Tag Archives: Cleome hassleriana

Misty View From The Southern Side Garden

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The Southern Side Garden hosts the plant of the moment—Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily). The delicate flowers began blooming last week and have multiplied each day.

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

A light rain fell most of the day, but pulling into the driveway after an errand I spotted the enchanting plant near the entrance to the garden path and decided to ignore the misty shower long enough to get a picture or two.

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

Since spring this part of the garden has had little attention but a few reliable perennials and reseeding Cleome maintain interest.

Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) is a plant I have enjoyed for years, but I have yet to find a good location for it in this garden. It is not particularly thriving here along the Southern Path, but it does provide a few interesting, colorful flowers.

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)

Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ has become a summer favorite and the drops of rain made its deep hues appear even richer. It blooms for a while, then takes a break. Perhaps the cooler weather agrees with it. Black and Blue overwinters here making it a very easy-care plant.

Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'

Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’

Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'

Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’

Near the entrance gate to the main garden Rudbeckia hirta ‘Irish Eyes’ towers above the fence. Blooming since July, this Rudbeckia has made its finest show ever this year.

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)-2

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily), foreground.  Rudbeckia hirta ‘Irish Eyes,’ upper right background.

Rudbeckia hirta 'Irish Eyes'

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Irish Eyes’

Almanac

Temperatures remained unseasonably cool by 10-15 degrees. At 7:00 pm it is 70°F.

Gardening Enthusiasm On The Wane

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My enthusisam for gardening is temporarily on the decline. Mosquitos are aggressive, as are weeds and grass in the garden after a rainy spring and summer.  After weeks of daily rain storms a break from precipitation during the past three days brought welcome sunshine and blue sky, albeit with extreme heat and humidity.

It is an understatement to say spending time in the garden certainly is less compelling now than during those first warm weeks of spring when everything was fresh and young. I know dedicating even a few hours would benefit the overall appearance of the borders and help sustain the progress made to date in battling the Spiderwort, but procrastination is winning again today. Maybe tomorrow the call will come.

Despite my inattention the garden looks stronger than usual at this time of year. Pollinators are finding plenty of attractions. A few self-seeded Zinnias add extra color to the Western border.

Zinnia

Zinnia

Zinnia

Zinnia

Also self-seeded, Cleome abound. It is easy to see how the common name of Spider Flower originated. The complex structure of their flowers is fascinating.

Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

Yellow rays and green disks of Rudbeckia hirta ‘Irish Eyes’ brighten the southern entrance to the garden. Recently more bees are arriving to enjoy them, equipping this plant with its own buzzing, humming soundtrack.

Rudbeckia hirta 'Irish Eyes'

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Irish Eyes’

Leaves of Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp Sunflower) growing up through flowers of Rudbeckia hirta 'Irish Eyes'

Leaves of Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp Sunflower) growing up through flowers of Rudbeckia hirta ‘Irish Eyes’

 

Late Evening Garden

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Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan' (Coneflower)

Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’ (Coneflower)

When finally I had a chance to walk through the garden yesterday the sun was well on its way down. A small circle of flowers in the front yard drew me out for a closer look. While there is a lot of pink Echinacea throughout the garden putting on a fine display this summer, this ‘White Swan’ adds a touch of sophistication.

Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan' (Coneflower)

Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’ (Coneflower)

Planted with the White Swan is Liatris. It did fine last year but turned brown right away this season, perhaps not happy with the excessive moisture. Another Liatris in the main part of the garden fared a little better and last evening drew a late diner to its flowers.

Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan' (Coneflower)

Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’ (Coneflower)

Liatris spicata 'Floristan Weiss' (Gayfeather)

Liatris spicata ‘Floristan Weiss’ (Gayfeather)

Cleome is coming into its own now. In the Southern Path it has taken hold among the stepping stones and needs to be relocated. This patch is growing against the house near the northern gate.

Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

The Latana has filled out now with its multicolored clusters. This non-native attracts butterflies, but is invasive in some places.

Lantana camara (Common lantana)

Lantana camara (Common lantana)

Lantana camara (Common lantana)

Lantana camara (Common lantana)

Lantana camara (Common lantana)

Lantana camara (Common lantana)

Cleome Sparkles In Early Morning Dew

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Early morning sun revealed water droplets on Cleome petals in the side garden this morning.

Dew on Cleome (Spider Flower)  09-10-2012

Old-fashioned Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower) is an annual that reseeds easily in my zone 7b garden. Many years ago a friend gave me a few plants she had started from seeds purchased at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home in Charlottesville, Virginia. The plants came to me with her warning, “They will spread.”

They did and they do; I love them. They grow easily but require little effort to pull up if they get into the wrong spot.

Cleome were still blooming last year in November. By mid-May this year Cleome seedlings were again on their way. I transplanted a few to other areas of the garden. In one new situation where it was very sunny they did well, but another area was perhaps too shady for them.

Cleome Seedlings Mid-May 2012

Cleome hassleriana has such an interesting form with buds, open flowers, fruiting bodies and sticky, palmate leaves all coexisting to create a complex architectural structure. As buds continue to open near the top, fruit forms underneath and all the while the stem grows taller and thicker, easily reaching 3-5 feet by the end of the flowering season in fall.

Cleome (Spider Flower) 8/24/2012

The flowers are delicate and airy with 6 long stamens suggestive of spidery legs (in shape, that is, not in number) and four oval petals.

The fruit of Cleome hassleriana are long capsules. Being dehiscent, the capsules split open when mature, discharging the seeds and setting up another possible encounter with dew on Cleome petals in the garden next year.

Cleome (Spider Flower) Capsules

The weather is beautiful. Temperatures began cooling Saturday night and lows in the 50s and 60s are forecast for this week. Highs will be 79F tomorrow and 80s for the rest of the week.