Saturday's Garden Views

It seems like it's been forever since I had the opportunity to be in the garden for an entire day.

With the kiddos returned to their respective parents and a whole day to myself it was an early start in the garden with a very long to-do list. Every gardener knows that list never really diminishes much. But it does shift around here and there.

It also seems like forever since I spent some time alone ~~with just me and the camera~~ walking around the garden taking photos for fun. I soon realized that here we are right in the middle of summer and the caladiums are happy as can be for the warm weather.

Turn any corner or look out to any view and you will see them winding through a planting bed or popping out of a container. It's no secret I use them in great numbers to add color and pizzazz in these hottest months of the year.

It's a little early for the cassia to be blooming but we don't mind and neither do the butterflies.

Connecting several planted out borders the circle garden has turned out to be just as I envisioned. From every direction it is a focal point and has created a centering place where all pathways converge.

The front side-garden has taken on a bit of a tropicalesque appeal with a mixture of Florida natives and Florida-Friendly plants under towering oak trees.

One of my favorite container plants located in the pathway to the edible garden.

Just about the only plants producing food in the edible garden are the pepper plants.

The rest of it is pretty much a mess. Getting it ready for fall planting is still on the to-do list. I suppose it's a good thing the dead vines are still hanging around to provide a landing spot for the butterflies.

Coleus, caladiums, zinnias, and gaillardia are vying for attention along with the weeds in the edible garden.

All the container plants on the back patio are void of flowers. In their stead bromeliads, sedums, coleus, caladiums, cordylines, cannas, purple queen, lemon-lime dracaena, and other variegated foliage fill up the pots.

There is still lots of color and it helps keeps the pool deck a bit tidier without all the flower petal mess.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you are in the mood for more photos from the garden today click here to see the rest.

Turns out I had so much fun I took too many to post so I've uploaded them to my Picasa account and made it public for you to view.

Try to stay cool and happy summer gardening,
Meems

Making Summer Memories That Count

"Grandmother is a state of grace, a chance to be a child again, to be whimsical, to dance, to sing, to explore, to believe, and to scatter your love, like glistening drops of warm spring rain, onto your grandchildren."
Sharon Lovejoy


One of the most glorious parts of summertime is having more time with the grandbabies. None of which are babies in the slightest way anymore with the youngest one being 4 years old.

Extended stays at Mimi's and Papa's are calendared once school ends to be sure we have longer, uninterrupted days together ~~ especially with the two older ones. Randomly visits are a result of whims and wishes and spur of the moment requests.

Our doors are always open ~~however they get here is just fine with us.

This time of year butterflies are as much a part of the garden as the plants. Drawn by bright colors and the nectar they seek and often times their host plants we get very used to sharing our outdoor experiences with them.

Children are equally as fascinated with them as adults. They sure do provide easy conversation for young, bright minds to engage in learning the processes of life in a garden.

And sharing the Agastache 'Black Adder' are all sorts of flying critters. Some we can identify and some we don't. One thing for sure is that with summertime temps all sorts of God's creatures can be 'seen' and 'heard' all over the garden. And smart little minds and hearts are very keen to 'listening' as well as 'seeing'. Always they are eager to identify and determine which are harmful or helpful. These are good things to know when pouncing about the garden.

What excitements have been stirred as we've discovered so many caterpillars in every stage.

Passion vine, parsley, bronze fennel and dill all being chewed to pieces as host plants.

Everyday lessons from the garden full with the journey that growing habits of each creature affords and the meaning of transformation being understood in deeper ways.

Dragonflies have been overly abundant this year. This being my own observation with absolutely no science involved. But I've asked around and other gardeners in this area agree. There hasn't been a definitive reason why but we are certain the increase in numbers is not just our imagination.

Every imaginable color, too. My littlest fellow helped me take a photo of this golden beauty.

He is my 'number one bug finder' and 'curious mind for all things buggy' extraordinaire. He thrills at the sight of a bug we haven't seen yet. "Mimi, get your camera. I found a bug."

Without the magnification of the camera lens this miniscule spider appeared to have only four legs. But we knew it couldn't be so because "spiders have EIGHT legs."

This from a four year old.

There is something about water ~~ any source of water ~~ that draws children to touch it/ feel it/play with it if possible. An easily accessible faucet in the back garden provides a watering source for both plantlife and the humans who tend it. What starts out as "Can I help you water, Mimi?" often turns into wet shoes and clothes. In summertime when every living thing is steamy and hot it matters not.

Empty water bottles re-filled with water and dirt over and over again makes for many minutes of entertainment while Mimi gets some actual gardening accomplished.

Lots of toad frogs doing their helpful deeds. Hoping they are enjoying the abundance of slugs and snails offered in every border.

Not our favorite critters but frustratingly frequent visitors. Armadillos have wreaked their fair share of mayhem in the summer garden. These smaller ones haven't been taught very well yet. They shouldn't be out in broad daylight. Their youthful inexperience does make it easy to see how they bury their noses deep into the soil and then tunnel around searching out worms and other crawly fare.

Mimi doesn't like anything about them but the kiddos think its great to see them scamper as they run through the pathways and surprisingly discover the night creatures are out during the day.

*************************
Summer is for taking advantage of relaxed school schedules and creating memories that make a difference in every heart. The garden offers a perfect resource and naturally accommodates curious and investigative young souls. What a blessing it is to have the privilege of being such an integral part of our grandchildren's lives. They make our hearts sing and our world spin with joy!
Shhhh... all three of them are still sound asleep after long days of swimming, board games, golf, scrapbooking, and simply laughing until we can't breathe.

