1 October 06

Digging in October

California fuchsia Apologies to all my friends in northern climes, but I’m working at getting the winter vegetable garden in as well as planting a new herb garden. I had no idea gardening involved so much time with a fork and spade, or what good they did, but I’m getting the hang of this.

We took a break today to go on a little sketching outing to the Arboretum. Here’s some California fuchsia, which I’m hoping to plant with the herbs…

Posted by at 07:46 PM in Gardening | Link |
  1. I love that plant, and I still call it Zauschneria. Who the hell could give up a name like that? Wow, the prostrate kind would be a great dry-herb-bed border.

    I keep meaning to send you a pic of the false-freesia. It would fill in nicely in the bed by your door; just scratch the seed in, not deeply.

    Lord but I envy you all that sun just now.
    — Ron Sullivan    1. October 2006, 23:08    Link
  2. No apologies needed, dig away, enjoy and create!

    An Old Chinese proverb: If you want to be happy for a day – drink, if you want to be happy for a year – marry, if you want to be happy for a lifetime – care for a garden.

    Or: “A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; industry and thrift; above all, entire trust.” Gertrude Jekyll.
    — Jennifer    2. October 2006, 00:40    Link
  3. Ron: thank you! “prostrate kind”—hmm. I’ll have to ask about this. Also, what’s the scientific name of false freesia? This patch gets less sun than I thought although some of those tall roses got trimmed this weekend (not by me), and although the nectarine tree’s leaves will be falling soon, it’s going to require some careful thought. I need to plant way more “part shade though can tolerate huge blasts of late afternoon sun in summer,” a plant I haven’t quite met yet.

    By the way that aquilegia is just POPPING. That’s a happy plant. I may find it some company and start replacing those miserable impatiens.

    Jennifer: I just finished the Jekyll biography so kindly lent to me by Ron. What a grand gal. Thanks for the quote and thanks for your support in this, even though you’re probably almost done with your garden for the year…
    — Pica    2. October 2006, 06:27    Link
  4. Lately, it’s Freesia laxa. Within the last few years, I’ve seen it as these:

    Synonym:: Anomatheca laxa
    Synonym:Anomatheca cruenta
    Synonym:Freesia laxa
    Synonym:Lapeirousia cruenta
    Synonym:Lapeirousia laxa

    No wonder I can never remember.

    Here’s a pic. You have the white kind with the red spots.

    It grows in my porch pots in the mostly-sun, in the front patch in the shade, in the backyard in more shade, and in the raised beds in various sun/shade combinations. Probably all those seeds won’t be viable, but lots should be. They get taller in shade, of course. They like regular watering, and the main caution is that the leaves look just like grass; once you’ve seen and handled them, though, it’s not impossible to distinguish them by feel as much as by sight.

    If those all poop out on you, don’t worry; I have more. Experiment! It’s also allegedly suitable for indoor planting, though I’ve never tried that.
    http://www.corporate-elite.info/plants/images/photos/anomatheca_laxa.jpg

    The aquilegia is from Annie’s Annuals, and her plants are usually pretty vigorous. Now that’s an expedition we should plan someday. She’s in Richmond.
    — Ron Sullivan    2. October 2006, 09:04    Link
  5. Enjoy, Pica! I am putting my garden to bed and, if we sell the house, will reach spring for the first time in my life without any garden at all except for our terrace and potted plants. It’s a strange feeling. You’re so lucky to be able to garden nearly year-round – do keep us posted about it!
    — beth    2. October 2006, 10:39    Link

Previous: Next: