There is not a lot of color, much less flash, in today's six. But there is a lot of hope because the focus is on flourishing of plants that suffered badly in the uncharacteristically cold and unusually sustained Alabama temperatures last December and March.  1. First comes three small native anise plants (Illicium Parviflorum) that started …
1. I'm beginning my six this week with a photo that announces what makes all the others worthwhile, viable even---rain! This photo was taken of a Gerbera daisy that was nearly dead due to lack of appreciable rain for over a month, but powered through with one healthy flower. 2. Another plant flowering now is …
Today's six come from a drought plagued and slightly neglected garden. I don't have an irrigation system, other than a link-several-hoses-together and drag them up the hill system. So, anything that is not close to the house has to be self-sufficient. Here, then are a few natives that had the fortitude to hang on and …
It is a little late on Saturday, but it is still Saturday---just enough time to get in some photos of what's of interest in the the garden today. Before doing that, though, I want to remind folks to visit the hub of our Six on Saturday theme, Jim Stephens’  Garden Ruminations, to find guidelines for …
I know that it is just as hot or hotter in other areas of the country and around the world as it is in Alabama. But successive days with the heat index, sometimes even the air temperature, hitting 100 degrees Fahrenheit is just plan oppressive. It certainly limits one's time in the garden. One of …
A few photos and an update for this week. It has been a week---in fact two weeks---of storms interspersed with hot, humid, sunny periods. The combination of rain and sun has set the stage for some good flowering. A few of the most striking appear below. 1. The gerbera daisy in the featured image is …
1. One of the brightest plants blooming in the garden right now is the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia). This plant, or its ancestors, traveled according to family legend to Baltimore from Texas when my father was in mobilization training there during WWII. I don't know how true that story is, but I do know that …
This week's six are blooms at the close and opening of their seasons and one major pruning job. But before I begin, I want to note the hub of our Saturday sharing, Jim Stephens’ site at Garden Ruminations. You'll find a link there for guidelines for joining in and links for posts from gardens around the …
At the close of last week's post I said that the my next Six on Saturday would likely be photos of blooms. Well, I was right. That's what I have today: flowers with very little flourish. 1. Here is the first. It is a specific followup on last week's post of Southern Living's trade mark …
Today's six are rather uncharacteristic for me because five of the six are non-natives. But, they all have interesting structures, especially leaf shapes. Most notable, though, they were irresistible deals at a recent Blount County Master Gardener plant sale. I bought some natives, too: Virginia sweet spire, columbine, and paw paw. Oh, and a few …
After Eden 