Uncategorized

My Three Favorite Dahlias

| Flower Roberts

I have many dahlias.  It may not surprise you that most of them are purple.

I have three favorites.  Only one of which is purple.

These three are the most trouble, because they are dinner plate dahlias.

The blooms are so large that plant must be supported by stakes and fences.

These three need more water that the smaller dahlias. They need more nutrients.

It takes a lot of work on my part and the plant’s part to produce those big beautiful blooms.

I have decided to let some of my dahlias go.   I can’t bring them all in.

There is not enough space… or energy… or time to save them all.

So which three will be dug up, stored and treasured?

Firepot Dahlia

The three big, needy ones will.

Thomas A. Edison dahlia
Snowy Country dahlia

Because when we work together, we make something beautiful.

Synergy in the garden.

FLOW

Purple October

| Flower Roberts

I have a passion for all things purple.

IMG_2637
Purple mum

Purple is a color that changes in different light.

IMG_2732
Thomas E. Edison dahlia

It is one of my favorite colors because of this transitional property.

IMG_2646
Stokesia ‘Peachie’s Pick’ aster

At dusk purple flowers almost look black.

IMG_2716
Passion vine hybrid

At high noon purple leans toward pink.

IMG_2613
Picotee Blue morning glory

I love when the flowers also have white in the blooms.

IMG_2674
Acidanthera Orchid glad

The contrast makes the purple pop.

IMG_2650
water hyacinth

Mona Lavender also has leaves with purple undersides.

IMG_2724
Mona Lavender Plectranthus

Some leaves have purple veins.

IMG_2653
Frydek Elephant ears

There is even a lovely purple vegetable

IMG_2602
Purple Food ; Eggplant

which will be the subject of my next post.

FLOWER is lovin’ some purple.

 

 

The Beauty of Decay

| Flower Roberts

There are many reasons that I love fungi.

IMG_2541

I have featured them many times on this blog.

When one sees mushrooms, brackets and their kin

we know that something is dead or dying.

IMG_2535

Beauty in death?  Yes.

Everything must die.

Fungi takes the valuable organic molecules and recycles them back

to a usable form.

IMG_2537

Decomposition is a renewing process.

I think these weeping conks are beautiful.

IMG_2532

The dying tree is all ready sharing the wealth it harvested from the sun

during its growing years.

Giving back to its neighbors as it declines.

IMG_2565

Beautiful isn’t it?

FLOW

The Heat is Gone

| Flower Roberts

I hope this cool Monday morning is a sign of things to come.

There seems to be a collective sigh from the garden.

IMG_2468
Water hyacinth blooming among parrot feather and water lettuce in the pond

This summer has been a struggle.

I have constantly pruned and watered in an effort keep things alive.

The stress has shown in yellowed  leaves,  fragile stems and smaller and fewer flowers.

IMG_2480
‘Picotee Blue ‘morning glory single bloom

The tide seems to have turned this morning.

A light rain has plumped up the plants and made them glisten.

IMG_2478
Pink Muhly Grass/ Muhlenbergia capillaris

My favorite dahlia, Thomas A. Edison has decided to stand up and bloom at last.

IMG_2474
Thomas A Edison dinnerplate dahlia

Let’s hope that we all can thrive for a bit in this cool.

Except for the weeds. They will be killed as usual.

FLOW

Forced to have Fun

| Flower Roberts

It’s hard for me to leave tasks unfinished.

Since I am never finished, I rarely voluntarily stop working.

Sometimes a family intervention is needed.

This weekend I was forced to stop weeding, washing and writing

to travel up river by boat with the kayaks piled onto the front.

We have been wanting to do this for years.

There are side channels of the river that can only be reached by canoes and kayaks.

We anchored the boat and paddled under bridges

IMG_2500

and through leaning trees to explore two of these protected areas.

I was pleased to see that nesting boxes and platforms had been erected for bird habitats.

IMG_2486

The turtles, fish and snake I saw seemed undisturbed by my floating by.

IMG_2496

I felt this was not only a haven for them, but also for me.

Maybe it’s time for FLOWER to get back to biology?

I returned home wet, tired and hungry…but with a new attitude.

Let’s call it water therapy.

IMG_2488
That’s my kayak, but I don’t recognize that old lady in it. Ha!

FLOW

 

 

 

 

 

Fall Evaluations

| Flower Roberts

It is a bit early for the usual fall preparations, but this has not been a usual fall.

In preparing for Hurricane Florence, many potted plants had to be moved for protection.

Vines on trellises had to be trimmed and tied.

Limbs and leaves of the tropical trees had to be preened off to lessen wind resistance.

Now that Florence has passed, I find myself dragging plants in big clay pots back out

just about the time they should be prepared to be moved in for winter.

So this fall, the transition has been complicated.

As the clay pots come out of the shop after Florence, their plants are being popped into a plastic pot of similar size.

Some late acquisitions are being put in the ground.

This is the first fall ever that I have considered tossing my FLOWER status.

It has been one calamity after another in my garden this spring and summer.

I have never worked harder nor had this many failures.

I am carefully considering the future of each plant and my position as their gardener.

Florence brought in the winds of change.

Where will the FLOWER blow off to?

FLOW

Safe and Soggy

| Flower Roberts

Florence has left us.

I feel such gratefulness that we ourselves were spared

the devastation experienced by so many others.

The sunshine is a welcome sight after days of darkness.

I must admit, I did not stay inside during the deluge.

This should not come as a surprise to my readers.

Over and over again I strode into the storm to check plants and ditches,

necessary for my sanity if for no other reason.

I am happy to report

the banana forest is still upright

IMG_2428

the vines are still clinging

IMG_2431

and way up in a tree

a certain nest is still intact.

IMG_2434

Way to go Mama Squirrel!

FLOWER

My Head is a Barometer

| Flower Roberts

I refuse to watch the news.

The hype is exasperating.

I am quietly praying for those in harm’s way.

It is gusty here.

The chimes are singing.  The trees are dancing.

My head knows something is coming.

I know not whether it is inner ear or cerebrospinal fluid.

The tide in my head is shifting.

I wait outside in the wind.

Whatever comes will come.

No technology needed.

I feel it.

FLO

Caterpillars Come Back

| Flower Roberts

Okay.  I know these are not the same caterpillars as last year.

Those are long gone as Fritillary butterflies.

I grow these wild Passion vines just for them.

IMG_2330

I have been inspecting the leaves for weeks.

IMG_2326

I was beginning to get concerned.

IMG_2327

Then they appeared.

IMG_2342

Large and small. Over and under. Here and there.

IMG_2335

Just like always.

IMG_2343

I love them with a Passion.

IMG_2332

FLOWER