Tag Archives: ginger lily

Yesterday’s Garden

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

As soon as I noticed the ginger lily in bloom yesterday I began photographing it until a soft breeze sent the lemony sweet fragrance my way. It was a reminder to pause and appreciate.

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

I gathered dahlias yesterday and finally decided it was time to cut some zinnias too, the latest zinnia harvest I’ve known.

Dahlias and Zinnias

There have been Eastern Tiger Swallowtails in the garden all week, enough that I finally didn’t feel the urge to take more pictures. The first Painted Lady butterfly I have seen this year appeared on lantana late afternoon.

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)

The number of Fiery and Ocola skippers has declined dramatically over the past two weeks, but I don’t often see Zabulon Skippers, at least that I can identify, but this is one, a female. I encountered it accidentally, thinking it was a Silver-Spotted on I had been following.

Zabulon Skipper (Lon zabulon)

Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)

Flowers And Other November Ephemera

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Today there was a very early morning light rain, followed by fog—a mostly gray, dreary but mild day. The clouds lifted a short time before sunset and the sky colored a bright clear blue, before mixing with apricot, red and orange hues.

A few minutes earlier I went out to inspect the Irises–the ones that have been reblooming for several weeks. As welcome as they are I do find it unsettling to see Irises (and many neighbors’ Azaleas) flowering at this time of year. This is an unknown cultivar passed-along by a friend. The bud is lavender but opens to white. [Note: November 9, 2013. Thanks to P&B at Petals and Wings for identifying this Iris in her comment below as ‘Immortality’ –the only reblooming white Iris.]

Reblooming Iris germanica (Bearded iris)

Iris germanica (Bearded iris)–the bud is lavender color

Iris germanica (Bearded iris)

In September I had expected the Jackmanii Clematis to flower again but it did not. Today I found one perfect flower under the shelter of neighboring Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass). This Clematis has interesting seed heads also.

Clematis ‘Jackmanii’

Clematis ‘Jackmanii’ seed head

Surprisingly the Ginger Lily still has several blooms even after the October frost. The leaves and stalks are turning brown.

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

A nice surprise during this garden wander was finding that rich orange hips have formed on Gardenia jasminoides ‘Chuck Hayes’ along the western border.

Gardenia Hips -Gardenia jasminoides ‘Chuck Hayes’

The sasanquas this year are as pretty as they have ever been. The red one is Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’ but the name of the delicate pink and white one is unknown. They have grown up into each other over the years. The pink one was supposed to bloom in autumn and the Yuletide was to wait until winter, but obviously there can be a lot of variation. [Note: November 21, 2013-Thanks to Christina H. in Raleigh who identified the pink and white Camellia as ‘Hana-Jiman.’]

Camellia sasanqua

One last image for today is that of the Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ I planted in April. This is a dwarf variety and maybe has managed to reach about 12 inches. It was touted as having nice fall foliage and it is beginning to display red stems and burgundy tinges on the leaves.

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’

Garden Recordkeeping Part 2

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As September 2013 winds down I have some photographs and notes to record. This is the second of several posts.

Last Sunday I focused on the garden’s Flowering Dogwood for GBFD, but there were several other foliage items to mention. This spring I planted two new Peonies and both seem to have taken hold. This one is Paeonia lactiflora ‘Black Beauty’ (Nightlife Peony).

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Black Beauty’ (Nightlife Peony)

Coreopsis is supposed to be an easy plant to grow for blooms all summer. I have had mixed luck with them in the past, but the ones I added a couple of years ago are not being given a fair chance. They are in an overcrowded spot where they become hidden and miss out on the sun. Recently I uncovered them while trimming back one of the borders. I need to find a good location where they can be seen, possibly somewhere along the Southern side path, although I worry they will want more water than that spot can provide.

Coreopsis

Salvia Dorada ‘Aurea’ (Golden Sage) is attractive for its color and leaf patterns. Lightly fragrant, it can be used for cooking (although I have not) and is reputedly attractive to butterflies. This plant overwintered successfully last year.

