As July Draws to an End

 

What a beautiful week it has turned out to be. Rains to help the gardens also brought in some cooler temps. Hey we can live with this. LOL!

The Japanese Anemones are starting to bud But something is eating the foliage to pieces on them and the Chocolate Snakeroot Eupatorium is growing tall now and will be setting on buds.

The ‘Bright Star’ Echinacea is still looking good.

A new Echinacea ‘Green Envy” has its first bloom.

A few new blooms are opening on the Cardinal Flower or Red Lobelia

And “Monet's Moment’ Cardinal Flower is still opening its blooms.

The tiny blooms of the Helenium’s and their colors remind me of fall.

THe “Hot Lips’ Turtlehead Chelone are filling out.Something has started eating its leaves.

Even the “Pow Wow Wildberry’ Echinacea that I disliked when it first started blooming has put on loads of blooms is looking better now.

David’s Lavender Phlox

Rudbeckia

The Valerian or Jupiter's Beard is getting a few more blooms since it was deadheaded.

So as July draws to a close this is what is going on in my gardens.
Happy Gardening Everyone,
Lona

 

Technorati Tags: Chelone-Turtlehead,Petunias,Rudbeckia,Heleniums,Echinacea,Lobelia Monet Moment,Cardinal Flower

Fertilizer Friday

 

We are getting more rain now and the garden is loving it. We are all thankful for what we are getting after that long hot dry spell. I know the farmers are happy because the corn and soybeans were dying in the fields. I just hope it is enough and that the crops will not be stunted.

The ‘Carlotta’ daylily is still putting on some blooms but it looks like the daylilies are about finished blooming now. All of the blooms are going too soon this summer.

A couple containers of ‘Pink Beauty’ caladium help to brighten up the shade garden since the astilbes are finished blooming.

The Red Skin dahlias grown from seed are starting to bloom and looking lovely. I love the dark pink blooms against the dark foliage.

 
The hibiscus are blooming to take the place of some of the other plants now that  are waning. This one was grown from seed from a sweet girl, April Johnson, aka Dirt Princess, from “ Trials & Tribulations of a Southern Gardener”. I do not know its name so I just call it ‘April’s Hibiscus’. She has met the man of here dreams and is going to be a mother now. I am so excited for her. Her Hibiscus grows in my friendship bed where I grow flowers that are grown from seeds that kind bloggers have sent to me. This bed is a favorite because it reminds me of the great gardeners I have come to known through garden blogging and when I look at their flowers it reminds me of them.

 
The “Diamond Frost’ Euphorbia graminea is over taking the Coral Wave petunias in the urn. I love the delicate white blooms on this plant.

The Crape Myrtle bush is loaded again this summer and will give us blooms for a long time.

‘Vanilla Strawberry’ hydrangea continues to open its blooms. I is going to be fun to watch the blooms turn  a strawberry color.

The Lemon lantana is blooming away for the butterflies but the Monarchs are still MIA.

The purple Liatris or Gay Feather is blooming in the Friendship Garden. These were sent to me by a lovely lady, Darla, from Friends & Family.

In an old pot some Portulaca or Moss Rose is the only flower that did not mind all the heat we have had this summer.

The Mimosa tree is finishing its bloom cycle. The bees enjoyed its puffy blooms.

Vining Snapdragons are still looking lovely in their basket.

It looks like the containers in the garden is what is adding the most color now in the garden. Everything else is blooming out for the summer.

I am joining in on Fertilizer Friday with our hostess Glenda From “Tootsie Time” so join us in Flaunting Your Flowers.

 
The summer is going so fast and July is all but finished for this year.
Happy Gardening,
Lona

 

Technorati Tags: Fertilizer Friday,Caladiums,Petunias,Snapdragons,Hibiscus,Liatris Gay Feather

Meanwhile Out in the Garden

 

I cannot believe that this is the last full week of July.Where did this month go? That saying as the “older you go the faster that time goes by” sure makes since this month.
Meanwhile in the garden the plants are much happier with the rain we received last week and the few sprinkles yesterday. And the grass, well the grass has taken off again so it means mowing again now.
It is 80 degrees F. at 8 oclock this morning so it looks like the heat is setting in again and may bring some thunderstorms for us here in the hills.

The chrysanthemums are starting to bloom. With everything being three weeks ahead of schedule this year I did not even bother pinching them back  but let them go. So if I want Mums for Fall decorating they will have to be purchased in pots.

The hydrangeas are finished and the lilies also with exception of a few daylilies put on the occasional bloom.

The Japanese beetles are almost gone too so maybe the last blooms on the roses will not be mangled and eaten before they have has a chance to open.

 Frans Hals Daylily

 
The Monarda’s or Bee Balms are also all but gone with just a few petals holding onto the Raspberry Wine.

The first blooms on the tall phlox are waning now and I have started pinching them off to encourage more blooms. Around the Phlox bed is where the action is now because the Butterflies love them and their sweet fragrance draws them in.

The Monarchs are still missing in action in my garden. Usually the Butterfly plants are stripped bare by this time of the year. But now this year.

By the way Clearwing Hummingbird Moths love Phlox too.

Silver Spotted Skipper

That pesky raccoon showed up with two babies at the back step.
I had to chase her out of my tomatoes one day. Fearing she would get them before I did I picked all of the ones that were turning ripe. After all I had had my mouth all set for those first tomatoes. LOL!

None of the tall phlox are doing as well this year from the weather extremes but this “Orange Perfection” phlox in its second year is looking pretty. It is a compact phlox so it is not leaning over  like the other tall ones in the garden.

Some of the first blooming Japanese Anemones are starting to get buds now and will soon be blooming. I fear that the pickings are going to be very lean in the flower garden come September.
Everyone have a wonderful week,
Happy Gardening,
Lona

 

Technorati Tags: Phlox,Butterflies,Chrysanthemums

Oak Ridge Estate and Gardens

 

Thank God we got some much needed rain yesterday afternoon and this morning. Our parched gardens and fields were desperate for it. We still need much more to get the water levels back up but we are thankful for the amounts we received.
Since the garden is thankfully wet this morning I will share some more pictures taken on vacation this summer.

This is Oakridge Estate situated on a lovely mountain ridge near Arrington Virginia. Its beautiful mansion, grounds and gardens speak of a by gone day of opulence and grander.

 Back Entrance

The Colonial Revival Mansion is surrounded by 5,000 acres of land and still operates a working farm.

We saw workers throughout the property  on our way into the mansion mowing and baling hay, not doubt for the many beautiful horses that were in the fields. There was also a horse racetrack on the property.

Old Water Tower

Recorded history of the Oak Ridge Estate begins in the 1730s with the original land grant. The earliest owners were two Bristol merchants, John Harmer (ca. 1710-1791) and Walter King (ca. 1714-1792). As British subjects, their property was confiscated in the American Revolution. Some of their holdings were acquired by Col. William Cabell (1730-1798).
Through the years the Mansion has  had several owners and was left vacant for twenty years where it fell into disrepair.

Old Telephone Office

In 1989 the property was purchased by John C. Holland, Sr. of Suffolk, Virginia, who was a salvage yard operator. The Estate is now owned by Mr. Holland's children. In addition to the resident proprietors, Oak Ridge has a small support staff. Since 1990, the Oak Ridge Estate has been under restoration and documentation. Our goal is to understand all aspects of the Estate's history and connections while restoring the property as much as possible to the Thomas Fortune Ryan era.

 Carriage House

We were informed by the guide that son, Mr. Holland had passed away in December and his widow was in residence on the top floors of the mansion. One hopes that the restoration will be continued by children.

One area that saddened us was to see the large conservatory that must have been spectacular in its day in such a state. With years of no occupancy and hurricanes the glass was almost all destroyed. They have hopes that this too will be restored one day.

 
A lizard was in dire peril here. LOL!

A past this fun statue and down the path was a roadway that lead to where once the mansion had its own train station. Visitors and guests of the family back in the day were transported to the carriage house where they then walked the pathway that leads to the main entrance of the mansion.

A cutting garden is still grown at the mansion.

And a huge arbor surrounds the cutting garden on three sides.
Most of the spring plants were out of bloom at the time of our visit.

But there was a huge planting of these frilly poppies.

Hollyhocks

Rose Companion

On the back side of the mansion was this spectacular Italian Garden making it more beautiful that the entrance way.
Who would not want backdoor friends to enter this way. LOL!

Throughout the Italian garden were columns and statues.

 

 
Below the Italian and formal gardens a balcony over looks down upon a large rose garden and a view of the surrounding hills and valley below.

 

I have saw a few water wells where they drew water with a bucket from a rope but this has to be the fanciest. LOL!

We were given free pass to walk anywhere around the grounds where the many gravel paths or roadways lead us.

This was a little out of the way side trip that we took on vacation and it turned out to be a gem.
Everyone have a wonderful weekend and….
Happy Gardening,
Lona

 

Technorati Tags: Oakridge Estate Arrington Virgina,Mansion