Monday, September 15, 2014

Adjusted expectations The full sun, Brooklyn days of the exuberant Clematis viticella "Etoile Viloette" are over. I mean, it tried its best. And it gave us flowers in June and again, a sprinkling, in August. It is tangled in amongst the asters I transplanted - the only plant I kept when we moved in, last October. But you could tell it was just going through the motions. It wanted sun. From dawn to dusk. Sun, sun, sun. Not just overhead for four-minus hours.

Instead, we have the Westervelt gift of the shy and lovely solitary Clematis "Roguchi" (a hybrid of the species C. integrifolia and C. reticulata), who would also flower much more prolifically in full sun, but whose beautifully formed flowers warrant individual interest. I'm interested to see if the David Austin roses come back for a fall showing. Also gifts, this time from Michael Marriott, the rosarian for David Austin, they were very pretty in late spring and into June. Summer hit them hard and for the first time I have seen thrips as a New York City rose pest. Sun, more sun. please. This is Boscobel, a few days ago.

I am getting some pots ready for fava beans and peas, just as the cardinal vine has come into bloom. That was wishful thinking: hummingbirds, I hoped. Hm.

For all I know, it and the jewelweed have been besieged by hummingbirds. They just take off the minute I step outside.
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