Author: Flower Roberts

Bees on Dunce Cap Blooms

| Flower Roberts

I must admit I would never have noticed these tiny blooms if it weren’t for the bees. Bees are busily visiting the last bloomers now before the cold sets in. They kept zooming past me as I worked to put plants into the ground before the first freeze.

All bees lead to this Chinese Dunce Cap, Orostachys Iwarenge. I usually watch as the caps arise and then ignore the plants afterward. Good thing the bees did not ignore these tiny, late flowers. I would have missed them in my haste to winterize my other green babies.

Chinese Dunce Cap/ Orostachys Iwarenge

I need to use my jeweler’s loop to see the structure of the flowers.

There seems to be a white blooming and a pink blooming form nestled here in the rock wall.

This is the best spot for them; dry, warm and sunny.

I have been watching the busy bees buzz the last blooms all afternoon.

I am glad to supply their last snacks before frost.

FLOWER

Sugar Kettle to Fire Bowl

| Flower Roberts

Our grateful family finally got together and tried out the sugar kettle as a fire bowl. Mr. Flower showed off by lighting the fire with my weed burner.

It worked wonderfully. It was a beautiful fall night. There was a nip in the air and a slight breeze.

I was so very thankful to have all of our family there, minus one niece and my mom.

We were celebrating my daughter Rose’s thirtieth birthday. She is a miracle. Still here thanks to good medicine and friends stepping in to help her. Our second book is in the works.

My heart is full of gratitude that we are all happy, healthy and safe.

Happy Fall from the FLOWER

Waiting for a Century

| Flower Roberts

I clearly remember seeing my first Century Plant blooming on a beach outing years ago. I walked under the tall stalk of blooms in disbelief. My next encounter was in California. I made my friend, Lisa, turn the rental car around to drive back for photos.

Century plant blooming in Napa Valley California

Century plants actually take decades to bloom , not a century. Sadly, the plant dies after blooming.

I finally got two, tiny Century plants of my own while on Ocracoke Island. That is me under the stalk of a blooming Agave americana on Ocracoke Island.

One of my Agave was labeled ‘Whale’s Tongue.’ Both are years away from blooming. I am afraid to leave them out during the winter here in Zone 7.

I have seen several growing in yards, so maybe I will get brave and leave them out when they get too big to haul inside like this one.

Century Plant under tent in Charlotte, NC

They are quite dangerous. I must be careful when moving them and cleaning them off. Both plants have put out pups, so I will have a collection of them eventually.

I love their smoky blue color. I love their purple spikes.( Or is that my blood in the points?)

I like being able to see the symmetry of the largest one from above by looking over the deck railing.

FLOW with her slow plants

Blue Ginger Blooms

| Flower Roberts

I ordered this ‘Blue Ginger’ from Logee’s Greenhouses in 2017. It finally bloomed.

It has gotten bigger these past six years. I have potted it up numerous times. It does have lovely purple edged leaves and purple striped stems, so the bloom is not it’s only attribute.

Still, I was pleased to see that something good happened while I was away. Ian turned over a few pots and broke one. Nothing else was damaged. We are fortunate.

Waiting six years for this Dichorisandra thyrsiflora to bloom is nothing extraordinary here. The Flower is playing the long game in her garden.

Next post will be about my two Century plants. Now, that is a long game!

FLOWER is home again

Muhly in the Morning

| Flower Roberts

Some things are so crazy beautiful that one must pause to take it in. My Muhly Grass in the morning sun does this to me.

Sometimes it glistens with dew.

It has a lovely form and texture and color.

I am happy that it is happy on this slop in a featured spot in my garden.

The morning sun lights it up. The evening sun does, too. I love my Muhly.

Crazy beautiful!

FLOW

Signs of a Saddleback

| Flower Roberts

I was inspecting my three hibiscus plants when I spotted some signs of a visitor on the red one.

First, I noticed some eaten leaves.

Then some frass/poop scattered on the lower leaves. I even found a shed skin that the muncher left behind after molting.

I knew from the spikes on the skin that my favorite caterpillar was on the underside of a leaf.

I had to search carefully. Its sting is painful.

Saddleback Caterpillar/ Sibine stimulea

Here it is. The Saddleback caterpillar/ Sibine stimulea. Still snacking.

Its rear end looks like it has eyes, but the poop is evidence that this is not its face.

I love these spiky, mean, green things!

FLOW

Neglected Green Babies

| Flower Roberts

I have tried to explain to people that a plant acquistition is an adoption with responsibilities. I am serious about this. Plants know things and communicate in their own way with posture and color just like humans, only more subtle.

My neglected dahlias are falling over with heavy blooms.

I let Mr. Flower use their tomato cages for his garden, thinking I would get more later. The Dahlia row looks like a junk yard of fences, sticks and stakes that I have haphazardly added to the unsupported bloomers. Bless them!

My beautiful, messy life!

This mess is a visual representation of my present life. A gorgeous ghetto of growing problems, half-ass solutions and sincere love. I would prefer neat and tidy. I won’t hold my breath waiting for that.

Thomas A. Edison dahlia

I will go out into the garden in my pajamas and enjoy my floppy Dahlias this morning before I take off again to take care of needs elsewhere.

Cafe’ au Lait dahlia

My apologies to my flowers and friends. Family comes first.

FLOWER

September Sedum Show

| Flower Roberts

I really admire the sedums for holding up to the August heat and then blooming afterwards.

I only water my small sedums in pots and troughs. The big plants in the yard are on their own.

I have three types with known hybrid names. The rest have been passed along or given to me without identification. These three are hard-working bloomers.

The hot pink one is aptly named ‘Brilliant’ because it really is showy.

‘Brilliant’ sedum

The more muted salmon, darker hybrid is ‘Matrona.’

‘Matrona’ sedum

The one I have had for several decades is ‘Autumn Joy.’

This plant is two-toned because the deer ate half of the shoots earlier in the summer. It recovered nicely.

‘Autumn Joy’ sedum

These three are covered with bees, wasps and butterflies all day long.

Their flowers are important to pollinators who still need food after most flowers have faded.

FLOW

During My Absence

| Flower Roberts

I am beginning to question my choice of hobby. I cannot take a break, even when one is desperately needed. I actually feel punished by my plants when they are neglected. The insects seem to take advantage of my absence also.

I have not walked the gardens in over a week. I finally made a quick circle this evening with scissors, watering can and camera. Some changes had occurred.

The first thing that caught my eye was a naked Tomatillo plant.

  • Red horn Tobacco Hornworm

A Hornworm had stripped it of all but a few small leaves. I hope he was ready to pupate, because there was nothing left to devour and no other Tomatillos nearby.

The Garlic Chives have finished blooming. I must quickly cut off the seed heads or I will have hundreds of Garlic Chives everywhere next spring.

Garlic Chive seed heads

The Hibiscus Trio is still blooming despite my messing up its watering and feeding schedule.

I am very happy to see one of my Writing Spider friends at the usual gutter down spout. Its eggs sac was close-by.

I hastily picked some tomatoes and peppers for an appetizer. Supper will be late again.

There was one constant. The Blue Crown passion vine was still covered in blooms. It has bloomed ALL SUMMER LONG. It was love at first sight and I still adore this plant in its seventh year here.

This gardening is hard work and I am tired of weeding, but nothing bring me more joy than the plants and animals in my garden. I guess I will keep watering, trimming, feeding, weeding… Anything is more fun than housework. Who wants to read a blog about that?

FLOW