Kaseys Korner

end of day serenade

how lucky am I to live in a neighborhood with a pair of Great Horned Owls?  If you were visually impaired here you would never have a problem knowing it was dusk.  As reliable as any clock, every evening, just as the sun is setting, they appear from their daytime roosting positions and begin the night by hooting back and forth to each other.  Tonight I finally took my camera on our nightly walk to capture these silhouettes of one owl on his favorite rooftop perch:

How cool is that?  He almost looks like a finial sitting there, doesn't he?  Except for that razor sharp talon sticking out on the right!  This house has the perfect perch ~ a turret ~ which one owl sits on almost every single evening.

I tried to lighten the above photo but I don't think it has as great an impact as the first (darker) one.  If I weren't so technically challenged, I would add sound to accompany the photos so you could hear the same beautiful serenade our neighborhood is fortunate to hear each evening.  Maybe one of these days I'll be able to come back and add it. 

Happy hunting tonight my winged friends.  There's a feral cat around that might make a great meal...  Just sayin'....

I finally found something

that likes my tiered vintage container ~ portulaca!

Over the past three years, this container has been planted with a variety of annuals but nothing really seemed happy about the shallow growing conditions.  By the end of July, this years mix looked so utterly miserable I pulled everything out and replaced it with flats of moss rose (bought on clearance). 

They've taken off.  I can only imagine how lush this would look had I planted them at the beginning of the season:

Wouldn't you know I'm scheduled to pass the container on to my Mom just as I've figured out a good solution!

Oh well, when it's my turn to get it back, I'll be ready! 

'Maple Sugar' Hibiscus Container

I'm wondering if it's "thug" behavior or just plain "fabulousity" when one plant takes over a whole container??   This question arises because of how Hibiscus acetosella (or Maple Sugar Hibiscus) has completely "consumed" the pot pictured below:  

This spring ONE plant was combined with one Leather Leaf Sedge (Carex buchananii), one Copperleaf (Acalypha wilkesiana), and one 'Sweet Caroline Bronze' Potato Vine, although you have to look hard for those last three "ingredients."  

I can't claim ignorance at Maple Sugars growth habits because this has happened before ~ it did the same thing a few years back when it was combined with Tibouchina grandiflora (glory bush):

Except that year, it did have a little competition!  It seemed like they both tried to "outgrow" each other.

Although 2010s container was planted primarily for foliage there are blooms to note ~ such as the velvety, Burgundy-colored 'Maple Sugar' blooms that blend so well with the foliage they're easily missed:

Not that you'd ever want to overlook them intentionally.  They are really quite lovely. 

Copperleaf also has a bloom stalk worth noting:

Unique, feathery spikes, right? 

It will be interesting to see what you think.  I doubt I'll overwinter 'Maple Sugar' ~ I don't even think I'll be purchasing another one again anytime soon.  But it was fun to try it with different "pot mates"  even if it behaved the same outrageous way. 

coming up orange

for summer's last hours.  What a terrific, vivid color to go out on, don't you think?  Leonotis leonurus is the most vivid of all ~ finally in bloom ~ like it was saving itself for the occasion.

I'm so glad it made it too.  It would have been a shame to miss out on these unique, whorly blooms.  I have three plants, none exceptionally happy, planted in the "crown" of the strawberry jar.  Here's the whole container but I warn you, it's difficult to even make out there's a strawberry jar under that jungle of foliage:

See what I mean??  It kind of got out of control! 

I loved the architectural interest the dead Leonotis stalks created two winters ago (when they were planted in this same container/position.)  You can also see the strawberry jar MUCH better in this photo.

Leonotis was happier that summer ~ it grew much taller and bloomed weeks earlier ~ I'm not sure what the difference could be? 

Another beautiful "end-of-summer" orange that is always welcome here, a Monarch butterfly stopping by the still blooming, never quits, Centranthus rubra (Jupiter's Beard):

Thank goodness for that and isn't the Monarch brilliant?  There wasn't a tattered, torn spot on him.  I hope he can stay that way on the long journey to Mexico.

I never get tired of snapping pictures of them, I only wish there were more opportunities.

Finally, the last orange ~ the tiered, pumpkin topiary (you might remember it from last year?) is once again gracing the front step:

I guess it's really time to leave summer behind, sad as that thought makes me. 

I still won't stop hoping for more summer days tho, as many as I can get!

