Kaseys Korner

Weeping Pussy Willow

My first purchase of the 2011 gardening season.  I've never had a weeping tree of any kind even tho I've long admired their graceful drooping forms in other gardens. 

What finally pushed me to quit admiring and take the plunge was noticing how crazy the bees were for the fuzzy yellow blooms.  I knew I'd like to have something to illicit that kind of early activity in my own garden.  Sure enough, it only took 30 minutes for "my" bees to discover it upon arriving home.

They've been swarming it every warm day since. 

Right now, I don't have a spot in mind to plant it so I'm thinking of putting it in a large container.  It stands no more than 4' high but according to the tag, will max out at 6' in height.

Otherwise, the garden is still faithfully returning to life.  New blooms show up every time I stroll around although that hasn't been often since we've experienced a lot of ferocious wind this spring.  When I do venture out, I wait until evening, hoping the wind will have eased up (but that certainly hasn't always been the case this year.)

Here's what I've managed to capture in-between gusts:

Hellebore 'Blue Lady'

Striped Squill (Puschkinia libanotica)

Primula denticulata opening in more colors.

In the "greenhouse" Streptocarpus 'Blue Ice' is blooming:

I feel like 'Blue Ice' is the lucky one since it doesn't have to endure the large temperature fluctuations like the outdoor blooms.  This past Saturday we were 80 degrees ~ plants and bulbs were almost popping open before our eyes ~ then Sunday snow returned, followed by overnight low temperatures dipping to 19 degrees.  That was harsh.  A gentle warming spring (versus a roller coaster) might be nice but who am I to make requests when the bulbs are weathering the elements just fine?

White Moth Orchid

opened its first bud this morning.

Just in time to save me from going completely stir crazy.  My daughter and I have been inside the house for three days straight (our absolute max limit) because of the weather.  Monday, we had snow and high temperatures in the single digits.  Yesterday, daytime temperatures never even got above zero and the prediction for last nights low was 20 below.  Mercury readings that make wimps like us shudder!  My thermometer doesn't seem to be reading correctly so I'm not sure if we actually hit that low or not?  Maybe I don't want to know??

Today is forecasted to be in the single digits again but the good news is that we go up from here. :-)

Hard to believe I was sitting outside, in my shorts, enjoying 65 degree temperatures just last Friday!  The bees were out with me, looking for anything they could find.  Feeling bad for them (two snowdrops don't go far) I shared my tulip bouquet (just like I've done in previous years.)  I was almost ready to pitch it anyway and, at this time of year, they aren't picky about "past the peak" blooms.  In very short order, every tulip was swarmed with bees:

I don't see temperatures that nice in our extended forecast but at least we all had that one fabulous day.  A break like that goes a long way in the middle of winter...

And so does a gorgeous Moth (phalaenopsis) orchid bloom!

fall in the garden

Still lots of good stuff going on.  I've been practically floating over our mild weather.  It makes me want to get greedy and keep the above average temperatures rollin'.  I know that can't happen indefinitely ~ I haven't floated that far up in the clouds ~ and the garden knows it too.  The landscape is turning glorious shades of red, yellow, orange and brown:

Photo above shows the southwest corner of my backyard ~ Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) is the brilliant red shrub in the foreground and of course, the blazing yellow/gold leaves belong to its comrade the Aspen.

Below, a demonstration of "brown" in the front garden bed ~ set off nicely by the antique iron fence:

Monarch butterflies are really on the move now ~ I've seen a number of them this past week ~ all heading south with purpose and haste!  Painted Ladies, unencumbered by the necessity of migration, flit lazily about the garden on bright sunny days:

happily not bothered at all by an "in-your-face" photographer!

Honeybees are taking advantage of the last warm days too ~ like this one laden with pollen from Dahlia 'Rosita:'

Believe it or not, a few of the raspberry canes are still producing berries:

I think this is the latest I've ever been able to pick them?

I'm also enjoying the Virginia creeper vine I started up the chicken wire fence this summer:

The red foliage is a nice addition to an otherwise non-descript fence.

Finally, if all my other senses failed me, I'd know it was Fall by the flats of Apples (from the Western Slope) my neighbor has for sale.   She so thoughtfully brought me this 'Fuji' assortment yesterday:

They almost look too good to eat, don't they?!!

 

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....

