Found this gorgeous lily at Walmart yesterday. It was mis-marked as Crossover, but a visual perusal of the lily listings at All Things Plants (my new favorite plant database) suggests this might actually be Tango Push Off or Tango Black Eye. The lily I purchased exhibits a very deep burgundy black eye and throat, and speckles slightly to the creamy tips. At time of purchase it is about 2 feet tall. I have it planted in the front yard bed where it will get morning sun and afternoon shade.
Slaving away in the high 90s…it might as well have been 100 degrees in the shade. This was a searingly long hot day to be working in the garden, but worked (and sweated aplenty) I did. I managed to plant many that had been waiting quite a while for their new homes: both Dixie Chip ajuga, variegated geranium, 3 more Origami Red columbines, all 6 of the red spider lily bulbs, 8 Lanai Purple Star verbena, 2 Calico ornamental peppers. I also transplanted a few of the Navona lily bulbs closer to the back wall, relocated the 2 Charmed Wine oxalis, tore out 3 of the under-performing azaleas (Delaware, Macrantha and Crimson), and cleaned out much of the dead/dying pansies. I also gave the red and white dianthus in the lily bed a good haircut, while pulling out as much of the weeds as I could. After intermittent breaks and drives to the local Home Depots, I also picked up another bag of compost and MiracleGro garden soil, and 3 bags of cedar mulch. The cedar went to the lily bed and part of the purple bed, including my delicate geranium. I hope to use some of it to protect the hostas in front.
Of course, some of the gardening had to be interrupted by some unwelcome guests. Wooly aphids and nest-building wasps caused me a great deal of stress–especially after I came close to smashing into the wasp nest while moving the lilies. Of course, I just had to take the soap to the wooly critters–but the wasps did send me running after I tried (and failed) to jar both nest and wasps in one fell swoop. Luckily, my man fetched a wasp killer from the grocery store–thereby ending the rampage.
The first vinca to bloom from seed in our front yard bed is the Titan Lavender Blue Halo vinca, part of the Titan mix packet of seeds I purchased from Stokes earlier this year. Because I sowed it indoors in February, I suspect we bought at least 3-4 weeks head start compared to the seedlings that started outdoors from the 2010 planting.
With the summer heat upon us, many of the heat-loving plants are taking off. The Confetti lantana appears to finally have settled in, nearly doubling in size since planting, and boasting a new crown of blooms. The Hot Lips salvia transplanted into the front garden also has grown in size since it moved in. Of course, the daylilies are now in full swing; the Stellas have joined the Dallas Stars in staging a show. One of the fungus-infected coreopsis in the courtyard, though very sickly, is gamely producing sporadic blooms. The cosmos seeds sown in the tree ring have made an entrance; I spotted dozens of seedlings poking their tiny heads out of the ground. A second marigold has deigned to bloom. And all of the herbs are taking off: mint, basil, thyme and oregano!
With the advent of June, we say goodbye to the spring bloomers. The Navona Asiatic lilies have peaked and are slowly winding down. The abundant spring blooming dianthus need a shearing if I’m to coax them into another full flush. The pansies are looking a little heat-stressed these days, as our temps climb into the high 90s. Our Midnight Blue rose is finishing another floriferous run of flowers as it braces for the long hot summer.
I ordered some more Cosmic Yellow and Red cosmos, along with a packet of Toy Choy Pak Choi seeds from Stokes today. I’m hoping to experiment in some veggie goodness later this summer.
Note to self: don’t cover tender young seedlings in microwaveable plastics under the hot May sun. So it was that I lost 3 batches of plants: Seabreeze salvia, Lime and Genovese basil, and all of my Stardust ice plants. Back to square one.
Sunday’s flower run included a 50% off all plants sale at the Lowes in Carrollton of Trinity Mills and Old Denton. The man decided to invest in 2 2.5 quart Stella d’Oro daylilies to add to the front flower bed. We also picked up a hot banana pepper (more than a foot tall), a habanero, a variegated oregano and a Chinese eggplant (Ping Tung cultivar). All of the herbs and vegetables by the way were Bonnie plant branded; they retailed for $3.70 but at 50% off they were a good deal. We also ran by Calloway’s in Lewisville to pick up our Spider Lily bulbs at 3 for $3. The bulbs were disappointingly tiny (what’s with all the tiny bulbs coming out of Calloway’s lately), and the man and I are still debating where to plant them. Somewhere where they’ll get summer shade but fall sun, says the checkstand lady.
I divided and moved the picoteed dianthus in the purple bed, planted the Confetti lantanas (x2) and dahlberg daisies (x4) in the front flower bed, and all the impatiens in the shade bed. A leftover from the purple bed, Super Parfait Raspberry dianthus, has been transplanted to the shade bed near the gate.
A pleasant surprise that I uncovered while weeding out the front flower bed: dozens of vinca and at least 3 impatiens seedlings. The impatiens seedlings, amusingly enough, are tucked under a layered branch of the Emerald Snow loropetalum. Like the numerous calla bulblets I uncovered and transplanted this week, the garden presents continue to appear as the weather continues to warm up. For example, one of the mums is displaying bulbs…of course, I wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t lifted the sprawling Oertel’s Rose yarrow–which, incidentally, threatens to fill the entire bed!
Next lilies to bloom: Red Alert asiatic lilies! Interesting to note that they all appear to be opening at the same time!
My orders of Cosmos Ladybird Dwarf Scarlet (Red) and Cosmos Psyche White arrived yesterday. Dianeseeds.com was kind enough to include a bonus packet of Nigella damascena Miss Jekyll Blue. The hefty bag from Wildseedfarms.com is begging to be planted, but further research into the Psyche White cosmos indicates that it may grow up to 3 feet tall–not the front-of-the-border height I was looking forward to. Still, I’m eager to sow some seeds now, despite that it is August, to see if I can get a fall showing of Cosmos.
Meanwhile, I puttered around in the garden this morning taking seedpods from Cosmos from the existing beds and spreading them around the other beds that have yet to see some of this cosmic blooming action. I have discovered that the orange cosmos are extremely floriferous as well as excessively reseeding themselves. I’ve also found seedlings in the beds, which I presume have sprouted from the previous week’s deadheading. I hope to find more Cosmic Red and Yellow seeds to retain for next year’s flower show.
I also finally planted the Agastache Red Fortune in a semi shaded spot among the Asiatics, gladioli, gaura and calla lilies. I just dug a hole deep enough to plant the rootball, and down it went. Hopefully the soil is sufficiently well drained enough for it to flourish in its new home.
Today’s wishlist : Agastache aurantica Apricot Spires, Penstemon pinifolius Nearly Red Pineleaf Beardtongue, Cosmos sulphureus Cosmic Yellow or Ladybird Dwarf Lemon.