Backyard Orchard and Bee/Butterfly/Hummingbird Garden

[PlainJane]

@PlainJane Do you have problems with Japanese Beetles on your DV? Yours look great and mine are chewed up for most of the summer.

Luckily, no Japanese beetles here in N. Florida. I’m very thankful!

[PlainJane]

I trimmed the Cuphea hedge as it got a bit frosted from some chilly weather this last winter.

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[PlainJane]

The African Blue Basil was so woody I pulled most of it out and started fresh. There will be a mix of ‘African Blue’ and ‘Ajaka’.
Really loving the salvia as background plants. This is a mix of ‘Wish’ and ‘Skyscraper’ series.

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[PlainJane]

I was getting ready to pull the pluots as I’ve had very little bear over the 4 years but now one of them has popped out some fruit.
Same with the purple Spice Zee nectaplum - I guess they heard me.

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[GoDawgs]

Ah HA! You've come out of hibernation. Nothing like threatening a plant to kick it into gear. LOL! Indeed, they must have taken you seriously.

Pretty salvia. The rest will be filling in before you know it.

[PlainJane]

Ah HA! You've come out of hibernation. Nothing like threatening a plant to kick it into gear. LOL! Indeed, they must have taken you seriously.

Pretty salvia. The rest will be filling in before you know it.

[mention]GoDawgs[/mention] - yes, I took a break for a bit but life has calmed down so ... am back at the Junction.
Lol, probably it was the slightly cooler winter but I like to think they heard me.

[PlainJane]

One of the first things I planted once we closed on the house was this pink Confederate jasmine. It’s now at least 50ft up the live oak in the front yard. Really pretty color but alas not as fragrant as the white varieties. This is our only big tree so I’ll have to figure something else out to sneak a white one in.

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[MissS]

Oh isn't that just magnificent! Well done.

[PlainJane]

Oh isn't that just magnificent! Well done.

Thank you [mention]MissS[/mention]!

[PlainJane]

The pluots are almost ready. Can’t wait!

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[PlainJane]

In early spring trimmed back the David Verity hedge around the Green Ischia fig; it’s gone crazy.

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[PlainJane]

Figs will be ready in about a month. I have 3 in the pollinator garden, and not a more carefree plant to be found.

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[PlainJane]

I’ve gone through a lot of different salvias for types that survive the long melting summers. Constant trial and error, lol.
The background shrubs are Abutilon and Hamelia.

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[PlainJane]

This section really bakes in afternoon sun. Around the fig, pluot and salvia I’m again going to try some agastache. The low mounded plants are Ajaka basil grown from plugs. If will flower later in the season and I’m hoping the bees like it as much as African Blue.

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[PlainJane]

I finally got around to moving Major Wheeler to a bigger container. Way overdue. Now I just have to figure out a hurricane strategy, lol.

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[PlainJane]

I’ve been doing trials on ground covers for the orchard/pollinator garden as I think I see too much of the wood chips.
Herbs are good, but with these summers most of them fade in June and I’m back to bare ground or wood chips.
This low growing golden oregano is proving to be the best candidate so far. I have it growing under one of the figs. If it doesn’t melt over the summer I’ll ramp up propagation.

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[MissS]

What a great idea to use herbs as a mulch/ground cover. I hope that it works out well for you.

[Whwoz]

I’ve been doing trials on ground covers for the orchard/pollinator garden as I think I see too much of the wood chips.
Herbs are good, but with these summers most of them fade in June and I’m back to bare ground or wood chips.
This low growing golden oregano is proving to be the best candidate so far. I have it growing under one of the figs. If it doesn’t melt over the summer I’ll ramp up propagation.
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Down Under for that situation, I would look for Mazus, Pratia, definately Whalenbergia gloriosa, some of our native violets (V. hederacea, V. betonicifolia). Could see if I can find a bit of seed if you would like to try something different.

[PlainJane]

[mention]Whwoz[/mention], if you think any of those can take months-long humid heat I’m happy to give a try. Wish I could swap you some seeds back but I thinks that’s a no-no. I’ll send a SASE if it turns out you have something.

[Whwoz]

I will see what I can find [mention]PlainJane[/mention]. They are normally sold as potted divisions but someone should have seed somewhere, just might take me a bit of time and yes, I want them myself, especially the Wahlenbergia gloriosa - lives up to its name with a mass of blue flowers.