 

it's not been my year for dahlias

I thought they'd be happy because we were so much warmer this summer but they actually seemed to do better in the cooler, wetter weather last year??  Is that crazy or right??  Maybe it's the moisture they love?  I would buy that because as much as I've tried to hand water this hot summer, I can't seem to give them enough.  They always seem parched?

Poor 'Apple Blossom,' my favorite of all the dahlias, just shriveled up and died.  I have to show you a picture from last year just so we don't forget:

I am hopelessly in love with those soft yellow and pink hues.  You can bet money that at least one tuber will be on my order form again next spring....

A double collarette Dahlia (which made a surprise return from last season) 'Rosita,' hasn't performed much better although she is, at least, alive.  I think this is only my third blossom of the summer??

The grasshoppers haven't helped her ~ they have found all the dahlias to be very delectable treats ~ notice the chewed petals.

Miniature Dahlia, 'Bonne Esperance' got dropped on her "head" sometime in June and never recovered from the blow.  While the foliage breaks made her fuller, it didn't seem to help with the production of flowers/buds.  Pictured below is my one and only bloom this season:

Not a dahlia but I have to mention it here, for fear of forgetting later, finicky Clematis 'Josephine' has sent up new buds/blooms since I quit fertilizing her.  Here's the first one to open:

Kinda looks like she could be a dahlia, doesn't it?  I'm so relieved I didn't kill her.  She was turning brown and looking almost dead before I caught on that I shouldn't be adding any fertilizer.  Now we know she isn't tho and how happy do you think that makes me?!

Also, I should have included a photo yesterday (but I wasn't thinking straight) of my Mexican Flame Vine that is growing quite excellently (at least something is, right?!):

It is not so artisticly mixed with yellow calibrachoa and tomato red petunias in the iron urn by the side gate.  I can't remember why I thought red, orange and yellow were a great combination???

They are all blooming their heads off, so I guess it doesn't matter how good they look together, only that they're happy??

I think I might be more in the mood to blog??  Hoping....

Maybe forcing a post yesterday was the right thing to do?  Thanks for your encouragement.

Sweet Autumn Clematis

I've been trying to pull myself out of a blogging slump ~ not altogether successfully, I might add ~ but you already know that if you're a regular visitor here.  How many days has there been nothing new?  With any luck, the posting lull will end soon.  I more or less "forced" myself to sit down and write something today ~ maybe that will help??   Meanwhile, if you want to see Halloween decorations, cards, etc., I'm all over that ~ just give me the word! 

Despite my apathetic blogging attitude, the garden is doing sensationally well.  I have a few photos as proof ~ the side gate arbor is now completely covered by a mixture of passion vine (sans flowers) and sweet autumn clematis:

Two other items of note in the above photo (besides the arbor):

The purple in the left foreground is Hardy Plumbago (ceratostigma plumbaginoides) ~ a very hardy, xeric ground cover that I can't say enough good things about...

The container to the left of the arbor is home to my glory bush (tibouchina) and self sown 'lime green' nicotiana (the glowing green bright spot).  You've heard me refer to the tibouchina in previous posts so I thought you'd appreciate me pointing it out.

Below, a small cluster of Sweet Autumn Clematis blooms:

I love the fragrance that gently perfumes the area around the arbor ~ it's certainly a pleasant greeting when I'm traipsing back and forth thru the gate ~ if you grow this one, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Cimicifuga simplex 'hillside black beauty' is blooming now too:

How can anyone not love these graceful, arching flowers and burgundy foliage??

Another unexpected surprise was finding a 'rubrum' lily (Lilium speciosum rubrum) in bloom:

I thought I'd lost all three bulbs, I hadn't seen them emerging this spring.  The bloom looks a little less than stellar, so maybe a move is in order to help this lone survivor out?

That's it for today.  I'll have more to share once I take the time to upload my photos (which I am still taking multitudes of).  Hopefully I can get around to see what's happening in your garden soon too. 

 

 

 

where the bees are (and aren't)

This time of year, the bees in my garden are swarming a lot of plants that I'm sure you're familiar with and most likely grow too.  Like Caryopteris (Blue Mist Spirea):

The plants are literally "alive" with activity.  It's truly the busiest spot in my garden at the moment.

Of course, they're also on Agastache 'Blue Fortune:'

I'm so thrilled I finally bought a couple plants ~ they haven't disappointed.  Now I'm wondering if they'll overwinter in their container???   hmmmm...

Another place you'll find a lot of bees is on Sedum Matrona (Stonecrop):

My one plant is spreading quite delightfully, which makes our flying friends happy as well.

