The Garden of Bogturtle

 Really pleased with the little pond and the trail camera focused on it. The floating Duckweed showed up when I thought it was long gone. A terrible pest but a little of it is appreciated. It would totally cover the pool unless thinned out. The Parrots Feather emerges, and the marauding Racoons have only helped it spread out. The submerged Bladderwort has already been thinned out by hand. No Frogs or Fish, unfortunately. Not that I didn't try. And it bothers me that in every other year young Green or Bull Frogs would come during a rainy night and one or two would find the pond a place to stay. Some overwintered in the mud and leaves at the pool bottom. The trail camera on the pond was a little pricey but saves on batteries, being solar powered. A huge savings over time and a savings in time, also. I don't have to switched out exhausted batteries, or recharge them. And they cost also. Also pleased that the listed date is accurate.  I know of only two winter hardy Begonia specie...

  Physiostygia virginica in another place I planted it.  The plant is likely to wander, though, as many a perennial will. There is one pink flowered clone called 'Miss Manners' that is said to stay in place better. Any dates on photos are just nonsense. Three efforts at what was super easy in the past. Mimosa pudica is the Sensitive Plant, that will colapse its leaves suddenly, if they are touched. I wanted to gift a little plant to a young person, as I was sure they would be fascinated. It also has pink fluffy flowers. A super easy annual, I thought. I think the soil mix I bought was bad. At any rate, here are a couple of plants that might live. From seed that was hard to find, but not too pricey. Listed in a favorite house plant catalog at about $15 each, + shipping. Fine, if they can get that, but not from me. And the plant is reputed to be somewhat a weed, if your not careful. I have wanted it for several years and none I ever grew were pests.  Looks like there will b...

  Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' is the toughest, easiest of plants. It was dominant just in front of the Edgeworthia shrub, to the right of the little rock garden. I thinned it, and maybe too much.  But it is the sort of plant that you may always have, and a fine addition to any sunny spot.  Surely showed this sometime this Summer, already. The Ginger, Asarum splendens has never looked better. Among the plants in a rather shady section of the main perennial garden between where we park the vehicles and the vine covered fence hiding the pool side.  The typical clone of Viburnum mariessi is beautiful in Spring, and I was surprised to see how bright the berries look, at the moment. It is among the crowded shrubs into the wood by the front path.  More than this one flower is open today, 7/19. The only plant I see on the property, or at least the only in bloom. Lilium tigrinum, the Tiger Lily is another cottage garden plant that is super easy. Why the 'tiger lily' with spots...

  w Crocosmia 'Diablo'. Becoming quite an expert at what plants deer will leave alone, at least here. And, of course, a starving deer would eat anything it could. Full time concern whether the plants have been sprayed, and now we have recurrent rains that wash it off. Crocosmia seems not a choice of deer, even inexperienced fawns.  A local market sells veggies and fruit at a reasonable price, in quantities not practical to me, and from all over the World. All Nationalities are shopping there and finding familiar food I never saw before. This is a Daicon Radish the Japanese grow, and I think its the first time I tried to grow it, myself. They probably eat the greens, also. I am surprised how well it grew. My vegetable garden, with too much shade, is not great. I probably could have bought this cheaper than it cost to grow, and definitely with much less labor. And with less strange satisfaction.  Interesting to see the occasional, all summer long, blooms from plants that, t...