I'm Just Not That Into You, Edith...

Oh Edith... 

We've been testing the waters for four years, but I think we need to take a break.

I realize that's not a lot of time to get to know each other, but, I have to tell you... I'm just not that into you.

2010 - Magnolia grandiflora 'Edith Bogue'

At first, I thought it would be a great relationship. You were cute enough in the beginning. Your evergreen leaves and pretty fragrant flowers seemed appealing. I thought you might eventually block the hot afternoon sun with your 40' height.

Now I feel like you're more of a "friend" than a pretty flowering tree to me.

Over time, your open shape just wasn't getting me excited any more either.

The one bloom you had this summer turned brown before it even opened. Had I known your flowers would only last 1.5 to 2 days before turning brown and falling off, I probably wouldn't have dated you to begin with.

I tried to ignore your nasty habit of dropping your leaves in summer.

It has been great getting to know you, but I think I need to spend time with other trees. 

I'm sorry to see you go, but I think you need to move out.

Branches removed!

 I'm sorry things didn't work out.

Left some stump for leverage when digging out later.

Perhaps some other pretty young thing will come along that will bloom longer and be far more satisfying to take your place?

It's not you, it's me.

What's Blooming in July?

Seems like it's been an odd summer?!?

It's been too hot too soon. Then yesterday was so much cooler, I felt like I needed a sweater.

I'm trying to keep up with my watering to make the perennials happy and to settle in my new Cercis canadensis 'Merlot'. The grass is on the way to "beige" in some spots.

 The veggie garden is beyond crazy. I still haven't had a tomato to eat yet. I'm a good month behind, but getting there!


Enjoy all the blooms!

Dahlia 'Mingus Art' - Simple yet beautiful.

Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) in bloom in the veggie garden. So pretty!

An odd double flower on Belamcanda chinensis (Blackberry Lily)

Tigridia pavonia (Mexican Shell Flower)

Unknown Daylily

Echinacea purpurea 'papaya'

Magnolia x Jane has a second flush of flowers.

Gentiana tibetica (Tibetan Gentian 西藏秦艽)

Magnolia grandiflora 'Edith Bogue'

Rudbeckia maxima (Giant Coneflower)

Agapanthus (Lily of the Nile)

Eryngium agavifolium (Sea Holly)

Yellow Squash

Gladiolus papilio (Butterfly Gladiola)

Echinacea 'Mango Meadowbrite' ?

Clerodendron trichotomum (Harlequin Glorybower), Phlox paniculata 'Sandringham'

,

Harbinger of fall? Garden mum in bloom.

Magnolia grandiflora 'Edith Bogue' about to pop!

Eucomis

Hemerocallus 'Courts of Europe' (Daylily)

The garden looks better from far away!

Crocosmia pottsii 'Culzean Pink'

Crazy veggie garden!

Bottlebrush Resurrection

Oh Winter 2013/14! Why'd you have to be so mean?!?

I forgave you for murdering my cute little Acacia bormanii...

I forgave you for beating up my Palm trees and Pittosporums..
 
I forgave you for a multitude of other little sins too...

But I wasn't going to forgive the loss of my favorite Lemon Bottlebrush (Callistemon pallidus).

The summer before

Callistemon pallidus (Lemon Bottlebrush) spring 2014

Oh the horror!

While not a particularity special or pretty variety, it was my first, biggest and oldest Bottlebrush and it was special to me. It was my first foray into zone pushing, slightly inappropriate for our climate plants

In late spring, it was so sad to see it wither away and then explode in a pile of dead leaves everywhere. It looked VERY, very bad.

It was well into April/May and there was not much sign of life. I just kept looking at the dead stems, thinking I should at least get my pruners and cut them off. They were sticking out like sore thumbs. I wasn't going to dig it out just yet though.

In June, I noticed new growth at the base of the plant and was hopeful. I was almost afraid the new growth was a weed or some other plant trying to trick me.

Presently, it's put on about a foot of growth and I am relieved. It may be awhile before I get flowers again, but at least it's still with me!

Now I can FINALLY cut those dead stems off!

Yay!




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