Persian shield

Here's my contribution to the 'hot containers with persian shield in 'em' category. Persian shield (Strobilanthes), tuberous begonia, young Colocasia esculenta (tubers purchased from the grocery store), Hosta 'Maui Buttercups' division and an unknown Anthurium which, when it blooms, has spathes the same color as the begonia's flowers.



I LOVE persian shield. Started out with one plant this spring and took cuttings; now I have it all over the place. Will post more pictures when other combinations grow in.

New Container

Here's my newest container planting:


It contains a cool purple nicotania, Persian Shield, a peachy-yellow hibiscus and orange gazania.
Hottttt!

Garden Notes: Critters

I've got quite a stash of critter pics now! When we set out to make these gardens we wanted to attract birds and butterflies, and after a fairly quiet winter in which our bird-feeders were visited by the local year-round population of white-winged doves, grackles, and occasional chickadee (here's a pic of one at a feeder in early spring--I have to admit I was surprised to see them down here--thought their territory was farther north, but they look to be staying here year-round), tufted titmice and other small birds (sparrows? finches? I'm too novice to tell), we've now got cardinals and blue-jays and mockingbirds in the mix--AND (cue Hallelujah chorus) Hummingbirds! After some time in the spring in which I doubted their existence, there have now been multiple sightings at our two back and one front feeder, as well as feeding at the red salvia in the front bed. I get buzzed by them all the time when I go to putter in the yard--one of them buzzed me and "chip-chip"-ed grumpily at me while I was dead-heading the rose border--I'm not sure why, since the rose border is on the opposite side of the yard from the feeders, but, he or she was just letting me know, I guess, that I was not wanted!) I haven't managed to get a picture of one yet...that's tough to do, and I'm not sure whether they are Ruby-throated or Anna's hummingbirds. Ah, well. Meanwhile, we've got lots of moths and butterflies around that like to sip at the humming- bird feeder as well. Here's some little guys that are probably moths--my next best picture priority after a hummingbird is one of a monarch butterfly on any of our flowers.

In addition, with all the primo birdseed being offered in both front and back yards, we have also attracted squirrels. Alas. They have destroyed a long series of bird-feeders in back by either chewing the plastic around the dispensers or chewing through the twine holding the feeders up so that they fall and break. I have now graduated to using only glass and metal feeders with metal hangers that will at least survive the attention--to the right is one in the front yard that is a nice, swinging snack bar. There's one particular feeder in front that has been quite funny to watch--it's supposed to be squirrel-proof. (HA!) See, it's a dome with the top half is on a spring, and that is supposed to close shut when a squirrel puts his weight on it. Now, while I have seen it close on birds when their compatriots try to land on the top half (much to the one inside the bottom half's consternation), it doesn't bother our squirrels at all. First I hung it from a relatively short metal plant hanger, and Mr. Squirrel just hung from the branch by his toes and did a back-bend to help himself. Then, I got a longer hanger thinking he'd try to shimmy down it and be foiled at the bottom when he put his weight on the top of the dome. No such luck. He shimmied down the hanger alright, but, somehow, he just climbed right in-- and this is where I find him and a long line of his friends of a sultry afternoon, except that when I walk by, they explode out of it, flinging seed everywhere. Oh, well, more accessible to the birds and squirrels that way, and the sunflowers that have popped up in the garden sure are pretty!

Finally--we've got another fuzzy little critter 'round here lately that's not quite so cute. Yup. A black tarantula has taken up residence in the yard. A few times I found her squatting under the bucket I put under the leaky faucet--believe me, the first time I lifted the bucket was not fun! But frankly, the thought of killing something this big and disposing of it is just too gross to contemplate--and she eats bugs--like roaches, so I am following the Live and Let Live motto. The other evening, after dusk, I was out moving the sprinkler around, pattering around in the grass in my bare feet, when out of the corner of my eye I saw movement. And there she was--scampering through the grass just a couple feet away. I jumped a foot, then ran into the house for my camera, and got some shots as she skedaddled across the sidewalk. Enjoy!