Thursday, June 21, 2018

Planted perfectly

This is the view from our front door. That Verbascum appeared as a little seedling in July of 2015. How do I remember that? Because I was getting the garden ready for a large tour coming through in August and almost pulled it, thinking it was a weed. I paused just long enough to decide it looked familiar and left it be.

I'm so glad I did! It's taken its sweet time (3 years) but is finally about to burst into bloom.

Didn't Mother Nature do a great job of selecting the location? I would have never planted it right there, so close to the sidewalk, but I think it's perfect.

Weather Diary, June 20: Hi 95, Low 45/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2018 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

24 comments:

  1. That is a perfect location. It always surprises me how seeds choose the oddest spots to sprout. We think we've chosen right for them, but they often have completely different ideas. (I know I'm anthropomorphizing).

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    1. I so rarely get seedlings in my travel garden, I’m thrilled with this one!

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  2. Sometimes Mother Nature knows what she's doing, although I do wish she'd get her act together on the dispersal of precipitation.

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  3. I love it when something like that works out.

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  4. I agree with Alison, self-sown plants almost always find an ideal spot...plus, they seem to be stronger and healthier or am I imagining it?

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    1. You are not imagining it. Unless I am too.

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  5. I don't think it's imagination that self-sown plants are often more vigorous than their nursery-grown equivalents. There are a variety of possible reasons, and they vary from plant to plant: Some put down a large taproot early in their lives, difficult to accommodate in even extra-deep pots. Some have a competitive advantage in especially lean or dry soils, which only the most specialized growers are likely to be set up to provide. Others have root systems that thrive on the combination of cool, protected root run and sharp drainage that pavement edges provide; great for a garden that welcomes serendipitous plants, not so great for a nursery that needs to move plants, literally and in the business sense. And there's just the fundamental situation of root systems acclimated from day one to the soil, moisture, and aspect on offer in their location. Thanks, Loree, for sparing that little mullein, and for sharing it in its all-grown-up state today!

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    1. There are two others I’ve been waiting on. Maybe next year they’ll decide to bloom.

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  6. I love the way verbascum plants itself and often in the right place. Yours certainly did. But 3 year? That is amazing. I lament that mine do it in less than 6 months. Not long enough to enjoy its fuzzy rosette. Your view from the front door is beautiful.

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    1. I think less than 6 months is amazing, they’re typically biennial - aren’t they?

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  7. Geez Louise! My verbascum never looks that good. What are you feeding it?

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  8. I love it! Perfect place! Some of my best plant placements were selected by Mother Nature. :)

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  9. Nice job Ma Nature! Of course, Ms Danger did a pretty darned good job of creating the perfect setting.

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  10. Yes , I also have these in my garden ...fabulous plant..lovely silvery soft strokeable leaves ! :)

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  11. I love mullein as it flowers all summer and the pollinators love it. Sow a few seeds as I believe like other biennials, it dies after flowering. A tea from leaves and flowers is good for respiratory problems - maybe good for your mom's allergies.

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    1. Yes, it will die, but I love the crispy bloom stalk too - and hopefully it will produce a few more babies. I’ll have to research the tea...

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  12. Beautiful! But verbascum will spread everywhere if it goes to seed in my experience. If you don't cut the stalks before then, you may regret it!

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    1. I've had maybe a dozen Verbascum bloom in my garden over the years, this is the only seedling that's made it to bloom (there are two others trying too). I'm not worried. The gravel seems to be thick enough that nothing much germinates out there.

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