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Sept 1--It's all about rain and cooler temps!! (pix)

14 years ago

I have little evidence of the 'wind-down' just yet, BUT, it's only because we've been VERY blessed

with good rains, (well-spaced) and cooler temps thru August! I'm so VERY thankful for this unusual

weather this year!

So far--this is how it's going in my garden this first day of September, 2009:

And, perhaps it is the vigilance of these two 'guardian angels' that are also helping the situation:

And, I just have to show you how 'PUC' looked half-way through August--Wow--I'm lovin' this one:

So--are you thankful for the rain and temps in your area, as well? If so, please feel free to share

your 'bounty-in-pix', too!! :o)

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Comments (24)

hosta_freak
14 years ago
You know I love your gardens Janice,but things aren't the same down here. We have had a lot of rain,too,but hostas are getting rattier by the day,with some already dormant. Slugs did a lot of damage,not to mention tree branches falling in the garden,and the moles have been raising havoc this year,digging tunnels among my plants and the path looks like a mini-earthquake hit it! I know moles don't eat hostas,but they sure can make a mess! Other than that,most hostas look pretty much the same. I'd take pics today,but it's so cloudy,the light isn't good. Have a great fall and winter! Phil
just1morehosta
14 years ago
Hi Janice,
Yes, I am very pleased with the way my hosta look right now.
Maybe you can answer a question for me,i hate to take up your thread,so if you wanna send a different one,you can.
I want to send so many pictures, but my batteries keep going dead.
We bought a re-charger,but they do not last that long.
How often do you have to recharge your batteries?
cAROL
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Janice
Original Author
14 years ago
Phil--I'm so sorry yours are getting ratty--but it really is the time that they do--I think those of us
whose are not--it's well the 'exception' to the rule! And, I do have the 'holey-hosta' thing going, too, but
for the most part, they are the teeny weeny ones that I keep thinking must be from those 'earwigs'!!

cAROL! What kind of camera do you have? We have a second battery so that we will always have one
available. What we have are lithium-ion type batteries, always keeping one in the charger!
mctavish6
14 years ago
So beautiful. I wish I was there. Dogs, cats, and hostas but no smoke, no thunderstorms, no squirrels....
newhostaaddict
14 years ago
beautiful garden and pictures...those impatients really add some nice "Pop" to the garden...

phil...don't yours come up like 2 months before ours??,,,they are tired...

jill...
critter-ridder
14 years ago
We've had lots of rain and cool weather but my hostas do not look like yours. They look like a typical Sept. 1.

Beautiful gardens

Queenie
peggy_hosta
14 years ago
We've had great rains and cool temps here in ne SoDak. My hostas and impatiens look wonderful too. Now if I only knew how to post pics:(
Peggy
harryshoe zone6 eastern Pennsylvania
14 years ago
Thanks for those great pictures. Your garden is fantastic!
User
14 years ago
Send some rain my way please! Weather helps but artistry in a garden such as yours is work and inspiration with just a little help from Mother Nature.
hostasformez4
14 years ago
Your hostas are still so free of holes that I'm ashamed to show mine. LOL

Parts of my garden still look good and others are really bad. It is Sept. after all and everything is starting to decline here.

The last of the hostas are blooming and we could get our first frost anytime from the middle to the end of the month. Nasty thought but realistic.

Lovely pictures as always.

Connie
Janice
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you, all, for your kind words!!

Connie--there are holes--but most are tiny and don't show up from a distance! ;o)
I did do a thread on my 'holee hosta'! Check it out and you'll feel MUCH BETTER looking
at the ones that don't always make the threads, when I want to put together some 'eye-candy'!! ;o)

Here is a link that might be useful: My 'holee hosta' thread!
rubybaby43
14 years ago
Hi Janice. Your gardens are beautiful! I love the continual use of impatiens throughout....gorgeous color choice!

I have a question...am wondering about the hosta ID in picture #3...the dark hosta by the beautiful blue bird/critter bath?

Thanks!
Kristy :)
Pat z6 MI
14 years ago
Janice, and I have a question about Picture 3 also -- please ID the hosta to the center FAR right, thin white margins.

Your garden certainly has morphed into a "McTavish of the East" since you started on this Forum 3 or 4 years ago. Don will be thrilled that he will now be building raised beds next year, thanks to you. And I'm sure he'll be just as willing and able as Steve was. Greater love hath no man, and all that.

Your gardens and pictures are gorgeous and an inspiration. Thank you.

