Introducing Tiger Lily

I recently joined our neighborhood's social networking site on Nextdoor.com.  Lost pet notifications are very important.  Suspicious activity?  It's good to be informed.  Mechanic recommendations, sure, good to know.  But a resource for plant swaps too?!  YES! 

Through our site, I have met a couple new gardening friends that live right down the street.  A nice lady that I had never met before, Judy, posted that she was giving away free tiger lilies one day.  I thought 'for real?'  Tiger Lilies have been on my get list for years, and now they have come right here to me?  Sure enough, I headed directly to my new friend's house (with an exchange gift in hand).  I was not a greedy gus; I only took two little 8 inch stalks.  I decided not to clip these babies.  I planted them immediately, and I watered them in well.  I do not like babying plants (over-tending kills more plants than neglect), so I got them started and let them go.  Viola!  My first ever Tiger Lily bloom opened about eight weeks later (around Independence Day).  Here she is! 

Her botanical name is Lilium lancifolium.  This mezmerizing flower blooms off of a 4 foot stalk and shows about 5 or 6 blooms per plant, this year.  The blooms are downward-facing, and the petals are bright orange, curled back, and covered with little brown conspicuous spots.  Only one of the stalks is revealing bulblets in the leaf axes so far, but I intend to harvest/plant some in a different location of the garden this year.  Tiger lilies are bulbs that spread via rhizomes, so I am looking forward to a larger clump of these exotic-looking beauties next year.

Thank you again to my new plant-swap friend Judy!  This was quite a gift.

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Flowers in Art Series - Soda Pop

Since the very first paintings over 700 years ago, flowers have had been present in art.  They began as decoration to portraiture, scenes, and other main subject matter.  They quickly evolved into accents that expressed symbolism.  The red rose symbolizes love, the white lily for purity, and so on.  Flowers then started to be shown on their own in still life's and vase arrangements as decorative artwork.  They were finally represented as living plants that deserve the spotlight around the time of french impressionism.  van Gogh's irises and sunflowers stand out from the post-impressionistic era, and O'Keefe's close-up moderist selections move us forward.

I have become fond of flowers in art where they take center stage.  I am not as particular about the form or style of the art, and I don't require symbolism, so it is all interesting to me.  I found this piece for sale on a wall in a sandwich shop in downtown Ellijay, Georgia while I was having lunch with a good friend.  It caught my eye because the blossoms are 3-D and are made from cut soda cans.  It is almost 3 feet tall, and is sprinkled with glitter.  A super fun and striking piece, and the sentimental value is always a plus!

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How Every Iris Should Bloom

Let's face it, I am lazy when it comes to dividing irises.  My neglect combined with the voles feasting on the rhizomes, I am lucky to have more than one bloom on each variety of iris in the yard.  This tall, brick-toned bearded beauty, however, has somehow just decided to power through the obstacles and make a great show year after year.  I don't know her name, but she displayed over a dozen blooms for me this year.  Bravo!

And so, let me set a simple goal for this fall.  Divide the irises.  I have a particular two-toned plant that is sentimental, and she barely bloomed this year; Stephanie gave me a knockout white iris that has a purple beard.  It's not nice to neglect gift plants, and so I promise to do my duty.  Dividing them is easy, super easy, work.  Cut the foliage back to around 4 or so inches tall, dig up the whole clump, and just start working the rhizomes apart with your hands.  Replant, and watch for spring appreciation!   

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Jack-in-the-Pulpit

I have a mild obsession with the collectors greenhouse at Plant Delights Nursery, and the nurserymen warn that most of the selections are for 'advanced gardeners only'.  While I am an advanced gardener, I still kill plants, so I show caution and respect when making a purchase from this particular conservatory.  However, the absolute coolest and easiest plant to grow is the white-balled Arisaema sikokianum 'Silver Center'.  This plant does not bloom for long, and you need more than one (at a hefty price of $30 each) if you want more than one bloom.  I just purchased my second one this spring, so I am really hoping for several blooms next year.  This particular cobra blooms above the leaves, which makes it extra showy.  And the white ball in the center is a stunning contrast against the black pitcher.  The foliage stays tall and full all summer, and has a striking silver center for added interest after the blooms have long since slept.  A super hardy and showy winner!

