It is an odd year this. Even as inattentive as I can be, I see the changes. Here, for example, are the Bolero lilies (oriental) today. There will be a total of seven. Once they have finished blooming, I'll be digging them out and bagging them for the trash. I can no longer keep ahead of the lily beetles that have been killing them for years now. This will be tough because my daughter gave me these plants. Here's a link to Boleros in better days.
~the final year 2017~
~the knock-out roses~
The roses may have finally become well established. I went out one day to find most of the rosebuds bitten clean off. In just a few more days, there were many more rosebuds. Hope that I can keep whatever is eating them away. I use a product from Bonide that is a deterrent to rabbits, cats, dogs, groundhogs, and hopefully everything else that means them harm. The product is sprinkled around areas and not on the flowers themselves, though believe me, I am not beyond doing that, too. Nothing worse than a garden being chewed alive.
~pretty little moth on a potentilla bloom~
My garden is desperately needing sunshine too! Our many trees continue to grow, thus more shade... With all the rain, some plants that normally don't bloom till August, are budded now. Crazy weather. The lily beetles have destroyed most of my lilies. I won't plant more for them to devour!
ReplyDeleteDamp and rain here in western NY, at least its not humid, sigh. Something is eating our hostas...Will have to buy Seven Dust to prevent anymore insects or whatever.
ReplyDeleteKeeping you in prayer, Vee.
I hate things eating my garden! I remember the lilies heyday. They are beautiful. I understand the frustration.
ReplyDeleteMy garden has changed over the years, and somethings thrive and somethings die out, and I go with what thrives.
I like your knock out roses. I want to get a few for the area under my bedroom windows. They can join the hydrangea. With all your shade, I think Oakleaf hydrangea would thrive in your garden.
Also wanted to say that I LOVE your header! Very cheery!
DeleteI miss gardening, but not the dealing with garden eaters, lol. We are not sure where the shade or sun will be on our new house so everything will have to be figured out.
ReplyDeleteMy gardens have been so neglected this year as well. Also because of the dreary weather (it's raining again today - ugh). The peonies are hanging low onto the ground, the mosquitos are swarming in hoards, we can't keep ahead of the grass, the fields are puddling and the rivers are overflowing their banks. Thinking positive sunshine thoughts!
ReplyDeleteHere in the south, we do battle with Japanese beetles. That is why we decided not to plant roses at this home/yard. I am not familiar with your other plants. We have had a lot of rain this spring and my Lantana would look much better if we had some sun!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a nice day.
Just looked at the forecast for here ... thunderstorms this afternoon! We have had SO much rain this summer. The ferns out by our stone wall in back are overtaking the wall and look absolutely tropical.
ReplyDeleteChecked out that post of your Bolero lilies in better days. They were glorious! So sad that the lily beetles have overtaken them.
There is nothing lovelier than a walk around the garden...although it can times be distressing...lol...summer heat can take it's toll. Have a good day Miss Vee.
ReplyDeleteI am not much of a gardener, but it is so sad when a plant that you truly love does not make it. We were so excited to plant yarrow outside our sun porch this year (we loved our yarrow at The Farmhouse), but one stalk is totally brown and many of the others show signs of distress. The two pieces that we brought from The Farmhouse are looking strong though, so it may be that they'll eventually fill in. Who knows?
ReplyDeleteHope the sun is shining for you soon!
Your garden looks lovely; I'm fighting Japanese beetles with my roses! I love this time of the year, but it seems to be going by so quickly. Enjoy your garden my friend, XOXO
ReplyDeleteI understand about the lily's I found a photo on my computer the other day of some in our garden 4 years ago and they were lovely, this year we have one flower - which was a surprise to me! - so I don't think ours will last much longer. Glad you have photos to look back on and other things growing though.
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit in dread of returning home next week to see our gardens. Others have been there watering and harvesting the tomatoes and cucumbers but I'm certain I will have plenty of work to do. I will be pulling weeds for days and tree seedlings as well! Pecan trees mostly. The squirrels plant them everywhere! Some trash trees can be pulled up if you get to them in time. If not, I have to cut them with my pruning shears.
ReplyDeleteI have some ground cover that reminds me of your everlasting. It grows so abundantly and needs so little attention that I just love it!
I wish I could share our bright sunshine with you. I actually prefer clouds and shade. You wouldn't like our heat with the humidity, though. So far we haven't hit 100 and that's unusual. I think there have been two years when the temps never reached triple digits in the summer. I'm hoping we might make it a third time! I remember one time but not the year. I need to look that up!
