Friday, August 5, 2011

Newton the Bunny Hunter and Blooms

Every evening I take a walk with the dogs.  After the walk, which is short as one of the dogs is 17 1/2, we stop at the top of the driveway where I let the dogs off the leash.  Newton, who has been looking at and for bunnies the entire walk, is ready to see if he can find any in the tall grasses across the street.
 Yes, we use flea and tick applications on the dogs....wouldn't you in this grass?  Who knows what is in that grass besides rabbits?

 Every night Newton hops and hops through the grasses, looks like he is having the best time.  Sometimes I completely lose him in the grasses.....then a head pops up.  So now you see my great hunter....funny pup.

 I have been watching my newest Amaryllis 'Papilio' (a recent purchase from Park Seed during Festival of Flowers)...seemed like all of a sudden it put up a flower stalk.  This morning when I went into the front room and look what greeted me!  What a great bloom.  This is one that does not need a dormant period, so I will be curious to see how often it blooms.
 This stalk has two flowers open today....maybe more later?
 Also a fun new bloom in my garden is Peacock Orchid or Gladiolus callianthus.  I have never had this one in my garden before and wondered just when it was going to get around to blooming.  Apparently late summer is when this beauty opens.  I am happy to have it in the garden....it is right next to where that possum was a few night ago.
 Another 'new to me' plant is an evergreen shrub in the center of the sunny area of the backyard garden-- variegated Cleyera Ternstroemia gymnanthera 'Variegata'.    I love the new growth is the pink with creamy margins and how it changes to light green/yellow with a darker green.  It can get about 8 feet tall and about 6 feet wide.  It will have the space it needs to be all it can be.  I look forward to it being part of the bones of the sunny garden area.
A little rain this afternoon brought the temps down a bit....was a bit more pleasant to walk around the gardens.



©Copyright 2011 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

19 comments:

  1. Dogs have such hard lives I tell you. Very cool amaryllis. A summer bloomer must be a treat. I tried to grow those peacock orchids one year. They all came up but never bloomed. Very sweet to have a bloom or two in your garden!

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  2. Hey, I love your Favicon, Janet! Your dogs look so happy in that tall grass. I bet they're in heaven. Beautiful amaryllis and I've never heard of Cleyera before. What a great looking plant.

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  3. Amaryllis? Wow!!! Congratulation! Very pretty! I planted my amaryllis bulbs outside. Should remember to bring them in!
    Dogs are fun!

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  4. Newton looks a lot like my dogs, Lucy and Strider. They both love hunting bunnies too.
    And your flowers are gorgeous. I love amaryllis, but here in SE Michigan they brighten my winters, not summers.

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  5. What a great name for a dog. That grass looks like loads of fun to run around in, even I couldn't resist.

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  6. That is one happy dog! We've never had one ourselves, but occasionally looked after a large black dog for friends when we lived on Anglesey, and used to lose him to rabbit hunts on the cliff path regualrly, only his ears or tail occasionally showing above the gorse and heather. Hilarious, though I envied him his energy! Stunning Amaryllis flower.

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  7. He looks like he is having a ball. LOL!
    I am in love with that Peacock orchid. How gorgeous.
    The variegation's on the new shrub is fantastic. All those colors going on.

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  8. Love 'Papilio'! Such a unique-looking flower.

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  9. I love the white blossom!
    I would love one of those bunny chasers. :)
    Thanks again for the lemon bar recipe. :)

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  10. Your amaryllis are pretty. That orchid is to die for.
    Doggie looks like he is having a ball. Do be careful, my cousin is in hospital with tick fever. Also my SD's Rat Terrier got bit by a copperhead hiking with her daddy. She is ok now. Got bit on her lip so didn't get full dose of venom.

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  11. I like your bunny hunter!

    That amaryllis is really stunning. The orchid has such a delicate look. I've not seen that cleyera and I like it! I have the dark green variety and it is probably 7 feet tall now -- out of reach of the deer in the winter. They leave it alone until February when they get so hungry they even eat the tips off the yucca.

    It's going to be a big year for the deer herd. I wish I had a video of the stampede the other evening. I went out to the garden and counted 30 deer. Richard just had to see them stampede, so he came out and made them run!

