Tag Archives: basil

Ye Olde Garden

Fall shrooms and blooms

I love to take a morning walk with the pups and check out the landscapes in my neighborhood. This season especially with the onset of autumn, I get to see the color changes. On today’s walk, I noted the lawns dotted with mushrooms, likely a result from the early week rains we received and the characteristic cool nights/warm days pattern of weather we’ve been experiencing.

Anyway, it’s another look at the garden to see what’s changing. As to be expected this time of year, many of the fall bloomers are sharing the joy: dianthus, mums, asters, salvias especially the greggiis, petunias, marigolds, vinca, verbena and gaura. I mentioned last time that the Pesto Perpetuo basil was budding; now I discover that another specimen of it is blooming. The yarrow is also putting out another bloom head, and the society garlic are happily following suit.

10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (1) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (2) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (3) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (4) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (5) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (6) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (7) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (8) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (9)

As evidenced by the photos below, I’ve spotted some strap-like leaves emerging from the spider lily bulbs planted earlier in the year. I believe it is too late for them to bloom (?) but with Texas weather…who knows. I’ll have to consult with the Bulb Hunter’s blog again to be sure.

10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (10) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (11) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (12)

The irises I planted in the blue bed will probably get another layer of dirt on top of them; the bed itself still needs more height and leveling before I mulch it. I would love to just get rid of the Oertel’s Rose yarrow we planted in there, but the man would prolly have something to say about that. I’ve already relocated 3 of its offspring in the lily bed and shade bed. Isn’t that Valentine Dianthus gorgeous? That bloom is quarter-sized if not bigger! The crazy, dried up Day’s aster in the corner is still blooming its head off. I  am debating on when I cut it back down so that it can dress up next year.

10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (13) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (14)

I really love how the tree ring bed turned out. For a couple of years, we thought it an eyesore and unworkable. But 2011 proved different: cosmos, salvia and marigolds turned out to be a powerhouse combo. The only thing I would change would be to raise the bed near the tree trunk to give the cosmos and salvia better visibility. Of course, the front flower bed is also just as spectacular with a new flush of blooms coloring it this month. Those silly Dahlberg daisies are still blooming strong…but I am wishing for a sturdier yellow flower for next year.

10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (15) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (16) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (17) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (18) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (19) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (20) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (21) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (22) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (23)

The Dixie Chip ajuga is also undergoing a color change; I love the rose leaves contrasting with the dark. The Chocolate Chip ajuga (huge) is undergoing something similar, this time with espresso-colored leaves against piney green leaves. I plan on dividing the Chocolate Chip ajuga in spring, though I wish I hadn’t lost one of the Dixie Chips to an overzealous ant colony.

10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (26)

So what are those buds on the camellia all about? I guess we’ll find out in a few more months.

10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (24) 10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (25)

Ah petunias! You were the surprise hit of 2011, weathering the heat wave despite being potted and neglected. I’ll be sure to add you the landscape next year. (If only you weren’t so darned delicate to start.)

10/14/11 Fall Shrooms and Blooms (27)

To do list: re-pot all of the pepper plants into larger pots for them to overwinter indoors. Capture some Snow Nymph salvia seeds for next year. Start some Shu ornamental peppers. Dig up the Wide Brim hostas if I can find them to replant in the strip. Plant the daffodils, crocuses and giant hyacinths (ordered last week). Find the pansy flat a new home. Order some flower seeds (violas and snapdragons would be nice). Reseed, weed and feed the lawn.

Ye Olde Garden

Post-heat wave garden blooms

With the cooler weather, the garden has revived. Pockets of growth are coloring the garden, from foliage to flowers. Check out the “purple” Red Rubin basil. New growth and centers of leaves are beautifully marked with deep red. I also caught sight of my first Sea Breeze salvia bloom. It lingered in a planter for so long without comment; now it is sending up bicolored spires.

9/20/2011 Post Heat Wave Blooms (1) 9/20/2011 Post Heat Wave Blooms (2) 9/20/2011 Post Heat Wave Blooms (3) 9/20/2011 Post Heat Wave Blooms (4) 9/20/2011 Post Heat Wave Blooms (5) 9/20/2011 Post Heat Wave Blooms (6) 9/20/2011 Post Heat Wave Blooms (7) 9/20/2011 Post Heat Wave Blooms (8) 9/20/2011 Post Heat Wave Blooms (9) 9/20/2011 Post Heat Wave Blooms (10) 9/20/2011 Post Heat Wave Blooms (11)

Ye Olde Garden

A quick review of the July seedlings

The cover is off! The June-sowed seedlings are growing without the protection of their humidity dome. It has been nearly 3 weeks and most of the seeds have germinated. Only one Jupiter bell, one Thai chili, one banana pepper, and the salvia greggii failed to germinate. I’ve seen only one parsley seedling so far, barely out of the ground, but I’m not holding my breath on these seeds. Like the salvia greggii, I’m not even sure that they’re viable.

Since I doubled up on the Red Rubin basil and banana peppers, I’ll thin those out to separate pots soon. I also brought back indoors the last ornamental pepper seedlings that I attempted outside. It is joining its 5 other brethren in the bathroom greenhouse. Sadly, it appears only 2 are going to make it; the other 3 peppers probably won’t revive from the scorching exposure.

I’ve cleaned out the non-performing cuttings and still have a number of felicias left. I don’t think my oregano cutting is going to catch; I may have to run the community garden for another try.

7/10/2011 July Seedlings (1) 7/10/2011 July Seedlings (2) 7/10/2011 July Seedlings (3) 7/10/2011 July Seedlings (4) 7/10/2011 July Seedlings (5)