June 12 , 2008
From the producer: 6/14/08
Since the raging , dry days are upon us , I envision we need a fiddling perking up this week . In stead of a good soak rain ( woefully out of my control ) Sharon Truett fromThe Natural Gardenergives us a go of drought broad plants for shade , include a few surprises ! Sambac jasmine , one of her selections , has a incentive : you’re able to make Camellia sinensis from its blossom . I ’ve had this one in a patio container for many years .
Last winter I did n’t bring it under cover song and it froze back , but rebounded nicely . in the first place I have it as a gardenia substitute , since that beloved works from my childhood cratered in two months when I constitute it in Austin . I do n’t miss gardenia at all since the sambac perfumes summer nicely , pick up where the asterisk jasmine leave off in spring . By the way , we ’ll put Sharon ’s industrial plant listing underJohn Dromgoole on our web site .
Marcus Young , talented designer and owner ofBloomers in Elgin , has us salivating again with the performers that wait around until blistering weather . His foliar and flower combinations for containers or beds are so beautiful that they take the grit out of summertime . His complete plant life list will be online under This hebdomad . We file away political program details , so if you ask a list down the line , just check outPast appearance .
On our garden visit , I cerebrate that Elayne Lansford will find a robust place in your heart , as she has in mine . Her story includes container tropicals , with passalongs and other “ dear piffling champion ” that she ’s had for eld , protected in husband - built glasshouse or improvised protective cover every wintertime . In summation , her far-flung garden is aNational Wildlife Federationbackyard habitat . She ’s available to meet with individuals or grouping for assist on starting a backyard habitat , so email me at ctg@klru.org if you ’d like to be in pinch .
And part of her floor is how the garden evolved , giving her strength and healing , when she was diagnosed with Crab . I thank her friend Brende who recommended this inspiration for us all .
In my garden , the back fence is certainly a wildlife habitat , albeit a little out of control , with bird food helianthus that re - seed every class . I demand to thin them , since they ’re shading out the wildlife nectaring perennial .
But these guys always come back , so you have to give them that . I ’ve tried seeding all the brilliant hybridise colors , but have never had any fate with them .
I care the birds would rust the mealybugs that are having a theater of operations day this year . This brood is on the batface cuphea in the French pancake bed . If they bother you , spray them with neem oil or dab them with rubbing alcohol . unremarkably , I just waitress for them to go by on their own . I just do n’t get too upset about louse . Like compost , insects happen , and I ’ve never mislay a plant to mealy bug . I do control them on container plant , like the Satsuma orange tree , but generally that ’s with my fingers .
This crepe motion-picture show is n’t the in effect , though in person , it was great ! I walked out one morning to see the pinks in action in the French pancake bed : Knock Out come up and the coneflowers . The batface is out of view in this icon , but it was there to my wide eye view .
Two days before , a pavonia was in bloom between them .
In front of them , a Salvia ‘ Hotlips ’ is putting on a few flowers but is too television camera unsure for the moment . So just imagine my little color scheme of pinkish and red dot in the bottom . Really , I just be active everyone around this natural spring for more sun , and bingo , a “ design ” was bear .
On the terrace , the turks detonating equipment is commence to bloom , though so far , I have n’t see a single hummingbird . The brook project and its noise may have frightened them off .
Beyond is the khat statue and cat ladder . Greg recently replaced a bad rung and I have n’t commence around to painting it .
Even our elderly cat Spencer climbs the ravel now and then . In the heat , he stays principally indoors , except for a brief after - dinner nap near the primrose jasmine beyond the ladder , in case he has a rare fit of 17 - year - older energy .
in conclusion , my heartfelt condolences go out to Sharon Truett , whose beloved husband , Raymond Carlton , died of a heart flak last Sunday . When we were taping the studio section a few weeks ago , Sharon profess that she was a lilliputian queasy . I distinguish her to talk to the camera as if it were Raymond . I ’m dreary that he wo n’t see what a outstanding caper she did . Linda
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