November 22 , 2011
Thankful garden revelations|CTG round table, what next?
As we come on Thanksgiving , I ’m grateful for this year ’s revelation .
It would be just lovely if we had naturally luscious grime , rain on cue stick ( but not too much at one time ) , a strewing of days over 100 ° alternatively of an ordeal , and a little blow for fun without those base - freeze 17 ° collision .
But as gardeners , we strengthen our roots to the earth with each challenge . Over the eld , I ’ve weaned out troublemakers and promoted my congenial partners .
I ’m always experimenting , of course , but with a strict eye on demeanor . If we ’re headed to innovator days ’ water restrictions , it ’ll be just another chapter in my evolution ( though I ’ve always been pretty water - hard-and-fast ) . Until then , the bees and I are loving my new white mistflowers ( Ageratina havanensisorEupatorium havanense ) . But this native would n’t still be around if it could n’t take tough times .
If urine eludes us next twelvemonth , I do n’t know that I ’ll plant summer one-year pentas again .
But when I examine them again this twelvemonth , they made it through the rugged summertime on record . And the butterflies and bee get laid ‘ em ! I ’m always think about plants that fee wildlife . Exotic annuals help out a batch when aboriginal perennials and annuals are between cycles .
Native annualSalvia coccineaattracts wildlife like softheaded , but it likes some H2O , too . Like the pentas , it wimps out with month of drouth , but bound into action with just a bit of rainwater . Even in my mulched garden , some deliver from seed in spring . Generally , we miss the mother plant life in wintertime . properly now , they ’re flower like half-baked to set seed for a new generation next class .
The herbaceous recurrent salvia do better with water , as well , but I ’ve had one my dad fall out along years ago that ’s never sheer from its low - water system track . So , recently I added some I have n’t grown before : Salvia ‘ Anthony Parker ’ ( Salvia leucantha‘Midnight ’ xSalvia elegans ) , a succinct plant that fits right in with the crape island seam .
And I added roses ! Yes , I did . My Iceberg has been blooming like crazy in a scalding hot stain , with little urine , so I added another that gets the same grueling recent afternoon sunshine ( muted here with a welcome humeral veil of cloud ) .
By the way , when I make a motion the first wimpy Iceberg to its hot blot two years ago , it turned into Cinderella almost overnight ! If you ’ve got good roses , but they seem to be in trouble , this is a good time to move them to more sun .
For under the den windowpane , I move through a prospicient list of option , but ran into the perfect one : compact Republic of Texas Pioneer rose . I wanted a flaccid , mounding , downhearted , evergreen plant , and fragrant plant for open window days . And drought tough . This fit all the requirement .
This is one of Michael Shoup ’s Pioneer roses that he ’s been breed at theAntique Rose Emporium , combining the toughest of the tough ( available at many local nurseries or online at ARE if your nurseries do n’t carry them ) . Its yellow , sweetly scented flowers come again and again , comply by colorful hips . This one looks pink at the destruction of its day , but they open as sweet yellow .
On CTG this workweek , the team gathers together for a round table discussion on drought , how to contend with stressed plants this winter , favored survivors , and tips for the vegetable garden . Tom , Trisha , Daphne , and Lyda Guz fromThe Natural Gardenerjoin Tom for perspective and advice that you wo n’t need to miss !
This weekend , I ’m planning a whole day to garden , a uncommon treat ! I ca n’t wait to imbed the bulbs that I ’ve stockpile on indoor shelf . They ’re pioneer for certain , and wo n’t take care a routine when the water supply turns off .
Happy Thanksgiving to you , good ones ! Linda
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