The Garden of Bogturtle

  Looking from where we park, across the green mass of vines on the fence that hides the side of the above ground pool. The mass of golden yellow, down low is Aesculus parviflora. Now a real colony of two distinct clones. One of these Buckeyes blooms about two weeks earlier than the other, so they may not hybridize, but there are many poisonous buckeyes, this year, and many that have started up from other years.  Taken from the front porch, the little tree shaped Peegee Hydrangea is on the left. Then the wild, typical white flowered Dogwood. Then the equally reddish Viburnum mariessi, and closest and overhead, the old red flowered Dogwood, planted the first year we got here.  Never really work, this season, blowing the leaves off the drive must be done every couple of days. But the woods are beautiful and, today, the weather was perfect. Epimedium sufureum. Unusual that one tiny sprout has taken on red. The leaves will endure, but are so ratty by February that I string trim them to the

Red Admiral Butterfly   Dwarf Lilyturf, Dwarf Mondo Grass, Dwarf Lirope. Ophiopogon japonicus.  Green all year round and only 2 or 3 inches tall, it is one of the plants that absolutely needs protection from being buried by neighbors. A miniature Veronica was left with it. Appropriately planted in the little Rock Garden. Years ago a neighbor gave me this perennial Aster. Few blooms, as it is in the shade of the large Holly, but always appreciated. Certainly not blue, and nobody should call it that, but a pale violet blue, and my camera is not faithfully recording it. The favorite of them all, Morning Glory 'Heavenly Blue' never blooms here until this time of year. A mystery. There is a sort called 'Heavenly Blue, Clark's Early'. I will see if I can order that. And they never form seed for me either.  This common house plant should grow and hang over the edges. Called 'Wandering Jew', Tradescantia zebrina.  Among the easiest of house plants, with one sort get

This is the hardy Begonia, B. evansiana, and there doesn't seem to be too many species that are. Some confusion in my mind, as some sources list it as B. grandis.  Neglected and spreading in the shaded area of the little perennial bed between where we park and the fence for the inground pool.  This is the same species, but the named, pinkish sort called 'Heron's piroette'.  The Moonflower vine, Ipomea alba, bloomed. Maybe 4 inches across, and, like all Morning Glories, fading around noon. You can detect the opening of the bloom, at the end of the day, if you are patient to the point of being silly. Planted among the vines in a windowbox on the little landing off the addition. Never have gotten seed, so it is an annual spring purchase. I don't bother to abrade a little area off the tip part of the seed, which is supposed to speed the appearance of the seedlings. They do fine. Three strange little turtles support the strawberry jar full of Semperviviums. Cannot say wh