With the loss of so many hostas and the daylily, the area that was most affected looks pretty open. I will not replace those plants, and potted plants are not a good option with the bunnies and squirrels and some of the birds. But nature is kind of taking care of things.
I see that where the hostas used to be there is clover growing (plus some forget-me-nots). And I realize the new empty space is perhaps destined to become named “Bunnyville”. Where the bunnies occasionally munch on the sedum, there are three raspberry plants growing – that I for sure did not plant there. I think we can figure what happened lol.
I am tempted to let them grow, but I probably won’t.
Three tulips have survived the nightly TEA (Tulip Eating Association) meetings. At first glance the one on the ground looked like a “Bunimous got interrupted” incident. I scolded him, wherever he was. “Oh Bunimous! Come on!” But he and his TEA may not be responsible for that one. Notice the dirt. Could have been rain. Or a combo.
When you “contract” with the baby bunnies to start doing garden cleanup.
“Will work for food”
They are “trimming” the stalks left from the Asian lilies. The Asian lilies finished blooming a month ago. I deadhead (most) and leave the stems to build strength for next year and then die back. Hopefully the bunnies didn’t get at them too soon. Time will tell.
The daylilies are winding down. There are less than a dozen Purple D’Oro buds left, and way less than that on almost all the others except Marque Moon. The cross I did this weekend from the Marque Moon to the South Seas did not take. But the Purple D’Oro have 17 seed pods – all created by pollinators. The (6) remaining intentional crosses we did are tbd. I think I will stop at that. I was starting to see blooms as potential crosses, and I didn’t like that path. I am in a place right now where I really, really, really just need to enjoy the small moments of peace. “Plans” keep reminding me that they are just that – plans. Gifts, on the other hand, like the pollinator creations are a special, abundant treat, at least at this particular time. I am not sure I have ever had 17 Purple D’Oro seed pods. But I will gladly accept them.
No pic today. I am going to walk out in the garden tonight without anything but a heart full of wonder at how beautiful July was, and thankfulness for what is winding up today, one day, as a gift of beautiful daylilies. And hope that the little baby bunny we have been watching will enjoy a few more patches of clover I have saved in the rock.
The hostas are really starting to come into bloom now. One of my favorites is First Frost
How it does so well in the afternoon sun is a tiny miracle to me. It took a few years to establish – years when there were four or five leaves and one scape. But is is super happy now in that spot.
It makes me wonder –
Before I started adding daylilies, I had A LOT of hostas. I seriously don’t remember them getting stomped on. Hosta scapes blown, but not stomped on. Maybe hostas, even littles ones, are more universally recognizable? I don’t know.
Another favorite is the Patriot hosta
I have one left here, one was moved to the little house up north, and one was gifted to our next door neighbor who moved this spring. Our new neighbor, to my delight, is also a gardener. Hooray! Patriot hostas grow and prosper!
We also had news this week about the townhome garden “refresh”. It is pushed to next year.
I have 7 daylilies that definitely need to move – the 4 out front that keep getting stomped on and 3 red ones that have been relatively safe all these years as they are up against the house. But this year they did not bloom. I think it is because we got a new, larger, grill, and they now have too much shade. Or they need to be divided. Either way, moving is planned. One of their offspring did bloom this year. It is a rooted offspring and very small. But beautiful.
And in Bunimous news, Bunimous has gifted us baby Bunimi (is that a word – haha!) who are adorable, and far more genteel. They are clearing a lot of the clover in the gardens. I scared one poor little one a little past dawn mid-week. I hope they begin to eat the hosta leaves as they get bigger and we move into fall. Less work for me.
In the spring the hostas get coffee grounds and ant-bunny treatment, so minimal destruction ;)A little, but tolerable.
I had a sunflower seed germinate in my pot of daylily seedlings this year. Whether or not it was from birdseed I cannot say.
It grew to be a full sunflower plant with 4 mature flowers, and it looked like a 5th on the way. The birds were digging it. I was digging it. Then the squirrels dug it. Actually they probably swung on it. It started to bend. Then the next morning it was broken.
Since I had put zero effort into it except watering the pot, I was not too sad. I cut the stalk and brought the pot of of daylily seedlings up north to plant. The next time I saw the sunflower (now just the stalk) it was under the pine tree. The next morning it was totally gone.
Nothing from that sunflower went to waste. A cooperative effort between the birds, the squirrels, and the bunnies I suspect.
Susan's Daily Garden 