Month: July 2018

The Third ‘Top Three’

| Flower Roberts

So far I have shared two of my ‘Top Three’ plants.

Here is number three, blooming while all others are wilting.

It is named Eucomis/ Pineapple lily.

I used to dig them up and haul them in for the winter.

I left this bunch out this year.

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They look the happiest they have ever been.

I will still dig up a few to keep “in stock” just in case there is a really, cold wet winter.

The blooms are tiny flowers in rows along a central column.

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Florets open from the bottom first. Each array of blooms if topped by a tuft of leaflets.

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The effect as a whole makes the blooms resemble tall, skinny pineapples.

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Easy care, late bloomer.

No wonder it is one of my ‘Top Three’.

I do have a smaller type of Eucomis  in pots, named  ‘Aloha’, which is not blooming yet.

FLOWER

 

The Hidden Heron

| Flower Roberts

Slow down.

There’s one over there.

Where?

Right there on the tree.

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Where?

In the middle of that tree.

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I don’t see it.

Well I do.

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Just because YOU don’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there.

SLOW DOWN!

FLOW

Heron Yoga

| Flower Roberts

We took at trip upriver last evening.

There is always a lot of wildlife to photograph.

One of the most unusual sights was this heron sunning.

I have never seen a heron in this position.

It was definitely airing out its wings.

It seemed to be meditating.

We watched it for quite a while.

It did do some feather preening, but mostly just stood in this position.

Wonder what its mantra is?

Fish. Fish. Fish.

FLOATER

 

The Last Lilies

| Flower Roberts

Most of the Asiatics have long finished their show.

The daylilies are slowing down.

Crimson Shadows daylily

The Stargazers are turning brown.

But it is not over yet!

The blackberry lilies are going strong.

I started out with a spotted orange type.

Then added a spotted magenta

and a yellow non-spotted candy lily.

These are all Belamcandas.

Other names are blackberry lilies, or leopard flowers.

The name leopard refers to the spots on the petals.

The name blackberry refers to the seed pods which open to expose clusters of black seeds that resemble blackberries.

One of the fascinating things about these is they cross pollinate to produce hybrids.

My two favorites this years are this water-marked form

and this red-orange mix.

I love surprises!  I never know what will show up until the flowers open.

I appreciate any flower that keeps going in this heat.

While the FLOWER wilts, the blackberry lilies bloom.

FLOW

Wild Pond Party

| Flower Roberts

I hate to be in such close proximity to so much promiscuity.

It’s my son’s fault you see.

He installed this new, fancy pond aerator

that lights up and blows bubbles.

Apparently, our amphibious neighbors find it irresistibly titilating .

For the past two nights, there has been raucous calling and continuous splashing outside our windows.

When we finally went out with flashlights to try to intervene,

we found revelers on and under every rock!

Frogs to the left of me, toads to the right…

Things were in such a frenzy, we were forced to retreat back inside.

The next morning, there was evidence of their activities floating all over the pond.

Yes, dear readers, eggs… by the hundreds.

This was a tad too much for a lady to witness.

These wild displays every night are rather shocking.  That underwater disco-ball may have to go.

I hope the frog fraternity has gotten its spawn out of it’s system.

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The same goes for those horny toads!

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MAMA FLOW

No Deer Here

| Flower Roberts

Last week I enjoyed my annual stroll through the gardens

of my friends’ former daylily farm, Whippoorwill’s Call.

There are hundreds of hybrids of daylilies and obviously, no deer.

It is interesting to me how many forms a flower can take in one species of Hemereocallis

if you mix up its genes a bit.

Stargate Portal

Different ruffles and watermarks and tepal markings…

Admiral’s Braid

Here are some of my favorites.

New Journey

I will get the Rumples to check behind me about names.

Tuscawilla Tigress

Of course I was busy talking while photographing, so there are probably some mix-ups.

Always Tomorrow

Check back in a few days if an accurate hybrid name of one of these is important to you.

Jean Swann

If I ever quit talking,

Isle of Capri

I may be able to get something done correctly…but it won’t be as fun.

Druid’s Chant

Aren’t these uneaten flowers amazing?

FLOW

 

 

Too Much White is a Parasite

| Flower Roberts

I love plants with variegated leaves.

That means that the leaves have patches that are not green.

The non-green parts can be white, yellow or other colors.

The point is that the non-green parts lack chlorophyll.

That means that an all white leaf makes no food of its own.

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Variegated Hydrangea leaves

Therefore, all white leaves are parasites on the rest of the plant’s resources.

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Variegated Hoya leaves

When this occurs, the pure white parts should be removed.

FLOWHITE

An Oasis at the Beach

| Flower Roberts

One of the highlights of my recent trip to North Myrtle Beach

was a visit to Tropical Nursery on 25th Avenue South.

It was within walking distance of my beach-front condominium,

but felt as though I had left the American shore for the southern hemisphere.

The place had an interesting selection of tropical plants.

Unique pieces garden art were displayed throughout the nursery.

I especially loved the giant triangular canvas that shaded the potted plants.

What a treasure to find near the shore of South Carolina.

FLOWER