It may still be months away but, if you haven't already made a start, now is the time to start taking photos of the plants in your garden, courtyard, balcony, windowsill (or other green and pleasant area) for this year's
I N F O M A N I A C
Garden Photos Event
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As always, the Event will begin on Hallowe'en with the Terrifying Triffids exhibit obstacle course, then the next day will be the official opening ceremony along with the Great Triffid Survivor Count (hopefully most of you will make it through if not in one piece, then at least alive). Your garden photos will then feature every two or three days throughout November culminating in the Grand Finale.
The Garden Photos Event is open to all - you don't need to be an Infomaniac Bitch or member of the Bloggerati to take part. You don't even need a blog. Or a garden - a couple of house plants will do (and at a push, a can of cranberry jelly...)! We would love to see gardens and greenery from regular and irregular commenters & visitors, friends of friends, and any lurkers, as well as the aforementioned Bloggerati and Infomaniac Bitches. You can find out more, including links to previous events, on my GPE page.
And remember, despite what certain people may say - I'm looking at you, Savvy! - the Infomaniac Garden Photos Event is NOT a contest!
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Speaking of contests - not that this is one, mind - here are some more of the first flowers at Hexenhäusli Device. But no bumblebee - I haven't seen her since the last First Flowers post, sadly.
27th May : Iris siberica, possibly?
28th May : They're growing! They're actually growing!!!
White and black bat flower stumps (Tacca integrifolia and Tacca chantrieri respectively)
I couldn't tell if the white one was growing so I cut off all the old leaf stems and now there's a leaf shoot poking through. As for the black one, I thought it was a goner as it was just languishing in its pot looking more and more miserable. I gently de-potted it and discovered a big bruised, rotting patch being eaten by fungus gnat/sciarid fly larvae! I scraped it away, washed the wound (and accidentally broke it in two!), left it to dry for a bit before putting them in some fresh orchid compost. The smaller part has now rotted, but the larger part with the scraped out bit remained firm and has put forth two small leaf shoots (I've just discovered the other one poking through the compost!).
I know these aren't flowers - yet - but I had to include them because I'm so excited about the chance to have actual bat flowers!
29th May : Crimson bottlebrush, possibly "Splendens" (Callistemon citrinus)
29th May : Himalayan honeysuckle/pheasant berry (Lycesteria formosa)
2nd June : Agapanthus "Lapis Lazuli"
3rd June : Cabbage palm (Cordyline australis) at the back with its first flower spike.
4th June : Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena)
5th June : Philadelphus x lemoinei "Belle etoile"
5th June : Fuchsia "Delta's Sara(h)"
After the heatwave, followed by all this rain, we anticipate quite a show again this year! Everything's growing by leaps and bounds before our eyes... Jx
ReplyDeletePS Iris is a huge family of plant varieties, but whichever one that first one is, it's lovely. Not so keen on the "stinking iris".
PPS Thank heavens the bat-flowers are alive! I look forward to seeing if they will indeed flower for you this year.
It's always a thrill to see what's going on up your back passage, Jon! Hopefully everyone else's pots and gardens are doing as well.
DeleteBat flowers this year would be a dream come true! Apparently, they usually start flowering after the first couple of leaves have popped up, so there's plenty of time for them to get going and produce something for the GPE.
A lot of watering and TLC is necessary in this heat, but it's all looking splendid! [Even if it does appear that we have a rampant weevil horde munching on our fuchsias and ferns. I've purchased the chemical treatment (even though we don't like using poisons, in case they harm any useful insects, it's the only thing that will kill the grubs - nematodes really aren't reliable, and bloody expensive) - but any drenching will need to wait until our Robin's brood hatches and fledges.]
Delete"Bat-flowers" always brings Adam West and Burt Ward to mind.
Jx
PS I came to visit again to see if you'd posted anything new (the Blogger Reading List being up the creek again, so one never knows who's posted what at the moment), but it seems you're maintaining "radio silence" apart from replies to comments...
Oh, those ghastly weevils! I emptied a load of grubs out of my fuchsias this spring when I repotted them and left them on the bird feeder where they were quickly gobbled up by a robin, funnily enough.
DeleteThere is a new post now!
I admire your recycling, Mr DeVice, but we have so many plants in pots it becomes unfeasible to empty out every single one of them every Spring just to check for pests... We do our best, but I'd rather poison the damned weevils than have to replace half the garden. We probably won't even embark on the drenching till Autumn, now, I foresee. Jx
DeletePS Off to check out the new...
I have yet to see a Tacca on this side of the Tasman; some garden outfit must have them, surely!
ReplyDeleteBut I've just been out with compost scraps and can tell you that nasturtiums are going bananas!
Nasturtiums are fabulous for autumn colour - and covering everything in sight if you grow the more vigorous varieties! The allotment is usually smothered with them until the winter frosts turn them all to mush.
DeleteI have never seen Taccas anywhere here, either. I had to get mine online, but I would have preferred to buy an actual plant than go through the harrowing experience of enticing a couple of dried up rhizomes to grow!
Crikey ! is it that time of year already, where does the time go?
ReplyDeleteI love the event and love peeking into everyone’s garden. Yours is looking fabulous and I can't wait to see your 'Bat Flower'
"Crikey" - I see what you did there. Well done! ;)
DeleteThis year's garden is looking rather fab. Apart from the back border and The Gardener's Retreat behind the garage which have just dried up. I think the horrid (but shade providing) weed trees have sucked up all the moisture.
I love Love in the Mist - such a pretty flower.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have already taken pictures of my ferns and foxgloves, and my wilted bush. I have even given the triffid mischief some thought!
Sx
P.S I remember Mr Lax's Cranberry Jelly!
My bush has completely wilted, Miss Scarlet. Oh, the humidity.
DeleteAll my petals have gone brown and dropped off.
DeleteSx
Love-in-a-mist pop up all over the place, Ms Scarlet. I usually leave them to it as they are, as you say, very pretty.
DeleteI'm sorry to hear about your wilted bush - and your lack of petals.
Bwah hah haaa!! Very well done, Very Mistress!
DeleteOn your wordplay, of course. Not your wilted bush. (There seems to be a lot going around...)
I guess I best get the moon platters buffed.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they are always in tip top shape!
DeleteDid I win yet?
ReplyDeleteNow LẌ, I mean Mr Peenee. How many times do I have to tell you that the Garden Photos Event is NOT a competition!
DeleteDamn those pesky gnats! I brought my lemon trees to winter indoors I came home one day to find a swarm of them hovering in mid air in the living room (prounounced rhum) indulging in carnal pleasure, I've left them at the old house, they were never the same after blasting them with fly killer.
ReplyDeleteThey are so annoying, Mitzi. However, they are an indicator that something in the pot is not quite right, such as rotten roots, mould or fungus. I must admit, if it wasn't for seeing them flying around the Tacca pot, I probably wouldn't have dug up the rhizome and found the rot. I still kill them when I see them, though.
DeleteI ... I photographed ! Now I should select, I guess one is even electable for the triffids. I'm so proud, no last minute action(s).
ReplyDeleteHooray! Another Mago entry! I am on the edge of my seat with anticipation!
DeleteThe PBG (Proxima Botanical Garden) is doing swell this year! I shall be sure to get pictures.
ReplyDeleteExcellent news, Melanie! I hope there hasn't been any bear-related trampling?
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