It is proper summer now. We have had some rain and we have had some sun and we have had some wind. Proper summer. And I have also started thinking about what is working in the garden and what is not. How I can improve things next year. I suppose that is how we roll, us gardeners, always looking round the next corner. Perhaps I should live more in the moment, especially when this particular moment is a good one in the garden. I am, as always, a work in progress. Someone who I am sure has plans for the future is our main man, Jim at Garden Ruminations, pop over to his site to find up what he and the other SoSers have been up to. Let’s not dilly dally on the way, I’ve got plans to hatch.
First we have the lily that was pretending to be a daylily, or more accurately the one I got confused about. Do not expect certainties now. The master of disguise has now flowered. I thought it was going to be Casa Blanca but it doesn’t look quite right. I can’t think what else it would be. It is pretty though, which is what matters in the end.
This is why I love violas.
Onto a dahlia recently given to me by Welsh John. The label read “Wine Eyed Gill” (sic). The plant says “I don’t think so”. I say “I don’t care”.
This is the variegated agave I found on a stall outside someone’s house in Newlyn. I was very excited at the time, possibly scarily so. It limped through the winter and now is doing something interesting in its middle parts. Possibly damage to the growth bud. Possibly alien invasion. It all adds to life’s rich tapestry.
Now something I am sure of, something that says SUMMER to me. I love gazanias, adore them. This year my journey to them was a little tortuous. Thanks to The Prof it eventually worked out well. Another happy ending.
Finally we have Cuphea lanceolata, grown this year from Hardy Plant Society seed. I haven’t grown cuphea for years. Quite why is a mystery.
All done, have a fab week, see you in the gloaming.
Off The Edge Gardening 
That dahlia is ‘Bishop of Auckland’. I may have had labelling issues this year!
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Join the gang! It is quite lovely.
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A lovely Six. I’ve never seen Cuphea before. It’s a stunner – although sort of looks life a rabbit wearing a frilly collar. Living in the here and now in the garden, trying not to ponder changes and whatnot, is really tricky, and I received a bulb catalogue in the post yesterday which doesn’t help (I’ve hidden it away for now).
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Well I hope you forget where you’ve left it then!!
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😁
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I grew cuphea ignea (cigar plant) last year but I didn’t know this variety. It looks like the flower looks bigger than the one I had.
Whatever the name of the dahlia, it’s gorgeous with this wine colour.
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Cuphea are lovely, unfortunately they won’t last the winter so I must remember to save seed. If I get lots …….
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I googled cuphea as it’s very pretty. I’m confused though, as it doesn’t appear to be hardy – but as you got it from the Hardy Plant Society that can’t be right!
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It isn’t hardy, the HPS sometimes dabbles in the dark (not hardy side). 🙂
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Lovely colourful six, it doesn’t matter what their names are as long as they look lovely in your garden! I grew the variegated agave outside for years until eventually one winter it died on me. I now have lots of tiny new plants growing on the alpine scree, beware of the spikes at the end of the leaves though!
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Too true. They can cause a nasty bruise.
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They are mean aren’t they?! I once got got in the top of my head by a rather large one, it hurt for ages.
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I ended up cutting the spikes off!
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Sounds like a good plan!
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Oh so you love Gazanias, I couldn’t steer my gaze away from them on Tresco, the one you have is SUPERB. Did you grow this from seed? Do tell more. I know it is too late for me this year, but I have them on my list for next year and must gen up on how to source and grow these. I assume they are not hardy. I may be wrong of course.
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They are not hardy, shame that it is. I got plug plants, garden ready, although in the past I have just bought them from the garden centre. Thinking about it, I haven’t seen them for sale as seeds, curious ……
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Gazanias drove me to despair this year, well I guess it’s not their fault they taste so delicious but they could put up a bit of a fight!!
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Nik, you got spammed! I just found you. Mine don’t seem to get eaten, but the S&S haven’t really found the garden yet, not in great quantities anyway. I expect that will be next year. x
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The dahlia looks very much like my chocolate cosmos. Such a rich wine colour. (plus mine smells nice)
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CC is a lovely plant, is there room for one here? I’m sure I could squeeze one in.
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Does well in a container too. Though take it into the greenhouse over winter.
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I lost my gazanias in last year’s cold December, see these reminds me to get some more.
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None of mine over wintered, I’m not going to even try next year, too much heartache!
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Cuphea is new to me too! Really pretty flower shape, though, going to have to look out for them. Loving the volunteer violas — they pop up in the most random places and always look so cheery.
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I do love violas, they seem a little less brash than pansies, although it is not always bad to be brash, but in this instance violas win!
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Whatever your lily is, it’s a pretty one and even though it’s not a daylily, it’s worth keeping.
Your gifted Dahlia looks like Bishop Of something-or-other – most definitely another keeper.
I haven’t grown gazania for years, I wonder why not. That one is gorgeous, and you’re right – it’s telling us all that summer has arrived.
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Oh, I should have read the comments first – it’s ‘Bishop of Auckland’. How nice! 😊
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Yes, exactly what I thought!
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You were quite right!
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No, definitely not Casa blanca, that’s pure white. But it’s very pretty. There seem to be more bishops in the dahlia world every year. I haven’t seen the Bish of Auckland before, he’s a beauty. I forgot aboutt gazanias this year; they are fabulous in a pot, I love your stripey one. I’d have got very excited to find a variegated agave on a stall too.
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I pleased for the happy mistake, he is just my kind of colour. I’m hoping I can get this agave to actually do a bit of growing before winter hits again!
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Great pics, thanks for sharing! Are your lilies in open soil? I have some in a pot but they’re under-performing and I was wondering about planting them out (if the dreaded lily beetle doesn’t destroy them there…). I love all the ‘Bishop’ series of dahlias – now yours has been identified, I might have to get an Auckland. What’s the collective noun for bishops?
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This lily is in open soil, although I do have a couple of others in pots. I did squish a few beetle this year, hopefully enough.
I think it might be bishopes 😀
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I shall transfer my lilies after they’ve flowered, thank you! 😊
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Bishop of Auckland is one of my favourites, but not in flower here yet. I do like your lily although I can offer no suggestions as to it’s name. It does have a rather daylily like flower.
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Be careful with the Agave. It is dividing, which is worse than a single rosette. If you install it into the ground, it may be there for all eternity. Any agave can be persistent, as they regenerate from stolons long after the original is removed. They are more persistent after they bloom. Those that get offended and develop into a group of pups while so young are the worst. Only the potentially inhospitable climate there may limit its aggressive conquest of its available space.
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(What is a ‘stall’?)
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Thanks Tony, great information. A stall, in this case, is a table outside someone’s house that is selling plants very cheaply with an honesty box.
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