Lemon Grass and White Pentas in the Yellow Rose Bed

Cymbopogon citratus is one of the popular garden grasses here. In this clumate it does not set seeds, so no seeding about where it isn't wanted. It does die back in winter but puts out from the roots when warm weather returns. I

In late winter, I pulled up a dead looking clump similar to the one above center and divided the stems into culms. Left in a bucket in the greenhouse with minimal water, it started to put on new roots and growth, come warm days. The clump above wants dividing and replanting for a nicer border.

Lemon Grass culm at bottom left.

Thursday I planted 13 Lemon Grass culms along the edge of one of the rock beds.

White Pentas from 2012.

 

Several clumps of White Pentas in the Yellow Rose Bed have new foliage from the roots.

 

I planted 4 more among those clumps for the delight of Butterflies.

My rooted cuttings have roots filling the pots, but not root-bound.

 

Everything I planted is on the other end of this bed.

At right is Parsley planted last spring, now going to seed.

Butterflies totally ignored my parsley last year. Some years they eat it

to the ground. I hope that happens before it finishes seeding out.

Enough 'Julia Child' blooms are open to catch the fragrance from a distance.

 

Besides Roses, Lemon Grass, Pentas and Parsley in this bed, the side next the driveway has a row of Yellow Daylilies already putting up scapes.

 

Joining Tootsie Time for Fertilizer Friday. Fertilizer? I am running so far behind and the blueberries are calling for Fertilizer according to He-Who-Mows. See you!

Now That April's Here GBBD

Spring came quickly, left soonest. We had a few cool nights this week but it feels like summer. The glorious spring bloom fest is over. All the bulbs, all flowering trees are done. Summer's Hydrangea quercifolia is coming into bloom early.

Confederate jasmine Trachelospermum jasminoides hangs heavily on the air.

Maybe it's overpowering because there is so

much of it.

Pentas and Verbena bonariensis.

I've been planting out Pentas as they come into bloom. Next fall I'll label all my cuttings. I can recognize they are Pentas but forgot that I might want to plant by color. Three more of this pale pink have bloomed to add to this bed next week.

A mild winter did little to encourage fall-sown annuals. Poppies

are not as plentiful this year, except for California poppies,

here with Salvia farinacea 'Victoria' and Echinacea.

Daylilies are blooming early this year.

A daffodil walk becomes a daylily walk as daffodil foliage fades and daylilies come into bloom. My daffodil/daylily walk here has daylilies outside on the driveway side. On the inside are yellow roses, beginning to make a show with white Pentas.

Happy Bloom Day with 'Julia Child' -- my fav yellow rose.

Join the fun for Bloom day at May Dreams Gardens.

Ike and Julia and a Backup Plan

Ike the Cat followed me around the garden. I heard Mockingbirds scolding. I couldn't see Ike, but I saw Black eyed Susans waving. Ike was hiding while he chewed a bit of Lemon Grass. Cymbopogon is a fav of both the cat and dog. I pot up a clump for the greenhouse and they chew it all winter.

Lemon Grass is a fav of mine, too. I've had a hard time

taking to grasses. Cymbopogon makes a pretty bluish clump.

Julia Child is my fav Floribunda.

Another look at Julia

I moved two Mariesii Hydrangeas at the beginning of summer. What I thought was a shady spot got middday and early afternoon sun. Despite copious watering, they dried up and died. I had a backup plan. I've killed these before when I moved the first cuttings that had rooted so well when I stuck them in the ground. I took cuttings again. These have put on new growth. Now to make a plan for keeping them alive through the winter. When they reach blooming size, they have blue lacecap blossoms.

Mariesii in a previous year, cutting grown 

Flowers and text are from the garden of Nell Jean blogged on Dotty Plants Journal in hot, humid Southwest Georgia.