Hummingbird Moth

Unfortunately I haven't been lucky enough to see any hummingbirds yet this year, but I always have several fascinating little guys like this one, a Snowberry Clearwing Hummingbird Moth. Have you ever seen one? I didn't until I had these Butterfly bushes. They are about 1.25" - 2.0" in size and look like a cross between a hummingbird and a large bee, with partially clear wings and what looks like the bottom of a lobster tail. They are much less skittish than the hummingbirds and will let you get pretty close to them.

Black Swollowtail

Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
(aka Eastern Black Swallowtail)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
(aka Tiger Swallowtail)

Bumble bees and honey bees snacking side by side.

Normally I Like an orderly, contained, garden and yard. However, the exception in my backyard is my clump of Buddleias or butterfly bushes. They grow rampant! I prune them down to about a foot or two in the early spring and by June they are about 7' high.

There are two purple and one golden bush planted behind my little pool house. They grow right up to press on the window screens. I love them! I can't wait until they bloom because when the windows are open their sweet and heady (but not too strong) fragrance permeates the room. It's one of the joys of my summer.

Not only does it smell great, but all the insects above were seen just inches away from the glass and the screen. The windows become like a fish tank of flora and fauna, (with insects as the fauna). As you can see there are things moving back and forth and around all day. It's a lovely show outside my window!

Future site of my Karesansui Japanese Garden

I am going to try to make a Japanese dry-landscape Zen Garden (Karesansui style). Of course I know that there is a lot more involved in this then I am aware.

Unlike other traditional gardens, there is no water in Karesansui gardens. Raked gravel or sand simulates the feeling of water. The rocks are chosen for their artistic shapes, and mosses as well as small shrubs are used to to support the Karesansui style. Rocks and moss are used to represent ponds, islands, boats, seas, rivers, and mountains.

I have done some reading and I think I understand some of the basic principles. Sumi (balance), in and yo (otherwise known as yin & yang), ma (empty space) which defines the elements around it, wabi ( individual spirit), and sabi (patina of time) are just some of the elements that should be in harmony.

Ha! I'm just going to think about it and then do what I think looks right as I try to fulfill the principles as I understand them. After all, I'm going to be the major viewer of this little garden, and I don't think anyone else who visits my yard will know much more than the basic principles anyway. If they know that much! (I'm thinking of my family here, not garden club members.) The photos above are of the spot I will be converting. As you can see it's very small which doesn't make a difference, but I have to figure out how to enclose it to insulate it from the rest of the yard. I'll add more pictures as the garden develops.

Behind that curved area of deck we used to have a hot tub; and I read somewhere that it is good to have a spot or platform to overlook a Zen garden, so I think it might work out. We'll see.

Oh by the way, see that white form on the right side of the second picture? I think that might be a ghost. There is really nothing there but grass, all the way back to the pines at the fence.

Strange huh?

Pillows by Mary Jane

I want to show you these lovely pillows that Mary Jane made for me. They are beautiful, containing fine details of beading, shirring, outlining. and tassels. They compliment my (measly) orchids wonderfully. Now if only my orchids could keep up their end of the tableau! Mary Jane is very talented. Wait until you see the display boxes she has made for the center pieces of our Sept. meeting!

Notice the bead work on the orchid and the hibiscus...and the tiny little beads on the dragonfly's body.

Aren't they pretty?

Blue hydrangeas

Here are a couple of pictures of my dining room with a simple way to display hydrangeas. They are in light blue goblets which were given to me years ago by my friend Sylvie. I have had them on my table for 3 weeks. (I've put fresh flowers in once a week.) Alas, they're starting to fade now.

I just love these little bouquets and will miss them when the flowers are gone, although I guess I can switch to my (green & pink) PG hydrangeas. but I really love the blue!

Hydrangeas

Who doesn't love hydrangeas? They are the quintessential summer flower. I especially love blue and purple. I have various shades, from light pink to medium blue, and I have never tried to alter the color, just let nature and my soil take it's course. But.....

This year I purchased these two little bushes and they are just too pink for me.

the color is lovely by itself, but nearby are yellow lilies, orangeish geraniums, pink and orange cone flowers and some other orange perennial I forgot the name of. It's a fiesta of color! Pink, yellow and orange...its almost florescent! Blue with yellow and a touch of orange would be much calmer I think. So, I am going to attempt to change the color of the hydrangeas to blue. Aluminum in the soil seems to be the key for blue. Aluminum sulfate can be added and I think I'll try it. Here is the info I'll be following. http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/colorchange.html

I'll let you know next year how it works out. (The web site says plants should be 2 or 3 years old, I think I'll add the aluminum sulfate in the early spring. We'll see.)