Tag Archives: zone8

Ye Olde Garden

Shade Improvements on the Growbag Garden

With June around the corner and triple digit temperatures looming, I decided to reconfigure the trellis next to the grow bag garden into a roof for shade cloth.

I had been looking to repurpose an old bedsheet abused by a half dozen cats into sun protection for my veggies. I hastily installed it before the next storm rolled in.

It surprisingly withstood high winds that knocked down a portion of the side yard fence.

I promptly trashed the bedsheet as it got weighed down and ripped to shreds by the excessive rain we experienced throughout the week. After shopping for a substitute on Amazon, I erected a 3×6 foot section of 40% shade cloth over the cattle panel, and attached it with carabiners.

Looking forward to seeing if it endures bad storms and offers the right amount of shade for my veggies

Ye Olde Garden

Another Salvia

I’m a very devoted fan of all types of salvia. But when I spotted this “new-to-my-garden” salvia at Painted Flower Farm, I knew it was going into my garden. Now I just find a spot for them.

The brilliant red blooms of salvia blepharophylla are eye-catching.

Ye Olde Garden

Plant Haul Rundown

From Painted Flower Farm:

  • Echinacea purpurea
  • Echinacea paradoxa var neglecta
  • Monarda Jacob Cline
  • Salvia blepharophylla

From Etsy Gingersgreenhouse:

  • African Blue Basil
  • Variegated African Blue Basil
  • Variegated Peppermint
  • Pepper Marusha Variegated
  • Pepper Candy Cane Red
  • Lemon Verbena
  • Foxley thyme
  • Nepeta Chartreuse on the Loose
  • Buddleia Butterfly Gold
  • Golden Pineapple Sage

From Etsy Upperplacegardens:

  • Variegated Turks Cap

From Shades of Green Celina:

  • Creeping Germander
  • Oregano Kent Beauty
Ye Olde Garden

Variegated Turks Caps

My wishlist item has arrived, one of several purchases I recently ordered off Etsy.

Colors are stunning. I’m excited to place these variegated Turks Caps somewhere soon. I’m considering training them into tree form.

Packed well for shipping
Variegated Turks Cap already budded

The challenge now is determining if I should pot these or squeezing them into a flower beds, if I have room.

Ye Olde Garden

Hostas on Display

Spring hostas are in their broadleafed prime now mid-May, with some sending out buds and blooms.

Dancing Darling is of course a beast, overflowing the shade bed.

Monstrous Dancing Darling
Dancing Darling Bloom

Color Glory is a step down in size but no less robust.

Color Glory
Color Glory Budst

Island Breeze is a nice glowing addition to the shade bed.

Island Breeze

Hans is always an eye catcher, but the creamy white leaves will start frying from the occasional sun.

Creamy leaves margined with blue green
Hans showing some scorching

The only failed start this year is Fire and Ice, which appeared to be the breakfast of champions. Not sure if it was slugs or insects but it got eaten to the ground. Hoping it’ll come back stronger and sooner.

Fire and Ice delicate…
…and delicacy

The shade bed still receives a blast of morning sun which tends to dry the hostas. Still developing a solution to this

Shade bed, mid afternoon sun during May