As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
This past summer when looking for estate sales, TL spotted a rather 3 foot tall flower which was dark red, and I noted it had ragweed like bottom leaves. It bothers me when I do not know a flower and in this case the closest I could come up with was of the pea family.
Earlier there were seeds pinned to the bulletinboard at the mail drop off, and I confiscated a bag of them, and it turned out they were Scarlet Beans. I only know this now after growing them all year, and their looking like a bean plant, but the seeds looked more like oreos to me.
In any case, they have purple and violet flowers, do smell sweet, and have this purple pod on them sticking up. They were impressive enough that the neighbor gals asked about them.
I attempted growing them a few years ago, but I think the secret to them is starting them inside as they never really did anything here until the beginning of September, and for most locations that is the end of the growin season.
So TL and were off to get the mail again, and TL was sure this one house had that ragweed plant again, so off we went to investigate on foot. The person had a really nice flower garden, and I suggested being snoopy and ringing the bell to ask what that flower was.
The gal acted like we were gang members or something, but brightened up as TL mentioned a few things, and soon enough she was out in the yard giving us a play by play on the flowers.
I thought for certain she was going into brain lock as she spoke of her rose moss flowers and some other things I have forgotten like alyssum or something in being too small to deal with as I like big flowers.
She did come to the ragweed or more up close it reminds one of goldenrod....almost had a brain lock on that too, but what it is, is cockscomb.
She said that she always grew it, but years ago it was little plants, but this one is about 3 feet high with huge blooms. It reminds me of astilbe, which are pretty too, but this cockscomb in it's dark red is just the kind of plant I am looking for.
Her growing instructions were throw the seed in the garden, and it self seeds and comes back every year like the rose moss or moss roses.
I mentioned about her clematis vines, as this thing was bazonga jungle dinosaur in size. She did not hear me, but TL came back to it, as she was talking about these marigolds that looked like they were on steroids..........she had put natural fertilizer on that clay in that spot, and the flowers just loved it.
Any way, the clematis had this huge white flower on it, and any way it was no a clematis at all. It is ok as I thought the neighbor gal had a Scarlet Runner Bean like mine, and it is some morning glory thing in pink as the other neighbor has a pretty deep purple one that looks like it come up by chance.
I was surprised in the clematis was a Moon Flower. Called as such as they come out at night. I kid you not in this thing looked like it could feed an ox all winter in the foliage and it apparently came from seed that spring she started.
I never was much on annuals as I do not like the work, but I really think for 2015 I am going to do some seed starting for flowers and graduate it, with some select Hollyhock, might try these runners if they will behave, but am going to try the Moon Flowers in back, and probably those hurt your eyes orange Marigolds, with maybe some moss roses or sister plants purslain in pots out front as they did very well this year.
It is nice to have flowers early and most flowers bloom middle, but not many flowers bloom late. Glenn Drowns has those Zebrinia Hollyhock which are not hollyhocks he says, for really late, but I my flower garden the Lord willing is going to feature these four.
I am not much on geraniums, even if they look good late in the cool fall, and petunias go tits up like the rest of those must plant flowers in being too small to see.
We were offered seeds, but I think we will have flown the roost by then, and in any case, at least I know what that mystery flower was or is. I never really have had a flower garden, but only a patch of perennials in obedient plants, lilies, iris and peony.
I desire to find some deep vibrant colors on the Hollyhocks though as rich colors seem to attract the best attention. I did have one hummingbird on the Scarlet Runner Bean and one bumblebee today. Not a great deal here to attract, but at least I am looking forward to 2015 AD in the year of our Lord.
Have so much to do in the Lame Cherry flower garden.
agtG
