JoAnne's Family Traditions

My Photo
Name:
Location: Western, New York, United States

I spend most of my free time gardening, reading garden magazines, photographing the garden or baking (mostly sweets, which list chocolate as the main ingredient). I play the guitar and sing in a contemporary choir of which I have been a member for 26 years.

Monday, June 28, 2010

The Dragon and Lucifer

Okay here is the Dragon just before it's first bud opens. You have to be right on top of things when catching your pics with this...flower because they don't last much longer than two days. The next is the day the first bud opened. Here is a close up too. It is truly a unique specimen and a real conversation piece. Here it is two days later. It didn't last long. Remember, you can click on pictures to enlarge.

When they are beginning to open those spikes or buds go from their vertical position to horizontal as you can see in the picture. If you haven't seen any of my postings from previous years, these things have a memorable aroma and I don't mean pleasing. Flies love them! However I must admit, the smell was not as bad as the first time. I remember flies swarming all over those things. I was wondering if the smell would be two times worst having two flowers open at the same time but it really wasn't that bad. I could smell that unpleasant small as I was weeding about 15-20 feet away. Thank God these babies don't last too long. I have to say it is the best 7.95 (or there abouts) I've ever spent through a catalogue.

The two larger flowers opened together, on the same day which was about two days later though they didn't last as long as the first. They opened last on Saturday and were the perfect specimens for my Sunday brunch. However by Sunday night they were starting to droop as you can see. They lasted barely a day. To get an idea of how large the Dragon Arum is, I will take a guess and say these being about the same size might have measured about 22 inches each. The first and smaller one might have measured about 16 or 18 inches.

Two pics of Lucifer. These are about one week apart so you can see how quickly they grow. I think they will be in bloom in another week or two. Lucifer will be a beautiful, bright red, weeping, cluster of flowers that will steal the show in the garden for a few weeks. They are spreading quite a bit and it is time to divide them. Stay tuned for pics of them in bloom.


ALSO stay tuned for another gluten free dessert that I have posted before but feel I should again because I just love it so much. it is one of the easiest, elegant, rich, and yet light (well, a little light) desserts ever. If you haven't tried it yet. Please try it!

Monday, June 14, 2010

Garden Stroll


Life has been flying by, months seem like only a few days. I have become obsessed with getting this garden in order. I have to, I'm not getting any younger, and I am feeling it too. It has finally occurred to me that I just have to keep things from becoming over grown. That seems easy enough! BUT, when the gardens keep increasing and the number of persons working in the garden remain ONE, keeping up becomes a challenge. I have actually had much help in the garden this year thanks to my friend (Thank you Miriam) and can now, finally say I am feeling comfortable with how things are looking. That is not to say there is nothing to do, not by a long shot. If you are a gardener, you know there is always something to do. This first pic is the patio that took me three years to put in. This is one of my favorite spots though I have to say that I am finding I enjoy many spots now. Anyway two things in this area bothering me: one is the yellow Gerbera Daisy that has just wilted. The others are looking great, nice and healthy and so was the yellow one but all of a sudden it just collapsed. I have no idea why. I dug it out and put it in a larger pot with some special potting soil, then in the shade. It still looks wilted a day later. The other thing is the hanging plant in the white pot. I should have realized it would stick out like a sore thumb. I'll have to change that.

Here is the Dragon Arum so far. It has three spikes on it right now and is growing quite quickly.

Last year at my nephews house I got a cutting of one of his rose bushes that I liked. It actually took root and is growing but very slowly. Guess that lesson in patience never ends. I cut another piece and am rooting that on the other side of
the trellis. That's it under the glass jar. I went on a garden tour at Maplewood Park a few years ago and the guide there showed us how to root a cutting. And guess what...it works!.











And a couple of other pic's. Missouri Primrose...I think and the first flowering Hydrangea (at least in my garden). Well, it's not flowering yet. it is only in the bud stage. I forget the name but these buds will be quite large.
That is about it for now. Time to hit the hay.







Happy Gardening!