I love live oaks

400 years old

The Wedding Tree--600 years old.

This branch sagged to the ground, appearing to have grown legs.

These trees do not grow in my back yard.  We live just a little too far north to grow these amazing trees.  Live oak trees grow short trunks and support massive lateral branches.  They also host resurrection fern and spanish moss, creating an ecosystem all of their own.  Given space and time, they grow to immense size and age.  While on vacation last week, I was privileged to visit Florida's Eden Garden State Park.   This old estate has some of the most beautiful live oaks I've ever seen.   Even though they aren't in my backyard, I thought you might enjoy seeing photos. 

Best of show

Some of the best plants in my garden are the unexpected surprises that come from gifted plants and seeds.

Last fall I picked up a plant labeled as "turks cap lily" at a swap.   The first summer it looked sweet, with goofy little red flowers that never quite opened.  This year it grew into a loose-growth shrub and has been covered with those delightful red flowers all summer long.  It is STILL blooming.

Of course, I was not satisfied to merely enjoy my silly bush.  It was time to do some research to find out what is growing in my backyard.

Right away, I learned that this plant is not a lily or even a turk's cap lily.  This is a perennial shrub that is native to the southeastern United States and although one of its many common names is "turk's cap,"  this plant is really a hibiscus.  Its petals just don't unfurl.  For those who are interested, its Latin name is "malvariscus arboreus."  (I like "turk's cap" better.)

The flowers are actually edible, with a sweet taste similar to honeysuckle blossoms.  I found one

blogger who posted a photo of turk's cap blossoms as a topping for pancakes!  They also produce a berry that is supposed to make good preserves.  My shrub hasn't produced any berries yet.

Butterflies also love my turk's cap shrub.  They just add to the glorious show.  This shrub definitely wins "best of show" in my garden this year!

Ssshhh . . . there are naked ladies in my yard

There are actually naked ladies all over town.  My husband's grandmother introduced me to this delightful fall flower--she called them hurricane lilies because they always seemed to bloom after a hurricane.   I've also heard them called surprise lilies and red spider lilies.  For the plant purists, they are lycoris.   They are originally from China but thrive so well here that they are almost entirely self-sufficient.  Officially they prefer well-drained soil but
grow just about anywhere here in central Alabama.  The flower stems seem to magically appear overnight, bloom for a few days, and then disappear until next year.  Watch carefully, however and you will see the grass-like leaves of the lilies sprout shortly after the flowers fade away.  Enjoy all the naked ladies dancing around town this week. 

Symphony in C Major

Several years ago dear friends gave us a set of Corinthian Bells for Christmas.  I've always enjoyed the sound of wind chimes in my yard, but it was immediately obvious as I unwrapped the box, that these bells were no ordinary wind chimes.  The first obvious difference is that they are extremely heavy,  I used a chain to hang them from a sturdy  branch in my oak tree.  They are also tuned, which means each tube is a note in the key of C major.

In spite of their weight, even a light breeze catches the paddle resulting in a quiet melody that hums throughout the front gardens.   On windier days, the bells ring out in a glorious chorus.  During this time of year, when my windows are open, the symphony can be heard easily indoors, as well as out.

This is my never-ending symphony, orchestrated by God himself. 

Flowers worth waiting for

Some flowers make a big splash in my garden; blooming with abandon; getting raves reviews from all who see them.

But some are shy, quiet plants; growing quietly in the shady corners.  One of these little jewels is my toad lily.  I have no idea why anyone would name these lovely blooms for a toad, but a lily is a lily no matter what inspired its name. 

My toad lily is small, only about 12 inches tall; and most of the year, it is only  a modest arching stem but come the fall, the
toad lily launches this amazing display of tiny, orchid-like blooms.  It is definitely worth waiting for!

Sort of my backyard

Some of the most beautiful flowers are the ones I didn't plant, feed, water, or prune.  They are the fabulous native plants that grow on the roadside, along a fence line, or in the ditch.   I picked these stunning blooms along the fence line at the horse pasture.  The bright yellow plumes are goldenrod (which is falsely accused of producing allergens), the dark purple clusters are ironweed, and the lavender puffs are ageratum.  Take a closer look at the wild areas near your home--God's gardens are in full bloom!

Fall is coming

Oak leaf hydrangea

Goldenrod

American beauty berry

Hearts a bustin'

Not all fall colors are leaves.  Here are a few of my favorite signs of fall appearing in my gardens this week.  All of them are native plants and all but the golden rod are plants that I originally transplanted from a friend's woods.