Dahlias!!!

This year it seems we will not have much of a foliage show as the stressed trees have prematurely cast their dried and wilted leaves before they changed. This is a survival tactic and even the mighty Oak and Walnuts have cast off their fledgling youngsters before they reached fruition. Many of us lost the watering battle and said goodbye to cherished trees and shrubs, many of which were old friends. As the hours of sunlight decrease many are breathing a sight of relief… very glad it is almost over.

However to the utter delight of the gardener, the flower show is not over yet… the dazzling Dahlia is finally producing a fabulous show. Among the most stunning flowers available, her ability to tolerate summer heat is a testament to her Mexican origin since hot and dry is her favorite climate condition. To honor her tenacity and beauty, the Dahlia has been the National Flower of Mexico since 1963.

The first dahlia tubers were discovered by invading Conquistadors in the 1500’s, who erroneously thought the tubers to be potatoes…. until of course they sprouted and bloomed on the voyage home. Following their first introduction to Court, many unsuccessful attempts were undertaken to obtain and cultivate the Dahlia and from 1660 though 1751 all efforts were unsuccessful. However viable seeds sent from a botanical garden in Mexico reached Madrid in 1791 and the first flowering dahlias began to appear in Spain. The following year seeds were sent to England but were lost, as were those sent to the Netherlands in 1804. After much effort, cultivation was finally assured in 1813 and the results are the ancestors of the astounding flowers we see today.

The color spectrum is as variable as the size of the blooms, assuring there is a dahlia for every garden, large or small. From the tiny pastel Humpty Dumpty to the huge Dinner Plate varieties, the diversity of the Dahlia is endless. They make lasting flower arrangements which appear professional regardless of the growers talents. The flowers must be cut in early morning at the leaf junction. Place the stems in a glass of warm water for a few minutes then recut the stems at a right angle. Arrange the flowers after removing all below water foliage to prevent water contamination. The resulting arrangement will last a week or more if the water is refreshed and stems recut after three or four days.

The bulbs, all of which will have reproduced nicely over the season, must be dug before a freeze. Dry and store them and over the winter, then plant once the ground has thawed. The Dahlia is well worth the effort!

Fall Containers and Pansies

*Our pond~

This year promises the most welcome Autumn in ages particularly, after the stressful conditions presented during the past summer. The crisp mornings are delightful, perfect for outdoor coffee and a leisurely walk to see the last of the garden. The sunny days are a comfortable temperature and exude calm after the frenzied rush of summer. As darkness falls and the cool patters in, night blooming flowers open filling the evening with their sweet scent. The trees have begun to thin and their leaves are drifting, whispering with an almost inaudible rustle as they gently fall. A walk through their ever-accumulating masses is a joy of crunching, swishing sound and motion. Autumn awakens every sense for even the names of the colors are an exciting artists palette...scarlet, bronze, ruby, burnt sienna, and yellow ochre.

This is the season most favored by many gardeners because of the quietude; it is the time to enjoy the fruits of their labors without hurry. For a brief moment in time there is nothing particularly pressing and now is the time to enjoy all that the garden offered… before it is time to say goodbye.

Fall is a marvelous time to leisurely plant a container arrangement and there are many plants that not only survive the cold temperatures, but thrive on it. Among the most colorful is flowering or ornamental Kale and unless one has chickens or Peafowl, it will do well all winter. (*It is a favorite fowl snack.)
*Rajah Ruins kale!!



Kale is among the oldest of the cultivated edible greens and has been a staple in the garden for centuries. A form of cabbage native to the wilderness of North America as well as all of northern Europe, it added a much welcome green and leafy vegetable to dinner tables and soup pots all winter. The ornamental Kale is edible but does not form the tight center ball common in cabbage. The flavor of the leaves becomes sweeter when exposed to frost.



Exceedingly popular today, it arrives at the nursery sporting a multitude of interesting ruffled leaf combinations, from spires to tight rosettes. Kale is round, dense and slow growing, making it a easy to contain. One of it’s most impressive attributes is the fact that the colors deepen as the temperature dips. Meaning the bright white, vivid greens, purple, burgundy, blues and variegated colors become more lovely as the winter deepens.

It should be noted that the most intense color is located at the center of the plant where the outer leaves obstruct them unless they are viewed from directly overhead. With this fact in mind, they may be planted at an angle in the container or on a slight slope in the landscape so they may be appreciated from a distance.

If one adds some Parsley, with it’s clear vibrant green and curled leafy texture, the contrast is striking. Parsley is mentioned often throughout history, and not only for its culinary and medicinal properties. The early Greeks made crowns of parsley to bestow upon the winners their athletic games and it is used in the Hebrew celebration of Passover as a symbol of spring and rebirth. It is mentioned as one of the plants in the gardens of Charlemagne and Catherine de Medici. In medieval times parsley was surrounded by much superstition due to the germination of the seeds. One belief claimed that the extremely long germination period existed because they traveled to hell and back seven times before sprouting. Naturally superstitious farmers were afraid to grow it.

For the energetic gardener, the precious pansies have begun arriving in the nurseries and it is a wonderful time to plant them. Originally a common viola growing in fields and hedgerows in England they were cultivated by William Richardson, gardener to Lady Mary Elizabeth Bennett in the early 1800’s. Despite his efforts, their first noted appearance was on the estate of James, Lord Gambier. His gardener, William Thompson, began to cross various viola species with a viola tricolor in an effort to achieve a round flower of overlapping petals. In the late 1830s he found by chance a flower that no longer had narrow nectar guides of dark color on the petals but a broad dark blotch instead. From this pansy came the future ‘flowers with a face'; his hybrid was released to the public in 1839 with the name "Medora". This pansy and its progeny, including "Victoria" became wildly popular with gardeners and breeders throughout all of Europe.



