Something that’s been glaringly missing from this year’s backyard garden are the volunteer basil plants that normally sprout about this time of year. I fondly remember the monstrous basil plants that drew in all the pollinators.
I dug into my seed drawer several days ago to empty out some of the basil seeds that I ordered from previous years.
Sprinkled them into my stock tank beds and here they are aplenty, sprouting happily.
I’m looking forward to some colorful Purple Ball basil as well as Fino Verde and Amethyst Improved.
Of course I’ve always had rooted cuttings of the pesto perpetuo basil that I keep indoors. However, they don’t flower very well and they really can’t handle the Texas heat.
I was worried about spraying the trunks of the crape myrtle after the damage done by the scale infestation. But seeing all the suckers shooting out made me get the bottle out.
There’s nothing more satisfying than dianthus crowned in blooms during spring. My Stargazer plants burst into bloom early April, and unlike the chinensis varieties, this perennial hybrid has reliably returned despite some harsh summers.
I’ve had Coconut Punch on my plant wishlist for sometime, but I’m thinking of adding more such as striped Pinball Wizard and green eyed Mojito.
If a longer-lived Super Parfait-type dianthus ever came on to market, I’d be a happy gardener.
I discovered that plucky pink primrose growing and blooming in between the flagstone in my front yard flower bed. The species version is blooming out in the wild fields surrounding the neighborhood, but in my flowerbed it is getting bullied by Gregg’s Mistflower. I would love to see more of these Oenothera berlandieri ‘Siskiyou’ blooming in my beds, but I realize I may need to have something blooming that lasts all season, rather than the spring show.
Admittedly it’s not planted in a very sunny spot but I admire it’s determination.
I need help figuring out what milkweed is growing in my beds. I started milkweed in 2018 which found its way into the backyard. I also bought and transplanted other specimens as well.
The only ID I’m certain of is the variegated butterfly weed which overwintered in the garage. The Home Depot version lists as Butterfly Kisses, but it didn’t stop me from picking up another variegated milkweed from North Haven Gardens, Monarch’s Promise. Maybe they’re one and the same.
Previous year potted milkweed2020 New planting of Monarch’s Promise
Anyway, the following milkweed springing up from my beds are defying attempts to identify them properly.
Mystery Milkweed #1 in Long Bed (a)
Mystery Milkweed #1 in Long Bed (b)
Mystery Milkweed #1 in Long Bed
Mystery Milkweed #2 in Rogue Bed (a)
Mystery Milkweed #2 in Rogue Bed (b)
Mystery Milkweed #2 in Rogue Bed
True to the Rogue bed’s name, milkweed #2 appears to have reseeded rogue, with over a half dozen volunteer starts. The young leaves start out green which mature to the gray-green color seen in the pics.
Then there is the one potted milkweed that I can’t recall what it is. But I’m glad it emerged, suggesting that garage overwintering suits these plants. Now if I can only remember what it is. Hint: I bought 3 packets of Botanical Interests milkweed seed — Common (A. syriaca), Showy (A. speciosa) and Irresistible Blend (A. incarnata). If I remember right, one of the 3 proved difficult to germinate and didn’t take to water sowing at all.