Salvia Dorada ‘Aurea’ (Golden Sage)

I have been monitoring the progress of the Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry) since discovering it in the garden mid-summer.

Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry)

Last week I noticed insects on one of the Callicarpa leaves. As the camera approached they moved en masse toward the edge and underside of the leaf as an avoidance measure. I cannot identify these definitively, but they seem to be Large Milkweed Bugs or Leaffooted Bug nymphs. It is unclear whether they are beneficial or pests.

Large Milkweed Bugs or Leaffooted Bug nymphs on Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry)

The Asclepias died out in the garden not to be seen last year, so I added three plants in early spring. I have lost track of two of them but I noticed this week the third one was infested with aphids. When I first spotted the color orange I was hopeful they were Monarch Butterfly eggs but no, not with legs. The aphids washed away easily with a spray from the hose, as suggested by several online resources I found.

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Plant) infested with Aphis nerii (Oleander Aphid or Milkweed Aphid)

I planted Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue) in the meditation circle several years ago and find it self-seeds rather freely. Next weekend our neighborhood is having a plant swap, so I expect that would be a good time to pass some along.

Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue)

Before the date of the plant swap I also have some canna to divide as it never bloomed this year or last and some Ginger Lily can be shared as well. The Ginger Lily flowers have been abundant and fragrant this year.

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

This spring I planted a dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea that is supposed to be nice for autumn color. It seems to be getting well established, but I think I tucked it away in a spot that may be hard to see it.

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ (Lil’ Ruby dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea)

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine) and Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear) are easy to grow and spread themselves around carelessly. Last year I removed a lot of Aquilegia and this spring I was heavy-handed pulling out the Stachys. They are both thriving in the garden though and at this time of year they look fresh. These images were taken early yesterday morning while still covered in dew.

Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear) and Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)

Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear)

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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’

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), foreground. Rudbeckia hirta ‘Irish Eyes,’ upper right background.

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Irish Eyes’

Almanac

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

White Ginger Lily Inflorescence

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I had just a moment this afternoon to admire the first blossoms of Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily) before a heavy downpour sent me running inside.

First flowers of Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

Each day until frost several flowers should emerge and open with a sweet perfume evocative of gardenia.

Newly opened and emerging flowers of Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

This is sometimes called Butterfly Lily for its resemblance to white butterflies or Garland flower because individual flowers are collected and used to create garlands.

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily) bud

Ginger Lily Surprises

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As I was walking in the side garden today, suddenly a stand of Hedychium coronarium (White Ginger Lily) just beginning to bud caught my attention. In good years fragrant white flowers will perfume the garden in late summer to early fall and it looks like this might be one of those special years.

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

This Ginger Lily, a pass-along plant from a horticulturist neighbor, has been an unreliable bloomer, but when it does bloom the effect is so memorable as to make it worth keeping it around just in case.

With plenty of heat and humidity this summer, conditions have been just right for ginger lily to thrive. Though there have been no showers for the past five or six days, there has been a good amount of rain overall, sending these moisture-loving plants up four to five feet in height.

Sometimes called butterfly ginger because individual flowers are reminiscent of butterflies, this perennial is thought to be native to the Himalayas. It is the national flower of Cuba. It dies back to the ground during winter in this zone-7b garden.

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily) With Hyla cinerea (Green Treefrog)

The second ginger lily surprise today was the discovery of a Hyla cinerea (Green Treefrog) hanging out mid-day, flattened against one of the nearly two feet long leaves enjoying the shade.

Yellowish green with an ivory stripe along its side and yellow dots on its back, this Green Treefrog will be searching for flying insects later tonight.

Hyla cinerea (Green Treefrog)

A Camellia And More

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Spied a pink camellia blooming just around the corner of the house the other day and today was the first opportunity to check it out. Though the past several days of rain have left this blossom wrinkly and tired, I still admired its interesting waxy, translucent skin. There will be many more blossoms soon, as the beautiful shrub itself is tightly packed with buds. For now the name of this camellia is lost, probably written down somewhere safe though.