The Obsessive Neurotic Gardener

Tag Archives: willow-leaved sunflower

Willow-Leaved Sunflower – DGP

Posted on by Posted in Perennials .

No plant in my garden is more fun than the Willow-Leaved Sunflower (Helianthus salicifolius):

Willow-Leaved Sunflower

In certain spots, it’s close to 8 feet tall. In others, it’s tangled in a war with its neighbor. Or it’s bent at a 90 degree angle like the pic above. It’s multiplied like mad over the years and I allow it. Wherever it shows up is acceptable. It’s too dynamic to not let it do its thing.

In spring, the emerging foliage is twisty and dainty and frilly and airy and fascinating and I’m constantly asked about it. To get that level of interest in spring/early summer and then the mass of yellow blooms in mid to late summer is almost too good to be true.

As you probably know about me by now, I long for “wild” but desire and long for “order”. It’s a hell of a tightrope walk to strike the proper balance. I’m getting better at it, but it still keeps me up at night. It’s dumb, but also 100% true.

Willow-Leaved Sunflower tickles the devil over my left shoulder.

And pisses off the other holy dude over my right.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Garden tour – 9/12/18

Posted on by Posted in My garden .

Another trip around the yard for this week.

The best time of year

There’s no denying it any longer. My garden looks its best in September and October.

Thank you grasses.

Same shot but with some lighting edits.

Which is better?

 

The inconsistency of deer

They always keep us on our toes, don’t they? Last week many of you mentioned that the deer eat your Obedient plants yet I’ve managed to get mine through without a munch for years running.

Of course that could change by next week and if you believe in deer jinxing, well I’m screwed now.

 

Willow-leaved sunflower

I just received my first bloom this week.

With many more to come.

 

 

Dwarf liatris

I added five of these perennials to a partially shaded area of the garden. Maybe that’s why they are flopping. Or maybe that’s their nature. This is my first rodeo with these guys.

 

 

 

Calamagrostis brachytricha (Feather Reed Grass)

It’s taken some time for this grass to get established but this is my first run of blooms since it was planted a few years back. The blooms are killer.

 

 

Signs of fall

On the Viburnum.

And the Thalictrum (Meadow rue).

On Joe Pye.

The oats of Northern Sea Oats ‘River Mist’ are a bit, ahem, toasted.

The queen of autumn, Amsonia hubruchtii.

 

 

The harvest is ending

I struggled to keep up with the tomato production and now we are at the end of the line.

 

I probably should’ve cut those basil flowers off along the way.

 

Spider season

Thanks for the display.

 

The deer are still working hard

They didn’t touch Joe Pye Weed too much in season’s past. Remember what I said about deer jinxing? It’s a thing.

 

Hummingbird

I’m fairly certain this is the same hummingbird we get year after year. We only get one and this one sticks around well into September. If only I could get a better pic of her.

 

Poop

Is this gross or interesting?

 

Better late than never

The base for the fire pit is finally done. We’ve done one round of smores so far. Will be sure to share them virtually with you soon.

Note: Use peanut butter cups. Delish.

 

Surgery, sadness and hot sauce

Posted on by Posted in My garden .

A little bit of everything this week.

 

Stop and smell the roses

That is my literal plan on the morning of September 19th. Well maybe not that exact date, depending on my recovery, but a day or few after that. Actually, let’s call it no later than September 26th.

I’m finally doing it. I’ve scheduled septoplasty surgery and it will be on September 18th.

It’s been a long time coming and I’m super excited. I’m ready to be able to smell for the first time in a long time. I’m ready to be able to breathe through my nose while running. I’m ready to, fingers crossed, be able to sleep more comfortably and snore a whole lot less.

So if it all pans out, you’re going to read a lot about my enjoyment of smelling flowers for the first time.

 

The spit is the least of my concerns

One of the plants I’ve been touting a ton this spring/summer was this newly planted willow-leaved sunflower (Helianthus salicifolius).

I’m in love with the texture and would be happy even if it never bloomed.

But one morning this past week I noticed this all over all of the leaves.

I’d seen it before many times on other plants but never did anything about it. It never seemed to cause the plants any harm.

But this was excessive and it made me panic. So I did my research and I’m proud to say that I’m now educated on the spittlebug. And if I’m interpreting what I read accurately, there is little reason to worry about long term damage.

Bullet dodged temporarily though.

This plant has begun to flop and it hasn’t even bloomed yet. I couldn’t get a good photo of the collapse but just know it isn’t pretty.

My dreams have been crushed.

 

It’s getting hot in here

Contrary to what you may think, I do grow plants that one can actually eat. I have a bunch of tomato plants grown in containers on my deck where I can keep them away from the deer. While I don’t eat tomatoes (please don’t judge), my wife happily consumes them and I at least think they’re pretty.

This year I’m growing a habanero pepper that I think will be in regular rotation moving forward. It’s called Cheiro Roxa and she is beautiful.

While not exactly a chef in the kitchen, I do have plans to use these peppers to make my very first hot sauce. I’m thinking this one.

The peppers can be harvested once they transform from black/chocolate to a light pink which a few are at now.

To top it all off, the foliage of these plants is killer. Check this out.

 

Add this grass

I mentioned it last week and I’ll do so again.

I love Molinia (moor grass) more and more each year as they continue to mature in my garden.

This one is ‘Skyracer‘ and it’s majestic right now. This is the view off of my deck.

And from around the corner (top middle of the photo).

Am I right?

 

Facebook anyone?

Many of you have told me that you shun the Facebook. If you fall in that camp, please ignore the following request.

I’ve created a “John Markowski – Author” FB page and I’d love for you to throw it a “like” if you’re so inclined. You can access it here.

It’s becoming a place where I can share my non-gardening writing as I continue to pursue that option moving forward.

Thank you in advance.