Bloom Where You're Planted-Urban Gardening in Philly: July 2018

In the yard. It's cloudy and warm. Rain is expected for the next few days. The plants should be happy. Lazy hazy days of summer. At least it has been for me. I'm enjoying my summer doing absolutely nothing. Of course I can't stay put but I've had lots of rest and it makes me think of what it will be like when I retire one day. To sit in the house and watch the snow pile up and not have to go to work will be wonderful. One day. God willing.

Kind of late to just be mulching but just got around to it to the demise of some plants.

Caladium removed from the steps to where I can see her from the window.

Lirope have not thrived in my yard in the years they've been here. Probably too much shade. Maybe I'll get around to digging them up and replanting them this summer.

Normally my yard is covered in mushrooms in spring but due to the warm, wet, humid conditions this summer, they've been growing all summer. These brown ones are a different variety than usual some were as big as saucers but I didn't get into the yard soon enough to take pictures. The remnants remained today. Could a raccoon or some other creature possibly have eaten it? Hopefully they're not poison.

A tiny strawberry from one of the plants. I'll give it to the birds on top of the soil were I see cardinals eating the seeds that fall. Do cardinals eat fruit?

There's the strawberry. Hopefully one of the birds who visits my feeder is a fruit eater. I'll check tomorrow and see if it's still there. A variety of birds eat from the feeder faster than I can refill it. Maybe I'll get a second feeder. It's nice hearing their singing. The bird population seems to have increased this year or maybe they've been there all along. Maybe it's the bird feeder.

Bought 2 frost tolerant gardenias a week ago. Don't look like gardenias to me but the tag said Gardenia Jasminoides. Frost proof and hardy zone 7-10 and blooms in summer. It's supposed to be evergreen. Roots are supposed to be kept cool with a layer of mulch and flowers are white and of course aromatic. It's time to plant them. Supposedly they're hardy for my region but not native.

Planted the 2 gardenias. The ground is hard with roots. I chopped as many as I could, watered the hole and put them in. The plant tag said they like acidic soil with pine mulch. The smell of gardenias is wonderful and I hope they make it. although later I read to transplant them with care and don't disturb the roots. I had already loosened the roots before planting. Oh well. The yard should be beautiful in spring if the rhododendrons and gardenias make it through winter.

The pot of lilies and caladiums bring needed color other than green to the yard. I'll add more next spring.

Not going to remove the elephant ear and plant it in the container. Tomorrow is August and it can stay potted and put in the basement for winter after the first frost.

Think that's a bulb or seed pod. (It's a bloom) Didn't know they bloomed.

Begonia is the one plant who's laughed at the heat and has done well since planted. Will order more from Select Seeds for the spring.

Tiarella leaves have mostly been eaten. Slugs and snails must not like the hellebore next to it. This ones survived but it's been here for 3 years. The others from winter planted in the flower bed this spring have perished. I like the tiarella and will get more when I see them at the nursery. My native ginger is alive but eaten by insects.

Impatiens

This area never seems to get organized. One day soon.

Neither does this one in the corner. I plan to work on it first. My leaf mold is in black bags. An old trellis needs to go out for the trash but will have to wait till next week since today was trash day. Chicken wire to cover bulbs. This fall I'll use the plastic deer netting and hope it works better but hopefully won't be eaten by squirrels. The plastic should allow bulbs to emerge through it better and will be easier to remove without damaging emerging bulbs.

Some canna did survive the eating by squirrels but they won't bloom in the shade. I like them for their foliage and height. Other annuals planted in the container did not do well they either rotted, were eaten, or torn up by squirrels.

Need to lift up my ferns in the container.

Tomatoes have grown some.

Chives

Carex grass moved from the flower bed until fall. I'll plant it back in the ground in another location if it survives. It didn't do well under the canopy of trees.

Out front the dahlia blooms are beautiful.

Native honey suckle has started to climb the trellis along with some hyacinth bean vine seeds I direct sowed.

Insects eating the hyacinth bean vine leaves.

Kong coleus seedling has grown into a big girl.

Chocolate mint seedling.

Veronica

It must be too hot for the torenia because they've stopped blooming.

My coleus seedlings again. Finally something stopped eating them and their color has improved. Initially they appeared pale but their colors have deepened.