♥Love this!♥
This ornamental tree is called a Showy Mountain Ash (Sorbus decora). It is only about 15 feet tall and maybe just as wide. The berries are a bright orange and the bark is a lovely copper color. The birds love the berries but they are too sour for me. In late spring, this tree has clusters of white flowers. Later this fall, the leaves will be orange and yellow.
Note that while this tree has the common name of “Ash,” it is NOT susceptible to the Emerald Ash Borer. The Emerald Ash Borer is a host-specific pest and only feeds on “Ash” trees in the genera Fraxinus; whereas, this tree is genera Sorbus. The common name is confusing, but is called that because the leaf structure is similar in both trees.
♥Love this!♥
MMMmmmm, BASIL! I love basil pesto, and I love that basil is really easy to grow in a container. I have made several batches of pesto and this pot is ready to be harvested again. I’ll be fairly aggressive when I cut the plant back because I know it will grow in again. This late in the season, I’ll possibly get one more good harvest.
I grow some other herbs in pots, too, including parsley, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and mint. These all do well in containers and I harvest enough herbs for my liking. Although herbs also do well planted in the ground, I wouldn’t suggest planting mint in the garden as it will spread and can take over.
😐Needs Work😐
This patch of Tall Bearded Iris (Iris germanica) needs to be dug up and divided. I know they need division because the rhizomes (which are often called bulbs by mistake) are mostly sitting on the surface and this clump had only a few blooms this past spring. Additionally, the turf grass has crawled in among the plants and needs to be removed.
In the next week or so, I will lift the plants from the soil using a spade and pitchfork. Then I will split the rhizomes so that each section has some healthy-looking roots and one or two strong leaf fans. I’ll throw away any old, dry rhizomes. Before I replant, I’ll cut the fans down to just 4 to 5 inches, then set the rhizome 1 to 2 inches deep in the soil. I would like to get this accomplished by September 30th as that is my “line in the sand” date to plant perennials each year.