Fireworks in the Garden

INDEPENDENCE DAY HERE IN THE US of A, SO A RED. WHITE AND BLUE TRIO FOR A STEAK COOKOUT

 This Fourth of July we are staying home, a hot and lazy ( well, not so much lazy) day in the garden. With four days off from work, time was well spent doing summery things – like picking cherries, visiting garden centers for last minute deals ( the the Proven Winners ‘Senorita Rosalita’ Cleome below, which is a supreme improvement over the old fashions annual forms from seed. These were over-grown but worth finding – ( I was able to negotiate buying them for 30% off since the foliage was turning yellow), this is one annual that you can cut back and it will bloom even better right until frost. Still a bargain. They make great fillers for the perennial border in front of the greenhouse.

THE BOXWOOD HEDGES WERE CLIPPED THIS WEEKEND. IT IS BEST TO TRIM BOXWOOD TWICE A YEAR IN NEW ENGLAND. ONCE IN LATE JUNE, AND ONCE IN OCTOBER.

I FOUND MORE ‘BISHOP OF LlANGDAF’ DAHLIA’S AND OTHER SPORTS FROM THE BISHOP SUCH AS ‘BISHOP OF OXFORD’  TO FILL THE HOLES IN THE GARDEN WITH. I LOVE THE BRIGHT ORANGE FORMS BETTER THAN THE RED, SINCE I HAVE A LOT OF PURPLE IN THE GARDEN. I REALLY MUST SAVE THE TUBERS FOR NEXT YEAR, RATHER THAN LET THEM FREEZE. LAZY MATT.

OUR OWN FIREWORKS CONTINUE WITH TULBAGIA RAISED FROM SEED. I’VE BEEN TRYING TO ISOLATE THE WHITE ONES, BUT THE PURPLE SEEDLINGS KEEP SNEAKING IN. STILL, VERY LOVELY IN THE SUMMER GARDEN. ( THIS IS A SOUTH AFRICAN NATIVE WHICH MUST BE BROUGHT INDOORS FOR THE WINTER). OURS SPEND THE WINTER IN THE GREENHOUSE.

ROCK GARDENERS SHRIEK IN FEAR WHEN THEY SEE THIS, BUT I HAVE DECIDED TO ADD SOME DWARF ANNUALS TO FILL IN THE GAPS IN SOME OF THE ALPINE TROUGHS THIS YEAR. I AM VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESULT.

A NICE PEACH COLORED BOUGAINVILLEA WITH SOME MERLOT ECHIVERIA MAKE A STYLISH CLAY POT FEEL VERY MIAMI.

LYDIA HAS BEEN WITH US FOR ONE YEAR THIS WEEKEND. STILL, A DEVIL ( SHE ESCAPED TWICE ON SATURDAY TO BARK AT THE NEIGHBORS GOATS THROUGH THE WOODS). HER SPECIAL GIFT ARRIVED ON FRIDAY – AN ELECTRIC FENCE.

FERGUS BEGS FOR A PIECE OF STEAK FROM OUR FOURTH OF JULY COOKOUT. MY SISTER WILL GIVE IN, SINCE SHE IS A SOFTY. HE KNOWS BETTER THAN TO BEG FROM US.

OUR BEST FIREWORKS. MARGARET ALSO BEGS FOR A PIECE OF STEAK ( AND SHE’LL GET IT, EVEN THOUGH  SHE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO GET PROTEIN DUE TO HER RENAL PROBLEM, BUT HEY, WITH HER CONDITION, WE ARE JUST SO LUCKY THAT SHE IS STILL WITH US, SO SHE SIMPLY GETS WHAT EVER SHE WANTS TO EAT ( AND IT’S NOT IN A FEEDING TUBE LIKE HER OTHER MEALS AND WATER).

MARGARET’S SHOW NAME IS KELSON’S MISS FIRECRACKER SINCE SHE WAS BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, SO THIS IS HER BIRTHDAY TOO.  EAT UP, MY FRIEND.