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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God's Garden

“The Lord God planted a garden
  In the first white days of the world,
  And He set there an angel warden
  In a garment of light enfurled.

  So near to the peace of Heaven,
  That the hawk might nest with the

       wren,
  For there in the cool of the even
  God walked with the first of men.

  And I dream that these garden-closes
  With their shade and their 

      sun-flecked sod
  And their lilies and bowers of roses,
  Were laid by the hand of God.

  The kiss of the sun for pardon,
  The song of the birds for mirth,--
  One is nearer God's heart in a garden
  Than anywhere else on earth.

  For He broke it for us in a garden
  Under the olive-trees
  Where the angel of strength was the warden
  And the soul of the world found ease.”

  

                                       - by D.F.Gurney

Eastern Box Turtle

Help me name my turtle!

As long as we have had Slender Deutzia in the garden, I have seen the box turtle resting here.  Of course, that is a coincidence; I do not believe turtles seek out this particular plant.

I know the Eastern Box Turtle can live longer than humans and that they have a home range, so I am convinced the turtle I see in this same spot in our yard every spring and summer is the same one that revisits year after year.  This turtle is slightly smaller than average, which makes me think she is female.

I do not know much about these critters.  She just appears in her little spot under the Deutzia after long rains beginning in April.  Though I know it is during the long mating season when she comes, I never see her come or go, and I do not know if she is nesting here.  I know she digs herself far up under the plant and leaves in the evening hours, but I have never seen more than one turtle at a time, and I have never seen eggs or wee turtles.  I can not say how long she stays, but I am committed to observing more closely.  

I do my best to leave her alone.  I do not want to scare her, pick her up, investigate, or otherwise do anything that would prevent her from returning whenever she likes.  I love my resident nature, and this gentle little turtle may have lived on this property far longer than I have.  Wouldn't you like to help me name her?

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Spiderwort Morning vs. Afternoon

Scott and I were given our first Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) from an accountant friend of ours, Mike Taylor, who was delightfully more so a perennial plant enthusiast.  It gave us something more pleasant to talk about than numbers.  Mike dug up a clump of this pretty purple-bloomer from his yard for us and it continues to spread and show off for us year-after-year.  Tradescantia virginiana foliage varies from bright yellow to blue-greens, but the flowers mainly range in varying shades of purple.

Spiderwort is a diurnal perennial, meaning the blooms open early in the morning and close again by mid-afternoon everyday, which is the most interesting trait of this plant.  Though it prefers more sun to stand tall in big clumps, it tends to look thirsty in the heat of the day when planted in super-sunny spots.

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Japanese Stiltgrass

Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum), at first glance, is one of the prettiest groundcovers, so light and gentle blowing in the breeze. It is herbaceous and looks like a low soft bamboo. But do not be tempted to introduce this invasive annual grass to your yard. If you have a managed landscape, begin eradication at first sight.

Roundup kills the emerged plants, but the seeds form young and fly far, so hit it before it seeds and keep your eyes peeled.

Snapshot is a rather pricey pre-emerge herbicide, but it prevents the seeds from germinating in open spaces. Unfortunately, you cannot spread Snapshot in your perennial borders. The only way to remove the unwanted aggressor from your beds is to get down on your hands and knees and start pulling.

I don't have a picture for you because I killed it all (or so I think).

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Guacamole

My Cinco de Mayo feature plant is Hosta 'Guacamole', and doesn't the blend of warm greens and yellows make it appear true to its namesake?

Like most Hostas, 'Guacamole' is super easy to grow in a part-sun/shade bed with rich, well-drained soil.  This one appears thin because I separated it last year, but it still makes a beautiful display.  'Guacamole' makes an interesting choice for Hosta lovers also because of its' large rounded leaves.  I spread a little blood meal to keep the deer at bay, and otherwise it is a no-fuss hearty grower. 

I plan to celebrate this holiday commemorating Mexican pride and heritage with really great food in a festive atmosphere, so I better get to it!

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Flowers, Flowers Everywhere

I grew up with two brothers, and we have all lived in different states all of our adult years.  Needless to say, we don't see each other very often.  For several years, all three of us were able to meet at my older brother's summer party.  He called it a luau, and it was great fun.  It's always a wonderful reunion when I get together with my brothers.  We tell stories and reminisce and laugh well into the next morning.  Other than my husband and sister-in-law, I barely notice the other thirty people that show up.

I had wanted a tattoo for a long time.  When I was in high school, my older stepsister took me to see one of her friends, but it was a pretty scary scene to me at the time, so I did not get the undecided pretty (butterfly, heart..) I wanted on my shoulder.  I ended up with a tiny blip on my finger that I later had removed.  But I digress.

Fast forward 25 years, and I finally decided on the perfect first tattoo; I wanted a siblings tattoo (on my foot).  Something reminiscent of all of the great times we have had and the love that I have for my brothers.  I chose the tropical Hibiscus to represent our luau reunions, and the three buds represent each of us siblings.  The tattoo artist designed it for me (Blue Flame in Raleigh hosts some real talent).  It turned out to be significantly larger than I had wanted.  My artist insisted on size to really showcase the details of the Hibiscus plant, and I don't argue with artists!  Large or small, my tattoo gives me exactly the warm and happy thoughts I was looking for.

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Handsome Foliage Pairs - Green

While striking and beautiful, you do not need whites against blacks, yellows against blues or the bright colors of the trees changing color in the Fall to see great foliage.

Sun:  Upright-growing 'Blue Point' Juniperus chinesis stands tall and conspicuous against a backdrop of the leathery leaves and fragrant delicate flowers of the Confederate Jasmine climber (Trachelospermum jasminoides).

