Blue Garden chat forum: Blue Garden Friends #32, July 2011
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| Happy July to all of you, let's celebrate the birth of our country!! We came from here: http://cubits.org/bluegardens/thread/view/58423/ I brought with us Maria's beautiful Mountain Fleece! Takes my breath away when I look at it. So let's see what we have blooming now that we are entering July. Anything blue, or is blue reserved for spring?? If you'd like to see spring blooms click to go back to our last thread, it's filled with them.  |
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| I'm fresh out of anything blue, but I'll share with you the blooms from the past couple of days. While I'm thinking of it, be sure you put your blue blooms on our Blue Bloom thread! Don't want to forget and leave them behind. Blooming today for me, tansy is just starting. Tansy helps keep the mosquitoes away. It surely does stink, though.  White butterfly bush is just opening, too.  Carpet rose with variegated vinca and chameleon around it.  Crocosmia  And bunches of daylilies, believe it or not, they are winding down.....    |
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| When our kids rode ponies on trails, they stuck tansy in the bridles. they said it helped with the flies. |
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| They're right, it does help with all kinds of annoying bugs...including chiggers. |
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| Tansy sounds like a great plant to have around--I was wearing shorts to get a little color on my white legs, but had to stop that due to hungry mosquitos. |
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| Thanks for the new room, Sharon. Personally, I like the idea of a monthly thread. I love that Tansy ... love herbs in general. I am a mosquito magnet. The Mountain Fleece hasn't arrived yet but I'm trying to save a prime spot for it in the front yard. I planted a dozen perennials and shrubs yesterday. Talk about hot, sweaty and stinky. Ugh! There are so many old tree and azalea roots in my yard that digging holes is almost always one big chore! Unless I happen to hit just the right spot. No way around it. My blue plants are all "quiet" right now. Crepe Myrtle  Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. ~~Leonardo da Vinci |
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Tansy has a distinct odor and interesting foliage and flowers. However, beware that it grows like a mint in many places, and can be considered aggressive. I used to have it, but it has somehow died out to be replaced by mountain mint and Monarda. However, I can easily get more from my Mom or others I gave pieces to, as they are continuously trying to get rid of it now  . I think it is also supposed to have some compounds that are best avoided, so put it on your clothes instead of rubbing it on your skin. For mosquitoes, I have used the citronella/soybean oil/geranium oil combinations somewhat successfully, as well as the noise repellers, little ultrasound devices that can be worn. They slow down the critters, but do not always stop them. My summer fun is always tempered somewhat by always having some sort of bug bites on me - just part of being outside, which I will almost always prefer even with biting bugs. My son also has fun lighting the citronella candles which we surround ourselves with when eating lunch or working in one spot for a while. I avoid DEET. Noise repeller example: http://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-SB004-Personal-Mosquito-Repell... A Google search will find many more. A word of warning with the large bug bucket candles, however: I pulled out some bug bucket candles that had been stored, and did not know there were small holes in the sides of one, and it also had some leaves and other potentially wicking detritus in it. While eating lunch, Skye commented that the flame was getting larger, and I said it was OK, we will watch it. Within a few minutes, the wax had leaked through the holes and almost the entire bucket started flaming inside and out, and on my wooden porch. I found a metal rod and carried into the middle of the yard to let it burn away, and it certainly did with over 2 foot tall flames! We both learned about making sure all candles are watched and put out when not in the area. I also used the opportunity to let Skye practice with a small fire extinguisher that was just past expiration. A learning experience all the way around, and now Skye knows why I get grumpy when I see candles not put out. He is very responsible with the candles, so often it is my wife that is to blame, but it still made the point very well. Have a good day everyone. Look and listen for the welfare of the whole people and have always in view not only the present but also the coming generations, even those whose faces are yet beneath the surface of the ground -- the unborn of the future Nation. The Constitution of the Iroquois Nations. Dogs; Family Fun Unplugged; Perennials, Annuals, Veggies; Happy Birthday Wishes |
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Thanks for the warning about the candles, Lance. I'm going to try the tansy today, as the chiggers are really bad right now and I'll be on the ground, weeding. I have the golden variety, but I'm assuming that it's just as effective as regular tansy: Notes from the Garden: Articles of interest on all aspects of gardening Cottage-in-the-Meadow Gardens: Come on in and take the tour! Check out the photos! |
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Ruellia, a native (of course) blue flower blooming right now. Elephantopus will be blooming soon as well, with blue flowers. The ruellia seems to prefer my driveway for some reason; it moves well, is not very prolific (net yet anyway), but I still get a few in the driveway every year. There is a small bee in this one. Look and listen for the welfare of the whole people and have always in view not only the present but also the coming generations, even those whose faces are yet beneath the surface of the ground -- the unborn of the future Nation. The Constitution of the Iroquois Nations. Dogs; Family Fun Unplugged; Perennials, Annuals, Veggies; Happy Birthday Wishes |
