I’ve got a new phone. Nothing special, just end of an end of contract, new version of the same. Which in theory is a good thing, but in reality has been a bother. Especially when EE’s little helper turned out to be a belligerent barely post-teenage humourless inept loser. Have I make myself clear? In celebration of managing to sort it out myself and in direct response to my brother’s previous phone photos, I have decided to test the new camera for this week’s SoS. Wow, that was a long sentence. And here we have it. Less traumatic journeys to this place of sixes, can be found with another who has recently been struggling with technology, our very own Jim at Garden Ruminations. Shall we shake a leg?
Tithonia rotundifolia ‘Torch’ has been a little scary in its vigour this year. I’m not sure if the seed was exposed to interstellar gamma rays or what, but the plants are enormous. One, yet to flower, must be well over 7ft tall, more than any of my sunflowers. And it is not just in our garden, the same goes for plants I’ve grown and passed on, where they are slightly shocking my clients.
Dahlia ‘Blue Bayou’, a gift from Welsh John. Lush.
One of my clients gave me this California poppy and it is weaving its way through the border with abandon. Tony will be happy because it is the original. And if Tony is happy, I’m happy.
Rudbeckia fulgida, common as muck, easy as peasy, lovely as loveliness gets.
The bully that is known a Diascia personnata has found its equal in the ipomoea. A match made in heaven.
Something bizarre has happened to one of the sunflowers. I am sure there is a scientific explanation, but I’m not interested, as far as I’m concerned it’s magic.
That is your lot, my lovelies. See you next time.
Off The Edge Gardening 
New phone? May I offer a simple piece of advice? Stay far, far, indeed farther, away from garden ponds. No doubt other readers will easily recall a certain propensity on your part………
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I will, for a short while anyway.
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Ahh. From your opening statement, you got the wrong helper. We’ve all been there and instantly understand! Rudbeckia fulgida is, as you say, ‘common as muck’ – but it’s a beauty and one I’ve never grown because the seed packet photos have never really impressed me. The little pops of blue among the flowers work beautifully. Your very unusual sunflower brought a smile to my face.
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Everyone else that I have dealt with have been lovely, as you say, I just got the wrong one this time. Perhaps he is not suited to retail services.
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Nice pictures sis, and it looks as if your sunflower is blowing a ‘raspberry’ of petals.
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Ha! Yes, it does. 😀
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Lovely colour in your garden. I have the same tithonia issue – massive plants bending all over the place.
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I am glad I am not alone in my garden of monsters!
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Great photos – particularly the Rudbeckia fulgida – wow! New phones can be a bit of a pain – they always seems to do things slightly differently. Are you leaving an online review for the EE member of staff?!
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Unfortunately it wasn’t the same EE shop that I sorted out my contract etc so I didn’t get any request for a review. Which is frustrating, the only time I don’t get asked!
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I also like to think it is magic.
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I am very glad to hear it. 🙂
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Well done for sorting the phone yourself, they don’t get any easier. Young minds seem to think very differently these days to older ones. What is obvious to one is not to the other.
Lovely sunflower.
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Well said. And thank you.
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Your comment about the EE staff made me chuckle! I think we can all relate. Lovely selection this week as always. My tithonia have gone bonkers too, is it the slightly odd weather we’ve had this year? I think your sunflower has some sort of fasciation, I think it is caused by damage done by insects (often peculiar types of wasps) at an early stage at the plant’s development? I have a very oddly shaped aubergine that I think stems from the same cause (not sharing photos of that though as I’ll get kicked off Jetpack for obscenity 😂)
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That made me laugh! Unfortunately the Jack in the Beanstalk tithonia has just fallen over in the wind. 😦
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It’s blowing a hoolie out there, several of my triffids have taken a tumble!
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They’ll be nothing left by the morning, it hasn’t stopped all day and tomorrow is supposed to be just as bad 😦
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Yes it’s torrential here too… all those blowsy Indian summer blooms are now horizontal! Ah well, now I can crack on with my big plans for border remodelling… if the rain ever stops!
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I’m liking your style!
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I love that California Poppy – I have them trailing all over my garden and they bring me a lot of joy
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They are such wonderful plants, I’m hoping this one will seed itself about.
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Thanks Gill! Now I’ve got this blinking song going through my head!
It’s magic you know
Never believe it’s not so
It’s magic you know
Never believe it’s not so
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And thanks to you, so now have I! With the introductory “Oh, oh, oh……” and the chord sequence between “magic” and “you know”. And the certainty that it’s in my CD collection. If I can locate it, I promise to “punish” Gill by repeated playing the next time I see her. 😂
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We can have a sing along. Have to wait til next week now.
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Have you got rid of it yet?
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New phone and very nice pics ! Love the rudbeckias too. I hope that blue Bayou will survive because mine only lived 2 years and not many flowers. A bad tuber?
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We will have to see, did you bring yours in for winter?
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Yes I did… but considering everyone else growing Blue Bayou, I think only mine grew slowly and oddly
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That is the second delicious looking clump of Rudbeckia I have seen today, the other in my sister’s garden. Hers has even escaped outside her garden fence! Easy peasy you say. I’ve tried it here several times but it refuses to take. Never mind, I can enjoy your photo which is excellent. You have obviously got the hang of your new phone camera.
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Someone said to me that you should try a plant 3 times before you give up on it. Worth another crack?
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My ipoema still hasn’t flowered, it’s about 7′ tall! 😭
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Oh dear …….
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Try sidelining it. Train/tie the growth horizontally.
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One of the Ipoemas is trained horizontally. Apparently, someone on the Gardener’s World Forum has the same problem. Ah well next year …
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The pictures look great! I love the Rudbeckias too! I must try some again. They mold here, winter may be better…
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Thank you. Rudbeckia are a joy and these ones are so trouble free, apart from a little wandering perhaps.
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Well, I just ordered 5 so we will see if they like winter in Florida.
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I will keep everything crossed for you 🙂
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Oh, I am happy with that choice.
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Glad to hear it 🙂
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The phone takes very nice pics now you’ve got it sorted out. Love the punk sunflower.
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Much better, although once mud/soil/seed/compost/goodness knows what gets into it, they may well deteriorate!
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Good for you, sorting your phone out, I leave it to my grandchildren! Lovely photos too!
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I am quite proud, although to be honest it is not perfectly done.
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I love the sunflower with the petal-y nose!
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It is like a nose or I thought masquerading as a daffodil. 🙂
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Oooh, the pics look very vibrant! Which I’m sure is as much due to your choice of location and lighting as it is the phone, but they are very pretty nonetheless. And that sunflower 😂 I hope to one do get one of those weird ones, they’re so fun!
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Very kind 🙂 It is the funkiest sunflower in the garden!
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