I haven't posted anything here in a while.

[Denninmi]

I've been in a foul mood and not enthused about my garden.

And all I really do in it now is water. Every day, for a couple of hours.

Luckily, we had some major rain yesterday, probably 3-4 inches at least, so I'll be relieved of that duty temporarily, except for containers.

A couple of new photos:

Bracken fern. These do well in sandy, dry-ish soils in partial sun:

[IMG][/IMG]

My Franklinia is blooming:

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[IMG][/IMG]

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First bloom on this Dahlia:

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Crape Myrtle was pretty before the pounding rain:

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Amaranth blossom head:

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Fruit on my Starfruit are growing:

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Thanks for viewing.

[elleng]

1. Very nice.

Glad you've watered and posted!

Love Crape Myrtle for their longevity. LOTS of them around DC area, LOTS of colors.

THANKS, Den!

[Scuba]

2. Very nice. What zone are you?

[Denninmi]

3. Borderline 6a.

Although they shifted the 5b/6a boundary outstate a LOT in the last revision of the zone map. 6a used to be just a little pocket in Metro Detroit, the urban heat island where I am, plus the immediate Great Lakes coastline from the St. Clair River to Toledo.

Now the 6a goes basically west to Lansing and north to Saginaw. There is a corresponding warm area on the west side from Grand Rapids to the Indiana border.

But, FWIW, most of the subtropicals are in pots. The only thing I posted from this batch of photos that is marginal and in-ground, to the best of my memory, is the silk tree in the Lounge post.

ON EDIT -- from this thread, the crape myrtle and the star fruit are potted and come indoors in fall. The rest are either annual or hardy.

[Curmudgeoness]

4. That amaranth is beautiful.

I don't know about this plant---is it annual, perennial that survives the winters, or one that you bring inside?

[Denninmi]

5. Annual, and very easy to grow, in fact, can become weedy.

Actually originally grown as the source of amaranth seeds and flour for baking. Many people just grow it for its beauty. Produces millions of seedlings, though,the next year if not carefully cleaned up in the fall.

Comes in burgundy, rusty orange, and pale greenish/orange forms. Many seed catalogs carry the seed.

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/amaranth.html

[Curmudgeoness]

6. With all my invasive problems, thanks for the tip

about it going crazy. I am one who likes to leave things with seeds out in the winter for birds and critters, but that may not be a good idea with this.

It is a very interesting plant.

[HopeHoops]

7. Beautiful.

[Kolesar]

8. Franklinia looks like popped corn

Thanks for sharing, very nice!