30 July 2016

๐ŸŒฟ WOODEN PITCH FORK MAKING ๐ŸŒฟ

Wooden pitchfork
Under the dragon
Shaw Island, WA.
anno thirty July 2016.
Woodland Crafts periodical
Undated.
Click to enlarge.





22 July 2016

๐ŸŒฟ Bells to ring thank you ๐ŸŒฟ

Rhodochiton bells with Rhododendron leaves
 for M. Santerne (sp?)
Thanks for the note and seed purchase
at the Gatehouse, July 2016.

15 July 2016

๐ŸŒฟ SUMMER HARVEST, MELIANTHUS MAJOR ๐ŸŒฟ Honey Bush


Papery seed pods of summer each containing
 3-4 black seeds of Melianthus major.
The drying lanterns are paired with French Quimper Faience, 

tin-glazed, hand-painted pottery plate donated by 
Neck Pointer, Ann Shilling, to the Shaw Inc Live Auction, 
4th of July in the 1980s. Thanks Ann.
Flowering Melianthus major.
Honey Bush.


Common name: "Honey Bush"

Life cycle: Evergreen shrub is sometimes grown as an herbaceous perennial 


Native growing region: South Africa. Naturalized in India, Australia, and New Zealand.


Height: Can reach 7 to 10-feet tall. Time to ultimate height, 5-10 years.


Bloom time: When established it will flower May to August.

Description: Lush, large glaucous leaves. Prized as a tropical looking accent plant. Hardy down to 23ยบ F. Could use a protective mulch cover for winter.

Tolerates: DEER!

Seeding: Sow in Spring, Mar-May, in pots or trays of moist seed compost and cover with a light sprinkling of vermiculite. Keep temperature c. 55-64ยบF. Keep moist but not waterlogged. Germination in 21-30 days. When large enough to handle, transplant into 3-inch pots and then again to 5-inch pots until a good size for planting out.

Uses: Flower borders; city/courtyard gardens/ exotic-sub-tropical gardens. Good background to Cannas, Dahlias, Alliums.


Culture: Likes light, well-drained soil and full sun in a sheltered position.


Notes: All parts of the plant are poisonous, as many of our garden plants, but it has earned an AGM from the Royal Horticultural Society.


"The blue-leaved Melianthus major is just about my favorite foliage plant."
Christopher Lloyd.  A Year at Great Dixter.Viking. 1987.

Seed Source: Shaw Island, WA.




11 July 2016

๐ŸŒฟ IN A VASE ON MONDAY ๐ŸŒฟ

Rosa Hanseat
Glassybaby "Jade"
Anno Monday eleven July 2016.

Unenhanced photo on an enhanced
Shaw Island, WA.