Friday, May 29, 2009

A Great Surprise

When I got home today, there was a Fed Ex package on the front porch with my name on it. I was a little puzzled as I wasn't expecting anything. I opened it up and inside was an early birthday gift from my mother in law. It was a lilac from a place in Maine. Anyone that knows me knows that I am not easy to buy for. I am predictable in that I like my home and garden, beer, jazz, old LPs, etc. The fact that I like a very particular series of things within these realms is what makes it tough.

The lilac is just perfect, thanks Mom! I decided to put it up front on the opposite side of the yard as our dark purple lilac. This one says it is supposed to be reddish pink. I think it will be a great addition to the garden.Another discovery while I was photographing the lilac in the garden was this. Anyone know what it is? It has these small yellowish football shaped flowers and looks pretty cool. I'd love to get it to propagate if I could but this is the only one I have right now.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Chris, I have no interest in gardening, so don't laugh to much. Do you think that the green with yellow flowers is a weed. I have something similiar pop up in the space of no time at all and if I give it a small tug, the whole thing pops out.

Just a thought ~ heather
P.S. Can you suggest a shade plant that will spread and not need any help in growing?

Chris said...

ha ha ha. You realize that most people would consider a majority of my garden "weeds"? My point with the garden, I guess, is to try and let the more interesting native plants grow and multiply, making the garden look both natural and "tended" at the same time. There are plenty of weeds you can get that would multiply in a shaded area without any work but you're probably looking for an ivy or some similar ground cover. I'd just go to the nursery and I bet they'll suggest something.

Anonymous said...

Hey Chris,

Is it a Zinnia? Here is a link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinnia

This may only show one type of Zinnia some look a bit like mums or as the kids say...firecrackers because of how the bloom spreads. One type blooms similar to a marigold.

Hope it helps.

Jeanette

Chris said...

It isn't a zinnia because it doesn't "open up" with petals and all. The blooms look like wrinkled footballs. It is very cool looking though, which is why I'd like to find out.

Anonymous said...

...wrinkled footballs...nice. Stays green too? Hadn't noticed the "flowers" the other day.

I'd go the pretty wildflower route then...it's definatly interesting!!

jeanette