My New Favorite Summer Bulb!

All of you seasoned gardeners who are familiar with Ixia, I ask your indulgence. You newbies or seasoned diggers-in-the-dirt who are not familiar with Ixia, it's to you that I address this bit of excitement. Actually, I'm addressing anyone who'll listen. :)

Back in February when I was in the thick of flower-starvation, I ordered bulbs. My intention was to have nice little clumps of hardy species gladiolus popping up randomly throughout my borders. Well, here it is, the middle of June and those glads, although diligently planted and tended to, are a no-show. Maybe later? Who knows? 

But I was also enamored of these pretty things called Ixia. Lured by the photo on the Bulbs Direct website, I went ahead and purchased two, twenty-bulb packages of this one called 'Mabel.' When they arrived, I planted the little buggers, then forgot all about them. 

From Bulbs Direct

Within a month, little green pointy things were popping up and getting taller. Then buds... then blossoms! Here's what they look like in my garden. 

A few weeks after planting Ixia 'Mabel', I found a box of mixed colored Ixia at the Dollar Store so I grabbed them. Here is the only one that is blooming so far. 

Yellow, Dollar Store Ixia

So, now that I've seen Ixia flowers with my own eyes, I'm wondering where they've been all my life. I'm completely sold. If the reluctant hardy glads make an appearance, I'll let you know. 

Clematis! 

Clematis 'Multi-Blue'

Clematis texensis 'Pagoda'

Clematis integrifolia 'Andante' 

Clematis integrifolia 'Aljonushka' 

New to me this year: Clematis 'Haizawa'

Clematis texensis 'Princess Diana'

And my favorite: Clematis viticella 'Confetti'

Other bloomers: 

Diascia integrimmus

Buds on my Butterfly Weed (Asclepias speciosa). 

Campanula punctata 'Pink Octopus'

Campanula punctata 'Pink Bells'
My sister gave me a start of this plant last year.
Wouldn't it be fun if both Campanulas interbred and created a new, unique plant?

It happened with Monkey Flower.
 Mimulus lewisii x cardinalis 

About the only Salvia that I can successfully winter-over in my winter-wet garden...
Salvia verticillata 'Purple Rain'

I know I post too many photos of Alstroemeria 'Tri-Color' but I love it.

Borage--for the bees! (Borago officinalis) 

Parahebe perfoliata in bloom

Phlox paniculata 'Red Magic'
Maybe the "magic" is in the fact that it's purple, not red.

Sweet Peas, blooming from plants purchased in April.

Potentilla fruticosa 'Pink Beauty'

Pleiboblastis sp. (Dwarf Bamboo) ... purchased during the fall plant sales, has made a
complete recovery.

What to grow where nothing grows...

Lamium 'Anne Greenaway' love it!

The Banana (Musa basjoo) is happy

Look who has been visiting the garden for the past several days:

I think she's got a thing for these Mock Orange flowers.
(Philadelphus 'Belle Etoile')

Zip with one of his pots of kitty-pot! 

A few days ago, while I had my camera handy we had a cool fly-over--seven helicopters, in perfect formation. I wasn't sure if my photos would turn out but they did!  

And finally, there is a song sparrow that has made its nest in the neighbor's bramble. In the evenings, s/he likes to sit right here and sing. It's adorable.

Isn't life grand?

I'm Getting Too Old For This S**T

DO YOU REMEMBER THIS line? It was made famous (or infamous) by Danny Glover in the Lethal Weapon movies. I shamelessly admit that it is used with regular frequency around our house. Especially by my husband and me. This past weekend, I uttered it under my breath more times than I can recall. I'll tell you why in a minute. But first, fall colors! 

Acer palmatum 'Seiryu'

I really, really love this lacy Japanese Maple. Liberated from its pot, it is happily rewarding us here in the loamy soil of our revamped patio bed.  

One more little show-off, if I may before we get to the serious stuff. We had some work done on our Sweet Gum trees in the front yard. There are lots of stumps to contend with. When I laid eyes on this one, I knew it was a keeper. 

Check it out now! 

Cool, huh? 

Okay, time to get down to business. 

A few years ago, my neighbors planted bamboo. Running bamboo! 

Isn't it pretty, with an evening sky behind it? 

It grows (or should I say runs) on the other side of the fence. 

But because running bamboo doesn't know the first thing about neighborly etiquette, 

it found its way to my garden. 

No surprise really. I should have known. I should have been out there

digging a trench, putting down a barrier the moment 

my neighbor planted it. But no. 

Here is the largest of the interlopers, a four-foot long monstrosity!
There were several shorter ones that had slithered in unbeknownst to me.  
I'm getting way too old for this shit!

The barrier is down and I filled the gaps with some of the leftover gravel from
the patio paving project. 

I've got one more section of fence, (to the left of the photo) to tackle this weekend. 

My biggest fear despite hours of digging and sweating and cussing
is that I didn't dig deep enough. That somehow those evil monsters will find a way to
breach their barrier and take my garden hostage. 

So henceforth, I'm required to watch this area like a hawk and keep it relatively
free of plants so if it does invade, I can dig it out without killing any plants.
Of course the banana can stay. Isn't it cool? 

 So there you have it. My continuing gardening saga. Sometimes that admonition to "Love thy neighbor" is much more difficult than it needs to be. How 'bout you? Are your neighbors treating you well?