It's Not Work, It's Gardening!

Clematis, beauty and problem

>> Monday, May 29, 2017 – clematis, damage

I grow a few clematis, and for the most part they make me happy -- when the deer don't prune them that is. The one that I grow on my mailbox has performed quite well for me, especially considering how shady it is here.

I believe I purchased this as Clematis 'Piilu', but that's almost certainly not what it is. It looks so good with the variegated bamboo (Sasaella masamuneana 'Albostriata'), doesn't it?

A little allium love

>> Friday, May 26, 2017 – allium

Just a little allium eye candy today.

Allium christophii might be my favorite, but is it only because I've only been growing it for a couple of years?

What's wrong with this Agave?

>> Thursday, May 25, 2017 – agave

I noticed that this Agave 'Impressa' (or at least that was how it was labeled) is looking a bit unhappy:

Lots of yellow in those leaves, especially the lower ones.

Big leaves, cleanup time

>> Wednesday, May 24, 2017 – bamboo, cleanup

My Indocalamus tessellatus bamboo has such large leaves, it's really a standout even among so many other bamboos. Unfortunately it gets bitten by winter quite easily and the new leaves emerge relatively late. So in the spring when everything is fresh and new (right now), this plant looks tattered and tired.

I've not pruned this one to the ground like I do with some of my others, instead using a more delicate pruning technique when needed. It's needed now!

Rose Support Update

>> Tuesday, May 23, 2017 – rose, trellis

I thought I'd show you some updated photos of the rose support now that the plant has leafed out and blooming.

I love having structures peeking though foliage!

Come on Monarchs!

>> Monday, May 22, 2017 – butterflies, caterpillar, natives

Remember how I was recently hopeful that my large and ever-expanding colony of common milkweed would finally rear its first "crop" of monarch caterpillars?

Well, things are looking good! Or at least they were for a while.

Robins

>> Monday, May 8, 2017 – birds, nest

Robins made a nest in a disused hanging planter under the edge of the deck:

It's at about eye level for me, so I just raised the phone camera above the edge and blindly snapped these images. The first was taken April 19. I've often wondered why these eggs evolved to be blue. Seems like a bad color if you want to go unnoticed.

Flood!

>> Wednesday, May 3, 2017 – frogs, pond, storm, toads

After a few days of heavy rain in the St. Louis area, heavy flooding is widespread. With perhaps 4" (10cm) of additional rainfall expected today and tomorrow, things are expected to get worse before they get better.

Although my house sits on high ground, my garden is still experiencing some flooding -- particularly the pond.

Now? Really?

>> Tuesday, May 2, 2017 – butterflies

One of the tasks that I had on my list for this spring in the garden was to remove or at least drastically reduce the milkweed in my yard.

For the past four years I've been growing a few kinds of milkweed for the monarch butterflies. I started when a volunteer Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) sprang up in my prairie beds.