Amaryllis Belladonna Naked Ladies, Surprise Lily are Blooming

 There are many common names for this Amaryllis Belladonna but the most common name is the naked-lady-lily.  Amaryllis belladonna is derived from “Italian belladonna which means beautiful lady.  I will agree that this flower when it blooms it brightens your yard with beauty.

Whatever you call these showy funnel-shaped flowers that grow on a leafless stem they are blooming now and the sweet fragrance is lingering in the air. The hummingbirds are feeding on the nectar and it's a glorious time to outdoors enjoying your flower garden.

I planted them in my yard a decade ago with a dozen bulbs and they have naturalized all over my yard and garden I have even seen a few growing in the woods. I suspect that a bird ate the seeds and this is why the flowers are now blooming in the middle of the woods but I am not certain because I have tried to plant the seeds in a sunny location where the soil was well-drained. I dug a shallow hole and just lightly covered the seeds. None of the seeds that I planted grew into a late summer naked-lady bloom. I will see green leaves in the spring but flowers take a long time and are well worth the wait.

Here are a few photographs of Amaryllis Belladonna’s / naked ladies that grow in my yard and gardens.

Daylilies Add Color and Interest to Sun Gardens

 Ten years ago I planted a dozen daylilies and over the years they naturalized and now I have hundreds of lilies blooming in my gardens. I never dreamed I would have so many lilies in my gardens and have enjoyed the colorful blooms. I find this beautiful flower has added interest to my yard and gardens.

Know that the lily flowers look sensational when grown in masses. The blooms are very large and the orange color is vibrant against the green foliage. I have one lily that is very large 6 inches across with a yellow center and it is admired by all that see it.

Lilies are easy to grow in average well-drained soil. However, they do need to be planted in full to part sun. Know that my summers are very hot and find that the roots need to be shaded and the flower head needs sun. To help retain moisture and keep the roots cool with natural cedar mulch and I also hydrate the flowers in the morning with a slow-drip soaking hose.

Unlike the Asiatic lily which is a long-lived lily the daylily blooms for only one day so it's not a good idea to cut them for floral arrangements. Best to just enjoy them blooming in your yard and garden.

Here are photographs of the lilies that bloom in my gardens.

Grow Millionaire Hybrid Eggplant in Raised Garden or Container

 If you are someone who has a small yard or limited growing space such as an apartment balcony know that you can grow eggplant in a raised garden or a container.

Eggplant is being grown in a raised container on my patio.  It is the plant with large leaves on the right. 

If you enjoy eating eggplant and have a small space then I would recommend shopping for the Millionaire as this plant produced long and thin fruit that is approximately 12 inches long. The eggplant has smooth black skin and is nearly seedless.

Grow in a sunny location in soil that is well-drained. If you plan to grow in a container then choose one that is of a large size and make sure there is drainage on the bottom.

The millionaire eggplant is mature in 60 days, so plant to plant outdoors 6 weeks after the threat of spring frost has passed. I like to plant my eggplant outdoors by the end of April that way the days are warm and the threat of late frost has passed.

Space your plants in a raised garden three feet apart and water 2-3 times a week until the plant is established. If you find that your container or raised garden bed soil is dry to the touch and then water your plants. Know that container and raised gardens tend to dry out faster than growing plants in the ground.

Repel Fleas Ticks and Snakes with Cedar Mulch

If you’re bothered by fleas, ticks, and other yard and garden pests including snakes then you will benefit from adding 100% natural cedar mulch to your garden beds. This mulch has a pleasing aroma derived from the natural oils and the chemical thujone is found in the cedar mulch. 

Cedar mulch is hazardous to snakes because cedar possesses aromatic phenols that are toxic to snakes

This summer I mulch my gardens with cedar which is derived from cedar trees. Since there are snakes in my area as well as ticks, fleas, red ants, and termites I wanted to try a natural pest control and found on the first day that the cedar mulch repelled a rather large snake from my yard.

I was putting down mulch in my grass garden and the aroma from the cedar mulch was strong. A snake emerged from the rock wall and was moving fast. The snake fled my yard rather quickly and went back into the woods. 

Other Cedar Mulch Benefits 

Know that not only does this mulch repel garden pests it is also long-lasting / slowly breaks down you won't have to reapply in a few months. The cedar mulch also helps in retaining moisture and controlling weed growth.

Cedar mulch is also good at repelling other insects, moths, ants, termites spiders, and cockroaches so it would be good to put a layer of mulch close to your foundation and add a layer of mulch in your crawl space to keep the snakes and other pests away.

Add a layer of cedar mulch to container gardens to repel pests and also keep the soil moist as container gardens tend to dry out quickly.

If you have a dog house put a layer of mulch under and around your dog house to repel fleas, ticks, and spiders. Stop the pests from getting in the house and on your dog.

Where to Buy Cedar Mulch

I bought cedar mulch at Lowe’s Home Improvement store and I would think every garden center would carry cedar mulch but if you are unable to find it you could also buy cypress mulch. 100 % natural cypress derived from the tree also has the natural oils and the chemical thujone that repel garden pests.

Vinca Annual Flowers Add Color to Sun Gardens

 Vincas are annual flowers that bloom profusely throughout the summer months and throughout the warm fall season. Dying off only after a frost.

This summer I planted 12 bi-color red and white and 4 solid red vincas in my ajuga garden and have enjoyed the added colorful blooms that attract butterflies to my yard.  

The Vincas were planted in well-drained soil that was amended with organic compost. The growing instructions said to plant in full sun, but seeing I don’t have a full day of sun in my yard due to living in the woods. I did plant the flowers where they would get 5 hours of sun daily. I suspect that they will not bloom as much or not fill in due to the lack of sun.

Here are some photos of my Vinca flowers that were planted in my Ajuga garden

Plant Care

Apply a layer of mulch around the plants to aid in retaining moisture.

Keep the soil evenly moist until the plant matures.

Fertilize with a liquid feed, every other week to encourage new growth and continuous blooms.

When fully grown your plant will be a foot tall with a similar spread.

No need to deadhead as this flower is self-cleaning.

Okay to grow in containers or in the ground. Vincas are beautiful border plants especially along a sidewalk or around a tree.

Vinca is an annual for USDA growing zones 2-8, and a perennial for zone 9-11.

* Deer and Groundhogs do not eat this flower.