Recent plantings

(20) Tulip 'Queen of the Night'
(20) Tulip 'Red Oxford' (Darwin Hybrid)
(20) Tulip 'Gavota' (Triumph)
(20) Tulip 'Heart's Delight' (kaufmanniana)

That brings the fall bulb total to 930.

Heart's Delight

Tulip kaufmanniana 'Heart's Delight'

http://www.tulipworld.com/kaufmanniana-tulips/hearts-delight-kaufmanniana-tulip.html

Gavota

Triumph Tulip 'Gavota'

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/107279/

Red Oxford

Darwin Hybrid Tulip: Red Oxford

Available from American Meadows (link here)

Queen of the Night

http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/blacktulips.html

My favorite tulips.

Camassia

Camassia cusickii

Available from Brent and Becky's Bulbs (link here)

I planted hundreds of bulbs but no Camassia.

What is the deal with that?

Ebknizam

Mondo Grass Ebony Knight

Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Ebknizam'

Available from Park Seed (link here).

Finally, a black grass hardy to Zone 5.

On my wish list.

Cowpots

Like peat pots, but made from cow manure.

Available from Thompson & Morgan (link here).

Worth trying.

St. George

Runner Bean 'St. George'

Available from Thompson & Morgan (link here)

I would very much like to grow some runner beans again.

We have not grown them for years.

Hellebores from Heronswood

'Snow Bunting' is just one of many magnificent hellebores available from Heronswood (link here).

Although we have several in the garden, we could certainly use more.

Old Barnyard Mix

Alcea rosea 'Old Barnyard Mix'

Available from Wayside Gardens (link here)

I would love to get these going in my garden. I have tried for years and they just refuse to self-seed.

My good friend Steve has to pull them out as weeds because he gets so many volunteers.

Nicolas

Hakonechloa macra 'Nicolas'

Available from Wayside Gardens (link here)

Unfortunately, hardy to Zone 6.

Maybe once global warming gets going, I can grow it here in Zone 5.

Stinker from the Underworld

Jaborosa sativa

Available from Annie's Annuals (link here)

The smell would probably preclude its use as a houseplant.

Seeds available from J.L. Hudson (link here)

Recent plantings

(10) Triumph Tulip 'Gavota'
(20) Leucojum aestivum
(7) Daffodil 'White Medal'
(40) Scillia siberica
(3) Allium 'Mt. Everest'
(4) Hyacinth 'Jan Bos'
(10) Tulip 'Queen of the Night'
(4) Lily of the Valley
(10) Kaufmanniana Tulip 'Hearts Delight'
(2) Incarvilleas delavayi
(10) Tulip 'Oxford' (Darwin Hybrid)
(10) Allium 'Hair'

This brings the fall-planted bulb total to 850.

Spooky Herbs

2007 article from The Herb Companion (link here).

Asafetida is a scary herb, particularly for those of us who have read Mark Twain's "The Invalid's Story."

I would start leaving offerings of apples under the elderberry, but the Lovecraftian warning comes to mind: "Call up not..."

Bioturbation

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/feature/id/48630/title/As_the_worms_churn

Never underestimate the effects of burrowing animals, especially on garden soils.

Recent plantings

(1) Physostegia virginiana 'Variegata' (Obedient Plant)
(228) Daffodil 'The Works'
(100) Iris reticulata 'Pauline'
(1) Liatris spicata 'Kobold' (Gay Feather)
(10) Leucojum aestivum
(20) Scilla siberica
(20) Crocus vernus (Yellow)
(99) Tulip greigii 'Red Riding Hood'
(111) Tulip tarda
(1) Aster 'Prof. Kippenberg'
(1) Aster novae-angiliae 'Purple Dome'
(1) Aster dumosus 'Wood's Purple'
(100) Muscari 'Peppermint' (Grape Hyacinth)
(3) Allium 'Mt. Everest'
(15) Allium 'Hair'
(10) Allium 'Purple Sensation'
(10) Allium christophii

This brings the total fall bulb planting to 726, which exceeds last fall's total of 698.

I am amazed bordering on stupification by this. I thought last year's total would never be passed.

Green Velvet

Buxus 'Green Velvet'

http://www.waysidegardens.com/gardening/PD/47295/

This might make a good understory shrub in the woodland garden.

Dirt Doctor's Library

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/organic/garden/faq/

Waldsteinia fragarioides

Barren Strawberry

http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/waldsteiniafrag.html

A good groundcover.

I should try some.

First hard frost

Last night was the first hard frost of the season.

10 days earlier than I predicted.

Rainfall: 1/4"

1/4" rainfall today.

Rainfall: 1/8 "

Yesterday, there was 1/8" rain.

Fox in the garden

A fox ran through the garden again this morning.

Looked like the same fox.

Maybe we are on the regular route.

1,725 pound pumpkin

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/weird-news/story/1270870.html

Too big for my garden.

Fox in the garden

A red fox ran through the garden this morning.

Big animal in prime condition.

How does it avoid the coyotes?

Overwintering scented geraniums

Good article on overwintering scented geraniums from The Herb Companion (link here).

Technically, they are pelargoniums, but everyone calls them geraniums.

Rainfall: 3/8"

3/8" rainfall this morning.

Forest Glen Preserve

http://www.vccd.org/

Yesterday, I visited the Forest Glen Preserve near Westville, IL.

I climbed a 72-foot tall observation tower (twice). It was nestled among mature oak trees so it was difficult to see much below the tower due to the heavy cover.

I hiked down to the canoe access on the Vermilion River.

I saw a whitetail doe eating acorns at the tent camp area.

I saw an interesting tall grass prairie restoration project.

The arboretum featured an oak collection, Tons of acorns on the ground. See the previous Kirk quote.

The Hairy Babe

http://dnr.state.il.us/Lands/Landmgt/PARKS/R3/hbw.htm

Yesterday, I visited the Harry "Babe" Woodyard State Natural Area near Georgetown, IL.

I did not see any wildlife but there were some interesting chunks of limestone lying about.

According to Captain James T. Kirk, "... sometimes the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many."

And this was one of those times.

Rainfall: 1"

1" rainfall total over Thursday/Friday.