Hosta and Rose Gardens at Close Memorial Park

The hostas and impatiens have passed their prime, but still looked wonderful. I will definitely be going back to see it next May or June.


Shady heaven. Yum.

Master Gardener Demonstration Garden

I love the Demonstration Garden at Nathanael Greene - Close Memorial Park. Lots of inspiration and just fun to walk around in. I'd like to go back and see it again in the spring.

Mid-August

I really like the orange-y color of these petunias.

No fences

These are from the same flats of impatiens planted around the Amur Maple tree. So I can't really blame the quality of plant I started with. These look great!

Remember the tiny basil from the end of June? It is now the biggest I've ever grown. And it is very tasty.

Caladium

The caladium does well, even when dry. It will be a repeat performer next year.

Hyacinth Bean Vines

The hyacinth bean vine has done really well. I planted two sprouts, then a third bean sprouted so this is three plants. The mailbox is covered and it's started to bloom. They smell great - much like a spring-time hyacinth. Some of the blooms have turned to bright purple beans.

DNR

These were the impatiens around the Amur Maple at the end of last June 2008. Tall, full, beautiful. It was the first year for both the tree and the flowers, so the dirt was new and loose.
These are the impatiens in mid-July of this year. This shows the best they looked this year. When I planted them, the roots from last year's crop were plentiful and I had trouble working the new flowers into the small holes. I planted them later than usual and let them sit in the four-packs longer than I should have. The white ones especially were sickly and leggy when I planted them, so I pinched many of them down so they'd come back fuller. That worked, to some extent.
Here they are now. Sad. Pitiful. On their way out. They now have a DNR order - they'll be watered on the same schedule as everything else. But, if they wish to go ahead and die, that's okay. They look terrible. Next year I need to do some things differently: add new potting soil, break up the old roots, plant earlier, buy healthy plants (one flat will do). I might try a more sun tolerant flower, but last year's picture shows that the spot is getting enough shade I think.