Tag: gardenia

High maintenance

6/3/2010 Gardenia in Bloom

The Frostproof Gardenia has demonstrated to be a very sensitive lady. If it weren’t for the intoxicating fragrance perfuming our front doorstep, I would have voted this plant off the frontyard and into a more sheltered spot, perhaps even indoors. What appeared to be transplant shock or overwatering (yellowing leaves) shows evidence of slowing down to a halt. Perhaps the shrub has dropped all the leaves it plans to drop. We did begin watering every other day and the regular black mulch was replaced by pine bark mulch. However, the aftereffects of its displeasure still lingers…the gardenia has a host of blooms but more than 50% are yellowed or browned upon opening. As I suspected, most recommendations point the finger at overhead watering. Also, much has been published about the need for acidity in the water and soil, so acidifiers are always cited as an amendment (corn meal anyone?).

With temperatures hitting 100 degrees this weekend, we will need to keep a close eye on the gardenia to make sure it doesn’t dry out.

Worthwhile watching in the garden: the last Navona lilies are blooming, the first calla (a Picasso) put out a bloom, the only Fanal astilbe appears to put out sporadic blooms (though one Fanal I put into a pot, leafed out in the shade), the pruned yarrows are showing new buds, multiple coleus are also budding (need deadheading), the Dallas Stars daylilies are putting out their first buds, our lone Kangaroo Paw has put out some new “paws”.

Of concern: the Japanese painted ferns do not appear happy…something has changed their dispositions to where they are displaying some leaf curling/browning. They should be receiving a healthy amount of watering, but it may be that they dislike the Bayer systemic insecticide that was applied to them. The seedling dianthus may also be succumbing to excessive heat and sun. I am considering moving them to the corner garden for some part shade. The Hakonechloa in the front beds are showing some burning, which is likely to continue as the summer heats up.

Casualties: One lemon balm (potted), one dianthus. Both located in the patio garden.

The salvia bed has been planted. It’s just a matter of leveling the ground and perhaps getting them mulch (if/when funds permit). All cosmos seeds have been sown in the front yard tree ring. I need to get some vegetable and herb seeds started indoors asap!

Salvias in the garden

Failing to compromise on a shrub to place back of the front yard flower beds, I convinced the soon-to-be hubby that Hot Lips would survive the partial shade conditions. He relented and positioned them behind the 2 new Coreopsis (Sunrays?) plants we obtained last week. To fill in the rest of the holes, he planted the last of the Salvia farinacea Victoria Blues and 2 more of the Dahlberg daisies to flank the other end of the bed.

We also rented a tiller yesterday and dug along the neighbor wall to start planting the salvia row that I had originally planned out. Unfortunately I ran out of compost about halfway into the plantings and the pesky bugs were beginning to attack viciously (as time approached sundown). I hope to get the rest into the ground today, as long as I can obtain more soil amendment. By the way, those medium-sized tillers really aren’t all that great when your soil is mostly foundation clay.

Sad news is that the yarrows we have planted aren’t looking particularly bright and cheery. The extra watering they have been receiving has successfully sickened the rosemary plant we had flanked with them. The needles have begun browning at the ends, and I’m not sure if the rosemary is in any condition to survive. The Frostproof gardenia in front, while blooming wonderfully these past 2 weeks, has also begun to yellow (a sign of overwatering–which STBH finally admitted and confessed to). I’m speculating that acidity might also have something to do with it, so I’m suggesting removing the existing mulch and installing pine bark mulch.

Texas landscape resources…and gardenias!

I’ve found the following information useful when determining what to plant in our Texas climate:

I’ve been enchanted with the notion of growing gardenias in the landscape, but worried that the climate might be too harsh here. In particular, I’m curious of the variegated gardenia, which has an attractive foliage. However, information I’ve read on this particular cultivar has been conflicting. Dave’s Garden reports only on the dwarf variety, but a retail source suggests two varieties that are available, the dwarf and a normal height shrub.

Stump-less

It took a gargantuan effort to uproot 5 stumps and move several hundred pounds of border rock around, but the job was done. With a little more effort and if the weather permits, the front beds will be prepped to receive new residents by next weekend. And it seems we have plenty of landscaping stone to re-purpose in the courtyard beds.

I’ve been pondering investing in seed starter kits (possibly a Park Seed Bio Dome) and a heat mat to start some dianthus seeds that I’ve had my eye on. Super Parfait Red Peppermint, Dianthus Valentine and Diana Blueberry from Burpee Seeds, and the Ideal series developed by PanAmerican seed (also sold by Harris Seeds). I also think I’d save some money growing my own coleus from seed (Carefree or Wizard Mix) and get the colors/cultivars I want, without spending too much at the nursery. Of course, it all depends on the seed-starting equipment.

Another plant I’d like to add to the garden, though I’m not sure how hardy it is to survive the Texas heat. The variegated gardenia may be more suitable to an indoor environment, but with all the shade in our current landscape, it might possibly thrive with some attention.

My gardening wishlist doesn’t get any shorter. I’m still shy several types of salvia, an Ever Red lorapetalum (in addition to the white-flowered kind that I’d like for the front beds) and a pieris japonica caught my eye. Japanese pieris Flaming Silver or the Variegated kinds favor part shade, and I suspect they could do well in our courtyard beds.