Shade:  Shady Hosta beds are so calming to look at, especially the varieties with large, somewhat smooth leaves.  This 'Blue Mountain' variety stands about 18" tall and 2 ½ feet wide on May 2nd.  I paired it against Pachysandra’s low, comparatively miniature, and serrated leaves for eye-catching contrast.

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Hardy Heucheras for Contrast

Aren't burgundy Heucheras pretty on a breezy day in May?  The range of colors you can see is more interesting than the bloom spikes to me.

Heucheras are one of the most essential plants for providing contrast in the garden, especially the purple or speckled varieties.  Contrast is an essential element in creating depth, interest, and direction for the visitors eye.  This darker Heuchera gives a nice color contrast against the bright greens of the grass and perennials.  It also provides size, shape, and textural differences as well.  They even come with their own color contrast; you can see the shades of burgundy on the back side of the leaf is much darker compared to the tops of the leaves. 
 
Heucheras are more commonly known as Coral Bells.  They come in a wide variety of foliage colors.  Heucheras are best used in mass plantings for front borders.  This patch started out as three 4" plants about three years ago.  They are in bloom now and will remain in bloom for a couple months.  Though they like sun, they are happy growers in shady, well-drained gardens as well.

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What Zone Am I In?

Know what you are planting, and where!

 

 

Birds of Costa Rica

pictures from web

And then there were the super-exotic birds we saw on our only trip outside of this country.  Wow!  We spied the Resplendent Quetzal on a walking tour of the rainforest (my trip goal fulfilled).  Scott spotted the Blue-crowned Motmot in the tropical foliage in front of our hotel in Manuel Antonio and the Blue-grey Tanager from the pool.  We also saw the Orange-bellied Trogon hiking the peaks and  hanging bridges of the mountains.  We saw vibrant hummingbirds (Violet Sabrewings), Emerald Toucanet's, and Parrots living in a field of Orchids.  We saw so many exotic species of birds, plants, and mammals.  If you love nature, it's worth the trip.

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Feathered Residents

pictures from web

We have lots of birds coming and going, but the wrens, cardinals, titmice, and chickadee's never leave.  The Carolina Wren is a longtime favorite of mine.  They sing the most recognizable songs to me.  The Northern Cardinal is our beautifully vibrant-colored state bird, the Tufted Titmouse seems less than noteworthy but they are always gentle little souls at the feeder, and the Carolina Chickadee always appear in flocks around trees in berry.  I love having all of them as frequent visitors and permanent residents here.  It requires little effort to keep them fed on a wooded lot, but I keep a couple seed feeders and suet cakes hanging around to make sure they are extra happy.

It is about that time of year to start seeing more woodpeckers, finches, towhee's, robins, and so on.  And I will be watching for them all, with my Stokes Field Guide and binoculars always handy.

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El Presidente from the Captain's Wife

My mother-in-law bought me this GORGEOUS Clematis ~6 years ago and it is an early-blooming stunner.  I am going to try like the dickens to propagate this one (from cutting) so all 30+ feet of fencing we have near our driveway will be blooming with the same plant she gave me.

She picked this one for two reasons; 1) she is LSU's #1 football fan - GEAUX Tigers! 2) she liked the importance the name gave it.

This Clematis does not need to be babysat.  It gets a couple hours of sunlight per day and water when it rains, for the most part.  Crowding the crown with too much mulch will cause rot, however.

Thank You, MommaKin!  I can count on this climber year after year.

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Microclimate Illustration

I brought home several 2" Aloe Aristata plants from the nursery last spring, and I planted them in different locations.  I  I planted them all on the same day.  This is a neat little illustration of how micro-climates affect plant growth.

Plant #1 was planted in a little pot and left in our house.  It is 72º in our house, sometimes colder, and the plant gets indirect sunlight all day long.  It has grown over 4" in 12 months.  Rather gangly, but growing.

Plant #2 includes 3 plants in one concrete pot.  They have been living, for the most part,  in full shade, neglected, and outside throughout the winter.  They are happy plants, but you can see they are struggling for room.  The burgundy leaves are a result of extreme cold against the concrete in the winter.  They have grown approximately 1/2"-1" in 12 months.

Plant #3a is in a dry location and gets a couple hours of sun every day.  The plant itself has tripled in size, and photo #3b shows it in bloom last August (4 months after planting).
I planted them in different locations. 

Lesson learned:  This plant thrives outside, in the ground.  However, Aloe Aristata will grow any old place you feel like planting it!

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Phalaenopsis x's 4

Basic instructions for growing re-blooming Orchids in your home:

1) I have found Phalaenopsis to be, by far, the easiest repeat blooming orchids in my home. Buy one that has plenty of unopened buds to assure longest blooms season.

2) If you don't have a wide window sill over your kitchen sink, build a shelf for the window over your kitchen sink.

3) The indirect sunlight and moist air from kitchen sink activity creates a wonderful environment for Phalaenopsis orchids. No misting necessary.

4) Water once a week or so. Fertilize per orchid fertilizer label instructions. Prune back stalks only after they are brown. Prune dead or dying leaves as you notice them.

I have four orchids in bloom right now, and 2 that have buds on them. I have had great luck with orchids re-blooming for me for 3+ years. After that, they start to thin. They continue to bloom, but they thin over the years.  I have also had some luck with transplanting, but again, they always seem to remain thin after the 4th year whether transplanted or not. I know they like to dry between waterings, and I know they like some air on their roots, but I am not trying to dig too deep or discourage here today.  I have a friend that just built a greenhouse, so I intend to winter my orchids there in upcoming years in hopes of keeping my collection full happy plants longer, and I will report back.

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