 

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!

you may have wondered

what happened to me?  I was a blogging fiend for a while then all the sudden, nothing.  I think I'm slightly depressed.  Happens every year when the start date of school is imminent.  Suddenly, the end of summer looms and I can't quite face it.  I'm struggling with that now.  School starts Aug 17th here.  ugh.  TOO EARLY.  What are they thinking??? 

Maybe the pollinators can help lift my mood?  I've had the good fortune of photographing a few in the garden lately.  First, a visitor to verbena bonariensis (other than tachinid flies):

 

That's more like it.  Exactly what I expected to see.  Next year I'm starting it from seed to see if that makes it more attractive because it hasn't really gotten the attention I thought it would. (re:  Marnie's question/theory about whether box stores & nurseries use systemics or sprays to keep plants for sale  "bug-free".)

Beyond scarce this year, a Monarch butterfly briefly stopped by the Echinacea then fluttered off, not to be seen again (I feel lucky I was there at just that moment):

and Ben you'll be happy to know, I went out and smashed some Tachinid flies as a result of this sighting.  :-)

Something else I'm hunting down and euthanizing (with odorless mineral spirits) are Jagged Ambush Bugs.  They've suddenly appeared all over the garden so of course I immediately rounded up the "death" container/chamber and am zealously picking them off my plants (at least twice a day).  I don't want anymore butterflies or bees expiring here because of their vice-grip forearms and poison.

 

It would be a shame for one to nab the beautiful Swallowtail pictured above, wouldn't it?

Speaking of "nabbing," guess what nabbed the praying mantis out of my viola basket (underneath the backdoor light)?  A baby Bullock's Oriole.  I've sort of been missing the Mantis popping up when I've watered the container lately.  He was well-fed so I guess I should take consolation in knowing the Oriole got a lot of nourishment out of that bite.

if you're a praying mantis

the best dining spot in the garden is not really in the garden but underneath a light at night.  I found that out this morning as I was watering my viola basket (which sits underneath my back door light).  When I turned the spray on the basket, up popped a praying mantis:

Smart guy.  I haven't seen him there before, but it's a terrific spot.  The light attracts tons of insects at night so he'll eat well if he stays put.  They must have good hearing ~ the first click of the camera caused his head to turn in my direction:

I'm more convinced than ever that the E.T. character was based on them!

I resumed watering my other containers and when I finished, I looked for him again.  He had disappeared from the top of the basket but a keen eye spotted him, in a "ready" position, clinging to a viola bloom:

Never fear.  I won't "out" you ~ stay as long as you want.  It's a good deal for both of us.

For another winged visitor, apparently Verbena bonariensis is the best place to dine.  Planted to attract bees and butterflies, to date it's only drawn in Tachinid Flies:

Lots of them too.  I counted seven flies this morning on just this group of plants.

I'm not sure how I feel about them in the garden.  Knowing they parasitize caterpillars, my first instinct is to exterminate them.  I know they have some beneficial qualities tho and considering I've been warned to tread cautiously when it comes to "policing" nature, I'm leaving them alone.

The weather was perfect for photography this morning.  Overcast and cooler, with rain in our forecast for today.  The western horizon looks promising:

so it just might happen.  I better get my gardening done before the drops fly!

pretty flowers

in a row, that's how the garden grows...

I think I messed that up but it was the first thing that came to mind when I uploaded my latest images.  They are nothing very exciting, just easy on the eyes and the newest blooms in my garden.

Cosmos 'Sweet Sixteen' ~ started from seed:

I want this one to bloom and bloom then seed itself about everywhere (I might even help it do the latter).  It's every bit as pretty (aside from the insect eaten petals) as the seed packet picture portrayed it to be. 

A single Liatris spike caught my fancy last evening:

See why?  It looks like it has a spotlight directed upon it.  So cool.

I finally planted the pink 'Zahara' Zinnias rescued from the clearance bin.  No attempts were made to be original either ~ they were mixed with some softer-colored lantana because I can't seem to get enough of that pairing.

A gorgeous and economical container ($7.00 for the flat of zinnias and $1.00 each for two lantana!!)  Wish I could say all my containers were so reasonably priced!

More lilies opening every day.  The newest is 'Stargazer:'

 

To be followed shortly by 'Black Beauty' ~ do you think they will cover up the 'Chaters Rose' double hollyhocks, or just frame them nicely?

 

Finally, your last "pretty picture" for the day, a baby bumble caught napping on Dahlia 'Karma Thalia:'

It's going to be close to triple digits here again today so maybe I'll follow his lead and look for a cool spot to escape the heat.  

"Bee" back soon!!!

triple digits

and you'll never believe what I have been doing ~ sweating it out in the sweltering sun (try saying that five times) attempting to photograph a gorgeous Black Swallowtail who is mighty uncooperative.  I can't believe I was miserable for over an hour and have nothing to show for it (so far).  I'm not giving up tho ~  he has to land sometime ~ and when he does, I'll be there!

Other garden dwellers proved infinitely more cooperative, like this tomato-red petunia:

 

who dwells in an interesting rusted urn container sitting beside my side gate:

 

A happy, welcoming color, wouldn't you say?  Perfect for a sunny day like today. 

About 10 feet to the right of the urn, is a shaded corner where I relocated Ligularia stenocephala 'The Rocket:'

 

It seems very happy here ~ it never receives enough sunlight to wilt its leaves but gets plenty of bright, indirect light.  I love when a move works out for the better.  I've read that hummingbirds like the yellow flower spikes but I've never seen them visit 'The Rocket' in my garden? 

btw, not such great design, the placement of two "spiky" perennials right next to each other.  I will have to contemplate an alternative companion come fall.  

Meanwhile, 'The Rocket' stays.

In another location entirely (the front bed) a plethora of Monardas have begun to bloom.  I showed you 'Cambridge Scarlet' the other day, and now I give you 'Purple Stocking:'

co-mingled with pink coneflowers ~ entirely unplanned ~ all the Echinaceas pictured self sowed in their locations.  Nicely done, huh?  In the background you can see one lone bloom of 'Raspberry Wine' Monarda.  It's a little slower to get going but a wonderful color I knew I wanted in my garden. 

Below:  A macro of 'Purple Stocking' ~ because you knew I couldn't resist!

The hummingbirds are going to be so happy when they arrive.  All their favorites await....

Lastly, just to prove I CAN photograph butterflies, a pristine Painted Lady:

taken before sunset last night.  She provided no where near the challenge I am having with the Black Swallowtail.

Also a damselfly had no problem posing for me during the afternoon yesterday:

but darn it, I still can't get that elusive Black Swallowtail.  I'm off to brave the inferno again ~ wish me luck and better results!

winged friends

This time of year, the air space around and over the garden is buzzing with winged activity.  I was lucky enough to capture a few of those flying creatures yesterday including this terrific dragonfly, although I wish I could identify it:

He lighted on a Joe Pye leaf, right in front of me (a photographers gift), and appeared to be washing/cleaning his eyes with the small legs near his head  ~ it was interesting to watch especially magnified by the camera lens.  I snapped a dozen photos and could have snapped a dozen more, he showed no signs of leaving or being bothered by my presence.  I am thanking my pond for this opportunity as I have more damselflies and dragonflies than ever and I attribute that increase to having water in the garden.  Now we can all just hope I'll get better at id'ing them as they become more a part of everyday life.

Moving from insects to birds, there are still plenty of babies to be found in the garden ~ this time it's the mourning doves that have fledged the nest.  Btw, it was the best nest I've ever seen a dove build ~ good thing since it was positioned right over the pond.  I had nightmares about the eggs/babies rolling or falling right into the water.

Here they are sitting in the middle of the rock pathway.  I've also seen them sitting on top of the gate (flanked on either side by a parent) seemingly enjoying the early morning sun.  There is quite a difference in size when you can compare like that, unfortunately, I didn't have my camera handy to capture that moment for you.

High in the branches of the Bur Oak tree, a robin sits on her third nest!

 

It's been a banner year for baby robins in my garden.  The first group of babies has moved on but there are still babies from the second brood hopping about.  I don't remember so many before.  Last year was not a good year so maybe they're making up for it???  Have you noticed this in your garden as well??

We've also seen quite a few more butterflies (compared to last year) ~ mostly Western Tiger Swallowtails but a few Painted Ladies & Sulfurs too.  There has been less rain and warmer temperatures tho which I'm sure helps.  I have yet to be patient enough to capture any in a photo but I plan to work on that and surprise you with (at least) one soon.