in other areas-

Because even though the plants in back parts of the yard, where we have an easement so I'm reluctant to plant anything large or permanent- mostly shallow-rooted things that spread easy and if they have to get dug up by work crew someday for the storm drain pipes, well at least they're easily replaced. The pictures look pretty much the same year after year, but still I take note and try to put in new things, spread around the ones that are doing well, etc. Such as the 'chocolate' joe pye weed. This is the parent plant. There's well a dozen younger ones scattered around the easement now. I dug and moved a few to better locations. And cut off all the flowers, because much as I admire it, I don't need more 'chocolate' joe pye babies right now.

Still somewhat disappointed that my inkberry, bayberry, persimmon, and three of the redbuds, are dead and gone. This one hellebore in the rear perennial bed still looks yellowed. Either it's always sick, or there's soemthing off in the soil in that one spot. I'm going to dig it out and throw away. Let some of the babies grow in, see if they also turn yellow . . .

While all the regular hostas got eaten up completely by the deer (except the blue one in the corner by the garden, and the two buried in the perennial beds), and the sensitive ferns died back from the heat, I still have my stinkin' hellebore babies! In their second year now, not much bigger.

This one was smaller than the other two, I had planted it under the holly by the lady ferns (which also disappeared in the heat)- maybe it was too shaded so grew slower. I moved it closer to the front of that area, when transplanted the younger beautyberry into that spot.

Found quite a few of this plant along edges of the lawn down near the row of liriope. I thought it was strawberry begonia at first- and surprised if that plant had done well enough to produce and scatter itself, since I hardly notice it behind the joe pye 'chocolate' (plus don't they propagate by runners, not seed?)

So I went and cleared away leaf litter and stiltgrass in the area where the stawberry begonia is. Still there. Much smaller leaves than I recall, but seem to be more individual plants. No, it's not the same plant. I think the one pictured above is that weed I favor, that often has a blue-green look and then grows taller later in the season . . . 

green indoors

Undecided where to plant the persian shield yet, so it's still on plant bench-

This coleus is so attractive I haven't put it outdoors yet but keep it inside to admire. It's so velvety.

I really do think my new strawberry begonia will do fine-

Potted up the new group of young aloe veras. And promptly trimmed a leaf to use on a burn (steam from the kitchen kettle hit my thumb). A few small rocks in there on top of the soil just to keep the aloes propped up, they were falling over.

Tiny new leaves blushing green all over my jade!

yard and garden update

Already some of the tokyo bekana are bolting, and the tatsoi. The seed pods of older tokyo bek are getting fatter, I pulled most of the tatsoi but left three that are still shorter rosettes. Maybe if I save seed from those, my tatsoi will last a tad longer in the garden next spring. Sugar snap peas are flowering, so is the arugula (which we ate only twice, ha) and the purple clematis!

Over in the perennial bed, one of the columbines I grew up from seed last year, is blooming now. Pinkish.

Most of the transplanted ostrich ferns are okay- 

and here are two of the strawberry begonias

next to the 'chocolate' joe pye weed.

My rhodies on the back fence are starting to flower-

and the older rose of sharons have grown twice as much. It looks clear through the fence behind them, because it is. My neighbors have cleared small trees and brush from most of their yard, making it all lawn right up to the edge. I suppose they like open spaces, or maybe are afraid of ticks (good reason). And here I'm trying to fill my yard with plants, ha.

I planted some stuff

perennials from the swap, mostly. In various edges of the yard, the yarrow, artemesia, spiderwort, strawberry begonia, blanket flower (with red/orange coleus moved next to it), ostrich ferns, and creeping jenny- divided into bits to make a little row of it. Some were looking very sad and I don't know if they'll make it- it rains tonight so I hope that helps. I was in too much of a hurry to take pictures, before a thunderstorm passed over. I did take clippings of the creeping jenny and put in a jar of tank water, see if they convert and root can plant some in the aquariums.

Also momentarily brought my fig trees in the house to repot- slightly larger- they barely gained an inch or two all round. These are the largest pots I have. Might be time to buy some nice very large planters for them.

and houseplant notes

The one strawberry begonia I put in an indoor pot is already looking much better- maybe it will take this time.

I potted up the striped spider plant. I've learned that I probably failed with the last variegated spider plant I had by keeping it in too dim of a location- plants with white markings need more light than their solid-green counterparts, as the colorless cells don't photosynthesize

A better picture of my second 'bob serbin' violet- with the flowers open

Some of my younger cane begonias have new leaves growing-

but I am about ready to give up on the other calathea, which still looks unhappy all this time

plant swap!

