Update on Everything

My first report is about the snail traps and beer. Three traps were empty, no beer, no snails. Two were disgusting. Full of milky beer and dead snails of every size. Some snails were still swimming. I have decided to test some other Snail products, since this was not a clear win. I cannot bend to change these. I imagine they would get more nasty over time. Stay tuned for Operation Snails Part 2.

Empty or gross. Lose:lose


I must also report on the snails that did not partake of the alcohol in the Tiki Bars. They just keep coming! Basil must be their favorite food. I put this pot up on a block and they climbed to eat it.

Snail climbing to basil.

Another favorite is Beach Bum Blue Evolvulus . It has no flowers, few leaves and is covered in slime. Not the look I was going for!

Beach Bum Blue. No blue, only snail slime.
Irresistable plants moved to safety on pcinic table. Oh, the irony!

I have been graduated to no walker on flat land. I can also drive again. I am grateful to be unencumbered in my movements and not dependent on others so much. I will still use my all-terrain walker in the yard and grabbers to keep from bending past the 90° limit.

Ready for action

I am happy to report that the beheaded ‘Lucifer’ Montbretia has rallied due to deer repellant and is looking lovely, though lopsided.

Lucifer rallying

The rhododendrons are really putting on a show here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This is the time of year my parents would host their church’s “Fifty Plus” group and serve home-made peach ice cream on the porch. I sure do miss them. I am doing projects in their memory to help with mourning. No worries.

I will work on these during rainy afternoons when I cannot silently stalk nature. Stay tuned for reports on these activities.

FLOW on her way back

It is a Different World Here in Zone 5

I brought up some ‘Lucifer’ Crocosmias to put in our mountain garden, because the deer never ate the blooms in our Zone 7 gardens.


The night before the planned photo shoot featuring a perfectly shaped stand,  the deer here came through and beheaded most of the clump.

Mostly beheaded Lucifer

There is a new type of slug here. Great!



I will be switching to blogging about nature instead of battling it when I fully recover. I have been at war too long. I will always want nature to win, despite my dreams of gorgeous flowers and tasty herbs.

My family sent me photos from home of my flowers. Here are two plants thriving in my absence.

Double Tiger lilies
‘Peachie’s Pick’ Stokes aster

FLOW switching tactics

Lucifer is a Favorite

I look forward to these fire-engine-red blooms every June.

Everything about this plant is beautiful, its straight bright green leaves, its yellow and red buds and its red blooms opening in a triangular pattern.

This Crocosmia/ Montbretia/Lucifer is scattered throughout my gardens.

The deer ignore every part of this plant. Oh, happy day! This is the easiest plant in my yard. It may need support as the blooms get heavy.

Montbretia ‘Lucifer’ /Crocosmia

No matter what is blooming around it, Lucifer steals the attention.

Flower

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.

IMG_2703

There are other Crocosmias in other colors, but this guy is the king.

Crocosmia crocosmiiflora, Monbretia, ‘Lucifer’ is its proper name.

IMG_2678

It shows off for weeks in June and July.

It will need some support when the blooms develop. It likes to lean.

IMG_2671

If you do not have this plant, put it at the top of your wish list.

IMG_2667

If you are local, I will share some next year.

IMG_2665

Send me a request, so I can pot some up for you after it blooms.

IMG_2670

I wish it did have a sweeter name that doesn’t seem evil.

IMG_2697

I still love it.

Flow

Coincidental Combos

I am all about the plant.  I plant them where they will thrive.  If they don’t do well in one spot, I move them.

I do this over and over.  So when a lovely combination occurs, it is usually serendipity rather than skillful selection.

Here are some combinations that I find fortuitous.  I can’t take any credit for the mixes and matches.  I will, however, take full credit for the health of each plant. They are my babies, along with the bunnies.

IMG_1367
Hot Chocolate Calla and a yellow spider lily

IMG_1387
Alstroemeria and yellow Coreopsis

IMG_1444
“Lily of the Incas’

IMG_1369
Giant Yellow daylily (no name) and Black Knight Buddleia

IMG_1334
Lucifer Crocosmia and Hot Chocolate Calla

IMG_1459
Jewels of Opar ‘Limon’ /Talinum paniculatum with ‘Orange Marmalade’ Crossandra infundibuliformis in the background

IMG_1442
Bleeding Heart vine (not yet red) / Clereodendrum thomsoniae and Fairy Lily/ Zephyranthus robustus

FLOWER goes with the flow.

My Other Favorite Plant

Montbretia ‘Lucifer’ is a Crocosmia crocosmiiflora. 

IMG_1349

Lucifer I love.   The flowers could not be a brighter red.

IMG_1312

The leaves are a lovely fan of green beneath the tall stalks of buds and blooms.

The structure of the bloom stalk is geometrically balanced and crazy pretty.

IMG_1335

This is a must for any border or bank in June and July.

IMG_1334

FLOWER

STOP! It’s RED

Why do we use the color red to signal stop?

RED 002
Mandevilla Sun Parasol Garden Crimson

Red has longest wavelengths we can perceive with our eyes.

vines in a 019
Turk’s cap/ Malvaviscus arboreus

Longer wavelengths are infrared waves, microwaves and radio waves.

We can’t see these longer waves, but can we sense them?

Bloom day July 15 026

I often wonder if we can feel red somehow.

Petunia
Petunia

When it is mixed with other colors it demands our attention.

RED 005
Morning glories and Cardinal Climber Vine

When it’s bright and big it makes us pause.

Charisma Amaryllis
Charisma Amaryllis

What does red light beaming at us feel like subconsciously?

RED 012

Why does it universally mean stop?

Red Hot.

Jalopeno peppers
Jalopeno peppers

Red Devil.

Button bush 017
“Lucifer “Crocosmia

Do we all have an ancient memory of blood red danger?

RED 010
Bleeding Heart Vine

Does red make some of us blush and make others feel angry?

Hummingbird Vine
Hummingbird Vine

How does red make us feel?

Sweet 1000's
Sweet 1000’s

I wonder…

FOLLOW the FLOWER.