Sunday, August 17, 2008

August 17- Summer week 9

It has been a weekend to weed. I do not know whether we really appreciate weeds. Mind you, there are some really bad weeds. All those that have “stinging” or “poison” in their names are really bad. Then there are those that go down about 6 feet, leaving the toughest part under ground if you do not get ever last inch. I hate them. There is a little campanula that I would gladly take a blowtorch to if I had some thought that heat would do the trick.
But some weeds, my favorite is called “water weed,” just come out with the slightest pull. And after 3 minutes of concerted pulling you can really clean up an area. What a short-term reward.
Well, I added my bit to the greater Iowa City compost heap this weekend. I am not proud of the fact that I was weeding a lot of paths that never did get the wood chips they wanted in April. But I cleaned up several areas. And there are still many places left for this week.
Actually we haven’t had any real rain for almost 10 days and maybe, just maybe, I will have to get the hose out after all. Maybe the weeds are not growing as fast as before.

It has been cool this week, way down into the 50’s by morning. Jackets have been useful and the bugs do not seem to be around at the moment.

There is still color and interest.
Here are your pictures for the week.

First there is a little orchid that is blooming right now. It is not down by the street. It is a called Neofinetia falcata, and should be blooming in November.

Next is one of the best annuals, Persian Shield. Actually the Garden Gate magazine that came this week tells me that it really is a tender perennial. That means somewhere it is a perennial, just not here. It is really one of the best purples around.











In that same little corner of the yard, I have my castor beans. This is the castor bean seedpods.











This is the flower from Hosta Plantaganea, one of the few hosta that has flowers of note.









Finally there is caladium, a variety called Red Flash. It should be called Red Splash, nut I imagine that name was taken. It is splashed around the yard, in single plants this year. I got 25 this last spring. Maybe I should have 50 next year.

That’s it for this week’s poll. Last week the late Lilium just edged out the Japanese Anemone.

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There are some good bonus pictures this week.
It is the second half of August and there are still daylilies.






Dark Star is another late almost spider, which I got two years ago specifically because it was late. It is performing on cue.
Lady Neva is a gangly spider that has a hard time holding itself upright.
The hosta are good. This wonderfully textured leaf is from Inniswood.











This is one of the early toad lilies.











Here is hellebores foetidus, which has some of the most striking foliage. It will last until Christmas.










The one late lilium variety continues, this week providing this closeup.











Finally here is some of the new orchid cactus. Mark your colander for 2012. There should be some good stuff in the trees. I only hope that all the trees are still here then.








Have a safe week.
Philip

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I almost voted for the castor bean seed pod; maybe it's everyone's second choice.
And I have pokeweed, the 6ft-deep root horror (though it's pretty, particularly the flowers and then the berries). What has worked is to chop it off low down and paint the giganto-stump with tree stump killer. The ones that got that treatment haven't come back, but we'll see about next year.