If planted now, they will survive nicely over the winter and will have a head start in the spring. Such a cheerful, adorable little flower is always a welcome guest at the garden party and the color options are positively stunning, their faces delightful!!

Cannas

September is the time to enjoy the visual pleasure provided by the spectacular Cannas blooming. The Canna has been the subject of hot botanical debate for years with each continent hoping to take credit for its origin. However it belongs to us alone as it has never been unearthed during archaeological excavations anywhere but on our North American continent. Mentioned in exploration documents in 1576, it was formally introduced to Europe in 1856 where it was named for the Celtic word for cane or reed.

Rather ominously, on our continent the Canna was once called 'Indian Shot' as their small, hard, round seeds resembled the home-made lead shot used in shotguns prior to the twentieth century. The unusual seeds were also used in making jewelry and many attractive antique necklaces contain them, either dyed or natural. Because of this impenetrable seed, the Canna is the only plant in which hibernation of seed is known to occur.

Typically in hot red, orange, yellow, or combinations of the three, hybrids have produced a dazzling array of colors and heights for this exotic and exquisite species. They are natural pollinators and attract both hummingbirds and butterflies making them a welcome addition to every garden. An additional plus is the fact they will bloom faithfully left undisturbed for many, many carefree years.

Of note is the underground rhizome which contains the largest starch particles of any plant, allowing its agricultural use. Its leaves may be made into paper, its stem fiber is equivalent to jute, its seed provides a lovely natural purple dye, and its flowers have also been fermented to produce alcohol. Smoke from its burning leaves is said to be an insecticidal.

Horn Canna Farm, located on 120 acres in Caddo County, Oklahoma boasts the largest collection of Cannas in the world. Founded by Neil and Louise Horn in 1928, it is truly remarkable and will be hosting its 24th Annual Canna Festival on September 25, 2010. The event begins with a parade at 10:00 in downtown Carnegie, Oklahoma and following the Parade, the gardens will be open to welcome visitors. With over a million breathtaking Cannas in full bloom, I highly recommend a tour of the gardens…it is indeed fabulous.

http://www.cannas.net
The above link will take you to their catalogue and I am never disappointed with my orders.

The Orb Weaver

With the advent of fall, one notices the influx of spiders lurking about the garden, the rafters of the house and every available nook. They are a most interesting invertebrate in both appearance and habit. All are predators which make them valuable to the gardener as they will eat flies, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, locusts, cockroaches, and aphids. The habits differ among species with some making intricate webs to trap their prey while some lie in wait on flowers and some simply travel about on the ground. Now is the time to see the intricate web of the amazing Orb Weaver whose wonderful web will catch almost any flying insect. Particularly interesting is the way in which she will repair the web, giving it an almost stitch-like appearance.




Part Two... Loss and Gain... My Green Lynx

I spent the month of September watching my lovely Lynx spider live on the Zinnias. She occasionally moved from one flower to another making it impossible to pick a bouquet lest I disturb her in her chosen 'territory'. As a true fan of Charlotte's Web, I was curious about what would ensue if she was left to her own devices. Would she have babies?

Yes, indeed, she did. A little over two weeks ago she began looking a little less plump and upon careful examination, I noted she had an egg sac on the underside of the Zinnia. It was translucent white and had a shimmering look to it. My 'Charlotte' stood guard vigilantly and never again made any efforts to catch a butterfly for dinner. She began to weave a straggled web around the top of the flower extending over eight inches to include a portion of the stem. Last Thursday, the babies began to hatch.



They are orange, the size of a pin head with tiny brown legs. Over the course of three days they slowly emerged and by Sunday the sac was empty. As the Mother stood guard, and the web became a play-pen, the little spiders all gathered on the top of the fading Zinnia. As the temperature climbed, they scattered about and began to explore only to rush together in a cluster if I jiggled the flower.



The Mother Lynx is clearly fading. She is such a shell of her former self that it is apparent her days are numbered and she will not survive. As I began research on my spider, concerned about the babies, it said it takes another two weeks until fully functional spiderlings are able to care for themselves. It also said they will need to eat eight grub-like worms to reach maturity. It is obvious that many of them will not be able to grow up considering the fact it is the end of the season. For those who doubt Motherhood 'takes something out of you', please look at my poor Mother Lynx... May she RIP.

Sweet Autumn Clematis

By the time I post this Hurricane Hermine will have arrived from the gulf bringing blessed rains to quell the field dust from the unrelenting weekend winds. Summer will have unofficially ended and Autumn will be ushered in with cool evenings and an aura of quietude. Heralding this event is the Queen of the Clematis family, the lovely Sweet Autumn, who is magnificent by all accounts. Requiring nothing more than a surface upon which to climb, this extraordinary and vigorous vine will grow to thirty feet in one season. There is no deferred gratification for this beauty to perform, for it will flower the first season with a glorious display of cascading blooms. Since it blooms in late summer through early fall, it allows for an exquisite exhibit when much in the garden has finished their show.

The Sweet Autumn Clematis hails from Japan originally but her popularity is universal and this lovely vine may be found from coast to coast. The mild vanilla fragrance of the flowers is not over-powering, yet is a gentle reminder of the sweet aroma of early spring. The lovely star shaped flowers are formed on numerous panicles creating an abundance of cascading flowers. Often there is such a profusion of flowers that it appears to have snowed!

The flowers will fade and yet the Sweet Autumn Clematis is not yet finished. She will provide an additional show of silvery plume-like seed heads which themselves become a perfect outdoor fall decoration for a moment in time. These interesting seeds are often dried and used in floral decoration.

Since the flowers form on the wood of this year's growth, the vine may be pruned drastically in the late spring. It may be pruned until it has only to six twelve inches of growth left and yet by mid-season it will have covered the trellis, fence or structure once again. Once established, it is practically indestructible.

