Can you post the KYRU info for the non-DGer's?

Since it is a DG event and posted where only subscribers can see it, they would have to be paid members to access the info. Jo

That does make sense.

I'm having a lazy day today. We got a ton of rain last night, so it's too wet to dig. Serious weeding is on the agenda today, so it's not surprising I lingered a while over that second cup of coffee. Off to get ready now. Oh, well, at least it's not as hot as it has been.

Send some of your rain over here, please.

Red, I was noticing that there was a fairly active, if short-lived, Haves/Wants/Trading thread on the TN Gardening Forum last year. Any chance of starting another one and maybe pinning it as a Sticky so it could be at least sort of on-going? Any thoughts?

Trading thread done.

Except for the free watering, I'd rather have hot and dry than hot and wet. We don't seem to be getting any cool down with these rain showers. You can't go outside for a minute without your shirt sticking to you. Got another 4 hours of work done this morning, and then had to crash for a while.

I hear that. After nearly four decades out West, hot and humid can really get to me. We had hot and dry for sooooo long. The old bod is wondering what has happened.

Thanks for the Trading Thread. You are fast!!

I would also like to say that I would be happy to organize a one-day Plant Swap over this way in West Middle TN one of these days when we have more folks who would want to come. I have a gardening buddy here and she and I could organize and host one, I think. Nothing too fancy ... get acquainted, eat, swap plants, have fun. Easy peasy. Keep it in mind. :biggrin:

Mexican Petunia (Ruellia) yesterday

Where did you live out West? I remember a trip we took to Vegas when it was over 100 degrees out, but coming from hot, humid GA at the time, it felt good.

I like your idea for a simple "Friends & Foliage" day. See if you can get your garden buddy on here - we plantaholics need to stick together and, of course, enable each other.

I'm taking today off to recover and do necessary things like groceries, laundry, etc. My yard needs attention, but I just can't make myself go out there. I did water all the containers this morning, and checked on the veggie plants. I've got 2 new cucumbers that look nearly ready to pick, so I guess my earlier neglect wasn't terminal.

We lived numerous places along the West Coast from San Diego to Seattle area. Northern CA could be blistering in the Summer but no humidity. Somehow it seemed more tolerable. That's the caveat everyone used to add to talk about the weather ... "but it's dry heat".

I have told my friend about this site and forum. She's busy, but I think she'll make it over to post one of these days. I know someone else who might be interested so I'd best contact her too. The more enablers, the better, I always say.

I suppose I could comment on the heat, but what good would it do? Suffice it to say it's truly disgustingly HOT here today. I think the heat index is over 115º. Ugh ... double ugh! It makes me a sour puss.

Sweet little Gomphrena today.

I really like that color of gomphrena - it would coordinate well with so many other plants. Do you know which variety it is?

I feel bad for all the roofers toiling away in this heat. That's a long fall from a roof if they pass out! Virtually every house on the west side of Knoxville needs a new roof, so roofing crews are everywhere. You have a choice of outdoor "music" this summer - hammering or locusts.

I put some current yard photos up on this Landscape Design : plant combinations thread: The thread "Plant Combinations" in Landscape Design forum Notice how tight the shots are? I think I managed to exclude any dead plants or live weeds from the pictures.

"purple nicotiana, Aster 'Purple Dome', Aster 'Crimson Brocade', Gaura 'Pink Cloud'.
Next to the gaura is another aster that is a really late bloomer. I'm hoping to have an overlap of bloom times, as that aster (Raydon's Favorite), will add another purple layer behind what is blooming now."

Nice pictures over there ... the above is my favorite combo out of all your pics. I planted R. 'Henry Eilers' this year as well as S. 'Fireworks', white Joe Pye and several other things. Right now I'm having to fight to keep everything watered. There was 3/4 inch of rain with flooding around here a few days ago and all we got was a smattering. Just enough to make it steamy here at the house. Sheesh.


Monarda lambada. To the right of it is the Henry Eilers and to the left is Obedient Plant and something else but I've forgotten which seeds I threw there ... maybe Cosmos. Hate it when I do that.

Yup, that ferny foliage in the back could be cosmos. Your plants look good ... green, non- wilted, still flowering. All that effort in watering must be paying off, so keep up the good work!

If we can just get past this long heat wave, we'll get to enjoy some wonderful fall gardening and we'll fall in love with our gardens & gardening all over again. Now it just feels like work.

I found that Henry Eilers didn't flower well the first year, but now that it's settled in, there are a lot more blooms. I like how upright the plant habit is, so it doesn't sprawl all over its neighbors.

My Joe Pye 'Gateway' puts on an impressive display, and then it flops terribly, so eventually I decapitate it to get it upright again. 'Baby Joe' does bettter on the flopping, but isn't as showy. I use it closer to the front of the bed to echo the 'Gateway' at the back.

