Gertrude's Flower Garden Weekly Diary
8/4/00 - At the moment, the garden back and front is nicely cultivated and weeded. This is mostly due to the fact that we have had very good weather recently for garden work--cool and damp. The one difficult spot that I have yet to deal with is the rock-garden. This has been a problem area for me for some time--mostly because it was an area of the garden that I left up to Gertrude. I believe that I have mentioned that the rock-garden is more heavily shaded than the rest of the back garden; in addition, it is always the driest area of the garden, because it is the highest. I have decided that I am not going to continue to plant annuals in the rock-garden, both because they require more water (since they are shallow rooted) and because they need a rich soil. Instead, I am going to gradually transplant perennials--flocks, balloon flowers (Platycodon), and hyssop are already growing there--particularly the taller varieties that will look well from the front of the garden.
Color is probably the most important aspect of the flower garden: an attractive mixture of colors, the right color in the right place, and a palette of colors that remain attractive throughout the growing season. For many years we lacked blue flowers in our garden, but browallia and balloon flower have filled this need: browallia furnishes low-growing color and balloon flower high. Looking out from the breakfast table in the glass room this morning, I noticed a lack of white flowers. The white Star zinnias make a good showing of low growing flowers, but among the higher growing there are only a few white flocks and white cleome. I am going to divide some of the white flocks this autumn and save the seeds of white cleome. Ordinarily, I depend on cleome to reseed itself, but I will try to help the white along by starting some plants in the basement under lights this year.
This week's picture of some of the pink flocks (Phlox, paniculata) in the Sun bed introduces one of the mainsty perennials in Gertrude's Garden. Although we have bought some new ones over the years, a great many of the flocks that during the next few months will provide much of the garden's color came originally from Gertrude's mother's garden over half a century ago. Taylor says of paniculata: "Garden Phlox; Perennial Phlox. Strong stems, 3-4 ft (1.0-1.2 m.) high. Flowers pink, white, red, or pale blue, 1 in. (2.5 cm) across, in large spreading clusters. E. U.S. Difficult to grow; prey to powdery mildew and spider mites. Grows in sun or partial shade. Remove faded flowers to prevent self-seeding which crowds out choicer clutivars." I have observed powdery mildew over the years, but some years there is hardly any and at worst the flowers are still lovely--spider mites have not been a problem. I don't prevent self-seeding, since I depend on new seedlings to add to or replace the flocks I have. Clumps of flocks can also be divided and moved about.
8/11/00 - Gertrude's Flower Garden Weekly Diary
7/28/00 - Gertrude's Flower Garden Weekly Diary
Last Year's - Gertrude's Flower Garden Weekly Diary
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