More Plants

Was able to get a few more plants into the garden soil this weekend.

Placed two additional Milky Way Cast Iron Plants (Aspidistra lurida 'Milky Way') into the second tier to the left of my pond.  Didn't get any before shots, but it ain't too hard to picture what it used to look like.  Already had some Milky Ways in front of the rock wall; they got hammered by some of our extreme cold a couple of winters back, but are recovering.

I've always liked their spotted foliage.  Mine have always stayed small, especially compared to the regular Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior).

Also got two Pam's Pink Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus drummondii 'Pam Puryear') to add to a bare spot near a potted Root Beer Plant (Piper auritum), a pass-along from Philip at East Side Patch.  Sadly, I have not been able to provide the Root Beer Plant with as much water as it desires - thus I have had to bid it farewell.

The two Pam's Pink Turk's Cap should fill in here and hopefully provide some needed summertime color.

 I've already decided I likely need to get at least one, possibly two, more to adequately fill the space.

Such nice weather for planting plants.  Though a predicted change in the weather for next weekend got me to go ahead and set up my pop-up greenhouse; it will remain empty for now, but at least I'm prepared.

Minishrooms

While working in the garden this morning, I discovered a large swath of tiny mushrooms.  Most were only a half-inch tall or shorter, and the mass covered an area less than foot across.  Their little caps were about a quarter-inch in size.

They were fascinating little miniatures.

Flower Power: GBBD October 2012

Sponsored by May Dream Gardens

Established Plants

Rock Rose (Pavonia lasiopetala)

 Mexican Petunia (Ruellia tweediana 'Colobe Pink')

 Pale Pavonia (Pavonia hastata)

 Toad Lily (Tricyrtis lasiocarpa)

 Mountain Sage (Salvia regla)

 Dwarf Barbados Cherry (Malphigia glabra)

 Philippine Violets (Barleria cristata)

 Soap Aloe (Aloe maculata)

 Rose Creek Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora 'Rose Creek')

 Annuals

Begonias (Begonia semperflorens)

Flower Wannabes

American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

 Possumhaw (Ilex decidua)

 Dwarf Buford Holly (Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii Nana')

 Tardies

 Soap Aloe (Aloe maculata): three new stalks

Bracket Mushroom

Once upon a time, a towering Hackberry tree grew at this spot.  But after it split in half, the tree was removed and it's stump ground down below soil level.  I assume that the buried trunk, slowly rotting away, gave rise to this almost foot-wide bracket mushroom.

Planting Plants

Now that cooler weather has arrived (at least for the weekend), spent some time putting plants in the ground or transplanting them to new locations.

Added two more Pittosporum Creme De Mint (Pittosporum tobira 'Shima') along my backyard path.  Have actually had these since late spring and have been babying them in their pots over the summer - glad to finally get them in the ground (before & after shots).

 

Transplanted my Red Billbergia (though bought under this name, I'm beginning to think it's actually Cryptbergia 'Red Burst) from where it was getting buried by a nearby Rattlesnake Agave (Manfreda maculosa) to a more prominent location where its bright red coloration will get more noticed.  Also moved several Friendship Plants (Billbergia nutans) from a front bed back here into the tier behind the Red Billbergia.

Moved several Soap Aloes (Aloe maculata) pups into the top tier of my Three Tiers Garden.  Presently have one blooming and at least three others in the process of sending up bloom stalks - which will be their best showing ever.