The Blog is Back

I have returned to my Blog!!  It most certainly has been a very long time since I posted and much has been happening in my life, all of which has kept me away from something I thoroughly enjoy.  There isn't much good news to report on the City containers.  The intense heat and lack of rain has taken a toll on most of the containers, even those which contained tried and true, tough as nails plants.  Those that had shade fared the best but it isn't without a struggle.  There are still two months to go before I change out for the fall season and I can only hope that they will keep some semblance of life so as not to embarrass themselves.

Which ones have done well.  It's no surprise that Dragon Wing Begonia continues to thrive and look good -- in sun or shade.  It's close cousin Begonia "Whopper" is also doing great.  It is tall like Dragon Wing but with a bronze, rounder leaf shape.  They will definitely make a return visit next summer.  The pentas from the Butterfly series have done well.  I have been surprised that the ones in the shade are looking good.  Not as many blooms but good foliage.  Angelonia from the Serena and Archangel series continue to bloom.  They do, however, need to be trimmed back throughout the season to keep their size in check and force more blooms, but other than that they are carefree.  The Vinca Cora series are also wonderful participants and have been continuous bloomers.  Paired with the Angelonia, it is a winning combination.  The petunias have been struggling and for the most part, losing the battle.  Even my tried and true Easy Wave Misty Lilac is weak and leggy, despite weekly fertilizing.  The real losers this year are the coleus.  Through trial and error I have kept the list to just a few that in the past have proven to be tough -- Campfire, Redhead, Rustic Orange and Kingswood Torch.  They just needed more water and couldn't get it.  The watering schedule for the City is limited and the gross lack of rain proved too much for them.  They were still growing but their color was waning, they were stretching and some just couldn't keep their leaves horizontal no matter how much liquid they got.  So, in an effort to keep the City "pretty" I have replaced some of them with Dragon Wing begonias and pentas.

There is one plant that most certainly needs mentioning - Gomphrena Fireworks.  It is one big ole plant that definitely needs to be in the back of the flower border since it can get over three feet tall.  The flower truly does remind you of fireworks with it head of bright pink and tips of yellow.  It is a worthy  plant but one does have to keep in mind its size.  I've used it in just a few containers because of its impact, but it needed to be pruned regularly.

I used Zinnia Zahara Yellow in several pots.  A good plant!  But it unfortunately got over run by some of the faster growers and in their shadow did not do so well.  I'd use it again in a better setting because it has beautiful, bright yellow flowers that repeated faithfully.  Probably best in a border rather than the containers.  Although I do have a few in my patio pots and as long as you keep the thugs in check it will do fine.

So, I'll keep you posted on who is winning the battle of the elements.  I'm not going to update the street map for now since many of the plants are missing or are being replaced.  But come this fall I'll redo that map so you can see which violas, pansies and upright greens I've used.  Fall planting is so much easier!!  Less choices to mull over and more rain to care for the ones I do choose.  Be back soon.