The only important requirement is that it enjoys its roots shaded yet its head must be in full sunshine. Plant near a rock or other source of shade or even use a good mulch to provide enough darkness for the roots of this beauty because she can not stand to have her feet hot! Incredibly hardy, Sweet Autumn will provide many years of extraordinary beauty.

*Photo credit: Catherine Dougherty

Our Storm and the Hurricanes

The storm last evening was magnificent, lasting about thirty minutes and pouring one and a half inches of rain on our parched gardens. Our last serious rain was July 17th and we have had triple digit temperatures and a hot, dry thirty mile an hour wind for weeks now; it takes your breath away to walk outside. I have watched with concern as the native grasses of the surrounding countryside became more brittle each day until suddenly I realized it was tinder.

The dry weather leaves had fallen from the trees and were accumulating in crisp piles with the earth beneath them blow-sand and dust. The Black Walnut had begun to cast off her babies prematurely to save her strength, my Pyricantha slowly died and I was worried about my Viburnum when no amount of watering made her perk up. The garden wilted no matter the water applications so the situation had become dire.

Last evening I decided to take action as the radar showed the possibility of rain coming to us; I called all my children and told them to give shots of booze to the Four Winds, honoring their power and asking them to send rain. This time I purposefully did not remind them to ask the Winds for mercy… I wanted a storm. I told Michael to get busy doing whatever he felt was necessary to get us some rain! Out came the Maker’s Mark, a favorite by any standards and much more appeasing than Jack Daniels. (We all know the effects of Jack and who wants the Winds to act accordingly?) A shot to the West, the South, the East and the North Winds.

Within minutes the radar showed a line of storms… they were coming. Our son Peter called to say the radar in his tractor had suddenly shown a huge storm; he was rushing out of the fields to home. We took the car to the shop, then I gathered all lawn furniture cushions that I usually race about trying to keep dry and arranged them in a circular pattern… I sacrificed them, not caring if they were ruined. More booze to the Winds and they began whispering to the trees that rain was coming; they began dancing in a tandem waltz. Their waltz became a madcap of twirling as in a whipping frenzy the Winds made their grande entrance.

The storm arrived with lightning flashes that lit the sky, claps of thunder explosions and driving horizontal downpours. The winds quickly escalated to over 70 miles per hour and the power died. Through the darkness and the blazing lightning, various lawn items could be seen flying past the window and we were ecstatic!

The blackness of the night, the silence of the house without electricity, the phones dead making communication impossible, the velocity of the storm visible only through the flashes of lightning… it was amazing. My forest floor is finally saturated, my world is saved.



As we watch the weather events unfold along the East and Gulf coasts, after our storm, we were reminded that mankind has maintained a continuous struggle against assaults by nature. Catastrophic events have occurred since the beginning of time and have been the subject of vigorous religious and scientific study and discussion.

For thousands of years, countless theories have come to light only to be rebuked by new information. The belief that mankind is responsible for natural disasters is not a new premise. Our responsibility was believed for hundreds of years and was the reason for sacrifices to volcanoes, oceans, farmland, and forests. The argument is compelling and it would be convenient to blame us so perhaps we have an option for change and some measure of control.

Not so! When we study the deserts, which were once lush forests, it is obvious that many natural disasters are exactly that… natural. Although science has made vast advances in the prediction of weather related events, where a catastrophe will occur is still the whim of nature.

All week, I have been reading 'Nature on the Rampage' by Ann and Myron Sutton to better understand the forces of nature. Hurricanes were named after Huracan, an evil storm god of the Caribbean. One of the most devastating hurricanes on record occurred in 1780. It began off Barbados and came ashore where it flattened trees and dwellings killing countless numbers of people. It destroyed an English fleet anchored off St. Lucia, then ravaged the island completely leaving 6,000 dead in its wake. It swirled on to Martinique, enveloped a French convoy and sank more than 40 ships carrying 4,000 soldiers before leveling towns and villages killing another 9,000 people. It finally wound down after destroying Puerto Rico and an untold number of ships and fishing vessels caught unaware in open sea.

Weston Martyr is quoted in the book with his description of a hurricane. He said, "You cannot breathe with a hurricane blowing full in your face. You cannot see either; the impact on your eyeball of spray and rain traveling over a hundred miles an hour makes seeing quite impossible. The blowing sand cuts your flesh and you hear nothing but the scream and booming of the wind, which drowns even the thunder and the breaking seas. You cannot move except by extreme exertion. To stand is to be blown away like a dead leaf. You cannot even crawl; you have to climb about twisting your arms and legs around anything solid within reach". Hang onto your hats!!

*Pic is by the fabulous N.C. Wyeth, photo by me!

Late Bloomers and Collecting Seeds

The sun has assumed the brilliance seen in early spring and fall, signaling that summer is almost over and the cool days are soon approaching. As the garden is winding down for the season note the plants that are performing valiantly and plan to include them next year. Fortunately some save their show for the end of the season, indicating perhaps the best has been saved for last. The colors of the late bloomers seem deeper and more vibrant… as though the stressful conditions of the August heat has given them an extra boost. The annuals that appear their best now include the lovely Morning Glory and the cheerful Zinnias. The Crepe Myrtles must be included for they are providing an excellent show now.

The magnificent Morning Glories seen climbing a pole, tumbling over a trellis, or creeping along a fence are reaching their zenith now. Ever popular, the traditional blue has been joined by a vast array of colors and now include a new stripped cream and burgundy. They require full sun, are extremely drought tolerant and from now until frost will provide glorious beauty.

The Zinnia is another annual which is quite prolific in harsh conditions. A member of the Aster family of plants originating in Mexico they come in single, double, cactus, dahlia, ruffles, or pompon and their joyous colors certainly remind of a fiesta. They are easy to grow from seed, attract butterflies, require little care and will freely bloom until frost.

For several weeks it has been delightful to see the Crepe Myrtle giving her full show of fuchsia, crimson or white flowers. Originating in China, the Crepe Myrtle was first introduced to the South in 1747 where it thrived in their moderate winters. Then in 1950, the cold hardy Japanese Crepe Myrtle arrived, placing the tree on the national agenda. With lovely bark coloration, resistance to powdery mildew, and even a dwarf variety available, it is suitable guest in every garden. If spent blossoms are clipped, the Crape Myrtle will continue blooming until frost.

The seeds of your annuals are ready for collection now. The parent plants will have sent forth acclimated seeds which will allow for better performance than those you may purchase next spring. Following collection, allow them to thoroughly dry before sealing them in zip lock plastic bags. Label and include a slip of paper in the bag with information about color, height, heat tolerance, and where in the garden they performed well. By Spring you will have forgotten the details your notes will provide.

Field Crickets

*Photo: An Asian Market selling Cricket Cages~

The lovely song of the field cricket is heralded this month and its melodic symphony can be heard each evening. Fall is the time for cricket mating and the male, who is the only voice of the cricket, is singing to potential sweethearts. Although the female can not sing, she can hear the song through her ears which are located on her front legs just below her knees.

A shy and reclusive little insect, the cricket rarely makes a public evening appearance until the urgency of mating begins. Following fertilization cricket eggs are deposited in the soil in the autumn soon after the rains begin. They will rest there until time to hatch in the spring; once they are born baby crickets hide during the day. They emerge to eat in the evenings and enjoy grasses, pieces of grain, wool and their favorite snack... book bindings. Apparently the darling cricket will sing, mate, then come inside to eat a good pair of wool pants and a book or two before its life cycle ends.

In China singing crickets are kept as pets in special cages and it is believed they bring a household good fortune... prized specimens fetch amazing prices. In fact the cricket culture in China dates back to the Tang Dynasty from 500 BC to 618 AD. It was during this time the crickets first became respected for their powerful ability to “sing” and a cult formed to capture and cage them. Naturally the obsession escalated and in the Song Dynasty from 960 to 1278 AD the sport “cricket fighting” became popular.

The sport became so popular that China actually produced a Cricket Minister, Jia Shi-Dao who reigned from 1213 to 1275 before being deposed for irresponsibility. Then from 1427 to 1464, a Cricket Emperor, Ming Xuan-Zhong ruled in favor of cricket fighting, making his palace a major tribute to this important insect. Racketeering, gambling, and even suicides were reported over Chinese cricket mania.

Luckily, the Asian fabric of choice is silk...not wool!

Passion Flowers and Vines

As the month of August reaches full fruition, gardeners everywhere are either enjoying or awaiting the blooms on their Passion Vines. With over 400 species from which to choose, this genus is prized for its extraordinary and showy flowers. The flowers are characterized by an intricate center which contains both sexes, making it unusually complete unto itself. In other words, it does not require pollination from a separate plant to reproduce.

The Passion Vine is a member of the family of Passiflorales of which herbs, trees, as well as the vines are all members. The papaya is the most famous fruit, appearing on a tree which resembles a palm. A cousin of the Passion Vine, the Mapop, grows in wild abandon all over the south. Climbing over fences, trees and stone walls, this sweet vine produces a fragrant flower only the size of a small chrysanthemum.

The plant was first discovered in Latin America by Catholic priests in the 1500's. They named the plant for the suffering and death of Jesus for they felt parts of the flowers symbolized the Passion. The five petals and five petal-like sepals represented the ten apostles who remained faithful to Jesus. The circle of hair-like rays raised above the petals was said to resemble the crown of thorns. An avid gardener once had a different explanation and told his reason for its name. He confessed to watching the vine each day, waiting and waiting... and wanting a flower in a way he usually reserves for wanting a woman...with a passion.



*The vine will grow to astounding proportions in several seasons. It must be mulched to over winter properly unless located in semi-tropical locales.

Late Blooming and Drought Tolerant

The late season garden presents challenges that differ greatly from the garden of early spring and summer. Since August usually includes high temperatures and little rain, one must plan for these typically dreadful conditions and include and array of sun loving, drought tolerant, late season perennials.

‘Drought tolerant’ sounds excellent now, and few plants tolerate dry conditions as well as the more than 300 species of the Sedum genus which is a native to regions in the northern hemisphere. Among the most hardy and durable plants the Sedum, or Stonecrop, is easy to grow, requires little care, and will endure where other plants will perish. The name ‘Stonecrop’ was actually given for their habit of living almost anywhere including mounds of stone, piles of gravel, or even tucked into chinks in a rock wall. Their plump fleshy leaves are their secret to survival as they store water for the plant to use during extremely dry spells.

Sedums come in all sizes, from mat-forming ground covers to stands of flower clusters that top 30 inch stems. Among the most popular is the Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ whose flower buds have just begun to open as the heat dome arrived. As the first frost arrives and the rest of the garden has collapsed, the dried Sedum blooms will remain a visual interest if left intact.

Needing only well drained soil and full sunlight, the Sedum is not susceptible to pests who are repelled by the stout leaves preferring more tender foliage, however butterflies and bees are abundant about the blooms. Easy to propagate, simply break a leaf or stem from the Mother plant, shove it into a hole the size of an index finger, tamp the soil, lightly water for a week, and it will start a new plant.



Another interesting addition to the drought garden is Sempervivum Tectorum, commonly known as Hen and Chicks which were first recorded by Theophraste, a Greek botanist, during the 4th century BC. Grown under identical conditions as the Sedums, this fascinating little plant is a mat-forming succulent that produces clusters of rosettes. The parent rosettes are the ‘hens’ and the smaller rosettes that spring from them are the ‘chicks‘. Children find the plant’s habit of producing ‘chicks’ extremely interesting, making it a wonderful way to lure them to the garden.

Both Sempervivum and Sedum are considered ‘Old World Treasures’ and are associated with mythology. The Romans called them ‘Beard of Jupiter’ and planted them on roofs to guard against lightning; the name of Sempervivum tectorum is taken from the Latin tectum, meaning roof . This myth spread throughout Europe to Ireland and in Scandinavian countries both plants were called Thor’s Helper’ where they were believed to drive off demons and guard homes if planted on roofs. According to folk wisdom, one may hang sedum on a wall in midsummer to ward off lightning strikes and it may also be used to foretell the outcome of affairs of the heart. Both are reputed to have medicinal benefits and to boost energy, however today they are best used as ornamentals.

As the heat continues, these plants may indeed be considered treasures!

Dog Days of Summer

It is impossible to watch the wilting garden without wincing as the arrival of the ‘heat dome’ is extremely depressing for all who enjoy the outdoors. The heat dome is part of a summer weather pattern wherein a large high-pressure system… essentially a huge mound of stagnant hot air… arrives to park itself over at least one region of the country and the South Central region is the most popular for it. This hot air keeps out the rain and allows for a slow broil underneath it. However before science informed us of this cause, heat domes were called the ‘Dog Day’s of Summer’ and caused by a group of stars.

Notoriously sultry and unbearable, the name of these days occurring in the Northern hemisphere originates from the star Canis Major or Sirus, the big dog. During late July through August, Sirus is in conjunction with the sun, meaning they both rise at the same time in the sky. This led to the ancient belief that the miserable heat this time of year was caused by the star's effect upon the sun, making it hotter thus the 20 days before and after the conjunction are called 'dog days'. Regardless of the fact that the heat arrives now from the tilt of the earth rather than the presence of Sirus, some 50 million miles from earth, the long held belief the star is responsible is still maintained in many cultures.

It is easily imagined that the stars were a major influence on mankind before the night sky was obscured by artificial lighting and smog. Images from the pattern of the stars were drawn by 'connecting the dots' and each culture saw a different pattern emerge from such connections. From the Asians, Native Americans, Europeans, Persians, and so forth, each society created mystical explanations for the changing patterns in the heavens and the ensuing weather conditions. The star-pictures mapped in the night sky by our European ancestors are now known as Constellations.

Ancient people believed the dog days to be an evil time so accordingly, a brown dog was sacrificed to appease the rage of Sirus. According to the famous Greek Phiny (AD 23-79) there was an increased risk of attack by rabid dogs at this time so he suggested feeding them large quantities of chicken droppings as a preventative measure. By 1729 in the British publication The Husbandman's Practice, survival was intent upon mans ability to 'take heed of feeding violently'. This handy guide warns, 'The heat of the Sun is so violent that men's bodies sweat at midnight as at midday' and any illness may be worsened 'yea, very near death'. By 1813 in Brady's Calvis Calendaruim, it was said to be a time 'when the seas boiled, wine turned sour, dogs grew mad, and all creatures became languid, ‘causing to man burning fevers and hysterics‘. My grandmother maintained a cut will not properly heal in these days and that babies were vulnerable to a colic-like condition called ’summer complaint’.

Today Sirus appears several weeks later than in ancient times as the stars and constellations have shifted in relation to the Sun. Regardless of the cause of the heat, most certainly one must admit a feeling akin to 'hysteria' while dragging hoses this time of year!

Enormous Elephant Ears

*Scale of the picture: David is 6'2"

The amazing Elephant Ear (of the Colocasia family) has been in cultivation for over 28,000 years and because of this the exact origin of the plant has been lost. It has long been a major food crop in the warm climates of India, China, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Polynesia, Africa, and South America. All parts of the plant are edible if they are thoroughly steamed or boiled to remove toxic calcium oxalate crystals. Anyone who has attended a traditional Hawaiian luau has eaten the cooked leaves and the corms are mashed into the popular poi.

After grocery shopping in El Reno on Saturday we happened to drive down Hoff Street and were positively stunned at the sight of the most extraordinary Elephant Ears. Grown by David Jensen, the stupendous, show-stopping plants lining a portion of his house were at least seven feet tall with leaves over five feet in length, four in breadth and still growing! Remarkable!

Luckily, David happened to be in his front yard and after introductions and his acceptance of our elated comments, he graciously explained his technique for raising such marvelous plants. His plants are six years old and had been purchased as standard bulbs at Wal-Mart. He occasionally amended the bed with manure and had a timer to assure they were watered frequently. Often in the heat, he runs a slow flow of water all night and believes the watering is paramount to success. Against the house facing east, they receive two to three hours of morning sun, by eleven are shaded by an overhanging tree and for the rest of the day shielded from sun by his home.

David digs his bulbs following the first light frost and when the leaves have been nipped. He has noted that although they began as standard bulbs, each year they have grown until now they are the size of a small basketball. He leaves about six inches at the top of each bulb and removes all the small tendrils which have grown over the season. After dusting off the soil, he places them in dry peat moss in the house for about a month so they can thoroughly dry. Some years he has dusted them with a fungicide, but admitted he had not last year and it had not affected the health of his plants. Once they are completely dry, David’s second stage of storage is placing them in a cool place like a root cellar where they rest in dormancy over the winter but do not freeze.

By mid-April he plants them and he has learned by successive plantings several weeks apart that all the plants will begin to emerge at the same time; apparently the earlier plantings will remain dormant until the soil reaches a proper temperature. David also plants the baby bulbs which have grown next to their parents and is experimenting with them to see if such mammoth growth is a genetic.

Base of the plant is the size of a bushel basket!

