As I wandered the garden this beautiful morning I found several curiosities. The strangest was a pineapple like bloom structure on my potted Hens ‘n Chicks. I have never seen them bloom before. The 4 inch high “stem” began growing a week ago and now has a dozen buds and blooms on the tip. Each flower has a dozen petals with a similar number of yellow stamens. Will it produce seeds? And will they be viable?
Another strange phenom are my July blooming mums. I have to start shearing them next week to get October blooms.
My Pieris are also in a bloom cycle – the second of the year!
The Elephant Ear are huge and they did survive outside last winter. The Queen Ann ferns sent out dozens of runners last year and though the main plants did not survive our mild winter, there are twenty or so first year sprouts that did and they are now about a foot tall.
My main garden problem is mechanical. The sprinkler system developed a leak and my builder determined that the back-flow preventor was at fault. He is in the process of replacing it now.
The clay bank hillside project is in full swing although I had to stop as I ran out of block. Two more pallets are being delivered tomorrow along with a pallet of 8-10 inch river rock which will add some variety. The day lilies are patiently awaiting the completion of their new home.
74 Journeys 