A Tale of Two Susans

      A few years ago, I noticed a black eyed susan in our yard that bloomed maybe a month later than the other black eyed susans.  It came back the next year and the next.  I took to calling the different flowers the "late" black eyed susan. 

Brown Eyed Susan, September 18,  2012

      A search of the internet provided a name for the "late" susan.  It is actually called brown eyed susan!   The flowers are smaller than black eyes, and three to four weeks later.  The leaves are more rounded than black eyes.  Both are very hardy perennials, self seed in different areas of the yard, and are loved by the gold finches for the seed.

Another clump of Brown Eyed Susan, September 18,  2012

Spent Black Eyed Susan, September 18,  2012

Trying to Cope With the Heat

      It's official.  It's hot.  July is now the Gold Medal winner for the hottest month in the history of record keeping in America.  Both as a country and in the state of Delaware.  Even gardening in the early morning does not provide much comfort when it is already 75 degrees with full humidity.  Yesterday I was out at about 6:30, and a haze was hanging everywhere.

Hazy walk between rows of tomatoes,  August 8, 2012

Nice big Brandywine tomato on the vine

Haze and Joe Pye Weed at the end of the tunnel

      This is a shot from the corner of the garden.  The two rows of tomatoes are behind the black eyed Susan clump at the right of this photo.  We have been lucky to have had two separate one inch rains in the last couple of weeks.  I try not to water often, especially the flower beds.

Joe Pye Weed

Mixed Phlox

      It is time for breakfast.  More importantly, it is time for some air conditioning.  This has not been a summer of open windows and dinner on the porch.  The expected high today, 95 degrees.  And lots of humidity.  The weathermen said it would feel "tropical".  Duh.  And to think that they get paid for those pearls of wisdom.

Plant Give Away, Too

To add to the plant give away post:

Shasta Daisy,  5/13/2011

      These daisies are probably Shasta daisies, and are right now coming into bloom from the warm spring weather this year.  Enjoys lots of sun.  They self seed freely, and the seed heads are enjoyed by gold finches.  Still lots of clumps at this writing.

Purple Columbine,  5/13/2011

      The purple columbine self seeds, and will pop up in lots of new places.  Does well in partial shade and likes moisture.  I now have some plants that are basically white.  Limited supply of columbine at this writing.

My back yard garden,  7/7/2011

      This shot shows lots of plants that are available.  The tall plants in the background are African daisies.  They grow to six feet by July, and the seed heads are adored by gold finches.  The day lily in the middle of the shot is a solid orange tetraploid.  The clump does spread fairly rapidly, but can be controlled easily by digging out plants to give away.  The lily on the right is a dark magenta color, and the lily in the front is a combination yellow and orange.  Also have some shorter Stella De Oro daisies, a nice compact yellow.

Canna Lily,  7/7/2011

      The cannas have not yet started to grow, but will be six to eight feet tall by July.  This particular variety has a fairly insignificant red flower spike for such a large canna.  Yet it is visited often by our hummingbirds, so I have not switched it out for a showier variety.  I probably have some lambs ear that is in the right foreground.  Interesting leaves, not much on the flowers.  I do have some rose campion available, which has similar leaves to the lamb's ear, but the campion has strikingly beautiful flowers.  The garlic behind the campion is a hard neck variety that is showing the garlic scapes.  We still have beautiful garlic bulbs from last years harvest.  No way that those are available. 

White and Pink Phlox,  July 2011

       The phlox was pretty, but reserved when grown in a fairly shady spot under a maple tree.  When moved to the back garden, it had an explosion of self seeding.  Plenty available.

Black eyed Susan and African Daisies,  July 2011

      Black eyed Susan are in the foreground, with the taller African daisies behind.  The black eyed Susan is particularly drought resistant, and its seed heads are eaten by the finches.

      These are the pictures I could find this morning.  Lots of other things are available, but not yet listed.