I was delighted to attend the spring plant (and seed) swap at my local library (not hosted by the library, it's an individual group). I missed it in the fall, and last spring due to covid. This is what I took to give away- pink turtlehead, echinacea, a sprig of lavendar-

some coleus (the best ones leftover from the first set of cuttings I grew out) and one cilantro

A brandywine tomato, and a jade I've been growing for a while- one lady in particular was very happy to get the jade, and asked me how I grew it "so big!" so I showed her how I pinch them to encourage branching. Also, some packets of seed I'll never grow (sweet corn) and of saved seed I have so much of- cilantro, parsley, sage, echinacea, marigolds.

And here's what I got! The idea is you can take as many plants as you brought (though nobody checks, it's an honor system). I took twenty plants plus the seed packets, and didn't bring home quite as much- but some I'm so glad of that I don't mind. To start- a bunch of stonecrop. 

Creeping jenny

Yarrow

This one wasn't marked but I am pretty sure it's artemesia, or dusty miller- which would be nice because the ones I dug out of someone's yard and moved the year before all died on me, and the wormwood I'm trying to grow from seed hasn't sprouted at all.

Salvia lyrata- I kind I hadn't seen before

A sad-looking ostrich fern. There were many more, nicer ones- but other people got them first! (Behind it you can see the row of new geraniums, which I just moved up into larger pots yesterday)

A group of aloe vera pups, and a variegated spider plant- happy to have these because I used to have these plants but they died. I think I'm doing better by the plain-colored spider plant I have now, and with semi-succulents in general, so hope these do well!

Strawberry begonia. Again. The one I got year before, died. I mentioned that to another attendee at the plant swap and she said with surprise: "how did you kill it? they grow back outside!" It's usually grown as a perennial groundcover. Well, I got four clumps of it- one I'm going to try to keep as a houseplant again (because I do find it attractive) and the others put outside like everyone else does.

Not a great picture, because I'd already stuck it in the greenhouse, but this is spider lily, or spiderwort- scientific name tradescantia virginiana. I remarked on it when I saw the tag- yes, it's a native plant but what struck me is that it's related to tradescantia zebrina- or the wandering jew. They look nothing alike.

Most of the plants I got, had obviously just been dug out of the ground, a lot weren't in pots but just bare root. A bit wilting, and it was a warm day plus I am not sure yet where I will locate them all. So I put the bare root ones in pots with a bit of soil, and put most on the floor in my little greenhouse, to get some humidity and recover a bit from their shock. Except for the spider plant, aloe, and one strawberry begonia of course, which I kept inside. And this- my prize: 

It's a crown of thorns plant! Three cuttings, to be exact. I was so thrilled to see this I snatched it up immediately.

Years ago visiting a friend of my husband, I saw a large specimen of this plant in their living room window. I'd never seen one before and it was so striking. Wanted one ever since but never seen it anywhere for sale- in person that is. So I am delighted to have acquired this one, it was worth the whole swap to me. A bit concerned I might not have enough sun exposure for it (nearly all my windows are indirect light, the one window with direct light is always crowded)- but the lady who brought it said she puts hers outside for summers, and just overwinters it indoors. I'm certainly going to read up on it!

small swap

My little kalanchoe is getting too big for its tiny pot, and my poor strawberry begonia seems dwarfed-

so I switched 'em

Here's the kalanchoe before it went in. Actually two individual plants, and there's another just sprouting in the large jade pot too. Maybe I'll finally get a healthy one to grow larger. I've been careful to give it only tap or rainwater (as with all my succulents now)

Still don't know about the strawberry begonia. I'm giving it lean water for now, too. Seems to do worse when the leaves get a bit wet- going to water from below and see if that helps.

houseplant note

New cuttings stuck into the zebrina plant are doing fine. Arrowhead to the right, looking much happier since I took it out of the srhimp bowl.

my youngest pot of creeping charlie is still the best-looking one

the second one upstairs, just got a trim so I could start cuttings for my teenager to grow

Goldfish plant is blooming again

Schefflera buds close to opening as well-

Strawberry begonia isn't doing well. I think it started to dry out, and then got overwatered when I returned. But one little leaf in center looks okay, so maybe it will recover?