another state deficit

I took this picture of cedar berries last week and immediately thought of it after reading this short bulletin in yesterday's N&O. It turns out the state's forestry service is desperate for red cedar seeds. I may give them a ring. But since I don't own this tree and I am not sure if it belongs to the city of Durham or Duke University, I may just volunteer to strip some lower limbs myself and say they came from my property. It is the heaviest berry producing cedar I have ever seen... hence my willingness to step in. The only protests would probably come from the birds, but there's plenty for them too.

fall in the flower garden

Last week's nor'easter dropped five inches of rain in my yard (and the rest of Durham County). Rain and wind and the time of year meant that this past weekend held a lot for me to do. Of course there were limbs to pick up and piles of leaves to shred for composting and mulch. But because we haven't yet had a hard freeze, I was pleasantly surrounded by a good many flowers.

These zinnias (pictured above) and at least two dozen orange marigolds still spark the front of my vegetable garden. I could have photographed the bright green lettuce and the perfect pansies that are happy in fall weather, but I am too proud of these summery blooms that have kept up their act ever since late June. They are ratty and tired looking but until the first killing frost, I will use my hands to keep the pecan and oak leaves from smothering their last gasps.

On a less mournful note, I am happy to see that the small grassy clumps of grape hyacinth bulbs have returned to their spot in the perennial border. The purplish blue flowers won't appear until mid-to late February, just before the daffodils I ordered are due to bloom. I expect to plant those next weekend, after I get up the fallen canopy from my maple tree that is dropping pinkish red and yellow leaves all over my backyard as I write this.

one of the best evergreen screens for the South

These photos were taken today in the perennial allee at Sarah Duke Gardens. Most of the visitors do not notice the sasanqua camellias 11 months out of the year since they form the dark green backdrop for showier shrubs, yuccas, vines, tropicals, herbs, and native perennials. But today, this utilitarian backbone is smothered in a galaxy of light pink blooms.
It is a shame we don't see more privacy screens made up of these wonderful shrubs, which are native to Asia but have been a part of Southern landscapes for well over a hundred years. Compared to the cold weather blossoms of c. japonicas, c. sasanqua flowers may not be as impressive, but they can take more direct sun and drought. This particular variety is called Maiden's Blush.

molten lava leaves

There are several excellent medium-sized trees that can be planted beside patios and near driveways and avenues in the lower South (zones 7-9) but the Chinese pistache is arguably the one with the most vivid fall color. Be patient if you plant a young specimen; try to train it to a central trunk. Until the lower branches are above your head, it may look a little gangly. This Chinese pistache sits beside the building where I work. Last week, I kept meaning to take a picture and finally got around to it on Friday's lunch break. I am glad I did. Today, almost half of these beautiful leaves were down on the ground and plastered to the cement sidewalk. Sunday's breezy and rainy pass from a cold front did a week's worth of stripping in one day. This tree is part of a row of three-- planted approximately fifteen years ago.