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I forgot to add in this one. I think it is framing worthy, and posted it for Sally just a few minutes ago, but thought we might enjoy it here, as well. One of those lucky shots with lighting and character all coming together. Notice the small bee in the lower left corner as well as the clear wing moth in the middle. Look and listen for the welfare of the whole people and have always in view not only the present but also the coming generations, even those whose faces are yet beneath the surface of the ground -- the unborn of the future Nation. The Constitution of the Iroquois Nations. Dogs; Family Fun Unplugged; Perennials, Annuals, Veggies; Happy Birthday Wishes |
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| Here are some photos I took last night after the heat lessened a bit: Who says tall plants always have to go to the back of the border?! The verbascum plants are volunteers.  A view from the other side:  South side of potting shed/greenhouse:  Flower basket on back patio:  Another view:  Notes from the Garden: Articles of interest on all aspects of gardening Cottage-in-the-Meadow Gardens: Come on in and take the tour! Check out the photos! |
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| Larry, your yard and gardens are very beautiful! What is that large, almost spider plant looking (grass?) plant in the center of the second photo? |
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| Thanks, Brenda. It's Ravenna Grass. The plumes, which appear in late summer, are 10-15 feet tall. It becomes quite an imposing plant. I've always loved Pampas Grass, but we garden too far north for that, so this is our substitute. I'll see if I can find a photo of it in bloom. Notes from the Garden: Articles of interest on all aspects of gardening Cottage-in-the-Meadow Gardens: Come on in and take the tour! Check out the photos! |
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| Someone gave me some Mountain Mint this year. It it growing well but I take it that it may be invasive? I put some Eucalyptus essential oil in a small spray bottle with water and spray it on skin and clothing to repel mosquitoes. Works quite well but does need to be replenished occasionally. If I would just remember to stop and do that I probably would have fewer bites. Farmers' Market this morning ... I found a nice Pennyroyal plant. I had been looking for that for awhile so was pleased to get it! The lovely Mennonite couple there who makes the honey wheat bread for me brought some still hot from the oven. So lunch today was warm fresh homemade bread and butter along with fresh steamed kale with a little Balsamic vinegar, steamed beet greens with new baby beets, fresh steamed green beans with olive oil and sun tea. I'd rather have that meal than a steak any day.  Like that Ravenna Grass up there. Echinacea 'Meringue' is a bit plain but will just about blind you in the direct sun.  Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. ~~Leonardo da Vinci |
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| My kind of meal, Song, but you have no idea how much I absolutely hate beets. I don't even like their name. Love the blinding coneflowers!! |
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| My kind of meal, too, Song, except I like beets. Have you ever tried them with an orange glaze, Sharon? That bread sounds really yummy. Homemade bread is one of my all-time favorite foods. I could eat a whole loaf at one sitting, if I let myself. I'd never be a good candidate for the Adkins diet!  Notes from the Garden: Articles of interest on all aspects of gardening Cottage-in-the-Meadow Gardens: Come on in and take the tour! Check out the photos! |
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| Me too about the bread. Nope, Larry. Can't do the beets at all! |
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Beets make me shudder - how do people eat them  |
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| I've had those orange glazed beets, Larry ... oh yum! What is it about beets that gets to you, Sharon? My "gag me" thing used to be eggplant. But I have come to terms with that veggie. There was a great organic restaurant in Mt. Shasta City (CA) that served the most wonderful breaded eggplant sandwich on a bun. You would think it was a burger or a piece of meat if you didn't know better. I'm still not wild about it but can at least eat it without the gag reflex kicking in. Not so with parsnips. Now those are really serious gaggers!! I have no idea why as I don't remember anyone forcing me to eat them as a child or anything like that. I could make you an organic potato instead of the beets. Or maybe some fresh corn on the cob ... or some summer squash? Or just a fresh tomato???  Yah, I could probably eat a loaf of fresh bread too ... and I am a high protein/Adkins type. Oh well. Hot here. How about you all?  Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. ~~Leonardo da Vinci |
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| I don't know why the beets, I have no reason or don't remember if I did. And I can't eat cooked carrots either. Raw, OK, but not cooked. Might be something about root veggies. I don't like turnips or parsnips either. On the other hand, I don't much like potatoes, maybe the little new ones......... But I'd walk to Clarksville for some fresh corn or a tomato!! Oh yes! Hot here, too....and drippy humid. Just went to the grocery....whew! Wet hot. |
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