Sunday Ramblings in the Garden

I had no idea when I decided to do a weekly garden update that it would take so much of my time.  And be so much fun .  And intriguing.  I have seen my garden from an entirely new perspective by taking photos every day.  And I have spent countless HOURS identifying the photos and cataloging them.  Plus, I am now figuring out how to use my new photo app in Windows 10.  And I kinda like it, although I probably should have learned how to use the app that came with my camera.  Oh, well....

Here is a photo of the sky on Friday afternoon when Mother Nature couldn't decide quite what she wanted to do.

I only got a couple of drops of rain here, but my son said he got a good five minute downpour just a few miles away.  More rain is expected today which means 'free water'.

And speaking of free, you know how I love 'free' plants.  I have no idea where this Euphorbia marginata originally came from, as I know I never bought it.  It is a very hardy plant that pops up all over the garden.  I pull out what is in the way of other plants and then let it grow wherever.

It grows one to two feet tall and adds a little interest.  Thank you wind, birds, rabbits or whoever dropped seed.

Here is a photo from 1999 of the two original Rose of Sharon bushes I planted back in the 1970's.  The flowers were double white.  The bushes were big and overgrown and eventually succumbed to old age.

There were a few little seedlings sprouting that I decided to nurture and see what I would get.  One has done fairly well even though deer made several attempts to eat it.  It is a lovely lavender and I have no idea how that happens from a double white.

Another bush has not been as fortunate.  First, the deer ate the entire top, leaving one lonely stem.  I decided to grow it as a tree.  It seemed to be doing O.K., but then last winter when the deer got in the yard one of them decided to try to jump over it, missed and broke half of the top.  So, now I have a lop-sided tree.  I then decided to move it to another location and while it is blooming, it is also struggling.

It is a pretty single white and I think I am going to just prune it back at the end of its flowering and hope for the best.  The third bush finally has some buds so I am interested to see what it will look like.  Stay tuned.

And apparently I am not the only one who likes 'free' plants as yesterday I had the pleasure of off-loading some daylilies, hosta and Dutch iris.  A friend has a new home and is landscaping around the deck.  I've got so much, you cannot even tell anything is gone.

And, last, but not least, here is a current photo of the Quick-fire hydrangea, changing to its pink blossoms.  I'll be back with my weekly update tomorrow.