Flowers of Summer

Brugmansia cuttings were taken prior to this past season's frost to replace the ungainly potted plant that was outgrowing the ability to be hauled indoors to over-winter. The original cutting was provided by Carol. In the old tradition of both belt and suspenders for safety, I started six cuttings, treated with growth hormone, and potted in a mixture of milled peat moss and vermiculite. Naturally all six rooted. If I had tried only a single cutting it surely would have failed. I am the type of gardener who would rather have a root canal than to destroy a perfectly good plant just because I am running out of room. Luckily there are neighbors that absorb the excess, but only at the start of summer. During the winter I am inundated, hard pressed to find space for my overextended ambitions. I do not have a greenhouse.

I also rooted a couple of Datura cuttings. The year before I had two "Blackcurrant" plants started from seed. I had removed the seed pods from the earliest flowers to promote more bloom and the later ones failed to provide viable seed. I over-wintered the plants hoping for more flowers this past season. My hope was in vain as the first bud did not form until mid October and remained shivering on the plant. The potted plants survived as they were moved to a sheltered location to miss the early October frost. By mid November, the bud was trying to open. Time will tell if the plants from cuttings will have flowers next year. Gardeners are generally an optimistic lot while awaiting the fruit of their labors, at least until there is none.

Foxglove seeds were collected this past summer and merely scattered over a new bed. Naturally the result of such foolhardiness is either a crop of weeds or seemingly thousands of tiny Foxgloves. My result was the latter. I am letting nature take its course and am awaiting the survival of the fittest. Any thinning will be next season if there is a need to do so. A similar attempt