Musical plants again...
For some time I had been keen on those calla lilies that had been on sale at the Warehouse that come in pinky reddish hues. Not the white ones that sprout like weeds but the smaller ones and so I managed to find one on special to plant in my boggy border behind the rain lilies next to the compost bin.
Another plant that was only $2 bargain was the Blue Lithospermum 'Grace Ward' groundcover that has amazing starry blue flowers. I planted this one in the rock garden.
I shifted the licorice plant to a new home in the box border and swapped it for a heliotrope which is yearning for some sun, while licorice seems to do better in the shade. Also it is complementing my lambs ears and dusty millers.
I am trialling ficus primula up one side of the house, the previous one didn't take as I forgot to water it and properly plant it. I heard it can be rampant, but it looks so pretty climbing up walls and our house has a large expanse of brick that I couldn't resist.
It was a hot day and temperatures rose to nearly 30 degrees. But I think the hottest part of summer is nearly over. It was my day for watering the community garden, I arrived to find the gourd vines flourishing and scrambling up the arch. The sunflowers had grown tall, not budding yet but they are reaching giant status (taller than me). Only two have outgrown me in my own backyard the rest seem content to stay dwarfs, but I'm seriously thinking maybe they aren't such an attractive plant up close as they attract all kinds of bugs, moths and ants. Same with the pumpkins, plus their leaves become unsightly and shrivel when they die, and are like sandpaper to touch. The only redeeming thing about them is their yellow petalled gigantic flowers but I wonder if they are worth it in the end as they are thirsty thugs and spread all over the garden.
Maybe pumpkin and sunflowers are just another of those yellow flowered weeds we overlook?
More worthy of praise are daffodils which I see are now on sale as bulbs at garden centres for winter blooms. But I'm hanging out for bluebells and snowflakes as they are more dainty and when massed they will be a treat, like eye candy. However there were none available only droopy hyacinth and floppy freesias. And anemones that don't make a showing. Tulips are also a disappointment, they are perfect for one day and then fall apart the next. Even gladioli performed better than that bunch, but it seems prone to rust.
So I'm not sold on those bulbs, but if I want any for winter its probably best to buy and plant them now. Here we go, round two, year two of the garden, if at first you don't succeed, then plant something else that will.
