The Swinging Red Epiphyllum

| Flower Roberts

Any Epiphyllum gets my undivided attention while blooming.

This red Epiphyllum oxypetallum is blooming on only one side because I hung it at a window over the winter and forgot to turn it. Look away and you will pay.

I hope the other stems will be inspired to bloom now that it is hanging in the sunshine.

I use two hooks to hang these so they are easier for me to water. This makes for a lively display on windy days. It can be a bit dangerous trying to water them in wind since these have small spines.

FLOWER

Taco Supreme is a Dream

| Flower Roberts

This bearded iris is not a color I would have chosen. It came in a set from Cooley’s decades ago.

I suspect that selling sets help them get rid of the less popular varieties. ‘Taco Supreme’ was probably one of these “bonuses” in the mix. I have come to love this iris. It grows slowly. It glows red and gold in the sunshine. It stands out among all the pink, purple and white blooms at April’s end.

I love this luscious bloom. I am glad it came with the set. I do miss the Cooley Iris Company. Their rhizomes always arrived big and healthy, unlike the shriveled pieces in garden center bags.

More iris to come…

FLOWER

Single Peonies Stand Alone

| Flower Roberts

This is the time of year I tour the gardens with stakes in my hand because so many flowers need support. I appreciate any that do not need help staying vertical.

Single Peonies can support themselves. I also love how their big petals flap in the breeze.

This white form is named ‘Krinkled White.’ Its blooms blush as they open.

It also has bright yellow, curly stamen to brighten the center of its face.

I do not have a name for this single pink. It looks lovely from any angle.

Every garden should have some peonies. They are a delight!

FLOWER

The Purloined Poncirus

| Flower Roberts

I must confess to stealing a fruit from a Chinese Bitter Orange tree on a South Carolina plantation many years ago. I need to bare my soul of picking the little citrus and stuffing it into my bra.
I forgot about this stolen cargo until late that night, as I was changing my clothes the shriveled little fruit fell out and rolled across the floor.

Why I felt the need to steal seeds from such a mean little tree is beyond me. I think I was impressed by its long, sharp thorns.


Now I have two mean trees of my own. With equally long and strong thorns.

No fruit yet.
Such is the live of a plant addict. A pinch here…a pick there…

Stashing precious cargo in pockets and undergarments.

Such are the crimes of the afflicted.

FLOW

Tiny Treasure with Stripes

| Flower Roberts

This little jewel, Ledebouria cooperi, is a tiny bulb with one leaf and an inflorescence of dusty plum blooms.

Its common name is ‘Jessop.’  It may also be called “Cooper’s False Squill.”

Each plant is smaller than a pinky finger. It lives in tight groups.

I am attaching a former blog, ‘Itty Bitty Jessop’ about this plant below, since I did not wish to dig up bulbs in the rain in my pajamas.

https://floweralley.org/?s=Itty+bitty+Jessop

FLOW

Thunder Echo During Storms

| Flower Roberts

One of my most unusual bearded iris opened on this dark and rainy morning when storms are expected.

Persian Berry bearded iris

It looks very different in sunshine, but is distinguished in any light.

This is one of my slow growers that must be kept separate from the prolific spreaders like ‘Persian Berry’ from my previous post.

FLOW

Dainty Columbines

| Flower Roberts

These gorgeous plants move and mix to supply surprises each spring. Their tiny, black seeds drop as the pods dry.

I have purchased many varieties over the years. The separated ones stay true to color, but the grouped varieties make new color combinations. This habit provides amazing new hues.

The white beside the lower pond has stayed white for years. This looks lovely beside the variegated Solomon’s Seal.

Most of mine are variations of pink and purples. I do have a late bloomer, double, ‘Ruby Port’, that I have kept in isolation. I will share it when it blooms.

I may have lost my tiny favorite , ‘Little Lantern’, which had gorgeous red blooms. I hope it will return.

With Columbines, one never is sure which colors will appear in the spring. That is part of the fun.

FLOW

Easy Sedums

| Flower Roberts

I appreciate plants that survive and thrive on there own. Sedums do that.

Chinese Dunce Caps

I have them growing in gravel and between rocks where they were dropped during moving and transplanting.

They have lovely, various shades of green, intricate blooms and unusual shapes.

Blue Spruce sedum

If you have little time and/or energy but still want a garden, I suggest a small collection of sedums.

No-name sedums in a hypertufa trough

They change through the season and need very little care. They thrive in pots, troughs and walls. These can be kept close to sitting areas without them running wild and taking over. They are easy to move, remove and propagate.

WIN:WIN!

FLOW

Fiddle Stems

| Flower Roberts

I love ferns for many reasons. I love their fronds, their sori/spore dots and their fiddle heads.

The right ferns in the right spots are nothing but joy… just add water. Here are two of my favorites which are unfurling their fiddles right now.

The bright green Holly Fern fiddles let out little, hairy leaves as they emerge from their rolled up stem.

Autumn Fern fiddles have a strange form as they unfurl.

They look like dark hairy hands held in fists on hairy arms.

These are two very easy ferns that can take some sun and neglect. That’s why they are favorites of mine. I don’t like needy plants.

FLOW

Tiny White Epimedium

| Flower Roberts

As soon as the yellow and orange Epimediums reach full bloom, I start watching the tiny, white one.

Its fluttering white flowers sneak out slowly. This plant deserves close inspection.

White Epimedium

Its heart-shaped leaves and winged flowers are delicately arranged on almost invisible stems.

This is one of my tiny treasures. Two more will soon follow in posts…Chinese Dunce Caps and Jessop.

My blood runs green.

