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Summer in my back yard . . . |
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The
limestone path begins
where the wooden stairway ends. |
Even the violet
bougainvillea stretches
to get a peak at the
city view. |
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Lemons to lemonade
. . .
Mother Nature scattered
pink quartz rocks. I
gathered them together
in a dry creek lined
with English ivy and
Asian jasmine. |
The birdbath is a
popular feature with the
songbirds. Heart-leaf
ice plant and dwarf
ruellia volunteered as
groundcover. |
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Containers of shade
color (sweet potato vine
“Little Blackie” and
coleus)
drink up a rare
rain shower.
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Dense shade
calls for variegated
foliage. Coleus,
variegated Wandering
Jew, and native
poinsettia fill a pot
under the red oak
canopy. |
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Hillside color and
texture are achieved
with red caladiums,
holly fern and
American arborvitae
above the
English ivy
groundcover.
If you aren’t too
tired, let’s climb
up for a rest
on our
screened porch. I
call it my "tree
house" porch. |
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Our porch sits at
the tree-canopy
level
making it the
perfect tree house for bird watching
at
the feeders hung on
the porch supports.
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The porch containers
are home to
acid-loving plants
which get special
treatment.
Harvested rainwater
helps protect them
from iron chlorosis
which turns the
leaves yellow when
alkaline tap water
is used.
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The morning sun
filters in. The
back yard
has a
south/southeast
exposure, a perfect
sunny shelter from
cold winters and
cool breezes in the
summer. |
This whimsical
fellow called for an
equally whimsical
plant. How about
Corkscrew Rush, Juncus
effusus ‘Spiralis’,
known locally as
“Bad Hair Day”? It
likes morning sun,
low water, is cold
hardy to minus 20F
and averages 24”x24”. 
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Vickie's
comprehensive plant
list |
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Previous page
Next page,
Fall Gardening |
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Photos by V Killeen and
C Brinkman |