Some place the bees are conspicuously absent, is on Eupatorium purpureum subsp. Maculatum 'Gateway' (Joe Pye Weed).  The gardener, ahem, has gotten lazy and there has been no supplemental watering at all.   Therefore, without any natural rainfall for over a month (maybe longer), the big floppy heads have dried up. 

It's a sad sight to witness and I'm very much kicking myself for letting it happen.  Thankfully there are other sources of nourishment available or I would be feeling even worse about my negligence. 

One place we do NOT like to see the bees, is in the clutches of a Jagged Ambush Bug:

ugh.  When you happen upon this sight, it's way too late for the bee.  The second they are snagged, they're injected with poison which turns their insides to liquid that is in turn "slurped" (if you will) by the ambush bug.  The bee or butterfly is left in a "dried" state, completely intact.  I know I've saved a lot of pollinator lives this summer by patroling and capturing multitudes of Ambush bugs but unfortunately, not this one.

What I can tell you, is it was his last supper....

 

glass pond floats

have been entertaining me quite a bit lately.  Yes, I know, it doesn't take much....

I can't resist tho.  I cleaned them when I was cleaning out the pond filter and became enthralled all over again.  Who can resist a sparkle in the sunshine? 

Not even the fish apparently.  They came up to investigate the newly shined ball.  Just in case you're saying "what fish" ~ they are the blurs of orange in the water! 

The "up" side of being easily entertained is that you never get bored.   (I can thank my Mother for this ~ all those times in childhood when she told me to go find something to do ~ have really paid off!)  I have no trouble at all "whiling away" hours arranging little scenes like these:

Hopefully you find these creative sessions as enjoyable as I do?

The blue float in the birdbath was a temporary arrangement.  It was returned to the safety of the pond right after photographing.  I knew you'd want to know that...

It sure makes for a pretty picture tho, doesn't it?

Completely off subject, but nonetheless captivating, Amaryllis 'Apple Blossom' has opened.

With this streak of summer blooming, I sure hope a few of them "save themselves for winter."  Otherwise you'll be subjected to a lot of whining (months without blooms do that to a girl). 

We can't have that now, can we?!

 

bumble rumble???

Is that what is happening here?  The smaller bee was definitely initiating something:

To my untrained eye, it DIDN'T appear "friendly."

It almost seemed as if the smaller bee were "biting" the bigger one?? 

He never let go, but repeatedly bent his head onto the larger bee.  I don't see a stinger?  and I don't think this is reproductive behavior? 

Are they two types of bumbles?  (Not happy to see each other?)  Whatever was going on, I happened upon it while I was cleaning my pond filter ~ that touch of purple in the photo is Lobelia X 'gerardii' growing by the waters edge.

You'll never guess who ended it?  Yep, me.  I couldn't stand it.  Bad or good, I broke it up.  No one is dying on my watch, especially if I can do something about it!

I never knew

butterflies like Salvias??  I've never seen them visit this annual before and I grow 'Lady in Red' every year (for the hummingbirds).  This Western Tiger Swallowtail was very persistent, and insistent, that he/she did love it tho ~ flitting to nearly every stalk in the container ~ which was not an easy task for him. 

Many other flowers would make easier dining choices ~ like the lantana he eventually moved on to ~ I just thought it was an interesting observation...

On an entirely different subject, the morning glories have finally starting to bloom.  Hooray!  The container is not covered in blooms yet, so for now, I'll just share a couple macro shots until that does happen.  Here's 'Heavenly Blue:'

and again (this time side-to):

Two different seeds were started and planted together (because we like to mix it up like that around here).  The second variety was 'Blue Star:'

Don't you think the light and dark blue colors combine (and contrast) nicely with each other?

Today I need to get productive outside.  I've had a bit of a lull when it comes to the garden.  The pond filter desperately needs to be cleaned, the lawn needs to be mowed, the containers need some TLC, etc., etc.  It was nice to take a little break but now that the temperatures have cooled (feeling decidedly fallish) it is very pleasant to be outdoors.  The more I'm out, the more I notice too ~ like a little Rock Wren hopping along the north path.  I'm glad I didn't miss him.  Then last night, on my evening walk, two Great Horned Owls were perched on opposing rooftops, filling the night air with their calling.   It was an inspiring experience to witness and hear.  First one would hoot ~ that deep, low, distinctive sound ~ then the other would "answer."  I stood there silently (listening and watching) for minutes until I finally walked home.  When things like these happen, it makes me happy that I garden and can help nature out, even the tiniest bit.   It's also motivating, which means I should get a lot done today, right?!!!  I sure hope so!