Hexenhäusli Device Garden Update : July

 I thought I'd do a quick catch up from the gardens of Hexenhäusli Device as I have loads of garden photos sitting around waiting for me to sort them out and see which are worthy of the Garden Photos Event in November.  I don't think these will make the cut, but they do show what's going on here this month.

 

Early July was all about Ligularia and Lilies (last seen here).  Aside from one terminal triffid flower, the foxgloves in the Lake Border are just about over, as are the two towering Echium pininanas beyond.

 

 

Here's the view from the paysho doors.

Sweet July

 Well, a new normal has established itself here in Hexenhäusli Device so I thought I'd pop in during a moment of respite and share some new and old music, some snippets from the garden, and a photo from this morning's Bitey walk:

 

I wonder why Take That decided to release "Sweet July" now...?

 

As there's no video for Sweet July yet, here's one of my very favourite TT releases

(first seen at Jon's back in April)

 

 

The YouTube algorithm prominently displayed Richard X's Burning Flame remix of Bananarama's "Venus" for me the other day.

 

I prefer Bananarama's original, though

(which wasn't the original - that being a 1969 release by Shocking Blue)

 

 

 Right.  On to the garden photos.

This is an INFOMANIAC Garden Photos Event Reminder

 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

☙❧

 

 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! 

 

☙❧

 

 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)

Superbloom

 I think we have a contender for the

2026

I N F O M A N I A C

Garden Photos Event 

theme song:

 Of course, there are still six months to go before anything is finalised, but I think Jessie Ware's "Superbloom" is going to be a hard one to top, so to speak.

 

 But what about you?  Do you have any suggestions for the Garden Photos Event theme song? 

New Arrivals

 There may have been orange tip butterflies in the gardens of Hexenhäusli Device earlier this year, but this one is the first I've seen (I've seen several up at the allotment and surrounding fields, though).  And there are plenty of black ladybirds around here, but the 'eye' markings on this harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) are the first I've noticed.

 

 Anyway, that's the new fauna out of the way.  Now for the flora!

 

 On Thursday, I took The Mother to Hadfields garden centre in North Walsham.  I wanted a cherry tree, some 8ft canes, seed trays, and plant pots of the right size (as Jon pointed out, all the plant pots one has at home are "never the right size").  While I didn't get plant pots of the right size - does no one have them?! - I did come away with some 'extras':

 

Back left: Fuchsias 'Delta's Sarah', 'Dark Eyes', 'Wendy's Beauty', 'Marinka' and 'Dancing Flame'

Back right: Salvias 'Amistad', 'Cherry Lips', and 'Plum Crazy'

The four trays at the front are The Mother's cosmos and snapdragons.  In the middle is an agapanthus she bought a couple of weeks ago (at the back is a pot of narcissus and a horse chestnut).

"Did Someone Say ----?"* : The Sequel!**

The aftermath of an orgy in the pond Lake.  Disgraceful!

 

 

* Answers in the comments, please.

** To this post from a year ago.

 

 Hello!  Here I am!  I don't have much to say, so I will just bombard you with gardening-related photos (mostly) which may also serve as a prompt to start photographing your own gardens and/or green patches for the 16th annual Lady Garden Presentation

 

I N F O M A N I A C

Garden Photos Event

later in the year.

 

 But first some music to accompany your scrolling, from the Project Hail Mary soundtrack, Daniel Pemberton's "Amaze Amaze Amaze (Life on Erid)": 

(I loved my birthday viewing of this film - and the soundtrack - so much that I went to see it again on Tuesday afternoon!  The similar, but not quite as euphoric "Amaze Amaze Amaze (Fist My Bump)" almost made the cut here.)

 

MARCH

The 15th to be precise...

 

The Echiums (pininana, I believe - AKA Giant Viper's Bugloss) made it through the winter.  Phew!

GPE 2025 : The Finale

* C R A C K *

 

 Drat it!  Who stood on that twig and startled my woodsman?  Now I'll have to leave him be for a while before I can sneak up again and snatch that horrid flannel shirt away.  Bah!

 Well, seeing as you're all here, we might as well get on with the closing ceremony.

 

 Thank you to everyone who took part in this year's Event.  Whether you shared your garden photos, visited and left comments, or just wandered around gazing at the various botanical specimens on show (and avoiding the triffids - unless you didn't, in which case, thanks for acting as fertiliser!).

The gardens and greenery were full of gorgeousness once again and, as always, served as inspiration for next year.

 Here's what we got up to:

 

Programme of Events

 

The  I N F O M A N I A C  GARDEN PHOTOS EVENT 2O25

 began on Hallowe'en with the now traditional TERRIFYING TRIFFIDERY!

 

 

1st November

The  I N F O M A N I A C  GARDEN PHOTOS EVENT

opening ceremony

 

 

GPE #11 : IDV's Year of the Greengage

I N E X P L I C A B L E

D E V I C E

 

 Yes, it's finally my turn!

