Comments on: august bloom day

By: ricki

ricki — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:50:33 +0000

Wendy: the cardoon and the artichoke must be first cousins, but they have different edible parts. In my book, the ‘doon isn’t worth all the trouble of steaming the stalks, so I treat it strictly as an ornamental.
The bumblebees are more like really small, fuzzy puppies, but I recently developed a healthy respect for wasps. First sting I have gotten, but I really couldn’t blame them…I was hacking away at the dead clematis where they had hidden their nests.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:47:41 +0000

You have a beautiful selection of perennials! I just saw a photo of an artichoke in bloom and it looked a lot like that cardoon - very interesting. Love that they drowse in the flower - heaven to bees I guess! However, I’m not big on bugs and if I saw 7 in one flower, I’d have the heebie jeebies for sure!

By: ricki

ricki — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:05:30 +0000

Hi, Loree! We were having breakfast on the deck this morning, and the scent coming from the Clerodendrum (also known as Harlequin Glorybower, I think) was just like bubble gum. Can it be that the same plant can produce different smells at different times of day? Maybe it was something else.
Yes, we do love our kniphs, don’t we? Did you see the movie ‘The Queen’? There was a scene with a long border of them that was stunning.

By: Loree / danger garden

Loree / danger garden — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:58:00 +0000

BEAUTIFUL POST! Everything looks so lovely, especially your Kniphs! And you solved an ID mystery for me, I’ve been seeing Clerodendrum trichotomen around town and no idea what it is. Thank you!