Peach and Plum Mullein

| Flower Roberts

I cut an advertisement out of a magazine for Burpee’s Southern Charm Verbascum in 1995. It has been in my files since then. I finally found one in 2020. This Flower plays the long game.

This Verbascum/Mullein has not been happy here. I have moved it… I thought. Now a struggling plant is in the old spot and another in the new location. I will keep moving it until it is happy.

Southern Charm Verbascum and tiny bee(right)

In the mean time, I will enjoy its scraggly spikes with the color combo that I love and the tiny bees that fascinate me.

The anatomy of this bloom is not the usual centered symmetry of stamen and pistil. The stamen look like purple pipe cleaners.

It struggles along but survives. I know how it feels.

Grow(and bloom)where you are planted.

FLOW

Grandfather Mountain

| Flower Roberts

We took a trip to Grandfather Mountain last week. I wanted to see the new Wilson Center.

We also wanted to see the animals in their habitat-mimicking enclosures.

There are Bald Eagles and cougars(not pictured). Also otters, elk and black bear.

We have a favorite picnic spot with a great view.

I took my eyes off my child for one second and look where I find him!

The Mile High Swinging Bridge is a big draw for Grandfather Mountain.

The twisting road up was the site of a scene in the Forrest Gump movie.

I hiked all over this mountain as a teenager. It requires grit. My dad was an avid hiker.

If you are craven some adventure, you may want to swing by Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina.

http://www.grandfather.com or email habitats@grandfather.com

FLOW

Trail Riding in the Mountains

| Flower Roberts

We spent a day on the trails last week. This is a rare treat. Our son came along.

We saw mama deer ( jumping out of right side of photo)

with her tiny fawn which paused to pose in the middle of the road.

This road is part of a gated community. Most owners show respect for the land and nature.

We came upon a fallen tree across the community road.

I am glad my son was there for the cutting, pulling and pushing so that I could be the photographer.

The raspberries and black berries by the road were ripe. They were sweet and warmed by the sun.

We always eat lunch at this bridge.

It was a great day to check on nature.

That side-by-side isn’t just for working. It transported Mama to a July 4th party in style.

The Queen Mother July 4, 2022

FLOW

(Photos from my phone. Sorry for the blurriness)

Tigers with Spots

| Flower Roberts

Color is a function of light, so variations in color are caused by differences in the reflection of light. If you are a photographer you know that morning light, high noon sun and evening sunlight change the colors of the same subject. This is true of my Tiger Lily ‘Splendens’ petals and spots. Most of these photos do not exhibit the peach and plum that I love so much. Only the evening rays reflect these hues. The are gorgeous no matter the light. An added bonus is that the local deer do not love them.

I have three generations of these Tigers now. I raised the second and third from bulbils that I removed from the stems in the fall. I have these tall beauties scattered throughout the gardens. They tower over everything else at their five feet plus height.

Tiger Lily ‘Splendens’ Double

The blooms are double/complex and open incrementally, another layer peels back each day. The bottom blooms open first in the array.

I cannot think of any other flower that has such delicious spots except the foxglove. I am fascinated in variations in coloration of blooms and leaves.

Plum spots on peach petals

I love Tiger Lily ‘Splendens’ in any light.

FLOW

My Reading Porch

| Flower Roberts

Now that I have the attention span of a gnat, I have to avoid all distractions to concentrate.

Gone are the days of coffee shops reading, studying in the quad or listening to music as I read. I must put my brain in time-out with a book.

I usually read non-fiction. I am trying to gain insight into man and nature since I become more perplexed and puzzled each day. I am avoiding all feeds and media and going back to the printed word. I can slow my reading pace to a speed that suits me. I ponder with a pencil in hand.

I got this bistro set for the porch for my birthday last week. I had to unclutter and clean the space. I added a few pieces of art and a tiny wind chime that sounds like tinkling fairy music.

It is my new haven. My space without dishes and laundry. No phone. Leave me alone.

If you need me and cannot find me. This is where I’ll be.

FLOW

Bowing Fronds

| Flower Roberts

When the fronds bow low, I know that the there are loads of spores on the underside.

I will always be amazed by the alternation of generations involving the spore.

They are neatly arranged in dots/sori underneath each frond on the Autumn Fern.

The light colored ones have burst open.

Autumn fern sori

The darker sori are still encased in their clear cover.

Autumn fern sori

When your ferns bow low, look for the amazing spores underneath.

FLOW on the frond

Lovin’ Some Lucifer

| Flower Roberts

Montbretia ‘Lucifer’ demands attention wherever it grows.

Montbretia ‘Lucifer’/ Crocosmia crocosmiiflora

I have it on banks, at corners and along walkways.

The only thing ‘Lucifer’ needs to be fabulous is a little support while blooming.

Its rocket red blooms are on long arching stems in a triangular pattern.

The red and yellow buds are beautiful also.

It grows from little brown corms similar to gladiolas.

Anyone who loves red flowers and hummingbirds should grow some ‘Lucifer’ in the garden.

Flow

P.S. A New Zealand reader shared this link about Lucifer being a pest in some places. I have added it below. Lucifer has been in my gardens for years and has not presented itself as a problem…yet. It is super easy to grow which may mean it is super hard to kill

.https://www.weedbusters.org.nz/what-are-weeds/weed-list/montbretia/

My Three Devils

| Flower Roberts

I want to begin by saying that I believe in the evils of man. I pity the plants that are given such names. These will be loved by me despite their assigned, evil names. As luck would have it, my next blog post will be about ‘Lucifer’ Montbretia. They are heavenly right now.

My friends, the Popes, delivered their last two Devil’s Tongue plants yesterday. They have purged them from their gardens. I am happy to be their new mama. I have a lovely spot for them picked out.

I put all three pots together for a photo.

The little sprout poking out in the pot to the right is the now infamous Amorphophallus konjac from earlier posts. It is to my great relief that the accidental castration did not kill it. https://floweralley.org/?s=Amorphophallus

The mishap was fortuitous because I never would have uncovered the ‘brain’ bulb had I not be concerned over its survival. https://floweralley.org/?s=Devil%27s+Tongue

I love the umbrella plume of foliage.

Amorphophallus konjac

The stem has unusual markings.

I will update you on the three Devils when they are settled in to their new home.

FLOW

Light Peach & Dusty Plum

| Flower Roberts

My two favorite colors together is a strange mix. I would never have considered them paired until plants did it.

This is the third time that I have found them together.

I did not mean to purchase a plant this year, only pine needles. But when my heart jumps, my purse opens.

This is the ONLY plant that I have bought this year. I know that is hard to believe. There is a story…maybe a book?

Who can ignore a name like ‘Peachie Keen’ when one sees it?

The second example is budded up and will bloom in a few weeks. The first will come last, hopefully it will bloom again soon.

Stay tuned!

FLOW