Mid Summer Garden Tour: Backyard Garden

[@TracysHomeGarden]

Those rose oF Sharon and hydrangeas 💚💚💚. Beautiful Laura!

[@GardenSanity]

Why thank you Tracy! I'm so glad you like them! 😊 💚💚 💚

[@PakHajiAmuntai]

very beautiful garden full of flowers 👍❤️ success always friends

[@GardenSanity]

Thank you so much! 🌺🙂

[@SnappyR]

Great tour! I love that Boulevard Cypress - I need this in my yard♥

[@GardenSanity]

It is truly a wonderful evergreen! The color blows me away, and it really handles our heat and humidity like it’s no big deal! Meanwhile, I’m wilting! 🫠🤣 Fingers crossed you can find one to enjoy! ❤️

[@pamhastings3857]

Beautiful!!!! Thank you for your time!!!

[@GardenSanity]

You're very welcome Pam, and thank you too! 🌳🌸💛😊

[@gardenvistas]

Thanks for the tour! Enjoyed seeing the True Blue Butterfly Bushes.

[@GardenSanity]

You're welcome! In our extreme heat this Summer, I've been so happy with how these butterfly bushes have performed! 🦋 Hope you're staying cool!

[@hydrangeaparadise674]

I literally can watch garden tour all day long. You have a very beautiful garden 🌺🌹❤️

[@GardenSanity]

Me too! I love seeing how different and unique everyone's gardens are! I've yet to see a bad one! And thank you! 💕 🌸

[@hydrangeaparadise674]

@@GardenSanity You are welcome. Have a great rest of your day🌸🌺🌹

[@GardenSanity]

@@hydrangeaparadise674 Likewise! Happy gardening! 🐝

[@gardenvistas]

Yes, it was a great tour.

[@GardenSanity]

@@gardenvistas Thank you so much -- I really appreciate it! 🌸🌺😀

[@truthofthematter9409]

Love the Helene Rose of Sharon! I sort of wish I had gotten the single petal Rose of Sharons instead of the doubles. They look so pretty and stand out so much more. Regarding the Japanese Beetles, I'd bet that you having gravel has something to do with not having them. Here in a bit the females will all dig down and lay their eggs that will emerge as adult beetles next Summer. They look like grub worms before they morph into a beetle. If they can't dig down to lay eggs then they won't emerge. Maybe that's why you've only seen one. You're lucky. You're garden is beautiful even with so much heat! Thanks Laura!

[@GardenSanity]

Thank you! 😊 And I think that the double Rose of Sharons are so pretty! We should trade! 😂 I feel silly, but you’re right: we don’t have grass so there’s no doubt less beetle action, although I do still occasionally dig up a grub in my front garden beds. And those beetles can drunk-fly into our yard from neighboring yards too. It’s weird that I haven’t seen any until now. One year, our Dappled Willow was like a Japanese Beetle hotel for mating. It was weird! 🤪

[@truthofthematter9409]

@@GardenSanity Hey, I have 8 doubles you can trade with me! lol They're a very very light pink except for 2 which is dark pink and then a blue (purple lol). This year I think it's the worse it's been for beetles for me. I'd knock them off into a bowl of soapy water and it was an insane amt. They certainly love roses! lol I'm doing all I can to keep my plants in my flower beds and veggie gardens alive but this heat is dangerous for them. It doesn't matter how much you water them when it's over 100 degrees. They're frying. I've lost one plant through it and I watered it often... one of my beautiful columbine. 🥺

[@GardenSanity]

Those doubles sound pretty! 🌸🌸 That’s frustrating to have that many Japanese 🪲 this year. 😵‍💫 I’m sorry you lost a Columbine. And they did so well for you in the Spring! 🌱

[@truthofthematter9409]

@@GardenSanity What a memory you have!

[@GardenSanity]

When it comes to plants and learning what other gardeners love, I totally geek out! So when you mentioned the pretty Columbines you had in the Spring, I went down a rabbit hole (not literally - can you imagine?) looking up different varieties I might want to buy! 🌸🌺😀

[@gerbasia309]

Lovely garden! 🤗 I was so worried about my little lime punch not blooming. Bought it in October last year. Has big and healthy, green leaves but no blooms!😭 Am just glad im not the only one who doesnt have blooms this year 🥹

[@GardenSanity]

Yes, it can be frustrating, but mine was almost dead by the time it finally showed up at my house, after missing in action for three weeks! 😖 As long as yours looks healthy, then it may still be getting settled. 🤞

[@martinichip8969]

I have been propagating by cuttings my butterfly bush in July after reading this should be a good time of year. Seems successful so far. The cuttings doesn’t need to be big so the mother plant doesn’t appear cut up.

[@GardenSanity]

That’s great to read! 👍 Are you propagating the cuttings in water or in potting mix? 🦋

[@martinichip8969]

I use a soilless mix of perlite and vermiculite with coconut coir or peat moss. They are known to rot if overwatered so I didn’t try putting cuttings straight in water. Same reason I avoided actual soil while it tries to grow roots. 🤷‍♀️ Still learning but seems ok so far.

[@GardenSanity]

Good point about rotting and water. 👍 I hope yours develop nicely! What kind and color are you propagating?

[@martinichip8969]

I don’t know the variety because it was in my yard when I bought the property years ago. It is a beautiful color of magenta and I’d like to grow more in some new garden beds. I hope you give it a try and share on your videos.😃

[@GardenSanity]

Oh I definitely will try and will share! 👍 I love that color for butterfly bushes as it really lights up the garden! 💕

[@LittleIowa]

Rose of Sharon is one of my favorite tree shrubs.

[@GardenSanity]

So what color(s) do you have Cathy? 🌺 I wish mine were taller!

[@LittleIowa]

@@GardenSanity I have the Fiji and a light blush pink one that I do not recall the name of, I was told if you want them to Bush out more that you keep pruning them .

[@GardenSanity]

The Fiji variety has pretty flowers! I love the pale pink varieties too…I may have to find a place for one. 🌸 That’s interesting to hear that pruning produces more blooms, as many rose of sharon breeders suggest little pruning is needed. But it makes sense, if more stems are the result of pruning! 🙂🌸

[@Jenny-bc5kz]

How do keep your gravel nicely maintained and weed free Laura? I find your channel so relaxing to watch.

[@GardenSanity]

Thanks Jenny! 😊 Every Spring, I do a major gravel cleanup. This year I did a video about it, so you can see all of the “stuff” I had to gather up and remove. It’s quite a job, but enjoyable because the weather is much cooler! And then the gravel is good for the season! 👍 😀

[@PlainJane144]

"Queue the bee." 🤣🤣 You always have great shots of the bees! The garden looks lovely Laura! ☀️🌱

[@GardenSanity]

Thank you Jillian! 😊 After that bee wandered into the Lavender Chiffon flower and left, I waited there to try and get another bee shot. No luck! 🐝 They waited me out before returning. 😂

[@PlainJane144]

@@GardenSanity 😄🐝

[@GardenSanity]

@@PlainJane144 🙃🙂

[@GardenHappy]

That is so weird that you found a Japanese Beetle this time of year. They usually don't like the heat and are usually gone this time of year. So strange!!! But that's nature for ya! haha

[@GardenSanity]

Totally agree Liz: it IS weird to see a 🪲 this late in the season, after seeing none at all so far this Summer. But yes, nature can be whacky…and if it means only one beetle? I’m thrilled! 🤣👍

[@bluebirdhomestead]

What an absolutely gorgeous garden tour! I love you Hydrangea tree! It is just stunning! Did you prune it to be a tree yourself?

[@GardenSanity]

Thanks Cara! 💕 The Limelight Hydrangea Tree began as a very small tree we purchased at a nursery. If you check out my Limelight Hydrangea Guide (link above), you can see photos of how the tree has grown over time. And if you want to see a sad video -- who does? 😂 -- I have a video on here of the horrible damage this tree suffered in a tropical storm two Summers ago. So now I'm watching it like a hawk when we get lots of rain!

[@bluebirdhomestead]

@@GardenSanity I will check out your Limelight hydrangea guide! I have 3 lime light hydrangea bushes on our new property 😊😊👍😀

[@GardenSanity]

@@bluebirdhomestead Oooohhhh pretty, Cara! Some of the tips I give on my KZbin videos for pruning Limelight Hydrangea trees will apply to your bushes as well, in terms of dealing with any floppiness of the flowers if they get heavy from rain and so on. You can, of course, also turn them into trees as well. If I was to do that, I'd turn them into multi-stemmed trees because A) it's the easiest to do with a shrub; and B) having multiple stems gives your tree a better support than having everything on one giant stem. Just my unasked-for two cents! 😀

[@willaerley7140]

Looking good and the Redbud, too. Love Boulevard Cypress! Mine is waist high and getting Christmas lights for sure. I haven’t seen one for sale at a nursery here in CT in years, which is absurd!

[@GardenSanity]

I thought you’d enjoy seeing the stick and the Boulevard Cypress! I haven’t seen them for sale anywhere either, which I agree is bizarre because they are gorgeous. I’m amazed at the growth in just one year! 🌲

[@GardeningSpirit]

so pretty!!! i just noticed i don't see grass.. am i right? love all the pea-grit areas.

[@GardenSanity]

Thank you! 😊 Yes, your eyes are correct! We ditched our grass back in 2014! My husband was sick of mowing the lawn, plus the lawn wasn't that usable...the landscape was graded so flat, that water just sat there, and we lost a few shoes walking on the wet grass as our feet would just sink down. 🤣 😦 (Meanwhile most every other yard in the neighborhood is on a gentle slope.) We hired a landscaper to draw up the plan we had in our heads, and then we slowly began filling it in with plants, after they planted the initial trees and a few shrubs for us. It's a bit different from the green grass lawns of our neighborhood, but we love it! (Did you see my gravel-weeding video from late Spring? It is quite a job each year!) ❤

[@GardeningSpirit]

@@GardenSanity ah yes i do remember that video! well it's worth all that weeding work, looks very inviting!

[@GardenSanity]

Thanks! Yes, as long as the weeding is done early enough in the season, I can enjoy cool weather and no bugs…unlike now! 🙂

[@ksero1000]

So happy about your redbud stick! Gives me hope! Have you or anyone in the comment section had similar experience with ornamental grass ordered online that didn't push up growth or did but quickly turned brown and appeared to die, and by the time winter approached there were very few or no green blades, but came up nicely the FOLLOWING year? I'm not sure whether to accept failure and get over it, or if grasses (and some plants) can just "play dead" for the 1st season?

[@GardenSanity]

Glad you're happy about the redbud stick! It's such a funny thing, and I wonder if I'll still be giving "stick" updates years from now if it still doesn't resemble a tree? 🤣 As for your ornamental grasses...I did have a similar experience last year. I ordered five Little Bunny Grasses which came in very tiny pots. I was watering them often, since I wasn't going to plant them until the Fall. But they didn't last at all, and I was very surprised and disappointed. I waited to see any sign of green again, but nothing. (I had to accept failure, but didn't blame myself. Just called it plant error!) I've not heard of grasses playing dead for a season, although that would be an interesting spin on things, wouldn't it? Fingers crossed someone else may have better news for you. 🙂 🌾 💚

[@ksero1000]

@@GardenSanity thank you 😊

[@GardenSanity]

@@ksero1000 You're most welcome!

[@willaerley7140]

Were they bare root plants? I’ve found that they’re very weak the first year, but if you baby them they may survive. I also bought a brunnera that died 2 weeks after I planted it. This year - resurrected! I’d send a picture to the seller, though, and they’ll probably credit you.

[@ksero1000]

@@willaerley7140 they were pink muhly grass plugs that came in towards the mid-late winter. The blades were still pink & because they were in pots & it snows/rains repeatedly wthout really drying out for months... sometimes into April.. I put them inside my unheated garage so they wouldn't get waterlogged. When I brought them out late March, early April were still some healthy pink blades on them so I don't think it had an appropriate dormancy. By June (outdoors some potted, some planted)... all looked worse in June than when they arrived in Feb. July, maybe 10 blades of green on the best ones but quickly browned not sure of the hot dry summer (that was stressing everything) or because they are dying or confused from a wonky dormancy. I been doing my best to keep them not too wet in winter and damp enough in spring/summer. I might just assume they are dead (to get the disappointment out of thr way) but keep them around to see if any surprises or miracles happen NEXT year. I seen some crazy stuff in gardening :)

[@LifeIsMessyImLearningAsIGrow]

I just want to comment to thank you for sharing your garden updates. I just love to watch them. Gardeners are my favorite people and There is always so many new things to learn from each other. I garden and make gardening videos too if you'd ever want to visit my garden I’d love to have you! Let’s learn more from each other as we grow!

[@GardenSanity]

Thank you!

[@boltonic]

How old is the limelight tree? Curious how long it took to grow that tall and fill out.

[@GardenSanity]

Hi Ryan, thanks for asking! We planted the tree back in 2013. I have photos of my Limelight hydrangea tree’s growth rate over time on my website here: www.petscribbles.com/limelight-hydrangea-tree-care-and-pruning/ I hope this helps! 🌿🙂