found a baby snake in the grass the other day. It was so little; very cute. Sadly, I found an adult that had been killed (probably by a cat) over on the other side of the yard the same day.

Best hanging begonia so far.......

pretty Sharon!

Judi.... you'll get there! Some mix ups are nice surprises, others are just a pain!

ok.... so I'm catching up on pictures tonight, a 2 or 3 at a time I think.

dahlia

another one

Beautiful rc!! Great colors.

Thanks Sally!