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To Keep the Hornets Nest or To Not Keep the Hornets Nest?

European Hornets are not as frightening as they look.  They are less aggressive than most of their relatives.  It is popular to believe that (all) hornets will attack, sting, even kill humans, but that is just not the case with these hornets.  Naturally, they will defend their nest if approached.

Hornets primarily feed on insects, which is a great benefit.  Apparently, they can also wipe out honeybee populations, but that is not a problem on our property.

Our resident hornet's nest is being built about 40 feet up off the side of a Tulip Poplar in our back yard very near our deck.  You can see them busy working around the nest, but we never see them down where we live.  Our handy-dandy wildlife and pest expert Tad told me that they will most likely never bother us at all, but that the nest is dormant in the fall if we decide to have it removed.

I first spied this nest above our house coming down the driveway one day.  It is also easily seen from our back deck.  There is no place in the parts of the yard where we live that you cannot see it; it is highly noticeable against the dark trunks and leaves of the trees.  And it is very unattractive.  If I decide to remove it, that will probably be why, because it is an eyesore.  Does that make me shallow?  It might be interesting to dissect!

Maybe it will grow on me before autumn, or Scott may feel strongly one way or the other, but I do wish I had seen it before it had gotten so large.

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Flames of Crimson Monarda

This beautiful red Monarda (aka Bee Balm) is the prettiest blooming Monarda in our yard.  When in bloom, it looks like a barely-contained red fire.  It is an eye-catching plant in border plantings, in addition to being photogenic and stunning in vase arrangements.

To me, there are few flowers with an equally interesting bloom head.  It blooms atop a 3 foot herbaceous stalk in the summertime.  Ideally, this plant should be planted in the most blazing hot all-day sun you can find, and then it will certainly spread and bloom a healthy and impressive display for you.

However, as much as I love it in bloom, Monarda comes with a price; severe powdery mildew.  Ultimately, I rather have a love/hate relationship with this perennial.  Wholesalers, retailers, and fellow gardeners swear "this variety is impervious to disease in less than full sun", but do not believe them!  Every single variety of Monarda (someone has given me) gets a real case of powdery mildew early in the season.  Chemicals keep it from spreading to other plants, but the mildew hangs onto Bee Balm here throughout the entire growing season.  The white dust of the mildew is so unattractive that once the plant is done blooming in August, I immediately lop it all the way back, and I look forward to the bloom time and loping season again the next year!

"Please come, you are welcome,

It's great to see you smile.

And it's time to go now, early goodbye,

I'll see you around another mile."

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The Fox Family

Oh, what to do with the fox den under the front porch.

First, appreciate.  Nature is so amazing and wondrous.  I find it remarkably easy and peaceful getting lost gazing at nature.  I have seen so many species of flora and fauna through a life of hiking, camping, landscaping, paddling on the water, and just sitting outside, but foxes are one of those pretty little creatures that I have only seen once, and at a great distance. Until now.
 
Suddenly, we have a new family of grey foxes growing up on our property; they are living under the front deck.  I first saw the mother scouting around our front yard during the day, likely due to eviction, about 8 days ago.  Once she built a new home, the family started reverting back to their more dawn & dusk nature.  But these first few days have been fun watching the kits play in the front yard.  I have seen four kits, but only briefly together.  It is most likely that I see one romping and exploring alone - the adventurous one.  I have seen (her?) climbing the front dogwood tree and learned that the grey fox is the only member of the dog family that can climb trees.  They are omnivores, and their main predators here would be hawks, owls, and coyotes.

Friends warn that we will be attacked and/or get rabies etc., but this nature girl does not think like that.  We do not have children or outside pets.  We don’t run up to wild animals and try to pet them or feed them.  We live pretty harmoniously with nature here – a mutual 'live and let live' lot.  However, I am not afraid to call Tad (our wildlife relocation specialist) if ever the time comes necessary.  For now, I have spread blood meal in the house-adjacent perennial beds in an effort to move their foraging and play habits down to the lower unseen side of the property.

And to my little foxy friends; I imagine you won't be here long, so Thank You for coming, resting, playing, and letting me see you live like this, so close.  Godspeed.

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