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  12. Newton looks like he is having such a good time. Nothing like a little rabbit hunting to cap off a dog's day. Definitely better than possum chasing:) Sophie loves to chase rabbits, but she's also cornered a few possums. Thankfully, the possums always play "dead" or I don't know what might happen.

    Beautiful amaryllis! And the dinner on your last post looked delicious--I'm going to have to try that beer bread.

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  13. Newton appears to be having a grand time. We have one dog who always takes the path of least resistance, and one who loves nothing more than pushing through the brush where here white fur and pink skin are a tick magnet.

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  14. oooh, I'm SO jealous of 'Papillio' Janet!!! Now I want mine to rebloom more than ever. I forgot how crazy beautiful it is.... I just read this spring (when I was trying to figure out why I wasn't getting it to rebloom) that I didn't need to be forcing a dormancy on it. This whole time I've been treating it like all the others. Maybe this winter, it will happen. Enjoy the blooms!!!

    I really love that orchid too. I've never tried it or heard of the cleyera before either. Must look into them both. So much fun stuff going on in your garden no matter how hot it is.

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  15. Your dog looks likes he's having a fabulous time! One of my dogs is a shrew hunter, which I appreciate since they've eaten the roots of two trees and a shrub. Your cleyera is beautiful and I've never seen an amaryllis like that! Gorgeous orchid!!!

    The dwarf abelia I have is called Mardi Gras. Mine gets full morning sun and light mid-afternoon shade. Thanks for the input about the ajuga. :o)

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  16. Janet,
    I missed this posting. Cool summer flowering winter flowers. You just left the 4000th comment on my blog deary!

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  17. Your dog is having a great time playing in that grass, how funny. :) I love your new additions, Peacock Orchid is something I've had in my garden for years now. And yep it's usually a late summer bloomer.

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  18. Tina, I know, I want to come back as one of my dogs......life of Riley! I am happy with the Peacock Orchid...great bloom.

    Grace, thanks! I wish the favicon would show up on the tab instead of the B. Newton LOVES to check out the grasses.
    The cleyera is a nice substitute for Redtip Photina.

    Tatyana, Would you believe this bulb was in the $1 bin? Yup! I have some Amaryllis in the ground, but they are hardier than this one.

    Sande, He is a great mutt. And yes, love to hunt those bunnies. This Amaryllis will bloom whenever...and apparently it doesn't need a dormant period so it may bloom more often than once a year.

    Marguerite, thanks! He is supposed to have some Austrailian Shepherd in him...so we named him Newton for Olivia Newton John. Whimsy.
    Oh, we have chiggers that would stop you from romping through the grasses!!

    Janet, He is a happy dog, my shadow. He is having fun in our new home and garden....lots to explore.

    Lona, Yes, he sure it! This peacock orchid is new to me and I like it.

    Sweetbay, it is unique isn't it?

    Rosey, thanks! He is sure having fun chasing those phantom bunnies. So how were the lemon bars?

    Lola, thanks! I haven't seen too many ticks here in our woods...in VA I had so many tick bites--every year! Here, not a single one (yet).

    Cameron, he is fun. Loves to run.
    I found this cleyera in Pender Nursery, who my local garden center uses, and he ordered it for me. With this drought I have seen more deer going down to the lake (not in my yard) and I really feel sorry for them. Hard conditions.

    Rose, He does this every night! I am glad he came off of that possum, he was more curious than aggresive. Did you try the beer bread?

    Les, And that is why we are religious about the flea and tick prevention application.

    Kathleen, I knew you would like it! Hope yours blooms soon!
    It is hot --in the 100's again yesterday.

    CM, he is having a blast. I have something eating some of the roots of my plants....voles or shrews or maybe chipmunks? Makes me crazy!
    I like Mardi Gras! Hope you like the ajuga.

    Randy, 4000! whooowooo. I am not sure when the Amaryllis will bloom again.

    Racquel, You know Newton, he is always on the hunt. Good to know my Peacokc Orchid is on schedule.

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  19. Hi Janet,
    17 and a 1/2! That is definitely a senior citizen. Sadly, I have never had a Sheltie for more than 13 years and more often less. You captured Newton in action perfectly. I can just imagine him jumping around in the grass looking for rabbits.
    It is surprising to see an amaryllis at this time of year. This bloom is quite striking. Peacock orchids are a late summer favourite of mine.

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