Monarchs and Eddie

I’m kicking myself for not planting more reds, purples and hot pinks for the hummingbirds and monarchs, especially for the monarchs.
I did plant some red verbena and while I was out watering the forever thirsty, run up my water bill annuals, I watched one lone monarch light on it. As I stood and watched it gather nectar, a cat crept out from around the powis castle. He was in full stalking mode after my monarch! Out of nowhere and yet somewhere from deep inside of me, I heard myself quietly say “No! That’s Ed’s monarch.”
Ed was my brother and he died last January. Last summer while at his farm, I had watched Eddie stand each day at the kitchen window in complete reverence watching the monarchs on the butterfly shrubs out back. He never got tired of watching them. He’d call you over again and again and say, “Look at that! Can you believe that?” For Ed, each butterfly was always the first one he’d ever seen.
So I did a lot of picture taking of the monarchs for Ed, maybe for me too.
Today, my lovely and beautiful sister in law frets over those butterfly shrubs like she did so tenderly and adoringly with Ed. She tells me the monarchs are all over the back garden. I must go see them; I miss Eddie.

It was an excellent Saturday in Asheville, North Carolina. It did start with a rousing game of tennis, which I know has nothing to do with gardening, but hey!
Anyway, I made the best pesto ever afterwards. The basil leaves went into the food processor no more than 1o minutes after I cut them. Also, I measured everything this time and now have the ratios I like. It’s heavy on the garlic which gives it a good bite.
Later, I walked my yard and weeded. If I could do that every 2-3 days instead of every 2-3 weeks, why then I can visit my plants without moaning. It only took a half an hour and was so enjoyable. I visited my pee gee hydrangea, (paniculata hydrangea) which is full of buds. When it does bloom, I will get a picture and post it. It is in the very back of my woodland garden and will be like a beacon of light, at least that is how I envision it. I think maybe two more weeks for flowers.

My woodland ferns are marching right along too. This year they really woke up. I’ll get a photo of them. Be prepared though, I’m a farmer at heart and planted them all in a row! Ugh! This fall I’ll bunch them more. Then the black eye Susans are popping and I can’t imagine a flower garden without them –so easy, so carefree. I think they will be separated and spread out too. Why not?!
I ended my gardening with cutting some Russian sage, black eye Susans, red lantana and the last of my yarrow and put them in a vase, all the while sipping lemonade with the scent of basil on my fingers. It doesn’t get any better than that now, does it?

Blue Sedge

I am finally finished with the yard, again. All my plans of blogging and highlighting my plants went to the weeds. Two thirds of my .18 acre lot is mulch and plantings. If I could have grown more grass, I would have but I would have had to been part mountain goat, part he-man to be able to cut it. I’m neither. And I’m tired. Everything yard wise now seems to be nothing but an endless chore. And it’s hot, boiling hot. Frankly, I just want to sit back, eat my tomatoes and make pesto. Craziest thing though, the whole time I was out weeding, cutting back my gaura and fretting over those darn pepper plants, and thinking what a ton of work this gardening thing is, I was making a mental list of what I was going to do this fall. I want to separate my yarrow so that I can have three plants and make a statement. I also need one more glossy leaf abelia, maybe two, for the “woodland” garden. Then I am going to move the Muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) uphill from the blue sedge that I planted just last fall to give the sedge more growing area. (What type of sedge, I haven’t a clue. I have lost that tag along with all the others.) Anyway, it is wonderfully invasive… and I can’t believe I just said that! How we shy away from anything that may take over and take up any precious space for yet another flower. However, the color is so eye catching and it seems to love my yard. Plus, it seems to be taking care of shading out most of the weeds! I think I’m in love…

Coronation Gold Yarrow

I love my Coronation Gold yarrow; no other yarrow will do. I have tried the reds and pinks over the years and have not been impressed in the least. Their colors fade in the blink of an eye and the least bit of breeze or light rain leaves them prostrate. Nope, don’t like them. Give me the Coronation Gold anytime. Aptly named, the flowers are like gold crowns atop each stem. And like one would imagine crowned royalty, Coronation Gold’s flower stems remain proper and almost formal, never unruly, standing straight and tall with their crowns always toward the sun.
So why did I plant just one? I can see in my mind’s eye a grouping of them, three at the least; five would have been so lovely and quite a statement. I also would have had plenty to dry. Envision small bouquets tied with brown twine and accompanied with pepper jelly or pesto as Christmas presents. Now, that would be nice!
Oh well, next year. There is always next year.

Container Gardening

I have to have a home grown tomato soon or I know I will die. I just know it.
At present, I have two plants growing in containers; a cherry tomato and the other I am not sure of what it is; I lost the tag. Just like with the peppers, I am beginning to think two plants are not enough but then I remember that I am practicing patience, at least for a few more days. Plus, I have been encouraging my friends and neighbors to go ahead and plant more when they ask if I think they have enough. By August, I should have enough home grown tomatoes at my finger tips than I could ever dream and with very little expense and work on my part.
I do like container gardening and have had great luck with it. Of course, you have to keep a number of things in mind: have large enough containers for your plants, do not cheap out on the potting soil and if doing tomatoes, buy varieties that actually say “for containers.” Finally, put them in full sun (and not just where the pots look pretty) and don’t forget to water.
Along with my two tomatoes, I also have basil in a container. When I first started growing basil I thought 3 plants would be just right. I did that only once. The following years it has been two and I have always had more basil (and pesto) than I needed or could keep up with. This year, I am going to try just one. I am worried about that a little, but once again, there are my neighbors. And don’t forget, the trick to basil is pinch, pinch, and pinch! Katie is my official pincher.

Gardening, Tennis and Patience

My tennis game last night was incredibly good. Yes it’s true, I could have spent time in the garden weeding and cutting back a few things (and it sure could use it!) but putting a little top spin on that yellow ball sometimes takes precedence. Actually, I am so torn between the two, I never know if I want it to rain or not.
I did get the grass cut before I played. I tried not to have a look at the newly planted peppers as I passed by them. I had told myself no more checking them out for another week. They looked so small the other day that I ended up picking up another. If I don’t practice a little more patience, I may have more pepper plants than I care to admit! Gardening is all about patience, and I need to practice that more or I’ll be making and eating pepper jelly until the cows come home!

Gardening with Katie

Right now I am in need of a good manicure. This past weekend I weeded my garden and though I have numerous pairs of gloves and faithfully put a pair on whenever I embark upon the yard, I never seem to finish my gardening with them. Somehow, they mysteriously fall from my hands without my noticing. Sometimes I find them, most times not.
Last night was no exception to this strange phenomenon. My sweet, sweet granddaughter and I put in five pepper plants. (She says she would like to pick some peppers and I since I would like to make some of my famous pepper jelly, we ended up picking up some plants on the spur of the moment.) The planting didn’t take us long but apparently long enough for me to become gloveless. I looked over at Katie to see if the same had happened to her and found her stretched out on my bed of isotoma, blue star creeper. Ever since she entered my life she has brought new meaning to everything, even my garden. I really love how she views, interprets and utilizes it, all the while keeping her gloves on!