Month: July 2022

Give Me a Cabin by the Side of the Road

| Flower Roberts

We made a mountain run this weekend. We had to move Rose home for three weeks before she moves back to college.

The local hotel was full, so I found a cabin on vrbo. ( vacation rental by owner)

We found a diamond among stones on Pumpkintown Road.

It was a sweet little piece of heaven. It had porches, gliders and a swing for enjoying the babbling brook across the road. There was music from birds and the baying of hounds to add to the ambience.

The back of the cabin was tucked against a steep rocky slope covered with spider worts, mosses, ferns and lichens which could be viewed out the kitchen window.

The renovations were ingenious and fitting with the decor. Reclaimed wood was used everywhere.

Tree trunks served as stair railing.

No space was wasted.

The little details made mountain magic in every nook.

The new stove stood where the old wood stove had been. If these walls could only talk!

I took close-ups for a mosaic in case some of you are into clever re-purposing.

I hope you enjoyed this tour of a mountain cabin by the side of Pumpkintown Road.

Stay tuned for a train ride, a model train museum and some floating houses. Wow, we are tired!

FLOW

The Voodoo Trio

| Flower Roberts

Gardening is such an emotional past-time. It is like leaving your children outside to fend for themselves. I have had several scares with my new Voodoo lilies. The latest involved the baby.

I now have three Amorphophalus konjac plants, thanks to the Popes. The big one came first, then a medium and a small. The small baby dried up soon after arrival. I was worried that my plans for a Devil’s Tongue Triangle had been foiled. The baby finally sent up a new shoot.

New green-tipped shoot to right of stick.

I am happy to report that its leaf has emerged.

Baby Voodoo lily with my toes for scale

Now the three are visible and the triangle is complete. It reminds me of the story about the three bears which makes me Goldie Locks.

Three Amorphophalus konjacs

I am pleased to say that the “Voodoo Trio” is thriving under the fig tree from my godmother. Sounds like a fairy tale doesn’t it?

Goldie Locks/Flow

Alohas and Pineapples

| Flower Roberts

I can pretend I am on a tropical island when the Eucomis flowers bloom.

Maybe I will set up some lawn chairs nearby and add a parasol to my favorite drink.

I leave the larger Pineapple lilies in the ground year-round despite living in Zone 7. I think the key to their survival is good drainage, so that they do not rot while dormant.

The little, pink Alohas stay in pots which are brought in for winter.

Eucomis/Aloha nani

The spikes of both resemble elongated pineapples with blooms covering the sides and a tuft of green on top.

I am feeling a bit tropical today!

Aloha from Flower

Sunday Scenes

| Flower Roberts

I took photos as I wandered around the yard donating blood to the mosquitoes.

It is hot and dry. Our sprinklers and soaker-hoses are preparing our gardens for another scorcher day in North Carolina.

Instead of featuring a single type of plant today, I have chosen to post a sampler of what my plants are doing on this sultry Sunday morning.

One of the Night Blooming Cereus is making buds along its leaf margins.

Some sunflowers are glowing and buzzing while others are nodding with heavy seeds.

The largest butternut squash are mellowing in color.

The orange hibiscus is blooming again.

The begonia has blooms hanging low.

The Sweet 100 tomatoes are ripening faster that I can pick them.

The Creeping Fig is creeping over the Lily and Moss statues again. It should be called Leeping Fig!

Happy Sunday from Flower Roberts

Jewels of Opar Self-Sows

| Flower Roberts

I love this ‘Limon’ Jewels of Opar for many reasons.

Jewels of Opar ‘Limon’

The tiny pink blooms are lovely.

The seed pods really do look like glistening jewels in wiry stems.

The leaves have a bright hue that stands out among other greens.

Lastly, it self sows which is a plus if it grows where you want it.

Jewels of Opar

Seedlings do not like to be moved, so I usually pull up plants that are growing where I do not want them.

I am glad ‘Limon’ planted itself because I did not manage to sow most of my seeds this year. The Flower’s garden is in self-service mode most of the time.

Jewels of Opar ‘Limon’ is loved by tiny bees

The stems of flowers and pods/jewels are a beautiful addition in flower arrangements.

Flower loves the Jewels

Rain down ‘Shrooms up

| Flower Roberts

We have had many bouts of rain these past two weeks. My gardens have been watered.

I enjoy having the extra bit of time to mushroom hunt.

All these mushrooms are in my yard today.

I wish I knew all their names.

I love the various shapes and colors.

Notice that some have been nibbled on.

Enjoy the mosaic. Click on any you want to enlarge.

Training a Vine

| Flower Roberts

It takes lots of time to train a good vine.

It grabs what it touches and begins to climb and twine.

It must to be untangled when it grows in a knot.

A vine must be tended carefully and constantly as it grows.

This is this years’ new vine, Exotic Love Vine/ Ipomoea lobata.

Exotic Love Vine/ Ipomoea lobata

Its blooms are of lovely form and multiple colors.

The leaves have a fleur-de-lis shape.

I am pleased with this unusual annual.

FLOW

Devils in the Ground

| Flower Roberts

I hate to admit that it has taken me this long to select a suitable site and plant the three Devil’s Tongue plants that were gifted to me by my friends, the Popes.

I have moved them around in their pots to try out various locations. They seemed the most at home under the fig and beside a clump of Japanese Sacred Lilies.

I hope they will thrive in their new home.

Leaves emerging from Amorphophalus konjac stalk

Are wondering what configuration they are planted in? I bet you could guess. A triangle of course!

FLOW

Sunny Skies

| Flower Roberts

The sun flowers are brightening the skies no matter the weather.

These Mammoths are over seven feet tall.

Their faces stay covered with buzzing bees.

I planted these in the corner of my vegetable garden with butternut squash below.

Seeing a peeking sun is a good sign.

FLOWER