We just spent the past week “down the Jersey Shore” and there will be a post about that in the next few days (sure to be filled with the usual NJ references). But for now, I will focus on what welcomed me when we returned home.

Some good and some bad.

Either way, it is amazing what develops over the course of a week. Let’s start the pictorial tour:    

An obvious “bad”. I watered everything thoroughly before we left, but it was inevitable that the containers would take a beating and I, like a dope, didn’t make plans for someone to assist with watering before we left.   

On a positive note, the plum tomatoes, fingers crossed, appear to be developing without blossom end rot for the first time. However, since they are also in containers, they were in desperate need of water and I quickly obliged them the minute we returned.   

There are a ton of buds on the Hibiscus ‘Kopper King’ (the one that was not pruned as part of the “experiment) and I anxiously await their floriforous (Is that a word?) display.

A whole bunch of new blooms on the Pennisetum ‘Little Karly’. Moi loveth les grasses.

Yes, snuck in another Panicum shot. With my best Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin voice (RIP) … “Isn’t she a beauty?”

Yes, Hemerocallis (Daylily) ‘Happy Returns’ has happily returned. Welcome back you little minx!

Call me crazy, call me nuts, call me obsessive … but this Russian Sage exploded in bloom this past week; it looked sort of ratty before we left. Happy times!

Now this rocks! Found close to ten of these on my Butterfly Weed plants. I was going to research exactly what these are but figured you will all know immediately upon seeing it. Because you are that awesome and smart. 

The Viburnum ‘Emerald Lustre’ berries changed from green to a dark purple and that makes me a joyous person. Please come and enjoy all of God’s creatures.

The Boltonia ‘cultivar unknown’ is beginning to bloom. Woo friggin hoo!

This is growing out of my my topsoil pile (still to be used in the yard) and I have no idea what it is? Please … do tell what it is.  

I am not ready for it yet, but the Viburnum ‘Shoshoni’ is showing the first signs of changing to it’s beautiful autumn color.  

The Helenium buds have formed and this will be the first time I will witness their blooms.

I would like to extend a personal vendetta against the mutha f’n rabbits who munched on all of my Lobelia ‘Fried Green Toamtoes’. Consider yourself warned! 

And last but not least, one random bloom on the Physocarpus ‘Summer Wine’. Ahhhh … hearkens me back to the late Spring when so much was in bloom … and there was plenty of water.

Be prepared for a NJ shore post (sans Snooki) in the next few days.
ONG

I recently turned a $25 gift card from The Home Depot into two Hibiscus ‘Kopper King’ plants. They were sitting in hiding between hundreds of tired looking Arborvitaes and figured “It’s not like I’m going to spend the money on anything else in this store. I couldn’t fix a leak or patch a wall if my life depended on it.” So the decision was made.  Let’s give these babies a try.

I found the perfect location for these plants and was all ready to plant them when a very vital and critical decision came into play. Keep the gigantic, otherworldly and beautiful blooms on the plants …

… or be the smart gardener and cut off the blooms so the plants could focus their efforts on root growth. The plants will already be stressed being planted in the heat of summer (my bad) so removing the blooms will not exhaust them completely trying to maintain those flowers. Plus, the exhausted plant is much more prone to insects and diseases.  
             

The classic long term versus short term benefits debate. So I figured, let’s try both and experiment a bit. Let’s get all scientific and shit. Plus, it’s not like the appeal of this plant is all about the blooms. I love the large, dark colored leaves.   

So plant #1 remained as is with the buds and blooms attached:

and plant #2 had all of the buds and blooms removed: 

We will track this experiment closely and I am hoping to see visual proof that the removal of buds and blooms really does benefit the plant in the long run as expected. This sort of reminds me when scientists closely monitor two twins who are raised under different circumstances. Well maybe not … but you get the point.

Later
ONG 

Over the past few weeks, I have developed into an amateur bird chaser. Like the paparazzi chasing Lindsay Lohan, I am running in all sorts of directions, hiding in odd places and cursing like a sailor when I miss the perfect shot. Here are a few I managed to snap quickly today:

I have no idea what types of birds these are, but will research them and continue to build my mental library.

But this is not my tale for today.

The tale is where these birds led me.

I live on about three acres of land in rural NJ (yes that does exist) and about 1/3 of the land is “wild” or “wooded”. Here is the view out of the back door:  

It is my own little nature preserve. For reasons unknown, I have ignored this gem since we moved in about six years ago. Maybe it is the poison ivy or the ticks, but the truth is, I have been so focused on the “man made” aspect of my gardens that I have ignored this beauty that nature has provided free of charge.     

Well that all changed today as I chased down the birds like a scorned lover. They led me to the back of the property and when I got there it all hit me like a ton of bricks. Dude, you dumb ass, how have you not taken the time to enjoy this? Enough of your perfect little OCD driven garden beds, soak this all in and realize it was all here before you arrived and will be here long after you’re gone. So I did:

I don’t know the botanical name or the preferred conditions of any of these. And that felt good. It  is pure visual enjoyment, and I loved how it all comes together in beautiful, perfect chaos.

And even better, are all of the creatures that live amongst it all. I could hear a bunch of unidentified animals scurrying about as I approached (most likely birds and rabbits) but also know there are snakes, deer and the occasional fox back there. Some more photos:    

I even spotted this American flag while on my travels:

OK, I may be pouring it on a little thick with that, but I felt deeply moved today and hope I can take that feeling and energy to my own gardens. Enjoy what nature has provided and let chaos reign when it wants to.

Finally, just as I was ending my foray into the wild (well, my backyard) and as if on cue, the dark and ominous clouds approached and a nice storm has arrived just as I am writing this post: 

Good day mates
ONG

Keeping it simple today with photos and some quick comments.

Enjoy. 

Enjoy your weekend!
ONG

You know that feeling.

You just need to have something and will go to any lengths to get it. You cannot get it out of your head no matter how hard you try. Once you get it, all is right with the world; for that moment at least.

That is a misplaced plant for me. It eats at me. I see it while walking the dog or playing with the kids. It makes me doubt myself as a so called gardening enthusiast. It keeps me up at night and it creeps into my dreams. I ain’t kidding either. Many decisions have been made based on a vision I’ve had while semi conscious.

Well, I got my fix early this morning and can say I am safely satiated for the moment. Here is the culprit:

That slow to mature, evil Holly ‘Chesapeake’ in the center along the back of the bed. It does nothing for that space and I’ve been stressing about moving it for a few weeks now. So, today was the day:

Don’t let the door …

What went in it’s place you ask? Well … see for yourself below:

It is a Physocarpus (Ninebark) ‘Diablo’. And before you can say, “that will outgrow that spot dummy”, I will hit you back with a “know it won’t YOU dummy. I’ll prune this down heavily each year to limit the growth. And  I don’t really care about the flowers since it is the foliage that floats my boat”.    

But there was more transplanting to be done. I also didn’t like how the Northern Sea Oats were grouped together in front of the Ninebark:

And with the magic touch of a spade, we changed to this:

Minimal difference, yes, but it fed my addiction like feng shui in the veins.      

Now I am not your parent’s transplanter. I throw caution to the wind, like doing this on a hot, humid and sunny day (all no no’s), but I never forget the most important thing of all:

Nice slow drips of water right at the roots.

One other benefit of my over indulging in moving plants is finding these all the time:

So all in all I am happy with what was completed this morning and especially like the contrast the Ninebark offers to the surrounding plants, specifically the Hydrangea nearby:

And as for that creepy little Holly, last I saw of him, he was all laid up, roots exposed and left for dead, will have to let you know how that worked out;