House Wrens

This House Wren made her nest in a potted plant on a table outside the back door~

Now is the time to venture out and look for the darling House Wren who has possibly made her nest in some odd place nearby. They come to the garden in the spring with the male signaling his arrival with an almost incessant stream of burbles, warbles, buzzes and rattling churrs. Native Americans called this bird o-du-na-mis-sug-ud-da-we-shi, meaning 'making a big noise for its size'. They are considered a songbird even though their wonderful song is heard only during the nesting season and rarely afterwards. Since the diet of the House Wren consists almost entirely of insects, spiders, snails, flies, ticks, plant lice, gypsy moth larvae, ants, bees, beetles, and grasshoppers they are a valuable asset to the gardener for natural control of pests.



As indicated by their common name, they are intensely interested in humans and often nest where they receive attention. They will make a cup sized nest of various materials including string and pieces of plastic and sit on three to seven creamy white eggs. They famously choose unusual sites for their nests, including door wreaths, lamp posts, garage shelving, and even old shoes. Both parents will raise their young and the family will leave here for winter quarters in Mexico by early October.

Small and overly confident, the brown House Wren is extremely territorial and will make efforts to destroy the nest of competitive birds. It is said they will occasionally destroy the eggs of other birds by breaking the egg shell. They have also been known to vandalize the cavity of other bird nests by placing sharp sticks in them therefore rendering them unusable. To encourage this valuable little bird to nest in your garden, boxes with a hole small enough to prevent competitive cavity nesters is an option.

When their sociable behavior is added to their abilities to control pests, it is no wonder this dear little bird is among the all time American favorites.



One made a nest just inside the airless paint sprayer at the shop. Everyone worked around her as she sat! Yesterday the four babies learned to fly!

Darling, Daring Dragonflies

This is indeed the year of the dragonfly! They seem to be everywhere and at all hours of the day. Twenty years ago they appeared in great numbers in late afternoon, gracefully hovering in a suspended dance above the meadow. This year they appear in mass by mid-morning and in a stunning array of brilliant colors. Dragonflies are located worldwide and have more than 5,000 described species, 450 of which reside in North America, with Texas alone home to 225 species. Considerably downsized now, a fossilized dragonfly from 250 million years ago had a wingspan of 28 inches!



Dragonfly adults are lovely and graceful, with a sweet head that turns to look at you quizzically with magical eyes. Often brightly colored they have two pair of long, slender, transparent, and highly veined wings. The wings do not fold but are held permanently outstretched even when at rest. Adult dragonflies are usually found near water with a territory which may range several miles. Many males are intensely protective, defending their domain from other males, which may explain sudden aeronautical chases exhibiting extraordinary maneuverability.



A truly beneficial insect from infancy to maturity, dragonflies eat mosquitoes. The immature dragonfly is called a nymphs (or naiads). Nymphs are entirely aquatic and are found on submerged vegetation and the bottom of ponds and marshes where they capture and eat mosquito larvae. The adults seen above the meadows are capturing adult mosquitoes while in flight.



As with all interesting insects, there are many folk tales surrounding the dragonfly. Perhaps due to their unusual and multifaceted eyes, in Norway and Sweden they were said to be sinister works of the Devil. Conversely the Pueblo tribes have endowed them with significant importance. They are said to represent swiftness and activity and to the Navajo pure water. Dragonflies are a common motif in Zuni pottery, Hopi rock art and they appear on many Pueblo necklaces. In Japan they are a symbol of late summer and early autumn and also represent courage, strength, and happiness. They often appear in art, literature, and on Japanese pottery.



Regardless of their artistic and intrinsic importance, the fact they will purge the garden of mosquitoes makes them an extremely welcome visitor anytime.




*My friend Sharon Lee, an awesome photographer, graciously allowed me to use her photo of the dragonfly.

Unexpected turn... the Privet

Sometimes Nature takes an unexpected turn and so it happened here. In Emerson's essay on Compensation he speaks of the 'sunny flower garden, with no room for its roots and too much sunshine for its head, by the falling of the walls and neglect of the gardener assumes new character'. He suggests that often a miraculous transformation may occur and thus it has happened in our garden.

Almost thirty years ago I planted small privet hedges found nestled beneath their parents at my Grandmother's home. Each the size of a slim pencil back then, they grew and thrived. For well over two decades, our Privet hedges were trimmed, sculpted, and modeled to perfection. They became the perimeters of carefully proportioned outdoor rooms, each defined by a circumference of hedge. The swimming pool area, the badmitton court, and even the basketball court were carefully embraced into utter seclusion by the perfectly manicured hedges.






Over the course of the years, as each of our children reached a certain age, they were assigned to trim and did so proficiently. As each grew up and beyond their duty, they were allowed to escape the effort of clipping. And still the hedges grew. As the last son left home and the hedges were left to us alone, they began to reach higher and higher still, instinctively knowing that being left alone with us would finally allow freedom. They grew seeking the sunlight beyond the tree tops, with first their depth and breadth doubling then tripling. In what seemed a twinkling, they were beyond our grasp. They reached past the trimmers, further than the scope of the ladder, beyond all control.

We lamented the passing of the orderly rows of hedge and then something wonderful happened. The hedges devolved into their true nature of being. They are thick and healthy, lush and verdant, and an absolutely stunning specimen of magnificent proportions. Covered with miniature spears of tiny white flowers of the most delicate nature, they are beauty beyond compare and seem as though waiting for the wedding party. Their fragrance reaches the perimeters of the lawn, and wafts sweetly through to the woodland and beyond.

Were it not for our age and limitations, our Privet would have remained as they were…formal and yet formidable. Controlled and in the effort required to keep them perfect, controlling beyond measure. However as the garden and the gardener alike mature, some unexpected loveliness may appear… to your surprise and sheer delight.


