December 10 , 2009
Freeze-dried & my one garden craft
Fried .
I knew theSalvia coccineaswere soon to go . And they did , when it score 19º at Bergstrom and 25º at Mabry . But the crape bottom wo n’t be only . It ’s mostly integral , include the Dianellas ( Dianella tasmanica‘Variegata ’ ) . They got a shade twitch , but are hunky-dory . TheAgave celsiijust beyond is fine . Bulbs , larkspur , poppies , and the new violas will presently take their bit player roles on the winter transitory level .
I really hated to lose the Tithonia ( Mexican helianthus ) , since it finally bloomed with gusto for an appreciative butterfly crowd . Not even rowcover could save it . Behind it , the exposed Swiss chard is laughing at all the fuss .
Visions of nose candy danced in my mind , in the main one of the Iceberg rose frosted with flakes . We ’ll have to leave that one to the vision for now . alternatively of a standout theatrical role , its ear just got nipped .
This weekend I ’ll pick up the super fried , like the perennial and yearly herbaceous salvias , theHameliapatens , the Philippine violet , and woody perennial like flame acanthus . I ’ll wait until belated January for lantana and others . In my garden , the lantana was nipped , but is still green with a few flowers . In my experience , a warm day charge them back into production . We do n’t need that .
The freeze did n’t bother this Gulf fritillary chrysalis . It wiggles around on quick days , so I ’ll keep an eye on it .
Just a few hebdomad ago , one of its cousin was chowing down . trust it get big enough to pupate to condom in clip .
Their passionvine host tends to upstage its fellow flora by smothering them . It ’s difficult to abnegate the nursery food leaves , though , and the flowers that were still heart - pop lodes of ambrosia just a month ago .
Another vine that can also take over is the butterfly vine ( Mascagnia macroptera ) .
My passalong from neighbors Tom & Priscilla is still tiny , but by next yr will do its line to cover a section of chemical chain link fence . The frost did n’t vex it a snatch .
A few years ago , friends gave me grip of dried flower from their butterfly vines . I ’m all thumbs with garden crafts , but this I could manage . Spray key . I turned them into a bowlful of holiday decorations , and even threw in some plenty laurel pods . They last for years .
Who knows ? When mine fill up the fencing with efflorescence , I may even make outflow - one-sided ones , like I did for Greg ’s mom . Or take place along to you !
Today we taped CTG for January 9 and 16th . Get ready for fruit trees , include dwarf varieties for small space , Peckerwood Garden‘s favorite winter flowers , Lady Bird Johnson Adopt - a - Gardens , and a visit toEast Side Patch ! Trisha has persimmon bakshish and how to keep cats off plant . Daphne explains how your mawkish century plant can honor you yet .
Until next hebdomad , Linda
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