Hedera Entangles

Morning has broken here on our wooded lot. I love nothing more than to sip coffee while I watch the constantly changing sunbeams cut through the trees. But the Ivy is blocking my view this morning.

My predecessor planted quantities of English Ivy (Hedera helix) on the floor of the natural space to help prevent erosion. Indeed we are the low spot of the neighborhood, but thirty years of growth is a lot of Ivy growth. As lovely as it may have looked to me at one time, I am in the process of trying to remove the Ivy from our trees.

In addition to reducing the biodiversity in the area and destroying the habitat for native wildlife and creatures, Ivy can kill trees by climbing into their canopies and shading out sunlight. It will also make them so top-heavy they become weak and eventually fall over. We must always try to take care and be responsible gardeners.

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Scarlet Begonias

I love scarlet Begonias. I plant a variation of scarlet Begonias every year. Their waxy green leaves are resistant to all pests. It is an absolutely beautiful sun-loving foliage annual. But Jerry Garcia is the real reason I keep them in my garden. We miss you, Jerry.

"As I was walkin' round grosvenor square
Not a chill to the winter but a nip to the air,
From the other direction, she was calling my eye, It could be an illusion, but I might as well try, might as well try.

She had rings on her fingers and bells on her shoes.
And I knew without askin' she was into the blues.
She wore scarlet begonias tucked into her curls,
I knew right away she was not like other girls, other girls.

In the thick of the evening when the dealing got rough,
She was too pat to open and too cool to bluff.
As I picked up my matches and was closing the door,
I had one of those flashes I'd been there before, been there before.

Well, I ain't always right but I've never been wrong.
Seldom turns out the way it does in a song.
Once in a while you get shown the light
In the strangest of places if you look at it right.

Well there ain't nothing wrong with the way she moves,
Scarlet begonias or a touch of the blues.
And theres nothing wrong with the look that's in her eyes,

Wind in the willows playin' tea for two;
The sky was yellow and the sun was blue,
Strangers stoppin' strangers just to shake their hand,
Everybody's playing in the heart of gold band, heart of gold band."

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Herbaceous Astilbe Chinensis

Nothing brightens a shady spot in the early summer more elegantly than the white Astilbe.

This perennial does not need much of a footprint to grow to a nice 2' spread in the summer. It likes rich and moist soil and is resistant to all the problems a hot and humid climate can bring. It takes such good care of itself that you might forget it is there, until it blooms. In full bloom at the beginning of June, it reaches a height of over 2' tall. The plumes are large and feathery and sway in a slight breeze.

This false spirea comes in a variety of pretty whites, pinks, reds and lavenders. For the most impressive display, plant several of the same variety together in a front border of your garden bed. The foliage is deeply cut and unique and turns to bronze in the fall. A must for every moist shade garden.

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A Beautiful Garden is Earned

One day we are tiptoeing through the tulips. The flowers are blooming, the pests are away and the weeds are at bay. There are photo opportunities at every turn and nothing to do but sit back and enjoy the beauty. Reap the rewards. But our toil does not last forever. The beautiful gardens require at least some constant attention.

Today I woke up and found Japanese beetles on my banana tree and leaf spot on the roses. The ladybugs are helping decrease the aphid population, but the white flies on the Hostas are multiplying. We put too much nitrogen on the lawn, the newly transplanted Yoshino cherry is losing color, and the Monarda is covered with powdery mildew.

The garden enthusiast will spend hours upon hours tinkering for fun, but helping the plants fend off the pests and diseases is necessary too and does not take as much time as we anguish. One to two hours today, and once every two weeks in the growing season is all the garden requires to shine.

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Friends Don't Let Friends Plant Annuals

Except a few. Where do I get my high color? What can I rely on to be in bloom no matter what day an unexpected friend stops by? Annuals. No matter how large of a variety of perennials or blooming shrubs you have, you can always count on a hardy annual to show for you.

Most of the re-seeding varieties can not be counted on to come back naturally, so I do not plant many, but I do plant some amongst the trees, shrubs, vines, and all sorts of pretty plants in my container garden. Having that bright splash guarantees a smile on your face every day in the garden.

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