Wednesday, June 10, 2015

The June days


The terrace is settling into ideas of early summer.


There are annuals, gasp! Scaevola, above (Urban Garden Center provenance) - low fuss and very forgiving of the extreme shade-sun ratio deployed in these square feet.


A yellow and blue theme has evolved.

The nemesias above, I could not resist. I found them at the Union Square Greenmarket. They speak of late winter and early springtime on the West Coast of South Africa. They will probably expire in the long humid days. But perhaps  they will revive after cutting back. The pelargonium behind the nemesias is probably 'Citrosa' - a cultivar bred in Canada in the 90's and sometimes sold as citronella, which it is not. But I have a soft spot for the genus, which became one of my first plant loves, when my family moved to Cape Town from South Africa's hinterland. The leaves smell quite rose-y.


Golden oregano, above. Found at the little Mushtari hardware store on 125th.


And the landlord's sour cherries are beginning to ripen, Until two weeks ago there was also a very healthy grape vine down there, but then it was hacked right back.


The sheep continues to do sheepy things, all day, day in, day out. It sleeps standing up. 


And the pretty foxgloves ('Gold Crest') all collapsed after a hard drenching in the night. I cut them back. They are alleged to re-bloom, and I did see the beginnings of new shoots, but I cut them back below those shoots, for stronger stems. So...


And we have been eating outside, in the evenings. This was a good clafoutis. Cream, eggs, sugar, wonderful vanilla. And I pitted the cherries, as a special favour to the Frenchman.
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6 comments:

  1. Your terrace always looks so inviting. A lovely place to relax, read a book or have a good meal with lively conversation. I wish I could create a similar oasis.

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  2. Your terrace always looks so inviting. A lovely place to relax, read a book or have a good meal with lively conversation. I wish I could create a similar oasis.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Looks like everything is liking the porch this summer. It looks really healthy. Love the way you are bringing in a lot of "limey" greens. I find myself migrating to them more and more. could it be that i have finally learned about painting with leaves, or pulling light into the dark spaces? no. probably not. Best to the Frenchman.

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  4. So much beauty! The combination of leaves is a pleasure this time of the year! In nine days, summer will begin but meteorology summer has already begun. And, I keep thinking, what does it mean? Slowly everything has changed, and it is always beautiful! And speaking of leaves: I have bought an Indigo Plant (Indigofera tinctoria) with its little leaves it fits wonderful to the Redcurrant it is under. Love your blog! Yours, giorgio

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  5. Is that Hakonechloa Macra "Aureola", Japanese Forest Grass in the pot?

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  6. Awww, I recognize that sheep and its day in, day out existence. Estorbo is everywhere.

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