My love of cleome began perhaps, ever since i was falsely accused of growing pot in my backyard ... loved being mistaken for a bad girl (giggle). The leaves are similar to Cannabis sativa or marijuana in shape and they have a bit of a thorn.
Now is the time to gather your seeds for next year. Plant in full sun to partial shade, they grow best in lots of organic matter.
What would your botanical name be?
Savvy gardeners realize that flowers aren't the only plants that make our hearts go pitter patter. Foliage and a kaleidoscope of fruits and berries can also get our motors running. As I've told you (for those keeping track... millions of times), I have very little sun in my heavily tree canopied garden. I used to whine, at the flower shows, estate tours and occasionally at a garden center. For years, my garden didn't have a chance against my expectations. Visions of sun loving, rose vined trellises and bright colored perennials danced thru my dreams! Then thru a SSLR (serious shade lover's rehabilitation) I found color, and berries, and the challenge filled my void.
On that note: I introduce a few of my enablers!
Porcelain Berry vine (Ampelopsis glandulosa brevipedunculate 'Elegans') : This vine is one that works beautifully for a shady trellised area. Graceful, grape-like foliage, splashed with cream and a little pink! Autumn brings the fruit in shades of purple and blue. These vines are fast and vigorous growers. Caution: if you plant them in the sun, the tendrils may get out of hand . They can swallow your garage whole...overnight! Prune generously and it will scramble to please you!
Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora): intoxicatingly fragrant! The flowers are delicate and profuse. This is a deciduous vine that gracefully blooms in the fall. The scent is sweet and jasmine- like. I think they will grow almost anywhere. Mine is located in the poorest of conditions and puts on quite a show every Fall.
Climbing Hydrangea ( Hydrangea petiolaris): Climbing Hydrangea boasts an exceptional vining along with a shrub like habit. Flowering in midsummer, it climbs without support, so just give it a wall, arbor, or structure to grow against and up it goes! Its white flowers, rich green foliage and stricking exfoliating bark creates interest every season.
So there are a few of my favorites...hope you try at least one of them! Let me know if you have a particular "whine" about your garden.
If you are like me, lists are so helpful in general. It feels so good to check off the things that need to be done. Its a great sense of accomplishment to complete and check even the smallest task. So here goes: You can print and cross out the important things you need to do to prepare your garden for Fall.
Early Fall:
Water: All of your plants will thank you from a good drink. Trees need lots of moisture to make it through the next few months. Fall is typically cooler and a little damp, so keep this in mind. Watering deeply, particularly if you sense a dry spell will ensure healthy shrub and tree roots.
Clear away debris from beneath plants: Debris can harbor diseases that may overwinter. Especially important to clean up under roses. Discard any rose leaves with black spot.
Amend your soil: Get the ground ready for next year's plantings and this year's bulbs. Adding compost, peat and humus can be so beneficial to not only your soil texture but the health of your plants.
Bulb Selection: Now the fun begins! Choosing your bulbs is like choosing the colors of Spring. Order the bulbs in the colors you want and pay close attention to staggering the bloom times so that Spring will be filled with lots of color. Bulb catalogs will note whether the the flowers will bloom early, mid or late Spring. *Note* that daffodils are naturally toxic to critters such as moles and voles, so they will multiply and flourish year after year without getting eaten. Many of the other type of bulbs, especially tulips, are delicacies to the underground varmits. I plant extra of them hoping that to have enough for both me and the critters. Planting them at the recommended depths and adding more year after year seems to work for me.
Shrubs and Trees: Early fall planting gives new plants enough time to get their roots established before they go dormant in the winter. The temperatures are cooler and allow for successful acclimation.
Plant Fall Annuals: Summer blooms are coming to an end and now is the time to plant colorful mums, asters, cabbages and kale to take their place. I often change all my potted arrangements and add in a few pansies. Pansies are great because they will winter over into Spring! The tapestry of fall foliage is beautiful and can really set the stage for Autumn.
In the next couple of weeks, I'll have a mid fall checklist for you! Have fun, especially with the bulb selection! I know its difficult to take the time and plant something when you won't see the results until Spring. Don't let this be a deterrent! You will thank me next March, April and May!
Have a Fabulous Labor Day Weekend!
Click here to listen:
In the words of Toby Keith: " I want to talk about me, I wanna talk about I, I wanna talk about number 1, oh my me my, what I think, what I like, what I know, what I want, what I see. I like talking about you you you you usually, but occasionally, I wanna talk about meeeeeee (me, me, me, me, me - background singers) I wanna talk about me eee eee!"
My friend and very accomplished award winning APLD designer, Susan Cohan (also from NJ) has nominated me for a MeMe award. Awww shucks... a chance to tell you 7 things about me that you may not know... and link to 7 of my favorite sites and tell you what has me so intrigued about them. To quote Miss Sally Field, " you like me... you really like me" All about the MeMe!
There are a few simple Meme rules:
Here goes about me:
1. I am very impressionable: can't watch anything about children dying, violence, animals without having a nightmare!
2 . I can't stand raw onions on anything! My roomates in college would threaten me if I didn't stay up and play cards with them, that the next day raw onions would be spread in my bed.
3. My favorite flower is Cleome. Mostly because of the spidery appearance, but also because once , when I lived in Virginia the cops thought I was growing pot! Still makes me giggle!
4. I suffer from the Scarlet O'Hara syndrome of "I'll think about that another day." When it comes to trying not to get over anxious about being able to complete a big project or design, I know that somehow, it gets done. I try not to think too hard about the process. I make tons of lists! Its my saving grace!
5. I don't tell anyone that my favorite singer is George Michael.
6. I can touch my tongue to the tip of my nose. Though I wish I could tie that cherry stem into a knot with my tongue.
7. My closets and basement are a mess. I have everything neat where people can see it... but "NOOOooooo... don't open that door!"
Here’s the 7 new Meme nominees…and my reasons for nomination. Drumroll please....
1. Miss Rumphius' Rules - Susan Cohan is a fabulous landscape designer with mad skills. You have no idea how in awe I am of her talent. Thanks for the MeMe!
2. Mrs. Blandings - Patricia is the queen of stylish living, antiques and design. I love her blog and love her posts.
3. Soodie Beasley- not only is she a property appraiser, but her drawings are adorable, especially of her darling West Highland Terriers. Reading her posts are like a really fun art history lesson!
4. Blue Hydrangea - She is just a sweetheart! I think we are kindred blogsters in different fields. Her inside and me outside. I love her sense of color and style. Her blog is like reading one of my favorite design magazines!
5. BG Garden - Brenda's plant and garden photography is beautiful. We are from different zones (smile), but we do the same rain dance! Warning: she gardens and cooks - her blog makes me hungry!
6. Sea & Jae - She has the best gift ideas of ANYONE I have ever known. The woman is genius! Every time I try and imitate her with my her unique gift giving abilities ... which I let people think was my idea... I look like a gift giving goddess!
7. Emily Claire Creates - Gotta give props to my other Jersey Girl! Every bone in her body is creative! Love love love her blog!
Disclaimer: I could have listed about 10 more blogs... some I knew were nominated by others and didn't need any more kudos and some that I really wish I had the chance to mention and you know who you are. I will make up for it with lots more comments and trackbacks I promise!
Found this picture on my iphone. Had forgotten that I had taken it! My son and I went to feed the Koi for a friend of his while they were on vacation. This is one of five ponds on an acre lot. Much of the lot has been kept natural except for the ponds spilling into each other. It was beautiful. The owner had set up motion detected sprinklers to scare off herons. I would love to sit there today in an adirondack chair with some iced tea... thought you might like to come along!
As a landscape designer, sometimes I get in a rut! I use the tried and true color variations thru out my designs and they have become somewhat of a signature stagnant to my creativity. I need my artistic side to be released and to think outside the box in order to satisfy my "design diva" side. Today, I am designing a focal point in a clients front yard.... not an elaborate design... and not a huge budget. However, it does need a huge makeover and I can't just do a cookie cutter design and be done with it. My client: a really sweet woman that I have thoroughly enjoyed working with, has been through 4 designers and deserves something special. So here is my design. You will notice that the tree in the center island bed has not been labeled yet. That is because I haven't decided exactly what to put there.
I need your input: These are a few of my choices for you. Please, I'm dying to know what you think! The front landscape gets eastern exposure, which allows us endless possibilities! I really want something that blooms in July or August, in order to stagger the bloom timeline. However that is not necessary, if I find something with the right pizazz!
Choice: 1
Lagerstroemia indica, commonly called Crape Myrtle
This one is Tuscarora with gorgeous, coral color! Client's home is pale yellow. I am leaning to this one... especially for the color!
Choice: 2
Cercis canadensis, commonly called Eastern Redbud
This variety is, Forest Pansy. Love the heart shaped red leaves, adore the purple blooms. Drawback: blooms in Spring and it could compete with the color of the Thundercloud Plum on the corner. If I chose this one, I would change the Thundercloud plum to something like a Crabapple or Stewartia.
Choice: 3
Oxydendrum arboreum,
commonly called Sourwood, Sorrel tree or Lily of the valley tree
Not quite as showy, but it blooms July and August! Kind of reminds me of an Andromeda in tree form. Ohhhh... and bonus... it's fragrant!
Ok, you choose... I promise to take before and after pictures!
Pretty early this morning, I was in my garden to hose things down a bit... storms splashed up debris on my garden furniture and patio. The plants could use a drink - its going be hot,hot, hot here today! Plantings and potted flowers have performed superbly, due to my hard work mother nature watering much more than I do. However, it is August and blooming is in its slow down mode.
This time of year is what my grandmother referred to as the "last hurrah" for blooming. Soon I will be planting mums, gathering pumpkins, and kicking brightly colored orange leaves as I walk down the garden path. More time for contemplation, makes me think of what I just gotta have need in my garden for next year! Here are some of the items on my wish list. What do you lust after (stay on the garden trail here, girls)?
Shop Sunday....Wouldn't this be a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon? This shop is called Whimsy and is located in Carpinteria, California. Carpinteria is an old fashioned, quaint and charming town with loads of antique stores, restaurants and unique shops along with a wonderful beach. Its only a stone's throw from Santa Barbara. This would be my dream vintage garden shop. Don't you love the blue claw foot tub planters?
Rocking chair Sunday...Would love to be here reading a good book...Then again, I would love to be here on a sunday afternoon, tea and crumpets anyone? Maybe an afternoon nap? Could tranquility get any better than this?
Solitude Sunday...Tranquility, a good book and a lantern... Are you game? I'll bring the wine and cheese!
Sunday Brunch...All you need here is a good cook, or a good wine then who cares Love the Black and White Stripes!
