UFO Landing

I have several varies of morning glory climbing the walls of my house. These are called UFO. I first saw them several years ago on columns outside the Festival Theatre in Stratford. I can’t recall if they were labelled or if I google them but I tracked them down, found seeds & planted them the next year. This year I planted them to climb above the back door. I use twine for them to climb. They are late bloomers – first blossoms were in mid-August & will continue until the first frost. Some mornings there are 10 or more in bloom.

the blue is almost polkadots
the climbing vine
close up
another variation
UFO variation
different shade of blue
looking to the sun
not twins
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Moonflowers

This summer I had success with moonflower morning glory. Last summer I had them along the back porch which proved to too sunny for them. So this year I planted them in a shadier part of the backyard. They bloom late in the day, stay open overnight & last till about 10 the next morning. Less than 12 hours – which is true of most morning glories.

moonflower vines growing out of coleus planter
first stage buds
second stage buds
blooming outside back window
another pair in bloom
centre of the moon
vines trained along string
going solo
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Garden Glance

Thanks to sunny days & persistent watering my garden is doing nicely this year. I rarely post pictures of it as so many people do better flower pictures no one needs a stunning rose with a single raindrop on a petal picture from me 🙂 So there’ll be nothing of that sort in this glimpse. Beside the soil in the yard, thanks to the towering fir tree, is too acidic for roses.

On my back steps I have herbs along with standard petunias, marigolds & several varieties of morning glory. As you see by the photo I’ve been ‘training’ the vines to grow along the eaves. These will be mainly heavenly blue. They are climbing string that I’ve put up for the, they do need to be reminded to follow the string though.

Along the shady side the back porch I have moonflower vines being trained in the same way. The twine loops across the window so I hope to enjoy themwhen This is the first year these here. Moonflower blooms at night & too much sunlight slows them down! In the basket with them are some coleus, which also prefer shade & they are doing very well here.

Not everything in the garden was planted by me, or anyone else! These petunias self-seeded along the back steps – the seeds are from the ones I had in a planter box last summer. The morning glories beside them are also self-seeded from last year. There’s even one, at the top of the photo, growing out of a crack in the steps. The will to live.

I ordered my elephant ear bulbs (Colocasia) on line as I didn’t find a nursery that had the bulbs. I’ve had them in the past but digging them up every fall was too much work. These I put in a pot about eight weeks ago. Once sprouted they grew quickly & will continue to grow to about 6 ft with huge ears. It’ll winter inside & next spring I’ll consider planting in the ground to see if I can get them to their full height & size.

This is only a portion of the garden. The rest can be seen by appointment only lol.

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Stratford September 30 2021

Some photos taken on our day trip to Stratford to see Three Tall Women

endless sky
corn corn corn
leaves turning
autumn colours
Studio Theatre garden
Studio Theatre garden
Stratford town hall steps with orange T-shirts & running shoes
deco street lamp
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Hollyhocks

I love hollyhocks & am always happy to see them in bloom. During World Wars I & II families were to replace flower gardens with Victory Gardens of vegetables. Hollyhock was the only flower allowed. They were vigorous self-seeders, hardy &, most importantly, attracted pollinators. The range of colours is astonishing – I’ve seen them nearly pitch black, deep purple & even a parchment brown. These shots are all of the hollyhock garden at the Danforth end of the East Lynn Park in Toronto.

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Yellow Haze

All of these, except the sunflower, are from my garden – most as I experimented with the camera’s close up function

I love the pollen heavy legs of these bees

unknown small bush in my front yard
orange marigold – orange is almost yellow
zinnia on my front steps
rose begonia
marigold in same basket as the orange
portulaca in my back garden
dusty miller – no petals
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