Meanwhile... What's a Little Heat in Florida!

Taking a little trip to Western New York is a nice break from Florida in July.
Coming home to the garden it only takes moments for reality to set in.

It's July and we are at the height of our hot and humid season.

Still, the garden calls. We mustn't be wimpy about our weather. There is much to do in the summer garden.

Warm colors of the Belamcanda Chinensis dot the midsummer landscape. These sweet additions are a first for me this year. Love the unique twist of the buds after they bloom.

Three separate gardening friends recently passed along this widely popular species. Sited before they flowered in dappled light they are now all cheerily blooming at the same time.

Sometimes called Blackberry Lily...

or Leopard Lily...

or Candy Lily... they can sport fancy dark freckles or ... none at all as in the previous photos. I'm a fan of their upright grass-like foliage just as much as these delicate, small blooms. Each one only lasting only for a day.

Even the bees get thirsty in summertime. Add a rock or pile several of the smaller flat ones to your birdbath. You might be surprised at the tiny critters that visit for a drink.

Mr. Meems deserves extra hugs and thanks for keeping the container plants irrigated while I was away.

Not one drop of rain came down to offer him a rest from dragging hoses to numerous pots throughout the garden. All plantlife was chipper and happy even in my absence.

Only a few Agapanthus orientalis, African lily or Lily of the Nile remain in bloom at this juncture of summer. But they've been offering outstanding ornamental features since May.

We are happy to have any blooming this late and I'm pretty sure the butterflies join us in our thankfulness.

The brightly hued red Pentas lanceolata are another year round Florida-Friendly favorite.

The butterflies just can't resist them. Somehow I seem to like red as much as the pretty fluttering swallowtails. For those reasons we've sited them in several places throughout the garden.

Side note for Florida gardeners: Pentas is one of those plants that easily roots from cuttings. Just keep cuttings moist in some good soil until roots are formed. This is a good time to take cuttings. Keep them in a partially shady spot while they get established.

Caladiums are becoming the stars of summer once again. The shady areas are packed with the variety White Queen. The center red vein is a stand out against the white leaf and shows up nicely against all the foundational green foliage.
**********************
There's much more to see of Buffalo. I'll get back to sharing those photos as soon as regular life permits. It's summertime and the grandkiddos get first priority while they are out of school and we have some extra hours with them.

Happy summer gardening! Meems

Off to Buffalo's Countryside for Cream Tea and Scones

Loading our tour bus after breakfast the schedule for the final day of Buffalo Bloggers Meet-Up was organized with better-than-you-could-ask-for activities.

Just like each previous day. Another huge thank you to Jim and Elizabeth for an amazing job putting this event together!

First up, we were off to the test gardens at the Erie Basin.

Followed by a tour of a national historic site, the beautiful Buffalo Botanical Gardens, where every imaginable tropical plant was thriving in the conservatory. Then it was on to Lockwood's Greenhouses including a picnic lunch in the cool of the shade on the grounds. Even a surprise meet-up with the author of one of my favorite gardening books. More on these place later.

For the last scheduled stop of the day we were driving south.

When it dawned on me we were going 'out' of the city for the afternoon curiosity and anticipation set in. What a delightful surprise it was to view the countryside of Buffalo.

While I loved staying in the city of Buffalo where a mix of historic neighborhoods and businesses mingle, I suppose I'm the simplest of country-girls at heart. If given a choice... take me out of the city to woodlands and open sky where the soul is awakened by organic realities at every turn.

Where each sound is crisp and clear and nature fills up every one of the senses. The music is birdsongs calling from the canopy of trees high overhead. Sunlight dappling the woodland floor with shadowy movements as the gentle breezes sway the limbs and leaves above.

At the Shadrack's a ravine of crystal clear water trickling with steady movement over layers and levels of rocks that starts from up the hill and flows under the house and out the other side as far as the eye can see.





The most delightful hosts, avid gardeners, and authors specializing in hostas and daylilies Mike and Kathy Shadrack served all 70 + guests cream tea and scones in the most gracious English style.

The deck that juts out over the creek below made a perfect setting for everyone to mingle while enjoying afternoon tea.

Upon arrival and the Shadrack's very welcoming greeting (with the most cheery English voice) all of us scattered about down rock pathways and up stone steps to many levels of borders carved into the hillsides on every side of their lovely home.









Their enchanting acreage cut out of the hillside is filled with daylilies, hostas, grasses, hydrangeas, and various species of perennials.

Twists and turns down so many winding pathways up and down hills and around corners each one filled with beautiful flowers and whimsical appointments.

Mike Shadrack was very proud to show us his newly created mini-hosta rock garden growing in filtered sunlight. And all of us were equally impressed with this new concept.

It was a pleasantly warm summer day. Separated from the chattering crowd, a few of us thought it worth kicking our shoes off for a reviving walk straight into the cooling waters of the flowing creek.

We followed it upwards to increasingly higher levels of what appeared to be naturally cut out of flagstone rock (not certain what kind of rock) smoothed by the cool running creek.

It was a most refreshing end to a great day. I could have stayed there much longer. It reminded me of being in the mountains of North Carolina where we love to vacation.

I realize I've started backwards with my review of this fabulous trip to Buffalo. Probably because the Shadrack's place was so enthralling and the highlight for me. I'll get to the rest of the trip as time permits. In the meantime be sure to go here for other blogger's reviews.