Sometimes I can't succeed with even the simplest things. This planter was meant to have lots of sweet peas. Only one showed, so I put some Ranunculus in there instead, but with little luck. What a sorry sight: These are supposed to be my lovely Tango-hybrid lilies. Not much tango here: And the oriental "Muscadet" lily really can't take much rain: This Dianthus was one of three supposed to be yellow or orange. One died (probably the only yellow one), the other one's a ground cover type, and the last one turned out like this: I fell in love with a single-bloom Dianthus this summer, and coincidentally the colours match the one above perfectly: The butterfly bush has never looked better than this year though: Lilium "Siberia" came through the wet spell too: And the "Muscadet" looks better after a bit of dry weather: I'm sorry to break the news to you, but it's autumn. The Colchicum autumnale "Album" is the smallest and earliest of the colchicums, and it's blooming now: Finally, a photo from my mother's garden. Her Phlox are splendid this year: By the way, my Nasturtiums bloomed with three to four blooms each before they withered.
I really like your dianthuses. I have just bought a butterfly bush, their so pretty. Your flowers are very pretty. thanks for showing.
I've had more than my share of failures this year mainly because of the very wet weather we've been having. I certainly feel for you Droopy when I see that some of your plants have suffered just like mine. However, your dianthus are lovely and so are your lilies and butterfly bush. I like all the different colours of your mums phlox and those autumn crocus's are so clean and fresh looking. :-D
Thank you all for your compliments. We had your summer last year, eileen, and it's a sad, sad season when everything rains away. We were luckier this year, and I feel for those with bad summer weather. The colchicums rarely disappoint me, bless them, even though they are harbingers of winter.
Well, I like the looks of those Dianthus and your mum's Phlox. BTW--what's that lovely little blue thing in with that first Dianthus? Th4e Lilies and Buddleja are like topping on the tart, so to speak. I like your garden.
Thanks Sjoerd. The blue thing is a Mertensia. I've tried to get a good photo of it, but can't. The bluish foliage is very pretty, and it blooms for a long time.
Droopy your successes definetly outweigh the few failures! Those lilies are incredible!! We had a TON of rain here the last two days, and a few of my new plants look a little wiped out. My white cannas are all brown.
Well . . . a a least you are not afraid to air your dirty laundry, my friend . . . I think all of us have these kind of events in our gardens as well . . . we have the best of intentions . . . but the weather or something changes . . . it keeps it all interesting and challenging, doesn't it? I love your mom's phlox, and that butterfly bush is something else . . . does it have a fragrance? Wow . . . the "Colchicum autumnale " I am not familiar with . . . are they a type of autumn crocus?? Just Curious . . . they are mighty pretty.
You've made me feel better about my own failures. Then hoping my lilies turn out as beautfully as yours did. I overwatered my Orange Perfection Phlox and it died back among other things. The roses have done pretty well though. Thanks for sharing your tale. Carol
Buda said it it for me Droopy your sucesses certainly do out weigh your failures.I just wish I could get a butterfly bush to live here in my yard .I've had about 4 or 5 die on me.Same as my blue girl rose bushes.I do love all you sucesses.
Thanks all, you're so kind and supportive! The butterfly bush has a sweet scent SoJ, I'm glad it's performing so well this year. The colchicums are some distant crocus cousins I think. They have bigger blooms than crocus and a totally different foliage which comes out in spring and dies back during summer. We call them "Nude Virgins" in Norwegian. The oriental lilies have a very strong fragrance, they perfume the entire garden on warm evenings. Even though they're unhappy with wet weather, I feel they're worth the effort. I got to thinking that all I ever show is the nicest of the nicest blooms, and we all know that's not what gardening is like at all. Some of our sorry plants look sorry because of the weather, others are just in the wrong place. Failures are all part of the learning process.