Thinking of you and remembering you in prayer! Love, Linda C
Oh yes, I remember those gorgeous lilies of yours! We have had tons of rain this year too...a good thing but you know what they say about too much of a good thing. I hope you get your much needed sunshine. :)
ReplyDeleteNothing worse than a garden pest ! Such a pain ! We have had bouts of hateful garden pest with our veggie garden . This year it was actually better . I've had some flowers take a hit as well . For me, even though I work part time it's so hard to stay ahead of those pesky pests . Right now we are trying to figure out what has caused our Indian Hawthorne shrubbery to die . Half of my shrubbery is dead and for years stayed beautiful . I chose that because it was easy to care for and low maintenance. Mercy, it's always something . Hugs and blessings Vee . Cindy
ReplyDeleteYour lilies are so beautiful in the older post! Are you sure it's not just a bad year for them or are they steadily decreasing? I planted knock out roses in our front garden last year and forgot all about them. They seem to be going gangbusters everywhere else, but because I forgot them, by the time I remembered to look every leaf had been chewed clean off, probably stupid Japanese beetles. I still have 3 blooms but now I don't know if I should cut them down tot he ground and hope they recover or just leave them alone. It's been a strange spring here, windy all the time and this past week, the end of June, waking up to 49 degree temps in the morning. At least we aren't baking like they are out west but that is unseasonable cool. As you say, here's to better days.
ReplyDeleteWe have the dreaded Japanese beetles wreaking havoc on our fruit trees and knockout roses. Between the deer and the insects, I sometimes want to just give up on any gardening. We feel like we're just feeding the critters most years. Getting tired of that. It's a full time job just keeping the potted flowers alive in our heat and humidity and picking off the spent blooms. Sorry about your lilies, they were beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI just have rabbits eating up ALL the petunias. There aren't any left at all now.
ReplyDeleteFavorite photo is the one with the moth on the bloom,
Hi Vee, I enjoyed seeing your garden! Gosh, I'm so sorry you're going to dig up your lilies, but I do get it. It's a constant battle with nature to keep anything growing and pretty in our yards, isn't it? I often wonder how our pioneer ancestors managed to get any food from their gardens. I imagine they kept their shotguns at the ready.
ReplyDeleteMy mom has a Knockout rose just like yours, and she's going to have it dug up and plant another Limelight Hydrangea in its place. Another thing about gardening -- constant trial and error. I think the problem with her rose bush is also beetles (and deer). You know how I love my pink David Austin rose; even the years when it blooms prolifically, the foliage always looks bad. The bugs feast on it all spring and summer. Sigh.
I'll be hoping for better days for you and your garden. We all need the sunshine, don't we? Hugs and best wishes to you,
Denise at Forest Manor
Oh Vee, I'm so disheartened when the garden is attacked by who knows what! It sounds like you are trying everything. Every year is different in the garden. I'm sorry your Bolero lilies will have to leave your garden. My daughter had the same issue with her lilies. Hopefully your knockout roses will gift you with many blossoms. ♥
ReplyDeleteLove the rose such a beautiful colour. Such a shame about the lilies.
ReplyDeleteGardening is a mystery to me. All I do is buy stuff, plant it and hope it goes well. We did dish out some money to have our pear tree sprayed because of a pear leaf fungus. Other than that I hope everything grows well. Sorry about your lilies. I think I learned the name of those lilies from you.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the lilies. I clicked the link and how beautiful they were in the "olden" days. ;) May you enjoy them this year.
ReplyDeleteTough decisions about the lilies, pests can be such a problem! The knock-out roses are gorgeous. I hope that the summer sun returns soon, and that the rain lets up!
ReplyDeleteOur garden is not doing well either, but my onions are growing well. I also had some nice lettuce, but I noticed that the center of it is beginning to rot because of the weather.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by...and I stopped by your place, too. That's how I know you have been busy getting ready for a beach vacation. Fun times just ahead!
DeleteGardening can be rather hit-an-miss because there are so many considerations to think of. Most of the bought or given plants are precious to me firstly because they would be expensive to replace and secondly because I would miss them. Your Bolero lilies are pretty. It's a shame they've been attacked by the lily beetle and you need to get rid of them. The lilies we have in a pot are new and it's the second year of growing them from seeds given to us by a daughter who has them in a planter in her garden. Just a few make me happy. It's our turn to have rain after some sunny days. I hope your weather improves.
ReplyDeleteVee, I know you've probably seen this (https://ag.umass.edu/greenhouse-floriculture/fact-sheets/lily-leaf-beetle) but thought I'd send it anyway. Maybe you can leave one plant and get a "handle" on it again. They are beautiful, but that many would be overwhelming when trying to manage a problem.
ReplyDeleteYour planted areas are beautiful. Sorry about those buds being eaten. We have bunnies who do that to us!
ReplyDeleteI have the beetles eating my lilies too and spray them with Bug-b-gone but with all the rain showers it's hard to keep up as the spray gets washed away. That butterfly is a gorgeous colour. We need more sunshine here too. It's been a wet June!
ReplyDelete