FLOWER

Never Hide Magic Eggs

| Flower Roberts

Fairies are tricky. You may give them a simple task that ends in a surprise. This happened a few years ago at the egg hunt. The title was ‘Fairy Egg Hunt with a Hitch’ but maybe it should be changed to ‘Fairy Egg Hunt with a Hatch.’

You will see what I mean if you click on the link below. Like I said…They are tricky!

Fairy Egg Hunt with a Hitch

FLOW and the fairies.

Quince in a Fence

| Flower Roberts

I regret having to imprison my plants, but it is for their own protection. The local deer ate this shrub down to half its size last year.

That’s why its blooms are low to the ground. Quinces usually have a more open form.

This one is Chaenomeles, Double Take, Orange Storm.

Many plants are being moved to safer locations, but I am hesitant to dig up shrubs. My garden is going through a painful transformation due to the deer problem. It has been painful for the plants and the gardener.

FLOW

White Features Form

| Flower Roberts

White flowers are unusual in that the lack of color lets the shape of the flower show without distraction.

I have different flowers in their white versions scattered throughout my gardens. Thalia is a great example of this. I have many different colors of daffodils. Thalia’s shape stands out from the yellow crowd.

White also glows in the evening. Use some cooling white in sun or shade.

FLOW

Sweet, Little Epimediums

| Flower Roberts

The Epimediums are very delicate looking, but don’t be fooled. They are tough little beauties.

Orange and yellow are the first to bloom. These are tucked up under Autumn ferns and shrubs.

These blooms are complex and are worth close examination.

The orange was a gift from my dear friend Steve Baldwin.

The yellow blooms and spreads like it loves its niche.

These are two of my fairy plants. The blooms seem to have tiny wings.

I love that!

FLOW

Baby Herbs, Barbie and the Little Red Wagon

| Flower Roberts

This wagon was my daughter’s. Her brother had a larger one. Both are still in use.

This smaller wagon has been augmented for the purpose of temporarily housing baby plants, to move them in and out of the sun.


There is a story about this little wagon and this Barbie. How I modified the wagon and how Barbie lost her head is in the blog linked below.


Anytime we get out the wagon, somebody brings up the Barbie story and we laugh again. Enjoy!

https://floweralley.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php?post_type=post&jetpack-copy=241

FLOW

Those Holes

| Flower Roberts

Daffodil Hill is full of holes. These are the dens of my wild friends.

I am protective of all wildlife. I do not judge the carnivores for their roles in the ecosystem.

The are not foes to be feared. They have functions that are not as fun as the cute little nibblers.

I respect that. I will protect that.

FLOW

The Old Homeplace on the Hill

| Flower Roberts

It is a tradition that we hike up the hill to see the thousands of daffodils when they bloom.


We did that this evening as our supper cooked.
It is a magical spot, high above the river.
There is no home there now. The house got moved down the road a ways. Only the daffodils remain.

Blooms in every direction.
Those folks must have felt like they were on top of the world, watching the river flow by below.



It is a dream. A daffodil-filled dream.

Flower

My Messy Scones

| Flower Roberts

I love scones but have never made any. I saw a recipe for scones with lime zest and a lime glaze.


I still have some key limes on my tree in the laundry room. I thought this would be a great use for those little green jewels.
I picked four and removed the zest with a zester.


Then juiced them for the glaze made with powdered sugar.


Spreading the coarse dough without smashing the blueberries was the hard part. I may use tiny frozen berries next time.
They turned out really messy. How did they taste?


Perfect. It was those fresh little limes that did it.

FLOW

Invisible Danger

| Flower Roberts

A third Ladder-backed Woodpecker hit one of our high windows this week while we were home. This last one was lucky enough to recover and fly away. We usually keep seasonal window clings on our windows, but we were late getting the winter set up. These will stay up permanently. They are prismatic, anti-collision decals put on with only distilled water.

I will wash the lower windows later and use prismatic snowflakes. Living in a house with a lot of glass and not many blinds is hazardous for our flying friends.

I am relieved to have this task completed. I ordered these from Amazon. Look for the term “anti-collision.”

FLOW

My First Trough

| Flower Roberts

I made this hypertufa garden trough almost thirty years ago.

Maiden Stone Garden Art

It was the beginning of Maiden Stone Garden Art. I spent over five years creating troughs and stepping stones and bird baths.

Stoneshrooms from Maiden Stone Garden Art

It was hard, heavy work. The last pieces linger as a reminder of my past creativity and strength.

I am thankful to sit here beside this first trough made with too little Portland cement and not enough fibers.

Old hypertufa plant trough with dunce cap in corner

I did not know what I was doing, but I was determined to follow my path.

I made some money, lots of muscle and many friends in those years.

MAIDEN STONE GARDEN ART

We are both worn by time but still standing and doing our best.

Hooray for dreams and determination.

FLOW

Fatsia Finally Flourishing

| Flower Roberts

This Fatsia has been babied a bit too much. I am bad about trusting myself in letting my plants to thrive on their own.

This shrub has been lollygagging in this spot for two seasons. I was doubting whether I had made a proper choice of placement until now.

The ‘Spider’s Web’ Fatsia has finally sent up a proper plume of new growth. The various patterns on the new leaves has reminded me why I gave it such a place of honor in my yard.

I am fascinated by variation in variegation patterns. These leaves are prime examples of this.

It has just earned its spot by the steps.

FLOW

Saving Mystique

| Flower Roberts

I thought I had lost this lovely, bearded iris, Mystique. It was in with some bullies and could not thrive enough to bloom. When the group was divided, Mystique had room to bloom and reappeared.

I love this delicate flower with a bit of shimmering glow.

It has its own tier in the plant nursery. It will stay there until it needs dividing.

Some plants are worth the pampering. Mystique is one of those.

FLOWER