What's Growing - Part 9!!

I was thinking phlox too Dave but I am such a newbie I didn't want to say anything. Gosh you people really take great pictures and know what you are doing in the garden. I am so envious. Hehehe. Great work!

Some of us are just lucky, Dawn!

Al, I love that picture so much, it's my new desktop. Thanks!

Here's a rainy day picture.

Al, this may be a dumb question, but is that a photo trick or did you cut all their little heads off to take that pic (class photo..that's cute) ? they sure are pretty :0)

Pixie, I'm with Dave...I vote for phlox

Nancy, that is a gorgeous color on that jap. maple..is it already turning or is that it's year round color? I just noticed that there was some new growth on mine about 10 days ago that was really bright. It's a much lighter color than yours anyway.

Thanks Nap - I'm famous(er) LOL

Gram - off with their heads! Really no big deal since I deadhead pounds a week of them anyway.

Your Japanese Maple is nice, I am hoping mine make it through the winter here - marginal.

Thanks, gram. It does seem to be starting to turn. It's normally lighter. But when the sun was out last week it was more normal looking. Maybe this weekend was too much for it. Here's a collage I did for my son, who owns the tree. (Our next door neighbor has one too, and it's also darker than yours.)

Here's my next door neighbor's Japanese Maple, changing color last Fall.

here's the normal leaf color on mine. I don't know the cultivar. on my original landscaping plan it called for a laceleaf, which this is definitely not.

and here's the whole tree

It's a gorgeous tree, gram. I'd say it is more pale overall than my son's and my neighbor's. Even the trunk looks lighter. Unless it's just the sunshine that makes it seem lighter.

Say, gram, do you have the 'voting booth' on your homepage? Be sure to check the question.

pixie - that might be Silene although its late in the year for it. - it would be short. Could be a Lychnis of some type also. I had a volunteer wild white one come up and I finally found it on a wild flower site.
Or perhaps phlox.

Today's bloom's.

Wow, Pixie, do you have lilies blooming now? What is the pink flower in the center? Looks like iris foliage in the background.

Aly ~ It's not silene, nor Lychnis...it kinda resembles phlox but it's tall and floppy in the rain or wind. I believe it's "Soapwort" or" Bounching Bet" as it is also known. Look at this link and tell me if you think they look the same. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soapwort or this one: http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/soapwort.htm

Canyinpok ~ I do have lilies blooming(so happy!) and the pink flower is a new Glad just starting to open. The foliage is also glads..looks a lot like iris's.

Gram & Nap...beautiful trees!

Any one want baby japanese maples? The neighbor has a tree and I am conatantly pulling out babies!

Pixie, your garden is just non-stop. Something new every day, when every body else seems to be winding down...except for Al.

Gram ~ I purposely buy plants that will come up through the snow - to ones that can take a frost or two so I have color as long as possible. I need to replace my crocus's..but my "Glory of the Snow' is a good one for coming up when there is still snow on the ground.
link: http://brecks.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_67279

I haven't had good luck with crocus here. Never saw any so tiny..the flowers are less than 1/2". I probably need to start over and amend the soil properly. Never tried glory of the snow. I have grape hyacinth with early daffs..look forward to those.

So I'm not growing this .. I am feeding it.


Finally got a decent picture of that blue green shiny bee bug - yes this is a decent one for this squirmer.

Pixie, Is this it?
http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/PHLBS.html

Dave ~ Does lot a lot like it but mine is hot pink, not blue-purple.

No. You were right. Its soapwort.

My dahlias seem to be changing with the weather. Has anyone else noticed this? The ones blooming now are not the same color as earlier in the season.

Al - very cool bug.

right now my anemone's are in bloom I love them they are such a preety sight dancing around above the foliage so late in the season
laurawege

here's another

laurawege ~Welcome to the forum!
Those are beautiful, ive never had good luck with them so it's nice to see someone else has. Looks like you have a bunch more to bloom from the amount of buds!!!!

Hi, Laura! for some reason, I didn't realize anemones had such long stems. they're very pretty. another one I haven't tried.

came home today and found my landscaper spraying my violas that have self-seeded in the stones around my pool. I've told him before they're NOT weeds. I was going to pull some out anyway. I like the guy, but I swear I'm gonna slap his hands. anyway, I don't spray around the pool, I handpull the weeds. there aren't that many and I feed my hummers there, plus I don't want herbicides and insecticides in my pool.

Hi Laura and Gram...
You both would be proud of me... I created the flower beds (well with some compromise on the sizes lol... old age is creeping upon me!!!!) but I moved the hostas from the sunny spot so I have room for sunny plants in the front (next to ugly mail box) now, I need very strong plants because it;s where the town of Framingham will be dumping all the snow and sand and salt... So what plants can survive this harsh conditions???

I took pictures this morning of what is growing and tonight I will download... you guys are going to love it!!

hhmmmm, tough plants for sunny spots? daylilies? I'm sure Laura and some of the other folks here will be more creative than I am. can't wait to see your pictures. when does school start?

pixie, the buds are all from one plant , they are a few years old but once you find the right location step back! they don't like to be in full, full sun ( I've seen book list them as a shade plant but I find they like part sun ) and they don't like dry soil, but they are tough ,
kassia, I will think of something for you front bed
grampapa, you should try anemones I really like them for their late bloom they realy carry the garden into fall . Some landscapers are just not plant people they don't recognize what we do .
laura

laura...amen to that. I had a little talk with him today about my rhododendrons. explained that they don't bloom because his crew always comes and trims them too early in the spring and cuts off all the buds (I get some blooms, but only inside). he said 'I would never do that!..where are the rhododendrons?'. Just doesn't get it. I really like these guys, but dh says I have to cover the plants I want them to stay away from. I wish I could just do it all myself, but it's just too big a job for me.

anyway, here's what's blooming today. nothing exciting, but there's still some good color. I have some other asters that are just coming into bud. some of the heather still looks pretty good.

grandpapa
those were great pictures! How do you get you russian sage to stand up like that? mine is floppy. I just added a blanket flower named oranges and lemons this year it is a bute (sp)
laura

Laura, it's a dwarf Russian sage Little Spire, about 3' tall. I have 2 in a pretty windy spot and they never flop. I love 'em. my blanket flower is new this year, too..Arizona Sun. my yard backs up on a small lake and I was looking for something bright that would be a long bloomer and show up well from across the lake. I though I might get some oranges & lemons and some of the burgundy, too, to mix in.

boy I have a new respect for blanket flowers I never knew how hard they work! all season bloom after bloom . I guess the test will be if they come back!
I have heard of russian sage little spire and now I will look for it to buy
laua

Gram ~ Nice collage! I almost bought some sage today...now I wish i had!
On this collage, taken today, the bright orange flower is from the bargin I got the other day and is already blooming. No need to wonder what color it's going to be anymore!

Hi !!! I am back... ok, here it goes... (please don't laugh at my compromise.... I looked at this morning and I just could not stop laughing... but it's just the begining...

here are the "rose beds"

here is the other one that needs to be filled.... and hostas that I moved...