Tag Archives: Zinnias

October 19, 2015 · 1:45 am

WINDING DOWN

Normally at this time of year

I’m praying for a freeze.

Not so this year.

The days are so glorious

That the garden is still showing color

Even if just a bit here and there.

I have a few events in early November

I’d like to have flowers for.

Thus the hope for a late freeze.

We’ll see…I’m not in charge here.

This weekend I did pull the zinnias

They had slowed their bloom

To a snail’s pace

And were so covered with mildew

That it was definitely time to go.

Besides the monarchs seemed

To have moved on to Mexico.

So I don’t feel guilty about

Pulling them up.

Fall is also a good time for review

Now, I’m not one for favorites.

Really who can pick a “favorite”

And leave all the others behind.

Certainly in a perennial garden

Favorites are impossible

Since something new is always coming into its own.

But there were two things that did really well this year.

One is perennial.

Annabelle Hydrangea was new to me.

Yet it’s a very old plant.

It’s bloomed since early summer.

They begin white.

Turn green.

And are still holding on.

Amazing.

The other is an annual.

At least here in zone 7.

It’s Heliatrope.

I used it several years ago in containers.

This year I put it the ground

At the entrance to the backyard.

It’s been extremely happy there.

It’s not easily found around here.

Wish I was better at taking cuttings.

And I’d try to save it.

Who knows…I may give it a try.

With the blooms fading

I don’t have as many pretty pictures to share.

I’ll just have to include pictures

Of Coco

Trying out Cockscomb for earrings.

And of course.

The world’s most adorable grandchildren.

Enjoy this glorious fall.

Gail

BUGS – BUGS AND MORE BUGS

For the past week

A spider has been entertaining me

Building a web outside my kitchen window.

I’ve tried taking a picture

From every angle

Inside and out

This is the best I’ve gotten.

You’ll just have to take my word for it.

This spider is dedicated

Working on sunny days

Keeping me fascinated.

You have to admire

Bugs at this time of year.

They must know

The warm days are numbered.

I’m not an entomologist

But I’m guessing that means

Their days, too, are numbered.

That doesn’t keep them

From working away

On these glorious fall days.

The Abelia bushes

Practically quack.

They are covered in tiny moths

Working away on the blooms.

Then there’s the Monarch Butterflies.

On their way to Mexico.

About a dozen or so

Drop by every morning.

They are not early risers

It’s about 10 before they appear.

They fly and dive and drink

Till mid afternoon.

I haven’t pulled the zinnias yet

For just this very reason.

I want them to have all the sustenance

They need for their journey south.

So my garden is covered

With zinnias still blooming strong

Though the foliage is white with mildew.

This is probably very bad for my garden.

But I just can’t bring myself to pull them up.

And deprive all those lovely visitors.

Saturday was spent

Deadheading and weeding.

Pretty much what I’ve been doing

For the past couple of months.

Tulip bulbs will ship soon

I need to begin thinking about

Making room for them.

But for now

I think I’ll join the Monarchs

Basking in the sunshine

And the glory of fall.

I hope you have time this week

To breath in the season.

Gail

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Tagged as Abelia, Bell Peppers, Cockscomb, Dahlias, Fall, Monarch Butterfies, Spiders, Zinnias

September 14, 2015 · 1:45 am

FALLING FOR FALL

The signs are everywhere.

I can hear the high school band

Practicing every morning.

Sweaters are appearing.

DSCN6243

Geraldine’s asters are starting to bloom.

The air is softer.

Shadows are shifting.

Fall is almost here.

I think I’ve mentioned before

There’s only one other place

I can think of living.

The place where the weather

Alternates between spring and fall.

I’ve never found that place.

I know it doesn’t exist.

Because

In order to have spring

You must first abide winter.

Difficult for me.

And so it follows that

In order to have fall.

You must abide summer.

Gardening makes this one easy.

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Fall here on the plains

Can linger for weeks

Months actually.

After last year’s glorious fall

I wasn’t sure we’d see another one like that

For some time.

Something tells me

It’s happening again.

There’s a lushness this September

God is spoiling us.

Spring rains

Mild summer temperatures

And now the glorious days of fall.

Coco and I spent Saturday transplanting.

We dug up a batch of daylilles

That were spreading wildly

In the main garden

They’ve been moved to areas that are

A little more accepting of their behavior

Some will even get transplanted

Across state lines

To Elliott’s garden.

In their place I planted cabbage.

DSCN6247

Not sure they have time to get giant

But I saw these babies at the store

And thought…why not?

They are near where we lost a Redbud tree

In June

Between the two new stands of Dahlias.

Not sure what will be the more permanent fix.

But after following Floret Flowers

On Instagram for a few months.

My monies on…more Dahlias.

Can this woman grow Dahlias!

One goal this fall

Is to fill in the empty spaces.

That were weed havens all summer.

So I’m scouting for plants in need of dividing

And volunteers that are popping up in odd places.

I’m looking forward to weeks

Of playing in the crisp clean air

And basking in the glory of a garden.

Gail

Surely this is the last Easter Egg left in the garden!

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Tagged as Butterflies, Cabbage, Dahias, Fall, Zinnias

August 30, 2015 · 10:26 pm

ZINNIAS

Getting a perennial garden

To bloom all season

Can be challenging.

Many around here

Simply throw in the towel

In late summer.

Photo credit Dave Meara

Years ago

I accidentally discovered

How to have plenty of blooms

As summer turns to fall.

Like most things

It’s all about the timing.

And the right plants.

I think it truly was an accident

Or maybe I just didn’t get around to

Planting my Zinnia seeds.

Until late June.

The result was delightful.

Lots of smiling faces

Blooming at me

When most things have

Come and gone.

Then there’s the bonus fact

That butterflies love Zinnias

So by having them around

During the butterfly migration.

I get my share

Or maybe more of butterflies.

I know it’s a moth, but I like it!

Zinnias are a simple flower

One almost everyone knows

They are not exotic

They are not overly flashy.

They are like that old friend

You talk to after months

Of not seeing each other.

And you slip right back

Into your comfortable place.

Flowers and friend

Have a lot in common.

Gail

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Tagged as Late Summer Garden, Perennial Garden, Zinnias

August 17, 2015 · 12:57 am

VISITOR FLY IN

Nature is an amazing thing.

That’s hardly news to fellow gardeners.

No matter how many years I’ve gardened

Nature still surprises me.

For the past few weeks

I’ve had daily late afternoon visits

From two hummingbirds.

Being hummingbirds they flit around the Phlox.

So fast that I’ve only been able to capture

A few pictures of them.

But this week a friend arrived with them.

A giant Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly.

They come every evening between 5 and 6.

Just like I have rung a dinner bell

To beckon them to the nectar of the Phlox

And Zinnias.

And they hang around.

So I have been able to take pictures

With my Iphone.

Which is always in my pocket these days.

Then return to the house to get my point and shoot.

One evening I even called Torry

To send Sloan and Cassidy

Over to see it all.

The hummingbirds and butterfly

Put on quite a show.

Even though they are in constant motion

I find them soothing to watch.

There’s a lesson in there somewhere.

Amidst our busy fluttering lives.

There is peace

All around us.

Gail

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Tagged as Hummingbirds, Tall Garden Phlox, Tiger Swallowtail, Zinnias

Tag Archives: Zinnias

WINDING DOWN

BUGS – BUGS AND MORE BUGS

FALLING FOR FALL

ZINNIAS

VISITOR FLY IN

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