Pat
Janice
Original Author
14 years ago
Hi Kristy!! Thank you for checking into this thread and making such a nice comment!!!
Love your handle, btw! Love the song, too!

That hosta is my 'June' which is darkening as we're progressing into the end of the season!
I like it dark, too, but really LOVE IT when it holds it's original colors as long as possible. I only
have 5 'Junes' in my garden! I kept trying to get a really good one, and this one is the 'good' one,
I was aiming to get, IMHO!

Here it is in May:

And, in July:

And here are two others in my *collection* of 'Junes':

And, then this little one not 'tagged' in the pic., next to 'June Fever':

And, the one in the barrel that is a memorial to my parents whose wedding date was in the month of June:

I'm always on the look-out for another awesome 'June', especially like Dave's (Davemidohio)!

And, then there's ken's gorgeous speciment:
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
14 years ago
Janice, I always love seeing your pics. I can hardly wait to see my new addictions grow to full size. I hope they are half as nice as yours with the ferns, heuchera, etc.

Cynthia
rubybaby43
14 years ago
That hosta is my 'June' which is darkening as we're progressing into the end of the season!

Oh honestly...I can't believe she's a June! No wonder why I loved it so much. I've never seen such a dark one before. I also love the memorial planting for your parents. That is gorgeous!

And yes...I'm a huge Steely Dan fan. That is indeed where my user name came from. :)

Kristy :)
Janice
Original Author
14 years ago
Oh, thank you, Cynthia--you're a great cheer-leader and I appreciate the encouragement! :o)
Hangeth thou in there--it really is amazing how quickly a garden evolves into an exciting place to be!!!

Patann--how did I overlook your post?? I'm so sorry! You too, have ALWAYS been a HUGE
encouragement to me and I've loved so much your excitement that so often rivals my own!! :o)

The hosta in question, I believe you are referring to is one of my very first that I got excited about!
It's 'Francee'!!! It can look very dark or medium green--depending on lighting! Mine get no direct
sunlight so they tend to be a rather dark green which really makes the margins 'pop'!!!

Here's a shot of scanning right with the same plant more in view:

And, from last years archives this from the other end:

Thank you, again, Kristy---now I can get the tune out of my head!! LOL Good thing I love it!!!!

"I got a girl and Ruby is her name
I'd give the world just to set her heart aflame...
Ruby Baby when will you be mine..Ruby Baby..Ruby Baby.."

And so it goes--and it'll keep me awake for hours, no doubt! LOL Maybe not!!! hehehe
Pat z6 MI
14 years ago
I promised myself never to move another hosta, but now your 'Francee' has inspired me to move my old girl to a more prominent place, in full shade. Why oh why don't I stay off this Forum until Winter!!!!
Thank you. I think.
freshair2townsquare
14 years ago
What are the hostas on the middle right @ three o'clock in pics #7 (white margin) & #8 (blue/green - June?)?

~ freshair
Janice
Original Author
14 years ago
Hey 'freshair'! I think you're asking about 'Spring Fling'--ruffly white margin?

And, yes, the little one in the barrel next to the big 'Parhelion' is one of my 'Junes'!

janice :o)
freshair2townsquare
14 years ago
You do have mucho 'Junes', don't you? What's the largest they get to for you? Do they always reach the "mature size"?

Follow-up question (cross-over to my other thread): if they do typically get to 30 inches diameter, do you know of a similar hosta that is smaller, less than 25 inches?

After my thread on triple-colored hostas, I've fallen in love with 'June', but I'm not sure it'll fit in the space I have in mind. I totally love your idea of the barrel as a memory garden to your parents. My mother was born in June and passed away when I was eleven, so I can see doing something similar.

~ freshair
Janice
Original Author
14 years ago
How about 'Paradise Joyce', Freshair? I think it would spread less and has a similar look to 'June'!

You know, you CAN control how wide it will get--just divide it when you feel it's getting too
large! I'm sure you could find another use for a division of it--right? :o)

Yeah--I love my memory barrel--to my parents! I hope the 'June' in that spot will be large enough
to tower over the 'inpatiens' next year! :o)
freshair2townsquare
14 years ago
oooh, not a bad suggestion ~ freshair
goldedger
14 years ago
Wow Janice, your garden looks great for anytime of the year. Guess the hosta dogs are doing a good job and highly deserving of their kibble. I love your PUC in the pot, it really shows off the ruffles, I might have to copy you on that.

What really got my attention though were all those lovely pictures of H. June. Very nice!

Thanks June

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