Entrance to the Secret Garden...the Frog Pond and Zen Pool Lay Beyond~

Bagworms

The bag worms have reached a epic proportions this summer and for the first time they seem to have attacked the Elms. In recent years they were seen predominately on the Bald Cypress and Evergreens, but usually not in enough numbers to kill the tree. However this year many Elm trees have been stripped bare of all leaves, succumbing to the worms presence. A particularly nasty pest, a bagworm can actually kill its host by sucking the life out of it as it moves through its life cycle. Bagworms begin to build their signature case shortly after hatching and their only purpose is to grow within the case, pupate into an ugly and dreadful little moth, then mate before dying. The cases grow as the worm develops for they continue to add plant material mixed with their own damaging silk for their entire life. A tree infested with bagworms will exhibit increasingly damaged foliage as more and more of it is consumed by these camouflaged eating machines.

Eradication is difficult with many solutions involving poisonous chemicals that should never be used in our fragile environment. It may help to sever a limb from the tree forcing it to send out a ‘distress call’ to save itself and therefore exude an extract distasteful to the worms, causing them to vacate. Hand picking is the best solution and it is immensely satisfying to use an inexpensive pair of plastic-handled scissors to cut them in half and watch them suffer. Happy picking!

Daylilies

The fourth in Oklahoma was most unusual by being a total wash-out this year. The rain was unexpected and we may thank Hurricane Alex for our good fortune. For in spite of disappointing campers and flooding some areas, receiving rain and cool temperatures for the beginning of July is truly a blessing! Our poor neighbors in the North East are ill prepared for the heat dome that usually arrives here after the wheat harvest, and it seems determined to punish Yankees who never thought they would need air conditioning.

The day lilies are in full bloom now. It has traveled on a long journey from the standard orange as hybridization has ushered in countless varieties that thrill the collector. A hardy plant, the daylily is an ancient flower first found growing wild in forests, swamps, meadows and mountains throughout China, Mongolia, Northern India, Japan and Korea. It was in early China that daylilies were taken from the wild and planted in gardens as they were thought to be uplifting to the spirit. And it is the Chinese who thought the buds to be nutritious while the roots were used as painkillers and diuretics.

The botanical name of the bloomer, Hemerocallis, is based on the Greek words for "beauty" and "day" for each flower opens and lasts a single day. References to daylilies first appeared in Europe and the Mediterranean in the 1500s and the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus gave the daylily its generic name in 1753.

As Daylilies arrived in United States in the early 1900s they were greeted with great enthusiasm and in the 1920s, Dr. A.B. Stout, a botanist from Wisconsin, began extensive hybrid programs and has been called ‘The Father of Modern Daylilies’. In 1946, the American Hemerocallis Society was founded and in 1955, the organization became the official registry for all types of daylilies. There is such interest and excitement amongst Daylily lovers that there are over 330 American Hemerocallis Society Display Gardens throughout the United States and parts of Canada.

Some varieties of daylily are unusual for their shapes. The crispate form has pinched or folded tips on half of the petals. The cascade form has petals that bend low and outward, as if cascading down the flower stem. The spatulate form has petals that widen toward the edges. Some daylilies have straight or smooth edges on their petals, while others have ruffled petals or jagged edges. A picotee edge is ruffled and colored to match the eye on the petals. Ruffling occurs when the petals appear to have crimped edges.

When the children were little we played an evening game of snapping off the days spent flower… which issued a rather loud pop as it was broken from the stem. By removing the spent flower, longer blooming was encouraged and the flower of the next morning appeared on a tidy stem. Regardless of the shape or color, a variety of Daylilies are perfect guests arriving at the garden party during the height of Summer.

*Check out http://www.daylilies.org/

Grasshoppers and Guinea Fowl

What does one do when the organic garden is suddenly over run with vicious pests? Almost over night, the garden was inundated with grasshoppers. The hatching's were pale green with a baby look that appeared almost cute but a week later they were adolescents changing into brown. The following week they were rough scaled and fully armed adult eating machines… with a canny intuition and wings. How can a grasshopper instinctually move from one side of a stem to another, hiding from capture? With their famous chewing mouth parts, the ability to ’spit tobacco’ and their thorny back legs they seem a product of a sci-fi horror film. Not to mention their inclusion in the Bible as the eighth plague on Egypt before the Exodus.



As one walks through the garden they may be heard unseen and rustling, then wing whishing and plopping from one plant to another. They have fully decimated my lovely dinner plate Dahlia, stripping the leaves with plague-like precision, even eating parts of the flower and half of the buds. The final straw was ruining my lovely Stargazer. What to do, particularly since the butterflies are spectacular, the dragonflies a delight, the bee population has recovered, and the lazy drone of the Cicadas soothes? To use pesticide on the hoards of invading grasshoppers would kill all of the beneficial and aesthetic insects, leaving me with a silent albeit lovely garden.




Fortunately there is a time honored and efficient answer to the problem which does not involve any spraying, dusting or trapping. Simply purchase a few Guinea Fowl! Since grasshoppers are their favorite delicacy, they will move quietly through the garden eating along the way. They do not favor flowers or vegetables making them far more desirable than chickens, who will scratch and stomp them to death. However there are a few important rules involved in owning Guinea Fowl.



The guys purchased five adults on Father’s Day for Michael and we isolated them in an outdoor pen for a little over a week so they would acclimate and not disappear into the woods. Then we allowed two out on the first day, three the second day, and finally all five are patrolling the gardens. They put themselves to bed in their original cage each evening and we close the door behind them until morning to protect our little army. Guinea's are like soldiers of the finest magnitude or perhaps even a close knit tribe. One member will sit atop a post or find a vantage point in a tree to scout for danger. If anything out of the ordinary appears to be approaching, the sentry will sound the alarm with a high pitched rattle of screeches to warn the others who will immediately join in the screeching whilst running in circles… one could safely say Guinea fowl are ’freakers’. If the danger seems imminent, they will join forces and attack emass, flying and diving on the suspect.

