The Garden Awakens
Anise 'Woodland Red' ( Illicium floridanum ) A few weeks ago, I thought spring would never arrive, but now the change is astonishing. The nights are still cold (40s and sometimes even 30s) so planting tender annuals and vegetables is unwise although I have already succumbed, but covering and uncovering things gets old quickly. Someone made a wise comment last week and I must agree with them - "Don't plant anything tender until after May 1". Several plants are blooming like never before. One is the Anise shrub (above and below). I don't know if the recent tree pruning, which is allowing more sun into the woodland path, is affecting it or perhaps it is just age, but I've never seen so many blooms. Michael refers to this as "the stinky fish shrub" and I have to admit to smell of the flowers is quite unpleasant. It is so beautiful that I can overlook that. The old pink dogwood tree, which was already here, shades our woodland path and it too is prett
To push your question further--how do you tell if a depressed mouse is feeling better? He finally get off his mouse couch? Anyway, great post--maybe its the smell of the leaves that perks up the mouse--or those lovely red flowers (and I love that last shot . . . )
ReplyDeleteThis is my choice for plant of the month this month so this is so funny. I love this guy. Good job on sharing as I see you like it too. I took several cuttings (10); which have ALL rooted so successfully it is really something else. I plan to save them in my garage. You might try this now as it is not too late to have some already to plant next spring. I haven't tried it in tea or anything as yet but really need to.
ReplyDeleteHow funny! How do you tell if a mouse is depressed and then feeling better? Ooooh the mysteries of life.
ReplyDeletePhillip...i'm afraid that if i keep reading your blog, i'm going to find myself moving south...i love so many of the sages that bloom just in time to get nipped by the frost here.
ReplyDeleteGreat blooms on the sage! I planted 3 in summer 2007 and 2 came back. One is planted next to a clumping bamboo and the other is tucked up in the salvia greggii in the east garden (butterfly garden). Both were 3x3 this past weekend (we're on vacation on Hatteras Island right now), so I hope they are now in bloom. My hummingbirds left before the bloom. Cameron
ReplyDeleteI am waiting for my PS to bloom, the red will be a nice treat in the garden. I always thought it was ornamental.
ReplyDeleteI have a few answers for the mouse riddle, but they are way too macabre!
Gail
Interesting! We call that Mexican Sage in Colorado. Hmm. Maybe the leaves are a little different.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.coloradonga.org/documents/Week_14_PS_Mexican_Sage.jpg
It's a good bloomer here, too.
I've never seen it so I'm interested in learning about something new.
ReplyDeleteHad to laugh at the depressed mouse study. Wonder who paid for the grant to see if pineapple sage made mice happier?
Marnie
I've never given this plant much thought but maybe I should because the flowers look like interesting subjects to photograph.
ReplyDeleteOh, that is pretty sage. I recently picked up two Wild Thing Sages in a cherry-pink color. I have yet to get them into the ground. I have them sitting on the steps leading out the back door. Yesterday, I filmed a hummingbird busy sipping nectar from them! They do like Sage...
ReplyDeleteYour Pineapple sage looks great, Phillip - mine is much diminished this fall, but at least it's alive! Like you, I grow it every year - even in IL where it was always an annual.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how to tell if a mouse is depressed and had no idea there were medicinal uses for pineapple sage but have added leaves to tea and used them as garnishes. Between economics, politics and drought, this may be a good time to cook a pot of Pineapple Sage soup and see if it can un-depress a human!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I have grown Pinapple Sage in partial sun and it did very well. It didn't get watered like it should so it didn't get so large but the hummers sure didn't mind its size just that it had plenty of blooms.
ReplyDeleteI guess you would know if a mouse was depressed if Minnie asked Mickey what was bothering him. ??
Hope you're enjoying the new TV, and good for you for cutting out the channels you don't need :) Lovely photos...as always!!
ReplyDeleteIhave pineapple sage this year and it is doing great. It is one of the easiest plants to propagate. Roots easily if you snip off a piece and put it in some dirt, also if you look at the bottom there are already roots on the stems. (sure you know this though) enjoyed your blog.
ReplyDeleteThis plant seems to be making the rounds of the blogasphere. We planted the yellow leaf cultivar 'Golden Delicious' at work this year. The bright red flowers are really set off by the foliage. You can see a pic on my post titled a "A Fine Fall Day".
ReplyDeleteGood question on the mouse, Phillip. And the answer is : The swim test tells if it is depressed by how long it struggles and starts floating; submissiveness being one of the signs of depression . Take away its prozac and alcohol and the mouse becomes depressed ( much like us humans : -)
ReplyDeleteLove the pineapple sage. Unfortunately it's an annual here.
Hi Phillip ~ Pineapple sage is one of my favorites also; it's actually overwintered here in NJ a few times... Looking forward to reading your wonderful blog... Sue~
ReplyDeleteThis salvia usually overwinters here, but I always take a few cuttings just in case. It's one of the few things I root in water, since that's quick, takes up little space, and is one of the only ways to ensure that the plants never dry out over the winter. Oddly, this is one of the only plants I grow which will actually die if it's allowed to dry out in a small pot.
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