 I'm sure you mean our turn, hmm?  After all, whose hands and body - not to mention knowledge and bank account - is used to maintain our garden?  If it was left to you, the Hexenhäusli Device gardens would be a prickly, poisonous wilderness of brambles, apple trees, hemlock, and foxgloves!

 It would save having to go out on the increasingly unsafe Broom to gather ingredients.  Besides, you like those plants.

 Yes, but not just those plants as a garden!

 Oh, fine.  You can get on with the captioning and the like as you're the "expert"!

 I will, then!

Oh, good.  This is turning out well, as usual.

Wake me up when it's all over.

 

 Right.  Now that Witchface and the dratted SubCs have shut up, I'll continue.

 You may have noticed that we've been decidedly absent from the blog this year, which means that there were rather fewer garden updates than usual.  A consequence of that is a glut of garden and allotment photos that are all being dumped here because they haven't yet seen the light of day.  I've tried to include mainly plants that haven't featured in the previous couple of years, and I've smushed some together to make sure this post didn't wear out your scrolling fingers.

 

It may be rather dull and overlooked usually, but when in flower (such as here in early May), I think laurel is quite lovely.

GPE #10 : Melanie's "Unofficial Official Animals in the Garden" Event

M E L A N I E

 

I think you really like the Owl in Flight picture the most from the Raptor show?

[I do! - IDV]

I've attached it here, but if you prefer another one feel free to take it from the Wordpress post for this event as part of the "Unofficial Official Animals in the Garden" portion.  I do get a lot of owls here at Fernmire.  One of the Douglas Fir trees in particular is a popular spot for them to cough up the fur and bones of their diminutive prey.

 

 

I grew these!  I grew these!  My first time growing actual fancy flowers, flowers that required full sun! Gladiolus Spp. (because there's always more than one variety of plants) 

If its not too late, you could also throw this in for the Terrible Triffids, though I know Halloween is tomorrow.

[Funnily enough - and you couldn't have known at the time - Gladioli served as the Terrifying Triffidery poster plant anyway. - IDV]

GPE #9 : Mitzi's "Fifty Shades Of Green"*

M I T Z I

 

 Please find attached my garden pics, not many this year as I'm moving and have lost interest with it, you should see the weeds in my border. I even caught the woman next door spraying weed killer in my nooks and crevices see pic.

 

I've been pulling the above plant up in their droves for years, however it's the first time I've let it flower and I quite like it, my plant identification app told me its a Japanese anemone, but I beg to differ so this one is for Jon or you to identify.

 [Well, I do agree with your plant ID app.  I think it's a Japanese anemone, too.  Jon? - IDV]

GPE #8 : Mago's "terrifying tryffidrie"

M A G O

 

 Finally a few pictures for the Garden Photo Event, much too early, sorry.*

 

 It is Plant A (I still call her so, despite the fact that it is not the original "plant A" of some years ago) - Plant A, I say, in total, from below, and an apple.

 Sorry, no terrifying tryffidrie.

[That's what you thought! - IDV]

 

Plant A total

GPE #7 : Jon suggests I "muck around with them..."

D O L O R E S

D E L A R G O

T O W E R S

(AKA Jon & Madam A)

 

 After a bit of a slow start, it was a magnificent Spring and summer this year in London, and the extensive gardens here at Dolores Delargo Towers have really benefitted for all the extra sunshine - not least when I added a new tiered display stand to the border, and then two of the hideous bastard weed trees in neighbouring gardens were felled!

 

 Without further ado, highlights from the seasonal display, starting with the earliest blooms...

l-r: Cyclamen persicum,  Primula hybrida,  Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'

GPE #6 : Savvy "shares something gorgeous from the garden and cheers the fuck up!!"*

 

S A V V Y

 

These are some random shots of what's growing in the garden today.

[21st February - IDV] 

 

[...] The poppies just started blooming, but we've had big clumps of green leaves waiting patiently for their arrival.

 

I don't the name of the succulents that are blooming near the curb, but perhaps one of y'all might know from the close-up. (I know I could look it up, but...)

GPE #5 : Remembering Elephant's Child

 

 This is a very special Garden Photos Event post in commemoration of Dinahmow's blog friend, Sue, who lost her battle with cancer at the end of September.  Dinah asked if we could feature Sue's garden in Canberra, Australia, as she left it at the onset of spring which I thought was a lovely idea.

 The commentary and most of these photos are from Sue's final post, and I've provided links to the respective originating posts beneath the rest of the photos.  (The cockatoo and magpie above are from Sue's blog header photo.)

 

☙❧

 

S U E

 

 Spring is most definitely here and I continue to revel in it.  I hope to see anenomes and ranunculas in the coming days.

[I hope you did, Sue - IDV]

 

 

 Same old, same old on the photographic front but they make me smile and I hope they do the same for you.