I experienced this first hand a few years back as I attempted to collect 18 babies who had quietly hatched in the meadow. Following behind their mother, they at first appeared to be tiny leaves blowing in the grasses. I attempted to collect them before the cat did and their mother sounded the alarm. The ear-splitting screeching, the rush of the tribe to assist her, the flogging and diving on my head was frightening indeed so I allowed the group to keep the babies. Not the sharpest tools in the shed, they circled the babies and then lost, stomped, or simply forgot all but three of the youngsters.



Notwithstanding their terrible parenting skills, they are a marvelous addition to the garden with their distinctive sound and exotic appearance. And their ferocious appetite is fantastic!

Change... From the swimming pool to the frog pond

Over time, needs change and adaptation naturally occurs in the garden. When the children were little we planted the Privet around the edge of the property and installed a horse tank surrounded by decking just opposite the badmitton court we had created for August tournaments. We surrounded the tank with evening bloomers that would smell lovely by moonlight... Datura and Four O'Clocks. Summer days were spent swimming and dipping, sunning and playing. Evenings were for star gazing, often while floating on inflatable chaises, gin and tonics in hand.







The children grew up, the swimming pool became more of a hassle than a joy, and the sun became very unfriendly. And so it became a frog pond. We placed lilies and water grasses in it, added goldfish to minimize mosquitos, and kept the night blommers for their scent. The decking was perfect for the green jumpers who came to inhabit our pond and often we had dozens that would plop with a splash as we approached.





Still it lacked the feeling, the aura if you will, that we wanted. So last weekend we removed the entrance decking, installed dual benches, a gravel path to the water's edge, and gave our little space a truly Zen feeling.



I like it a lot... and so does the the Pond Fairy!



*Five dollars worth of water hyacinth will clean an entire pond, multiplying as the season progresses.

Rules for Having Poisonous Plants~

Ingesting Only One Castor Bean Seed Will Prove Fatal!
Pretty tho' Isn't She?

Plants have been source of fascination since the beginning of time. They have provided a plethora of benefits to mankind and use of them has evolved over many years. However as all gardeners know, there is a dark side to the plant kingdom and many common plants are extremely toxic causing complaints which range from indigestion, to hallucinogenic visions, and possibly even death. The science of using dangerous plants reached a zenith during Medieval times when dispatching an enemy was as simple as brewing a tea! Today, for the well being of children and animals, it is wise to know which common plants impose significant dangers.

Almost all flowering bulbs are toxic in some manner so do not ingest any of them. Many plants contain dangerous compounds which are removed by cooking. Our own Poke Weed, found in early spring, is toxic unless the leaves are prepared in a specific manner. The roots, leaves, and flowers of Taro, a wild Elephant Ear, are staple foods in some tropical countries, but they too must all be cooked before eating. Some plants have parts of them which are edible while other parts are toxic. The Rhubarb, used in flavorful jellies and pies, has poisonous leaves but the stalks are not.

The following plants are listed as fatal, making them of particular import. Bunny Rabbit flowers aside, the lovely Larkspur is so toxic that it was used during the Revolutionary War as a pesticide. Soldiers stuffed their boots with it to repel mites and ticks. Oddly, the green berries of the lovely and prolific Lantana are fatal in small doses as are those of the Wisteria, Jasmine and Mistletoe. All parts of the Azalea and Rhododendron plants are deadly as well. The popular house plant Dieffenbachia is called dumb cane for it’s affect on the mouth and throat if ingested. The instant swelling not only renders the individual dumb, but may cause air-blocking swelling.

Many toxic plants incur cult followings among ill informed youth. Used as a recreational drug due to hallucinogenic properties, the exotic Moon Flower made the news on a high school campus last fall as students chewed seeds in class. Salvia Divinorum contains a property which is a potent naturally occurring hallucinogen when smoked. The leaves were used in traditional spiritual practices by the Mazatec people of Mexico however due to it’s ‘popularity’ among non-native followers, it has been banned in twelve states including Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Delaware, North Dakota, Illinois, and Ohio.

There is a simple common sense rule to follow in dealing with the Plant Kingdom: Do not graze in the woods or garden, eating or smoking what abounds unless it is something that you know and recognize as healthful… it could make you ill or even prove fatal.

Caladiums

Without doubt it is the year of the Caladium. Driving about town, they appear in almost every garden in splendid glory. A native of South America they have been called “Heart of Jesus” and ‘Angel Wings’ for the intricate structure of their leaves. Since they are tropical and require moisture to reach their zenith they have certainly flourished this year. Planted about the time one plants Okra seed, they are also one of the few bulbs to thrive in the shade. Grown for their spectacular multicolored decorative leaves, they are used on borders, in pots and as garden focal points and look lovely from now until fall.

There are two kinds of Caladium, the fancy-leafed and the lance-leafed, with the lance-leafed the slightly smaller of the two. Since there are over 1,000 named cultivars from the original South American plant, one is assured a color or combination which will fit into every garden scheme. They grow to full size in one season and come in astonishing combinations of red, pink, green or white with colored midribs and contrasting backgrounds and borders.

Each Caladium tuber has a large central bulb surrounded by smaller buds so the larger the tuber, the more impressive the display. You may save Caladium tubers for planting next year by digging the tubers in the fall before they have lost all color. Once dug, spread them on an old screen to dry for a week, cut and remove all the dried foliage, dust the soil from them then pack in dry peat moss or vermiculite for storage. In packing, make sure the tubers do not touch each other and store them where the temperature will not dive below 50 degrees. Keep in mind however that the foliage of bulbs stored in this manner will be smaller and bloom less abundantly than first-year tubers. For less than the price of dinner for two at a fine restaurant, one can purchase an abundance of tubers in the spring, assuring a magnificent show all summer.