Gardening, anyone?

Jazzygirl

Teka- I posted on FB and got the same answer! I have never seen them here before, but perhaps with all the rain this year, they are doing better than in the past? Red is my favorite color and I just love the ones we saw yesterday!

BookLady1

Darn - the flower looks like some of my sage plants, but not with that heart shaped leaf. Y'all have inspired me, again. I picked up some sice fence pieces in neighbors trash pile to paint and use for star jasmine in my back yard and I'm going to visit Ladybird Johnsons wildflower center with a a friend next week. I. It's plummeting to 98 today

Teka

Wish I could tag along!

Wren44

Are the pink flowers 4 o'clocks? They open in the late afternoon/evening. Ours are yellow, but they come in all colors.

Sloan15

Snow? It's sbout 100 degrees here in Cali for the next few days!

Jazzygirl

Wren- those flowers were actually purple, but seem to be pink in the picture. I looked at a photo of a 4 o'clock and the flower looks similar when closed, but not sure the leaf is right. I may keep looking, my friend who I was with is looking too, she did a Master Gardeners class this year but did not know......

Wren44

I think they are not 4 o'clocks. Here are photos of mine.

Jazzygirl

Those are pretty Wren!

flaviarose

I think those purple flowers are turtleheads. Here is a photo of hardy hibiscus - it always amazes me that something that looks this tropical survives in this climate.

flaviarose

Love the "heavenly blue" morning glories

flaviarose

zinnia

Jazzygirl

So tonight I was out watering and saw something move, which startled me and made me think snake, but I seem to have a HUGE toad in my backyard. The yard is completely fenced in and wonder where that little guy came from? Not so little really, he is chubby and it made me think there are good insects to eat in my yard!

I have to look up the turtleheads!

I saw the most beautiful morning glories today in a garden and climbing up a telephone pole. I wanted to get a picture but it was on someone's property and felt too invasive, even from the road. It was spectacular!

Wren44

Flavia, Are the hibiscus an annual there? My great grandmother and I always planted heavenly blue morning glories because they were the color of my mother's eyes.

TwoHobbies

I don't know what the mystery plant is but it's pretty. It reminded me of lipstick vine but I looked it up and the leaves are wrong. It doesn't look like four of clocks or turtleheads to me. Gosh I need to know! I agree the bottom red flowers are cannas.

Flaviarose I am loving my zinnias and humble marigolds this year. They looked lovely this year.

Jazzy last time I saw my hedge move it was black and white fur. I yelled at my dog to get inside. SKUNK!

TwoHobbies

I know fall is coming when I see asters and goldenrod out in the fields.

Anonymous

TwoHobbies, I love seeing the purple asters right before fall! They are all along my walking trail now, mixed in with wild sunflowers.

TwoHobbies

Kiki I enjoy seeing all the different wild flowers week to week and month to month. There are so many changes in just a couple of weeks.

I thought I outwitted the chipmunks who dig up my sunflower seeds every year by planting in containers. I'm excited to learn they will grow in pots and I got some blooms for what, two weeks? This evening I went out on my deck and apparently there was a party going on today. The blossoms are all torn up and eaten and even the stalks are knocked over. Since I didn't see it I don't know if it was chipmunks, squirrels, foxes or what but it was quite a party

Jazzygirl

Asters at the nature center last weekend.

Rosevalley

Love the clear blue of the morning glory and our sedums are just bursting right now and covered with bees. Love the photos.

Anonymous

flaviarose - your morning glory and zinnia pictures are just beautiful!

Jazzy and TwoHobbies, sounds like it has been an active week for critters in the garden. I'm sorry to hear they got your sunflowers, TwoHobbies. The toad sighting sounds pretty cool, Jazzy.

Every night this week I have had a mysterious critter digging holes in the mulched and gravel areas of my front yard. The holes look very much like when we had a nocturnal invasion of skunks in my neighborhood last year, but not getting any skunk smell. Maybe raccoons? Every morning I come out and fill the holes, and every night they are dug out again. Hoping whatever it is loses interest soon!

Wren44

Kiki, I know raccoons will lift up new sod to look for earthworms. There are probably some in the mulch. Maybe sprinkle some hot pepper on the filled in places? They might get the hint.

Jazzygirl

Here is my new backyard friend, a fat toad I discovered in the back yard this week. He must have found some good eats back there, he looks rather well fed? He is out in the evenings after dark when I go water. I have affectionately named him Kokopelli, the legendary figure in the Native American culture who brings fertility where ever he goes!

Jazzygirl

And from Facebook, not sure where this one is from but what an outstanding topiary garden!

flaviarose

The hibiscus are long-lived perennials. They die down to the ground each year, but come back big and strong.

Scottiemom11

Twohobbies and kiki. . .we had a deer problem this year. Went after my new hostas and blueberry bushes. Also were on a lake so geese come in the yard. You can get some great stuff at Home depot that discourages a whole host of animals (smells bad to them I guess, I did not notice it). Dh sprayed the yard and plants and no critters since.

Jazzygirl. . .gorgeous topiaries. We had an exhibit at our botanical gardens for months. Lots of animals and other shapes. Two are permanent including a mother earth sculpture over a big fountain. This Thursday I am finally photographing the Bruce Monroe light exhibit at the gardens. Went for pre-opening several months ago but could not stay till it was dark enough. Now hopefully I'll get some good pics.

Scottie

Jazzygirl

Good morning ladies- I woke up to temps in the 40s today. Fall continues to move in!

I noticed some of my plants are starting to fade, especially the primrose. I also see some of the grasshopper that show up this time of the year have eaten up the leaves on my front yard salvia. The gardens are changing now.

BookLady1

Holes in gardens here are often armadillos. I didn't believe it until I saw one! Usually seen dead on the side of highways, of course.

Temps here dropped from high 90's to 60's this morning. I am giddy!! Linda

Jazzygirl

Booklady- when I lived in TX, the only time I saw armadillos was as a victim of the highway. I think they are cool.

Autumn harvest sedum now in full color. I must confess this is one of my favorite flowers in the garden. I love the color.

Wren44

Booklady, A blue norther! Such a relief after months of hot weather.

Anonymous

Wren, the hot pepper worked!! Thanks for the great tip. I sprinkled hot paprika all over the holes I had filled in, and dusted it over the mulch in general. It did the trick - no digging there last night!

I did notice though, that this persistent creature (or another one) started digging at the other end of my property, around my grapevine. So I bought a giant container of cheap cayenne powder this morning at the grocery store, and will be treating the area before nightfall. It's war if they mess with my grapevine.

Scottie, if the diggers manage to get past my cayenne pepper, I will go to Home Depot and look for the stuff you mentioned. Thanks for the tip.

I would love to see a real live armadillo (but not digging in my garden!). That toad does look very chubby and content. I wish one would show up here and start eating some bugs...I wonder if they like aphids and grasshoppers?

Jazzy, your sedum is gorgeous and so autumny (if that's a word). I had some unexpected fall color this morning - my one and only morning glory this year. I usually have a large trellis of heavenly blues, but they just didn't take hold this year after late frosts, hail, etc. I went out this morning and at the bottom of the trellis, I had this nice surprise: