YARD ART

SINCE EVERYTHING IS BURNING TO A CRISP IN OUR GARDENS- NO RAIN IN OVER A MONTH- I THOUGHT I WOULD SHOW YOU A LITTLE YARD ART. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE FOLIAGE OUR PLANTS ARE REALLY SUFFERING. HOPE YOURS ARE DOING BETTER!

MOONFLOWERS

IF YOU DON'T HAVE MOONFLOWERS GROWING IN YOUR GARDEN, YOU SHOULD PLAN ON IT FOR NEXT YEAR. THIS ANNUAL PLANTED IN MAY WILL MAKE A BEAUTIFUL VINE AND STARTS BLOOMING WHEN IT GETS HOT. THIS PLANT IS CALLED MOONFLOWER BECAUSE IT BLOOMS AT NIGHT. PLANT IT NEXT TO A DECK OR PORCH WHERE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ENJOY ITS BEAUTY AND FRAGRANCE . IN THE SOUTH THERE ARE ACTUALLY MOONFLOWER PARTIES- IN THE AFTERNOON ABOUT 4.30 OR 5 OCLOCK THE BUDS ON THIS FLOWER START TO QUIVER AND IF YOU STAND AND WATCH THEY WILL SLOWLY UNCURL AND BECOME A HUGE WONDERFUL SMELLING FLOWER.THEN THE PARTY BEGINS!

GETTING READY FOR WINTER

THIS IS MG JUDY'S GREENHOUSE. I UNDERSTAND SHE IS CLEANING IT OUT AND GETTING READY FOR WINTER. THESE COOLER DAYS ARE JUST RIGHT FOR SUCH TASKS- DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE WHEN FROST IS PREDICTED! THIS IS A GOOD TIME FOR CUTTING BACK AND MOVING PERENNIALS- DAYLILLYS ESPESCIALLY. IF YOU GET OUT EARLY THE SKEETERS ARE NOT TO BAD- REMEMBER TO SPRAY YOURSELF!

BOTTLE TREES

BOTTLE TREES HAVE BECOME QUITE POPULAR IN RECENT YEARS AMONG GARDENERS.BOTTLE TREES ARE AN OLD CUSTOM BROUGHT OVER BY SLAVES FROM THE CONGO. THE LEGEND IS THAT SPIRITS(BAD SPIRITS) ARE FASCINATED BY COLORED GLASS AND THEY WOULD GO INTO THE BOTTLES BUT COULDN'T COME OUT AND WERE KILLED WHEN THE SUN CAME UP AND SHINED IN THE BOTTLE. BLUE IS THE MOST POPULAR COLOR FOR BOTTLE TREES BECAUSE IT IS THE COLOR OF WATER AND SPIRITS CANNOT CROSS WATER. WHEN I LIVED IN LOUISIANA I NOTICED THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE TIED A BOTTLE TO EACH END OF A LONG STRING AND THREW THEM OVER THE BRANCHES IN THEIR TREES- THEY SAID THAT THE CLINKING OF THE BOTTLES WHEN THE WIND BLEW KEPT EVIL SPIRITS AWAY. I MUST NOT BE EVIL BECAUSE TO ME IT SOUNDED LIKE A LOVELY WIND CHIME.

MS GOURD FESTIVAL

THE MISSISSIPPI GOURD SOCIETY WILL HAVE A GOURD FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 17th AND18th AT THE SMITH COUNTY AG COMPLEX IN RALEIGH, MS. THE TIMES ARE 12NOON TO 6PM ON FRIDAY AND 8 TO 5 ON SATURDAY. THE ADMISSION IS 2DOLLARS. THERE WILL BE ALL KINDS OF GOURD ARTISTS WITH THEIR CRAFT AND MAKE AND TAKE BOOTHS AND DEMONSTRATIONS. FOR INFO VISIT www.mississippigourdsociety.org THIS PICTURE IS OF A GOURD IN MY GARDEN- A VOLUNTEER FROM WHO KNOWS WHERE.

HARLEQUIN GLORYBOWER

HARLEQUIN GLORYBOWER-BOTANICAL NAME:CLERODENDRUM TRICHOTOMUM IS A SMALL TREE ABOUT 10 tO 15 FEET TALL . THE LEAVES ARE LARGE AND SMELL LIKE THE VITAMINS I TOOK AS A CHILD WHEN THEY ARE CRUSHED BUT THE FLOWERS SMELL HEAVENLY. THIS IS ONE TOUGH TREE, I HAVE NEVER WATERED IT AND IT LIKES SHADE OR SUN. WHEN THE FLOWERS FALL OF, THE DARK BLUE BERRIES APPEAR. IT DOES HAVE A TENDENCY TO SUCKER, BUT THEY ARE EASY TO PULL UP TO SHARE WITH FRIENDS. IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN TO MYNELLE GARDENS IN JACKSON YOU HAVE SEEN THESE TREES- BUT IF THEY ARE NOT BLOOMING THEY ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED.