I got this ‘Yellow Delight’ azalea from Niche Gardens in 2018, a year before they closed. As usual, I got it small and let it grow here instead of there. This is the first year it has been lush.
Azaleas don’t seem to grow quickly. I have 2 others that are smaller. One is a year older and the other is a year younger. None of them bloom at the same time.
This one is finally big enough to see from the house and I’m pleased.
Once again, I forgot to take a Before picture. You rarely see how bad I let it get. That’s probably to my benefit.
Every year, I plant zinnia seeds around our well. And, every year, it gets too damn hot in July and August and I just let the grass grow with the flowers. Then, in the Spring, I pull the grass and plant zinnia seeds again.
This is what will be out there in 70 days.
The packets I bought said this year’s choices are Cut and Come Again and Thumbelina. I always get the short ones to go in front of the tall so it is really lush.
I have saved seeds in the past. But, that tends to shrink the color range as dominant colors overwhelm the other genes and they get to be almost completely pink. And I like the pink ones. But, I really like having an extravagance.
I remembered to take a Before picture!!
Mostly. I had already taken off the very dessicated leaves before I thought of it.
Chuck was tidying up the bonus room and noticed the amaryllis bulbs I have been abusing to see if I can get a handle on saving and forcing them instead of buying new bulbs every holiday season.
This one was looking pretty rough and I had just cleaned the usual forcing pot and I have a new bag of bonsai planting medium, which is what I have used for my holiday bulbs. So, I decided to go for it.
I’m pretty sure this is a ‘Red Lion’ leftover from 2023. The ‘Zombie’ from last year is still drying out and the ‘Picotee’ is in a pot waiting to be mistreated at the end of summer.
Instructions I read online said to cut off the leaves and put it in a cool, dark place with no water for a few weeks. Then, when you bring it out and water it, it will go nuts. So, Picotee gets soil and sun until the end of August when it will go under the house. Zombie gets to dry out with nothing. Mid-October, they both come out to get set up for the season.
In the mean time, this bulb, that was in a bag since last Fall, is getting water and morning light through the kitchen window.
When we were dating, Chuck bought me a little eucalyptus plant at the Whole Foods in Winston-Salem. I put it in the ground and it did well for about a year. Maybe 2. Then, there was a big freeze and it died.
I feel bad when I bring a plant to my house and it dies. I mean, it happens. I’m probably at a 60% sucess rate. Some things you can’t kill (crocosmia) and some things I have tried multiple times before finally giving up. (Fuchsias and bougainvilleas) So, I gave up on eucalyptus……for a while.
Saturday, we were at the farmers’ market and our favorite farmer had bitty eucalyptus plants and I decided to try one in a pot that I can bring in during cold weather.
I really hope it likes the pot and that it eventually blooms. Eucalytus make bizarre flowers.
If the trunk ever get thick, it may become a bonsai. Or, if it stays healthy this way, I may just leave it tf alone.
We went to Third Friday in Durham last week and I met Teddy at 5 Points Gallery on Chapel Hill Street. I usually hate talking to artists at exhibitions because I feel like I have nothing left to say after “I like your work.”
But, this piece grabbed me and I forgot that I should clam up.
I am the Audience 