As I was mowing, I saw a bittersweet vine growing, hiding, trying to camoflauge itself under a shrub. With one quick pull, I yanked it out, and tossed it on the driveway for its mug shot. It's a criminal of a plant, trying to hide until it can take over and begin its quest toward world, or at least tree, domination. I do believe if I hadn't found this one and it had been left to grow, it would have reached a nearby oak tree and started its steady, stealthy climb up into the tree … [Read more...] about ‘Tis Bittersweet
vines
Blooming to distraction
Clematis 'Pagoda'. I'm still smitten by this clematis. It's grown quite a bit more this year and is full of purple blooms now. I can hardly believe that at one time I thought clematis were just so-so and I didn't think I needed any in my garden. What was I thinking? I do love these bell-shaped flo... Hey are those foxglove over there? Yes, those are yellow foxglove growing in Plopper's Field. I suspect the garden fairies have been all over them already, leaving … [Read more...] about Blooming to distraction
Protecting my green beans
First strawberries from the garden The good news from the vegetable garden is that the strawberries are beginning to ripen. I ate a little bowl of them this evening. I'll be picking strawberries every day now for awhile. These are everbearing strawberries, so they'll continue to produce some berries through the growing season, although not in the same quantities as they produce in June. The bad news from the vegetable garden is that I discovered early Monday morning that a rabbit or … [Read more...] about Protecting my green beans
Dial-A-Horticulturist: Assigning Common Names
Hello. Thank you for calling Dial-A-Horticulturist where our motto is "gardeners rule". How may I direct your call? I'd like to speak to someone about common plant names, please. Certainly, please hold while I direct your call. Our current wait time is 10 minutes as this is our busy season. While you are on hold, you will hear the sounds of a garden - bees buzzing, birds singing, and water gurgling. Thank you. Hello, this is Hortense Hoelove in Common Plant Names. How may I help … [Read more...] about Dial-A-Horticulturist: Assigning Common Names
An impractical good choice of Wisteria
If one is going to do something impractical like purchase a wisteria, at least purchase a native wisteria like Wisteria macrostachya, sometimes referred to as the Kentucky wisteria. Why is it impractical? This is a woody vine that grows up to 25 feet so it will need some support, some strong support. I've just about figured out how I'm going to provide that support. I need a bit of lumber, some strong nails. In fact, I've figured out enough about the support to convince … [Read more...] about An impractical good choice of Wisteria
My Clematis Phase
Clematis 'Pagoda' My Dear Dr. Hortfreud, And so I find that I am rather inexplicably entering into a Clematis phase in my evolution as a gardener. Mother Nature, with help from some enabling nurseries like the nearby Soules Garden, has put me in the enviable position of having eight new Clematis plants to put out in my garden Truly, I thought I was safe going to Soules Garden, at least when it came to Clematis, because they are known more for their daylilies, hostas, and Arisaema, and many … [Read more...] about My Clematis Phase
