Tidings of Summer

[kambriel]

One of the many lovely things about meiow & timswar's wedding was that the centerpieces for the tables at the reception weren't cut floral arrangements, but rather, actual miniature rosebushes that guests could bring home with them to plant and keep the life cycle going. After it had already gone through its initial bloom (we thought these would only bloom once a year), I recently split ours into three separate, smaller plants, and it has already rewarded the effort with a new rose ~ in a vibrant shade of unabashed red! I'm going to surmise that it continuing to grow and thrive is a very positive sign for our good friends' future:



Cat ~ remember the purple kale we picked up last Autumn? It just keeps growing no matter what nature throws at it! So much for it being a Winter plant that can't survive well in the Summer heat... you can't see it in this picture, but it's getting rather tall too. Apparently next year, it will trade in its leaves for flowers.



This hibiscus bloom is the size of a human head. Not a shy flower, that one! If you look carefully, you'll notice the braided roots:



And a wild peach tree ~ my theory is this is the main hub of the clan of "backyard bunnies":


Upon further research, I've also learned the "owl" I keep hearing throughout the day, is actually a Mourning Dove (spotted today gathering twigs to build a nearby nest) which makes infinitely more sense than an insomniac owl, and the "evening news" bird that boldly chirps its long and prodigious song at sunset, is a Brown Thrasher :)


~ Kambriel

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Comments

[noxenlux.livejournal.com]

That hibiscus is just beautiful! What a lovely bloom it has! and the braided roots are neat too.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

The blooms only last a day each, but luckily it's been blooming constantly for the past month or so with at least one bloom at a time fully open, and sometimes up to three at once (which may not sound like much, but their size more than makes up for it)! The root is getting so strong, I'm wondering if I'll be able to keep the braid going ~ I do like how it is "erupting" now at the top of the braid into all the smaller branches :)

[aesthete.livejournal.com]

What gorgeous garden photos, Kambriel! Do you know what climate zone you are in NC?

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

We're in zone 7, but I've been totally freeform about what gets planted and how, and it seems to be working so far :) Eventually, I'd love to coax it all into a Japanese style Zen garden.

[aesthete.livejournal.com]

Supposedly, that is what Portland is too, but I think you'd have better luck growing more sub-tropical things than we would. I also have a Hibiscus, but it has yet to form any buds in this relentless heat. Perhaps it would be happier out of a pot.

A Zen garden would be simply wonderful! Especially with all the beautiful grasses and wisteria you could have. :)

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

The hibiscus seems to be happiest after a thoroughly drenching rainfall, so to mimic that when watering it, it's best to water the whole plant ~ don't just focus on the roots. Maybe that will help? Just be careful not to overwater it either.

We are lucky enough to have some wild Wisteria growing nearby. Something kind of hilarious happened with that actually... You know how the blooms are very delicate, and only stick around for a few weeks out of the year? Well, after about a month of them all being gone, I spotted one beautiful blossoming piece of it still going strong as we were heading out one day. We stopped the car ("Will break for wisteria!"), and as I went to pick it off the branch, this bird just went ballistic with it's chirping. I had never heard anything like it! It's as though the bird was saying, "I built my nest here because of that, and I'll be darned if you're going to move it!". Needless to say, I walked away slowly and let it continue to enjoy it's purple blooms ;)

[ashbet]

These photos are all so beautiful!

-- A <3

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Hopefully at some point I'll get the chance to go through and upload some I took earlier in the year at this amazing garden we happened upon... It was *very* purple-centric, and filled with poppies and such!

[solstice-lilac.livejournal.com]

The huge hibiscus makes me VERY HAPPY. :D

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Consider it a virtual gift for your dahlias that went missing... Those hibiscus blooms are just utterly unapologetic in their grand display!

[anricat.livejournal.com]

Wow! You have quite the green thumb. Lovely!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

I don't use any kind of fertilizers/additives, or anything like that, just good old fashioned water and sunlight. One of my favourite plants is the big rosemary bush ~ I tend to pull from it multiple times a week for food :)

[madamechaya.livejournal.com]

I love the pics! Planted flowers make me happy! The hubby never buys me cut flowers - he knows better. He either plants rose bushes, or makes me ones out of copper or steel. he brought home wooden ones this year for me too.

Peaches! I have always wanted peach trees.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

That's a good hubby!

I'd love to have orange trees, figs, lemons and such so that the air would be perfumed with them ~ must be the Sicilian in me :)

[blooddrop.livejournal.com]

I love seeing your garden pictures!! How wonderful!!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

It's a small start, but it's something!

[meiow.livejournal.com]

Aww! Yay, I'm glad the roses survived the splitting! :D

Tim sometimes cheers me up by sending me photos of my garden when I'm traveling. :D

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

And today there are three blooms! Two on one of the little bushes, and one just starting out on the third :)

That's so sweet for Tim to do that :)