Up the Middle

 Today, I worked my way through the middle of the rock garden. This is the absolutely hardest part to weed. I call it my agility and balance exercises. But, the weather was cool, so whenever I went out to work for a while I wasn't getting roasted.

Here's a plant I bought earlier this year. I used to have one, but it did not survive a winter. Some places call it hardy, others seem to think it would be marginal in this area. Maybe I'll have to mulch it big time with leaves because I really want it to survive. Of all the goofy things, it's a Euphorbia. E. myrsinites, also called Donkey Tail. Actually, since Euphorbia is a really goofy genus, I guess I won't be surprised.

I mentioned earlier that I was going to try to get some of the Bronze Ajuga to grow farther out in the sun. I moved some in June, not very carefully since I have lots, and it looked pretty unhappy when I left for NY. Look at it now! This is a plant that can spread too much, but it's really easy to rip out if I think it's getting out of hand, and it makes a lovely, low background for other plants and has spikes of blue flowers in the spring. Ajugas usually prefer shade, but the "bronze" one, very dark, seems to look its best in the sun.

So far, this sedum only gets called 'Betty' because that's who gave it to me. It only has buds yet, but the flowers will help me ID it. My first guess is Sedum seiboldi 'October Daphne.' I've killed a couple of S. seiboldi, it's another that is marginal in our zone. But Betty says she's had this one a long time, and it survived last winter when it was tiny.

Here's Cherry Tart again. It's going to have a few blossoms this year. The color of the plant is spectacular, and it's kept that color all season. But it spreads very slowly. Hopefully, it will just keep up with the "slow and steady" and not do "sigh and die."

This sedum isn't very happy. I think it got shaded too much by the (now trimmed) Silver Mound, and it looks like something nibbled it too. Hopefully it will come back better next year. It's Sedum spurium 'What a Doozie.'

The largest rosette of Sempervivum 'Red Heart' that I really like bloomed while I was gone. Here's what it looked like the day I left. I missed the huge cluster of pink, daisy-like flowers.

What's left now is the seed pods, which are interesting, although the long stalks look out of place in the rock garden. I'll probably cut it off, but I thought I show you.

Finally for today, Here is the Sempervivum 'Black' again. Meh. Not going to be one of my favorites. I was hoping for a lot more black. But the hens and chicks do a good job of filling in spaces.

I mowed until the mower quit (may just need gas), I raked, I edited, I worked on volunteer things that need to get done, I continued to mess with the bee problem. Just stuff, but I have an impressive list to get through before next Thursday. And, of course, I worked on the rock garden. One more day to get it completely cleaned up again. It may need a little drink too.

See Yesterday's Weeding See Euphorbia