Kate’s Quotables
Plant of the Week- Hemerocallis
As excited as I was to leave the country this past April, and as great as its been to live in Spain for the summer, there have definitely been downsides. For example I had to forego planting my own containers, I’ve missed out on this years biennial foxglove blossoms, and I didn’t get to drool over the first vine-ripened tomato of summer. I’ve also been absent for the beginning of one of my favorite summer flower shows: daylilies.
From their vibrant blossoms to their grassy foliage, daylilies offer immense garden interest. Their basal, lanceolate leaves provide texture and movement for garden beds while large trumpet shaped blooms attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Daylilies can be incorporated into any landscape due to their extreme size and color variances. From whites, pinks, and purples to vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges {like ‘Alabama Jubilee’ pictured below} you’re sure to find the perfect addition to your landscape. Try a dwarf lily such as Stella de Oro, Bonanza, or Little Grapette along walkways or at the very front of planting beds.
Once planted, keep the daylily on a regular watering schedule, which encourages deep rooting. Once established daylilies are surprisingly drought tolerant, which might seem a contradiction to their tropical flowers. For beautiful, healthy plants make sure to remove all old growth and leaves before new growth emerges in the spring, and divide plants every 2-3 years.
Height: 30″ {dwarfs 12″}
Width: 18-24″ {dwarfs 10-12″}
Bloom Time: Summer
Light Requirements: Full Sun
Soil Media: well drained soil
Water Requirements: regular watering until established Photo: dayliliesbythepond.com
Posted with BlogsyA Handful Of Blackberries
I am picking blackberries one handful at a time. Let me explain.
Thirteen years ago I spent several months on bed-rest as I awaited the arrival of my last child. During those long and tedious weeks of gazing out the front window waiting for both spring and the baby to arrive, I became well acquainted with the flowering pear tree and the birds that would light there to partake of the berries left over from winter’s long reign. I remember the delightful day that the Burpee catalog arrived. If the Burpee catalog had arrived then spring was surely coming and that meant that my hopes of delivering a healthy baby were fast approaching. The pages became dog-eared as I poured over each entry on the colorful pages. Finally as my day of deliverance approached I placed an order. I had been on a pilgrimage to make it through a tough pregnancy and the reward for my endurance was the gift of a thorn less blackberry. Three in fact. I placed the order and a couple of days later I cavorted off to the hospital to deliver a bouncing baby boy.
There is nothing in this world that compares to having a baby. It is divine. So much so that I will not wax poetic in this post, but will save it for another time. His arrival eclipsed the memory of a mail order purchase made so hopefully in the days before his birth and so, it was with great regret that I stumbled upon my purchase in the garage WEEKS after its arrival. Yes weeks! Someone had brought in the mail while I was at the hospital and had thoughtfully stowed the Burpee package on top of the freezer in the garage. I didn’t hold much hope as I opened the package and I nearly cried when I saw that two of the plants were clearly dead. But there was one small green sprig of life on the third plant and I practically ran to the backyard to find a place to plant it.
I always planned to buy more bushes to add to the one that beat the odds and decided to flourish but somehow it hasn’t made it to the top of the priority list. Maybe next spring. For now I delight in the handful that I pick every other morning and it reminds me how lucky I am to have arranged for the safe arrival of a 13 year old who went 6 for 8 at a baseball tournament last weekend and who loves me so much it is tangible.
What do I do with my handful of berries? I am stingy! I wash them and dry them and freeze them individually and when they are frozen I add them to a large freezer bag waiting for the day when the large bag is full and then I make a batch of blackberry jam. If you tune in later this week I would love to share one other great recipe—Blackberry Lemon Bars.
Note: As soon as I have harvested the last of my blackberries I will cut the fruiting cane to the ground. A lot of gardeners will suggest burning these canes to prevent them from becoming diseased. It is important to use sharp, clean pruners. Leave the non-fruiting canes (supported) for fruiting next year. When you cut the old canes down it will send a message to the plant to produce new canes. These won’t fruit next year, but they will the following year! Patience—it’s worth it.
Kate’s Quotables
Bruschetta Bouquet
The summer harvest has begun and with it comes a a time of sharing. So gather up those extra tomatoes, a few sprigs of basil and bundle up a Bruschetta Bouquet for a good friend. Fill a jar with tomatoes, put a few basil stems in a florist’s water vial and wrap it up with a ribbon and a tag sporting a recipe for your favorite variation of bruschetta. For my bouquets I used a couple of Wek jars that I found at Williams-Sonoma. I think they are adorable and versatile and will make great gifts.
If you’re interested in whipping up a batch from one of my favorite recipes, give this a go:
This recipe is what makes the gift of a Bruschetta Bouquet one of the most delicious gifts of summer. It beats the heck out of a zucchini!
Variations:
Sometimes I smear the pre-toasted bread with a bit of cream cheese or a small chunk of fresh mozzarella, toast it and top it with your tomato mixture.
Plant of the Week- Golden Spirit Smokebush
With colorful annuals and perennials in the height of their blooming period, shrubs can easily be lost in the landscape of summer. If you’re looking for a shrub that will add as much interest to your garden as a cluster of black-eyed-susan then I got just the plant for you!
The almost neon green foliage of the Golden Spirit smokebush {Cotinus cogsygra ‘Golden Spirit’} will add texture, color, and structure to your garden. The large, round chartreuse leaves contribute sharp contrast to an otherwise monotonously medium green landscape. Golden Spirit is perfect for hot, sunny locations and {once established} is both drought and heat tolerant. A vigorous grower, heavy pruning will be required in early spring/late winter. Trimming back branches to within three buds of the base of the plant will keep the size in check, as well as reduce thick hardwood from forming, keeping growth springy and fresh.
USDA Zones: 4-6
Height: 8-10′
With: 6-8′
Bloom Time: early summer
Exposure: full sun
Water Requirements: regular watering until established
Photo: everchanginggarden.ca
Outdoors Inside My Spanish Apartment
I’m a firm believer in cutting gardens. Bringing my garden into my home gives me as much pleasure as does extending my living spaces outdoors. However, I didn’t cut these flowers. I do not have a garden here in Spain {other than the bougainvillea of course} nor is it the season for mums. My husband surprised me with these a few days ago, a purchase made at one of the many cut flower stalls in the plaza. I must say that I admired his color choice. The simple beauty of the white-on-white, coupled with contrast of the exposed brick walls, feels fresh and clean. Since mums are a wonderful, long-lasting cut flower, they’re sure to keep the living room serenely beautiful until we fly home next week.
Grab a pair of clippers, pick out the perfect vase, and bring some of your outdoors in.
Check back tomorrow for our Plant of the Week!
A Few Of My Favorites for Cutting
Anenome
Aster
Bee Balm
Blanketflower
Coral Bells
Coneflower
Coreopsis
Lily
Liatris
Peony
Phlox {upright}
Yarrow
Kate’s Quotables
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Email Lacey at allmyfriendsareflowers@gmail.com
Mediterranean Succulent Containers
I’ve been excited to write about succulent containers since I snapped the above picture outside a cathedral in Moneglia, Italy. This tiny town, set picturesquely on the Italian Riviera, was full of succulent inspiration. Outoor cafes, storefronts, and the beautiful brick archways that lead to the beach all sported succulent plantings. Its a less common style for containers, where full blossomed beauty is prevalent. The stark, geometric appearance has come to be associated with “modern” design. But instead of considering them modern, why not think of them as Mediterranean? Their simplicity emulates all things Mediterranean, with few blooms and an emphasis on texture. Water wise and full-sun loving, succulents thrive in containers providing maximum impact for minimal effort. There’ll be no need for dead heading or heavy fertilizing here, just a willingness to venture from petunias and marigolds.
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