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.

SUMMER POINETTIAS

THIS IS AN OLD FASHIONED PLANT THAT NOT MANY PEPLE HAVE EVEN HEARD OF, MUCH LESS SEEN. IT IS AN ANNUAL-THAT WILL RESEED. IT BLOOMS AT THIS TIME OF YEAR AND IS GREAT FOR AN ARRANGEMENT. SO UNUSUAL LOOKING FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.

A FREE HOUSEPLANT

dO YOU LIKE MANGOs? take the husk out and wash all of the pulp of and then take a knife-be careful- and split it open and take out the seed inside. the seed looks like a huge butterbean. plant and in less than a week you will have the start of a mango tree. these will not survive our winters unless kept inside or in a greenhouse. they grow fairly quickly and make a great houseplant. this one is about 6 weeks old.

WHAT'S BLOOMING IN YOUR GARDEN?

I KNOW WITH ALL THE HIGH TEMPS AND NO RAIN IN PARTS OF THE COUNTY THAT SOME GARDENS ARE DRYING UP, BUT THESE LITTLE FLOWERS ARE GOING GANGBUSTERS IN MY GARDEN. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL NICE RAINS, BUT COULD USE MORE- MAYBE THIS WEEKEND. I REALLY DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF THESE. THE SEEDS WERE A FAVOR RECEIVED AT A WEDDING ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO. THEY ARE SO RELIABLE EVERY YEAR AND RESEED EVERYWHERE. I LOVE THEM FOR ARRANGEMENTS. I THINK THEY COULD BE IN THE RUDBECKIA FAMILY, BUT WHATEVER, THEY ARE A Fantastic adition to a garden.

YARD ART

SAW THESE RECENTLY WHILE I WAS OUT AND ABOUT. WHOEVER DID THIS HAS A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOUR. THEY MAKE ME SMILE EVERY TIME I LOOK AT THEM. NOW THIS MAY NOT BE YOUR CUP OF TEA, BUT HEY IT'S THEIR YARD AND THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT. ANYWAY I THINK THEY DID A FREAT JOB WITH THIS DISPLAY.

BROWN RECLUSE

tHESE ARE SOME PICTURES OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A BROWN RECLUSE SPIDER BITES YOU. SOMEONE SENT ME THESE YEARS AGO AND I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE THEM- HOPE THEY DON'T HAVE A COPYWRIGHT! BE CAREFULL CLEANING OUT YOUR GARDEN SHEDS OR IN OTHER DARK PLACES- I UNDERSTAND THAT IS WHERE THEY LIKE TO HIDE .