Six on Saturday – 20/07/2019 – Yes, it’s Hot

We’re in the midst of a “heat dome” this weekend – highs in the low 30’s, with the humidity feeling like it’s the low 40’s. I know, a lot of you have experienced many days much warmer so I’m not complaining. Just explaining why these photos were taken last weekend – when things in the garden were a bit perkier! Thanks to our meme host The Propagator for starting the SOS thing – pay his site a visit to see many beautiful and interesting gardens around the world.

#1 – I’m scheduled for cataract surgery in a few months. Following it, perhaps I’ll be able to see the tiny weeds growing in my Hens and Chicks basin here. As it is, I thought there was just the one additional plant – the Chinese Forget Me Not (Cynoglossum amabile) – growing amongst the succulents. But when I enlarge the photo (a lot) to see if it’s in focus (again…post eye surgery perhaps my photos will be less fuzzy…) I notice the dozens of tiny weeds springing up…

#2 – Daylilies (Hemerocallis) have started to bloom in earnest. This is a lovely red variety given by a neigbour, from her garden, before she moved away.

#3 – Although Alliums generally bloom in the spring, the showier ones at least, there are several species that shine in the summer. Here is the tall but tiny Drumstick Allium (Allium sphaerocephalon), just starting now.

#4 – An underrated and little known native dogwood – Grey Dogwood – Cornus racemosa. It was blooming last weekend – not terribly spectacular but the berries it produces are a gorgeous creamy white, loved by birds, and the foliage is an unusual soft green.

#5 – Datura. Last fall, while walking in Wellington (Ontario), I came across a shrub size plant with prickly fruit. I suspected it may be Datura so I ‘found’ one of the seed pods at the base of the plant and brought it home, where it dried, and released hundreds of tiny seeds. When I started them indoors, in March, it was like, a 100% germination rate. Tiny Datura’s springing up everywhere, even after I discarded a lot (ie threw them away) into the strawberry bed. I kept a few seedlings, put three in a large pot and now they’re flowering. I can never catch them when the flower is completely open – they must do that at night. These are early morning shots. Yes, I know they’re poisonous. I’m still alive.

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#6 – Iceberg Rose. Just because.