Evening Primrose Boardwalk

I like plants that are beautiful even in difficult circumstances.  It's been a tough year for many plants, but for some reason, Oenothera biennis, common evening primrose, has done well.  I took this picture a few paces from my temporary office in the trailer near the greenhouse.  The plant was growing up through a crack in the boardwalk that leads from the back door to the paved loop drive around the greenhouse.  I remember this plant as a child.  It grew tall, even in the semiarid conditions of Western South Dakota.  I often collected the abundant seeds and pretended they were coffee grounds.  Although it can be weedy, it is native, and it's a fun plant to watch in the evening since the flowers open very quickly at dusk. 

Something Enjoyed the Summer Heat

My Colocasia gigantea, giant elephant ear, certainly has enjoyed the heat of this torrid summer.  It's bounced between this spot between two decks and a corner of the basement for several years.  Last year, I waited to dig it until after Thanksgiving.  I felt it would die for sure, since ice had invaded its tissues.  Needless to say, it was fine.  The leaves are a yard wide and longer.  This plant was acquired in a trip to the Memphis Botanic Garden, where a plant had managed to set viable seed and they were able to germinate many small plants.  When I got it, it had a single leaf about five inches long.  It benefits from daily watering when the deck plants get watered.  Now it fills this ten by ten foot space very nicely. 

It has also bloomed reliably.  Although the flowers are large as one might expect them to be, they are curiously delicate, reminding me of a pale royal maiden that is careful to avoid any exposure to sun.  So far, the fruits have not managed to mature here in Maryland.   

Rain Lily Watering Weekend

I drew watering duty the last Sunday in August.  More often than not, my watering days are the most miserable, hot days of summer, but I lucked out this time.  It was cloudy and humid and rained near the end of the day.  I like to scout the situation late in the week before I water to see if there are any plants that I have questions about caring for over the weekend.  An early morning foray into Polyhouse 8 revealed and explosion of bloom in two very crowded pots of rain lilies.  There was no label, so I couldn't tell you what they are in terms of species or cultivar, but they are Zephyranthes of some sort.  I think I took these pictures on Thursday, and I was looking forward to seeing them again Sunday.  I remember wondering why they aren't more popular.

By Sunday, I was reminded why they aren't a mainstay in gardens.  The flowers had all faded in just a few hot days, not to appear again until next year. Maybe their short visit makes them more special, and I'm reminded that I don't generally grow many plants that bloom all season because their constant shouts for attention get a bit tiresome. This plant is like that old dear friend that you only get to see once a year for a short period of time.