Yah, I can drag the hose to that point but much beyond that it's tote the bucket time. The bad thing is that when I water there, it runs and waters the neighbor's Bermuda grass which then grows back into my yard. Grrrr... They never edge their side of the fenceline so I'm the one pulling, digging, and spraying the Bermuda and the other grasses that grow when they get so well watered. What can you do?

I have the tall Joe Pye and it is getting ready to pop. Someone gave me two large roots and this one has reached about 6' since I planted it a few month's ago.


I've gotten enamored with the seed pods of cannas. So beautiful! The cannas are doing great this year ... this weather makes them think think they are on vacation in the tropics. :)


The 'Envy' Zinnias and the 'Pink Pop' Agastache keep going strong.


This pink Monarda is blooming again, but I don't remember the name of it. Do you know?


The EE/shade garden is filling in nicely now.

Maybe 'Pink Supreme' on the monarda?

Your shade garden with the EE's and the caladium looks so cool and inviting. All you need is a glass of iced tea, and a chair and you're all set. Or, a beverage of your choice...weren't we supposed to be emptying bottles to extend your border?

Yep ... need LOTS of bottles.

How goes it over there in E. TN, red? I am trying not to complain about the weather so much but we need rain over here! It's getting a bit desperate. Not as bad as some places but still ...

I am going to take pictures of my gardening friend's yard one of these days and post them here, if she doesn't mind. It is difficult to keep up with all of the sites and forums sometimes. She's registered over here but not active on the forums yet.

Just noticed the deer snacked on the Cosmos this morning and have also had a big taste of one of the Butterfly Milkweeds. When the neighbors' dog isn't outside the deer will often jump the fences to see if there is any seed in our birdfeeders. At first I thought it was a raccoon taking down the feeders but now I'm fairly certain it's the deer.

Things have slowed way down in this heat. A few things ...

Persian Shield


Dwarf Cockscomb


'Sienna Sunset' Coreopsis

Looking good, Tee! Sorry to hear about the deer invasion. The deer should have plenty to eat this time of year without eating your good plants.

When I went to over to Oak Ridge yesterday, I stopped in at Willow Ridge and found some fabulous clearance plants. For $2 perennials, I got an October Skies aster and some Red Rocks penstemons. For 50 cents ea I got some Homestead Pink verbena. I also got a couple of huge scaevola (99 cents ea) to freshen up my containers. At those prices, how could I not drag some home?

The past few weeks, the prospect of weeding & maintaining has not inspired me to get outside to work in my yard. Having some fresh plants finally makes me want to brave the heat to do some planting, and I know I'll keep working once I get out there.

What a difference a week makes!

We're still around 90 during the day, but we've backed off the brutal mid-upper 90's, and it's actually cooling off some overnight. The plants look noticeably happier, with new leaves coming out and a less wilted and pathetic look overall. Several of my roses have even started blooming again.

Much cooler here too ... and if we would just get a good long soaking rain, I'm sure things would look quite chipper again. Anyway it's much nicer to be working outside now until the afternoon heat sets in. We had about an inch and a half of rain last week. Refreshing, but just a drop in the bucket for catching up. Could have storms tonight. Ya know, storms we don't really need ... just a nice long spell of rain.

Sorry I've not been around much. We're still dealing with the fallout from the April hail storm. The amount of paperwork is obscene. I think any trees in the area not knocked down by the storm will need to be cut down to provide paper!
We've got contractors lined up for our roof, gutters, and windows so far, with the estimated repair costs now up in the mid $40K range. Until the roof is replaced, we won't know the final extent of the interior leak damage, so I'm not even looking to bid that work out yet. My best guess is the the end of this year to get everything fixed.

Well, I haven't been here much lately either. Things do get busy sometimes. Ouch on the storm damage estimate and timeline. Hopefully, not a lot of interior leak damage. I know getting all those contractors scheduled must be a real chore. I'm trying to get the half-bath redone and I'm having a time with contractors!

Three of us got together here in Clarksville to meet and swap plants Saturday. Photos later.

I stirred up a Ground Wasps' nest awhile ago ... 5 stings. Good thing I'm not allergic. Not too bad considering the number of angry wasps that emerged from that hole.

Haven't gotten back to this. Here's a little of what we had and this is only about half the bulbs and tubers ... mixed Iris, African iris, Crocosmia, daylilies, Also Shasta Daisies, Phlox, Passiflora, Sedums, Semps, Perennial Floss Flower, coneflowers, violets, and a lot I don't remember right now. And boxes of seeds! So much fun!! We enjoyed breakfast and the FM ... and a little rose rustling. it was a full morning.

Not bad for 3 people, eh?

I guess this was a multi-mini-swap since all of us met on DG and are also on ATP ... as well as elsewhere.



Huge vine growing out of the side of an old brick building in downtown Clarksville.





They are saying temps in the 70's this week. Can it be????