Sovereignty Farms

Shades of Late Summer

The Solidago has many blooms on it, some at the tips are beginning to bloom so that you can see the yellow even from far away. This weekend the Morning Glory were blooming as well. It reminds me of Mom and living in Arizona.

I planted 2 Brown Turkey fig trees. They are about 1 foot tall now, but they will get 15 feet in about 10 years. They will produce fruit for us much before then.

I also planted a Little Henry Sweetspire - it is a good size already, but it is still a compact shrub. Three good things about this plant - it smells good when it is blooming, it attracts loads of butterflies, and the leaves get super red in the fall.

I put 2 butterfly weed in the rose bed. They are cuttings and seem to be doing pretty well. I don't expect anything until next year, but that is ok. I will probably not build a butterfly bed until then.

In a holding bed now are also 3 'Bridal Wreath' Spirea. They are completely dormant but they have about 3 shoots each that are larger than a pencil in diameter so I think they will look good next summer. I just read that they may do well in shade too. That opens more opportunities to place them in the fall.

A couple of other things I have recently planted: Yellow Butterfly bush (it is pretty small right now); a ton of Sedum --> Bronze Carpet; Blue Spruce; Gold Carpet; Green Spruce; John Creech; Ellacombinum; Ruby Fingers; Tricolor; Frosty Morn; Golden Teardrop; and a few Blue Columbine.

In the back I planted 4 more Acuba and 4 more Mahonia. 2 Pink and White varigated Camellias and a Grape Holly Mahonia.

The Blue Columbine and a new fernleaf Bleeding Heart don't seem to be doing too well, though. They need more pampering (if it is not too late).

I moved the Hosta out of the Pink and Yellow bed. It just gets more sun than I thought it would. I planted them under a tree so they should do well now - they were getting crispy.

We are still picking tomatoes and okra in the garden. And oh my - the peppers! The Bell Peppers are not complete yet. And the sweet potato leaves are out of control - we have to keep them in check.

This past weekend we worked very hard to clear off the fence on the left side of the yard. And Dan cleared horrible bramble (is that a word?) from these tree trunks - although we didn't know they were tree trunks until we were done. The soil there is great so we can plant some trees or shrubs there. Next weekend - the right side of the fence, where there is much more to do. That area is more "wild" than the other side.

There are so many more gardens I want to create - but I keep praying for God to grant me patience - to enjoy what I have now and work to make that better before bringing upon more areas to manage.

Testig Notifications

Testing Notifications

If at first you don't succeed....

Seems like people still are not getting updated on my posts. I tried something else this time so hopefully this works.

I have a few new pictures out there. Click Here.

The newest bed is frustrating me. First I will share that I have dubbed it the "ladybug" bed. I dunno why. I have bought a few ladybug garden things to go in it. I was thinking of doing a fairy garden - I saw one on TV once and it was cool. But I am not all that into fairies. And the ladybugs seem so cute. So, there ya go.
Anyway, one of the red daylilies will bloom any day now which is cool. The hydrangeas look good except for the heat of the day getting to them. But many of the new Hostas are looking horrible. Their leaves are almost all burned off. How is it that the Hydrangeas are ok but these are not? Either they are getting more sun somehow or they are super sensitive cultivars. So anyway, I think I will move them over to the driveway bed. The ferns there are looking pretty good. I may even move 2 Hydrangea shrubs over there. I was also thinking of moving the Weigelia to the new ladybug bed, as well as one of my peonies - one in a pot. I was thinking of planting it in the ground. This is the time to do it.

I also decided today that I am going to plant a butterfly bush in the area of the yard between the pink and yellow bed and the herb garden. There is a nice little place there for one. The garden plan from Habersham actually calls for a round bed of 6 roses there. But I like the idea of the butterfly bush attracting wildlife. Especially because the next bed I want to do is a butterfly bed. The bush will be a nice transition between the beds, since the butterfly bush will be over there, closer to the driveway though, near the pear tree and the grape vine.

I need to do some research on how to preserve the Canna and Elephant Ears this winter. Help.

This weekend my plan is to start some fall veggies from seed. Broccoli (sp?) and lettuce. I will plant more beans and carrots (good for stew), greens and then keep the sweet potatoes. Just a small crop, since I will not have a lot of time with the Master Gardener Class going on at that time too.

Back to the Ladybug bed. It seems like everyday I look - even at the same time of day, the conditions in that bed are all different. I am at such a loss as to what else to plant there. I need something that can take the part shade and full sun. Like the daylilies, but there are so many there already. Maybe some coneflowers or something like that. But those are tall. Ahhh.

I have order a grape holly mahonia - the birds will love it. Also 4 fatsia, 4 golddust acuba and 2 pink and white variegated camellia. I want all of these to go in the back yard - which desperately needs me to finish laying down pinestraw. Also, the pink and yellow bed needs pine bark mulch in a major way.

Anyway - with the bloglet notification service and with the ladybug bed.....I will try and try again!