Author: Flower Roberts
Last Year’s Fairy Parade
I miss the fairies. They must know that I am too busy to play right now.
I am re-posting their July 4th Parade from 2019.
This was a difficult post to set up. It was so hot that the putty holding them up melted and they slowly leaned and fell down during the photo shoot.
Enjoy!
https://floweralley.org/2019/07/04/a-fairy-fourth/
Happy Fourth from FLOW
Another Passion Surprise
This ‘Blue Crown’ hybrid Passion vine has surprised me again.
First surprise was that it survived the winter outside.
I actually noticed it growing during the warm patches.
Second surprise was that the blooms move the female parts up or down depending on some unknown reason. I am hoping GEORGE will eventually explain this.
Third, the vine has started producing lovely orange fruits for the first time ever.
My fourth surprise occurred when I opened a “pop” to discover…
RED SEEDS?
Who knew? (Probably you.)
All this from just one plant.
I know…I am easily entertained.
FLOW
Lessons from my Garden
Nature is my teacher. I listen to its lessons.
My garden has been telling me things I need to know.
Maybe you need to know these things, too.
Things do not have to be perfect to be beautiful.(Glad with pink spot)
Share your harvest with your friends. (Eaten poppy seeds)
Just because it is not what you expected, does not mean it is not good. (Should be purple)
Sometimes you will need some support to stay up. (Climbing okra) Hang on!
Do not give up on things. ( I was going to take this hydrangea out for not blooming)
Not all queens wear crowns. (Sovereign Queen daylily) and Shrub Queen
“Pests” can be adorable. Love them instead of killing them. (Baby grasshoppers)
Some friends can pick your favorite flowers for you because they know your heart.
Even when you don’t feel it, there is still some magic nearby. (Fairy garden growing without the fairies) I miss my magic.
One little thing can make a big difference. (This is a Passion fruit from my Blue Crown Hybrid Passion vine. I first saw it in Italy covered in its gorgeous blooms and orange fruits. To see it in my yard is a thrill.)
Everyone needs at least two bunnies. (Barley and Charlotte)
Waiting for a sign is worth it.
I have been waiting for the Eagle for years. Yesterday, he came to me. (Thanks Linda)
Peace is with me.
All I have to do is listen.
Flow
Lucifer Everywhere
I am not referring to the devil, despite our current horrible situations.
Lucifer is a crazy beautiful plant that I share quite often.
There are other Crocosmias in other colors, but this guy is the king.
Crocosmia crocosmiiflora, Monbretia, ‘Lucifer’ is its proper name.
It shows off for weeks in June and July.
It will need some support when the blooms develop. It likes to lean.
If you do not have this plant, put it at the top of your wish list.
If you are local, I will share some next year.
Send me a request, so I can pot some up for you after it blooms.
I wish it did have a sweeter name that doesn’t seem evil.
I still love it.
Flow
Cardoon in Bloom
My largest bloomers are my Cardoons.
They grow giant with many buds and blooms.
I love its big leaves and artichoke-like blooms.
Now that’s a plant I can get into.
Flower in her giant bloomers. Ha
Glad Circle
This little colorful spot is called Glad Circle.
It is a bit messy due to my neglect and several storms.
The groups of Mardi Gras and Priscilla are supposed to be inside the rings for support.
I moved the rings to weed and never put them back.
Tall Glads do not stand up to wind and rain.
I have been too busy to fix this mess.
It usually reminds me of a colorful Merry-Go-Round.
This looks like Pick Up sticks instead.
Hi Ho! Gotta go.
Flow
A Calla you can Count On
This one is always beautiful.
Hot Chocolate Calla shows up and shows off every June.
This is the plant that I give to everyone.
Anyone who sees it, who wants it.
The best part of all is that it requires only water during dry periods.
Maybe a stake when the spathe develops and gets heavy.
Then I cut the blooms and leave these gorgeous leaves.
Flow loves her Hot Chocolate.
The Willy-Nilly Lily
My “Lily of the Nile” hasn’t bloomed in a while.
I wanted to share one of my purple ones with a “Purple” friend
but did not remember which ones were purple.
I researched the possible reasons that might cause Agapanthus to stop blooming…
needs more sun, needs more phosphorus, needs to be root-bound…
So I moved some to more sun, I gave some more phosphate and I put some in pots.
No blooms again.
I gave up.
My friend has patiently waited for several years now. (Sorry Brenda.)
This year they are blooming.
The whites and the purples.
The ones in full sun and partial sun.
The ones in pots and the ones in the ground.
The ones that got phosphorus and the ones that did not.
They are ALL blooming.
Let this be a lesson.
Things will bloom when they will bloom.
This willy-nilly lily taught me that.
Flow
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