Orange We Happy?

These plants were looking healthy this year, so I was hopeful they would bloom. It's Blackberry Lily, Belamcanda chinensis. I don't think they've bloomed since 2011. They haven't been a huge success although they do survive. In fact, they have spread a bit. However, they never really fill in to make much of a splash of color. But they are pretty interesting. I may share again when the seeds pods open.

Here's something I never noticed before, and I love it! The buds are spiraled like a soft-serve ice cream. They close at night and open later in the day.

I haven't showed you the blanketflower this year (except the seed heads). The variety is 'Arizona Sun.' I think next year I'll look for one other variety. They tolerate the heat of the rock garden quite well and bloom for a long time.

You will hear more about the marigolds later. A few are blooming.

And I gave in to temptation and bought one of the popular Heuchera. This is 'Caramel,' sort of orange. Not marked down. It's not my favorite, but it is a bit different from the others I have.

I was doing well until about mid-afternoon. Not sure if it's the horrible air quality, the humidity, age, or just whatever. But I did work some on most of my projects and the gardens. Walked 3 miles this morning and braved the store. Meijer was a zoo. Maybe I'll blame my fading energy on the stress of shopping.

Miles hiked in 2025- 324.6

See Back to the Blackberry Lily

Pictures I Took Today

 
I'll tell you right up front about the best picture I took today. It was awesome! Two spotted fawns touching noses in greeting. I was really glad I captured that one.

I also took some pictures of places I'm updating for Get Off The Couch: several of Hamlin Lake, and a little stream with sunlight and some orange leaves already fallen in it.

There was an amazing stand of blue vervain- prettier than I've ever seen it. It tends to grow thinly and not produce masses of color. This one was lovely.

I'm telling you about these so nicely, because... I discovered afterwards that I did not have the memory card in the camera.

So for penance I am making myself draw pictures. With pen. No going back and erasing. Just do it. So there.

Rose, is fury an ok motivation for heART?

First a blackberry lily that is just opening.


That wasn't such a test. Penance requires something harder. How about the tools on the porch? I love Rose's sketches of just anything- bottles, books, stuff on shelves. Pen- whatever I put on the paper, I have to live with.

	See Back to the Blackberry Lily
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Back to the Blackberry Lily

I August, I showed you this lovely orange garden flower, the Blackberry Lily, Belamcanda chinensis. I teased you by saying that it's neither a blackberry nor a lily. True enough, but you might wonder how it got the name.



It's actually related to an iris, with flat, fanned, strap-like leaves. The leaves in the above picture are from a day lily (really a lily) that it's growing near. See the leaves of the Blackberry Lily in another picture from August, below (and a bud).



But we had to wait until recently to see why the "blackberry" got into the name. If you notice the green seed pod in the first picture, here's what happens after a couple of months. The pod splits open, and reveals the "berry." Of course, it's not edible, or botanically a berry at all. But it looks like one!

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Maggie Says- "More Orange, Mom"

Have you noticed that Mom hasn't let me tell you anything at all for a long time? Well, today I sniffed out some really important things for you.



What's so important? More orange! After all, I'm an orange dog. Yesterday she showed you an orange butterfly. That was a good start, but not nearly enough, don't you think?



How about these beauties? Mom isn't impressed. She says it's just one of the colors of berries on the Tatarian Honeysuckle. According to her it's an alien, worthless bush. Usually the berries are red, but some bushes have orange. The birds like to eat them, I don't know why mom doesn't. I haven't tried them. I don't eat berries. [mom says, "they're bitter"]



She seems happier about this flower. It's a blackberry lily, but she says it's neither a blackberry or a lily. Huh? Well, it's orange, so who cares.

I knew all along it was MY day. The sunset even agreed to be orange. Hope your day was orange, too!

	See Orange
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