Kaseys Korner

Orienpet Lily 'Anastasia'

and a rufous hummingbird.

Purchased solely because of their color. 

I'm shallow that way....

Height listed as 4' to 6' ~ about 3' in my garden.  They'd like a bit more sun...

Still a presence impossible to miss. 

More may go on the fall bulb order, along with 'Elodie,' if money permits.

Because I've been so bad at posting, I missed sharing with you the return of the Rufous Hummingbirds (on July 16th):

Having them in the garden helps fill the void left when the Orioles depart.

The capture below surprised me when I uploaded it ~ I caught his tongue out!

I think that's a first for me!

After googling, I learned their tongues are forked and lined with hairs to help lap up nectar.  Obviously my capture wasn't good enough to see that, maybe next time?!

Above, the new birdhouse with Thunbergia 'African Sunset' and 'Arizona Red.' 

The garden has eased into mid-summer, still slow to peak but moving ever forward.  I am determined to spend as much time as possible there the month of August... 

I feel like June and July got away from me and that is just not okay!

 

 

 

Bullocks Oriole feeding time

The time for Bullock's Orioles in the garden is swiftly closing.  It goes way too quickly every summer.

One of the privileges of feeding the adults is the honor of having their young follow then stay to use the garden as an exploring ground.  I believe they've covered every surface available in the two weeks since they've fledged!  I never complain (even when they break some of my most coveted plants!) because it affords me some amazing observation opportunities.  Like this day when one of the young perched right outside my kitchen window:

What happened next reminded me how similar parents are ~ no matter what species they might be..

The Mother flew up with an insect in her beak:

Can you see it???  Excuse the quality of the photos ~ I was taking them thru the screen.

Next she carefully inserts it into the babies beak:

But it's not a quick transfer like one might imagine. 

She stays to keep pushing the meal back inside the babies beak:

Over and over again, she checked, pushed, re-inserted until she was absolutely certain the meal went "down."

It was a very patient, careful, tender, and would it be "forward" of me to say loving process??  The parents every bit as invested in rearing their young as we are....  I can remember doing this very thing so many times when my daughter was young.

Babies of any kind are clueless how much work is involved in their rearing ~ this one no exception!

How lucky am I to be a witness??? 

They haven't even left yet and I'm already counting the days until they return next May. 

I hope this little one makes the journey safely...

 

Asiatic Lily 'Elodie'

In a steamy July garden, Elodie' glistens...

Cool, elegant pink ~ the perfect foil for hot, sweltering days....

Towers of pink actually, the stuff of winter dreams...

Quenching the drought of color suffered since the hail.

Was there a plan to planting them in a row??

A visual mirage of sorts?  Good idea or not??

I can't decide.

I only know I want more and more and more of these double frilly visions of loveliness. 

THERE.CAN.NEVER.BE.TOO.MANY.

There's no such thing as being "too greedy" in respect to gardening, right??!!

Clivia 'Good Hope'

As I look out onto the garden these days it seems strangely devoid of color. 

That can be partially attributed to the hail (knocking off bloom heads, damaging plants, etc.) but the rest just seems off??  This time last year I had Monarda, lilies, agastache, and many other perennials in bloom.  Not so this year.  The garden looks mainly like a sea of green with small blotches of color.  I prefer the opposite!

Enter Clivia 'Good Hope:'

Clivia's are members of the Amaryllis family so they have a bloom, growth, dormant cycle similar to an Amaryllis. 

I'm not very successful getting mine to bloom indoors during the winter (like they are supposed to!) but they invariably bloom once they're moved outdoors in May.

I love the clear yellow coloring of 'Good Hope.'

Not nearly as "brash" as it's orange companion (pictured in previous post.)

I bought 'Good Hope' for $5.00 three years ago.  It was very small ~ maybe five leaves total?? 

Thanks to gardening (and my daughter), I've learned patience.  SO glad for that.  I would hate to have given up on it and missed out on such a gorgeous bloom ~ even more important this summer when the garden is struggling... 

Now what should I do to remedy that???