Rain at Last!

Granted, it was hardly a rain of biblical proportions, but we did get some precipitation over the last few days. The plants are visibly relieved! I was really annoyed when I read my last Christopher Lloyd book because every page had some detail about the weather. I understand it better now. At some point the weather is ALL that matters. My whole garden focus has changed because of the hot and dry spell we’ve had the last few months.

Starting plants from seed can be extremely rewarding or sadly disappointing. The forget-me-nots I started have teeny tiny flowers and aren’t likely going to find their way into the garden. However, the Geranium bohemicum seedlings, while not what I expected, are charming.

The flowers are not big and showy, but the color is good and the foliage is very attractive.

Speaking of attractive foliage, here are some potted plants whose foliage is super pleasing:

Very impressive giant leaves on this Paulownia tomentosa seedling–just in its second year from seed

Always impressive, this cane begonia from brother Tim will reach 6′ in a good year

This pelargonium is called Petals, which is ironic, given its puny floral display against its amazing variegated leaves.

This is a seedling pelargonium, so the flowers are less showy than the cutting-grown hybrids. The leaves are gorgeous, though, and a perfect contrast with Petals and Grossersorten.

Not a lot of flowers here, yet the display is lovely. The heat and dry have not impacted the pelargoniums at all!

My brother calls the clearance area of nurseries the “Dent and Diddle”, and we always head there first when we visit a plant store. The above begonia is an example of what a discounted plant can turn into! This is the third year I’ve grown this plant and I enjoy it more every year.

And while we’re on begonias, take a look a this beauty, also a late-season Dent and Diddle find. This is Begonia boliviana:

Below are the lovely leaves of Dioscorea battatas, a tropical vine that I worry might be not so tropical and invasive in the ground. I keep it in pots and it is lovely, especially this year in all the warm weather.

Below are a bunch of flower pics that I’ll just post quickly.

Echinops ritro.

Althea syriacus shrub blooming for the first time–love this color.

Weedy as they are, I can’t help but love borage. The blue is true, and the form is graceful from every angle.

I’m not the only one who thinks so–just ask the bees!

Below are the berries on the Voodoo lily (Dracunculus vulgaris). All of them set hundreds of seeds this year, no doubt due to the heat.

Below is one glorious flower from a flowering maple (Abutilon megapotamicum) from brother Tim

Another of the Eucomis hybrids I grew from seed. This is my favorite, with the purple centers and graceful spikes.

Streptocarpus still blooming strong in the greenhouse–a riot of color!

Dietes irioides, the Fortnight Lily, is blooming in the greenhouse. There are ten flowers on this iris relative that are about to bloom.

The flowers on this seedling abutilon are less showy than the Bella series, but it is putting on a good show right now.

Pelargonium Grossersorten blooming in the greenhouse. I take cutting every year and intend to place them all in patio pots, but inevitably they end up staying inside and blooming happily the whole summer.

The Griffinia continues to bloom–eight flowers on this spike. I’m hoping for a second spike, as the plant has spread nicely, but no sign of more flowers yet.