The unnamed yellow flowers on the outside of the fence have gone by, but there are at least a dozen deep purple flowers on the Clematis, the second Penstemon is blooming and Peter’s garden has a couple of huge, healthy black-eyed Susans growing out of the rock border.
Speaking of Peter’s garden, following this, the third season of experimentation, I’m planting more Lungwort and Astilbe next Spring. Half of his garden is great, half is semi-pathetic, but that’s a gardener’s lot, you see what works and make corrections over time.
The rhodies in his front yard seem to be responding to the dose of Super Phosphate; they have large buds, and I’m not sure what that’s all about, we’ll have to see. I should probably weed out all of the violets, which are gigantic, enormous, they are literally overpowering the young azaleas.
The “Alexander” I put in Peter’s garden a few weeks ago have started flowering, wish I’d planted 6 instead of 3. And why didn’t I save the name tags of all the perennials I’ve put in over the last 3 years, especially the ones that have done well?
Peter’s holly tree seems to be showing the good effects of the 50 pounds of Hollytone put down a few weeks ago – Emme, James and I spotted fewer than half a dozen yellow or brown leaves last night. Shall auger in the second 50 pounds in the fall.
“My” holly bushes seem to be recovering from the insect infestation and secondary black mold; I sprayed a second dose of horticultural oil last weekend.
Just startled the father of the baby birds in the nest next to my front door. He has a bright red stripe on his head and throat. He’s not as used to me as the mother, but he’s not entirely crazy, settling for loud squawks instead of a direct attack, at least this time.