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Sizzlin' Summer ~

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Category: Zuzu's Bloomin' Blog | Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 6:48 pm

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Yipes, it's been a long time since I made an entry here!

I can't believe that August will soon be over - the time has simply flown!

It's been one thing after the other all season long,
and the end is not yet in sight.

There have been a few little crises in my hubby's family,
nothing too major, but it has all meant a bit of coming and going
at a time when I should have been working steadily away in the garden.

Now I am hopelessly behind with all of my outdoor tasks,
and hubby and I are expecting another arrival sometime this evening.

Still, there is a certain comfort in those words
... "hopelessly behind" ...
I can almost give myself permission to give up trying.

Anyhow, a couple of days ago (when I should have been doing chores)
I took the time to walk around the place and snap some pictures.



Tibouchina grandifolia - grown as tall as the eaves and blooming.



If I had kept up with the pruning early this summer,
this wouldn't be quite as tall, and it would be blooming more profusely.


This year the container plantings in the gravel courtyard are a wild mix,
Plumerias, Colocasias, Coleus, Caladiums, Daturas, Begonias and more ...
- all thrown together, for better or worse -






We can still make our way up to the front door - if we walk single-file -
I won't be able to put off the pruning here for much longer.




A mixture of flowering vines growing on the wire trellis
against the south end of the house.
The Moonflowers flood the drive and patio with perfume all evening.




More Colocasias give the patio area a tropical feeling which I like,
while the orange Ginger flowers scent the air all day.




The gurgle of a new small fountain makes the patio
seem just a bit cooler and more comfortable in the summer's heat,




and Impatiens add some color to the shadiest part of the patio.






One of the sunniest parts of my garden is in front of the glasshouse,
I'm not very happy with the summer plantings in this bed,
I'm still looking for just the right combination of plants for this spot.




Back into the shade - and here's something I do like,
these plants that remind me of fountains of water spraying up
from these cobalt planters.






Botticelli's Venus soaks her feet in the pond,
I sometimes join her and sit at the edge,
dangling my legs and reading a book
while the goldfish nibble at my toes.



You're welcome to join us ... I'm sure the fish would enjoy a new flavor.






Last edited: Wed Aug 22, 2007 3:38 pm

This blog entry has been viewed 249 times

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Frank wrote on Tue Aug 21, 2007 8:15 pm:

I'll join your garden for a while gladly Zuzu. Don't let me near the water though, not sure your fishies would appreciate that!

Thanks for the August tour ;)

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toni wrote on Tue Aug 21, 2007 8:19 pm:

Wow, I wish my plants looked that good after being neglected. Everything you grow is fantastic as usual Zuzu.

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Netty wrote on Wed Aug 22, 2007 12:11 am:

Zuzu everything looks absolutely
fantastic! I see why you get so many house guests...who could stay away when everything looks so inviting!!
What is the plant to the left of the statue in the 8th photo? I've been drooling over that at the store in town but there is no tag.

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eileen wrote on Wed Aug 22, 2007 12:20 am:

Oh those cobolt blue pots still have me drooling. I want some soooo badly for my garden.

Zuzu your garden is a real pleasure to look at and I especially like the flowers around the front steps even if it does mean you have to walk through them in single file. Thank you for letting us take an August tour with you. I enjoyed every minute of it. Just hope I didn't kill your fish when I dangled my feet in the water!!! LOL

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zuzu's petals wrote on Wed Aug 22, 2007 3:45 pm:

Thanks for the kind words everyone, you are so very kind. :^D

Netty ~ The plants on each side of the maiden are "African Mask" Alocasias,
on the left is Alocasia 'Polly' which has lightly scalloped leaf edges
and on the right, Alocasia sanderiana 'Nobilis' with much deeper, nearly zigzag leaf edges.

I've edited the post to add another photo (#9)
where I think you can see the difference.

I have found them to be pretty easy to grow,
they need well drained soil and good light, but no direct sun.

Eileen ~ the fish asked me to tell you
that they enjoyed having some new tootsies to taste
" . . . very exotic" is what I think they gurgled. ;-)

Frank ~ they are very keen to sample gnome toes! :^D

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glendann wrote on Thu Aug 23, 2007 2:40 pm:

Zuzu your garden just amazes me.I could tour you garden from now on and never see everything in it.Its just so beautiful.You have spent hours in it.

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cajunbelle wrote on Sun Aug 26, 2007 1:36 am:

ZuZu, real neglect is my poor gardens, yours if ultra-fantabulously beautiful and wonderous. Thank you so much for sharing your talents with us.

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farawaysister wrote on Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:33 pm:

These are lovely pictures from your garden!

Is the Datura plant that you've shown, poisonous?
All Datura plants that grow in India are poisonous, even their leaves are harmful to some extent.

Impatiens is a Bach Flower remedy, which is used often to treat Behaviour disorders.

It's been lovely to 'walk through' your garden. A few of these plants grow in my country ( India ) too.

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glendann wrote on Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:30 am:

Yes farawaysister any datura is poisonous here too.

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