August 14 , 2008
From the producer: 8 January 2025
Surprise ! When I got home one night , I see something newfangled and pinkish in the crepe paper bed . I wandered out for a closer look .
Periwinkle . I have n’t plant them in years . I guess a retentive torpid seed wanted to clear my drought - weary individual . Periwinkles have lost favor these solar day , but they always remind me of the upbeat bloom my ma plant every summertime along the patio . As a kidskin , their little “ eye ” trance me . Next twelvemonth , by golly , I ’m going to hitch the trend and establish a bunch of these drought hardy annuals ! The trick is not planting too early . Like caladium , they want warm soil . And oh pal , we certainly have that .
This blast from the past times conjoin the on - run low pink parade . To my astonishment , the coneflowers are still blooming ( a first for me ) . I ’m also astounded with the batface cuphea , which never worked for me before . I guess I finally find its happy position , enough Sunday but not too much .
When I moved this pavonia in bound , and abbreviate it back almost to the ground , I did n’t have great hopes for it . It was such a woody , misshapen mess that I was n’t terribly mournful about its possible demise . I fiddled with other thought for that area , but when it recovered from its move into more sun , I could n’t interfere with its determination to show me up .
And it did . A beautiful sight on a hot summer ’s break of day , better than the first cup of coffee .
This spring I added ‘ Helen von Stein ’ lambs ears , after a fellow gardener told me they would tolerate corpse dirt and tad . These get strong sun by the afternoon but shade before then , just not deep tincture .
Since we have n’t had significant rain , they ’re declare on nicely , just the soft Gy I wanted against the pinks . I ’ll keep you post if and when we get serious rain again . We love lamb ear , but in a humid or wet summer , we tend to lose them . Here they are with my babyAgave celsiiTricolor and a self - seeded pavonia .
This is n’t the best photo , but I ran for the camera and knew I did n’t have clock time to mickey - mouse around . But this swallowtail ( I cogitate it ’s a distaff Eastern black swallowtail but I welcome your input ) , sure enough liked the purple umbrella plant , Trachellium ceerueleum .
A bee on the nearby Mexican oregano .
I beat my first bloom on the Brazilian rock candy rose ( Pavonia brazilienses ) that I bought at a Master Gardener sales agreement . Whenever I saw one in a garden , I ’d drool a mo , and now I have my very own !
If you are sulking in the warmth , asPam Penickwrote last week ( and I am too ) , I found a enceinte counterpoison . I in conclusion got around to readingJeannie Ralston ’s The Lavender Queen(in the kiddie pool ) . Her first summers in Texas , along with her struggles and insight about life and marriage , will make this book one I will take over and over again . I ’m also thinking of re - reading Edna Ferber ’s Giant or watch my DVD , though the book really brings it home about a fledgeling ( or well-worn - out aboriginal ) about Texas in the summertime .
Until next hebdomad , Cedric wish you a cooler rooftop one of these days , Linda
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