 

[From Sunday Selections #831]

GPE #4 : Dinahmow "sacrificed some blood to get it!"

 

D I N A H

 

 I still don't have a "proper" garden, but I have a few things in pots and I've been doing some severe pruning which has unearthed all sorts of stuff!  Walnuts!  No sign of a walnut tree!  Three very BIG trees that I think are cherry or plum. And a very prickly native which I can't be certain of!

 The Jacaranda is from our Australia garden; also the Trachelospermum jasminoides - But taken since last year's pics.

 

My grand old stalwart Trachelospermum. Yes, I have it here (actually, in the niece's side of the garden; not quite flowering here yet.)

GPE #3 : Maddie, the Mistress Borghese's "upright perk"

 

M I S T R E S S  M A D D I E

 

 Here we are again at the Casa du Borghese and I still don't know what things are called and still just plant things even if I'm not sure of their requirements.  Needless to say, I think it was a banner season in the garden as it gave color from spring right through the summer and even still has some color currently. 

 

GPE #2 : Ms Nations is the kind of lunatic who makes jewellery* for her houseplants

 

F I R S T  N A T I O N S

 

 Less a couple of plants, this is what  my 'garden' looks like these days - all indoors.  I like the cascading type as you can see.

 

If you look closely you might see a couple of spots of color dotted around that don't seem very planty...

 

GPE #1 : Ms Scarlet's "is large and somewhat messy"

 [This is not Ms Scarlet.  This is Barney her canine companion]

 

M s  S C A R L E T

 My garden saw some new additions in 2025, namely a higher fence, and a larger dog. There were also some plant purchases, which included an apple tree in early Spring, and some Asters, which gave some much needed colour in early autumn. There was also something that had orange flowers - dead common, grows in hedgerows, and just about everywhere else, but I can't remember what it's called. We bought it in the hope that it would see off the ground elder. 

 The big pink bush did its thing in late spring - not as vibrant as last year, but still in the pink. 2025 was a good year for the Hawthorn tree, but not as good as 2023. 

 

[Snowdrops in January - IDV]

The Infomaniac Garden Photos Event 2025

 Welcome to the 15th annual I N F O M A N I A C  GARDEN PHOTOS EVENT, and the 6th to be hosted here at Inexplicable Device! 

  

 Thank you to everyone who sent in photos - and to those of you who haven't yet got around to it but will do soon.  And certainly by Tuesday the 4th!  Without you  - even the slackers and lallygaggers (whom do not include Savvy this year as she got her photos in BEFORE the original deadline!!) - there would be no Garden Photos Event.

 

 As of this writing, there are 11 sets of your garden and/or pot plant photographs waiting in the wings to be published throughout November.  

 Unfortunately, The Very Mistress herself is not taking part this year - in her words: "I have nothing" - so I have included this sunflower from the gardens of Hexenhäusli Device in honour of her 2020 contribution.  

 And also, in the continued absence of the Infomaniac Duck (and last year's stand ins, the Hexenhäusli Device Dove & Jackdaw), may I present our special guests, the Canberran Cockatoo & Magpie:

 

 

 Some of you may recognise the above pair from another blog, Elephant's Child, run by Dinahmow's friend Sue.  Sadly, Sue lost her battle with cancer at the end of September, so Dinah asked if we could feature her garden as she left it - bright, colourful, and full of the joys of spring.  Of course I agreed, so you'll be able to see Sue's spring bulbs and other blooms about midway through the Event (garden #5).

 

 So, what else is coming up? 

GPE 2025 : Terrifying Triffidery

 

 Ah, here you all are - Welcome to the 6th annual Terrifying Triffidery extravaganza!

 

 Gathered here for your bewilderment and horror are some of the finest specimens of triffidery from across the globe.  And possibly from other globes, too.

 As always, the Bloggerati who supplied them did not see fit to provide any labels so it is up to you to identify these menacing monstrosities and from whom they originated.  The originators are listed on the poster above and, to make things a little more complicated, some of them supplied more than one triffid.  Good luck!

 

 A word of warning: Some of the specimens are mobile or have prehensile tendrils, so do keep your distance from the enclosures as you go by, and be sure to strap yourselves in. 

 The Hexenhäusli Device woodsman is on hand to ensure your safety and provide a demonstration of how to secure your extremities should you need it. 

 (I have personally gone through this with him several times - for certification purposes, of course - and still find myself somewhat breathless such was his enthusiasm and vigour!)  

 

  Oh, and please note: The Management cannot be held responsible for loss of limbs/head/life, and We hope you all manage to get through the tour relatively unscathed.  Or at least manage to Stay Alive...

 

 

 Yes, we watched Romy and Michele's High School Reunion the other day.  I love their dance routine to N-Trance's version of "Stayin' Alive" which is why I've featured it here!

 In fact, I've picked another Hallowe'en-adjacent song from Romy and Michele for later in this post.

 

Here's the full track for those who are interested: