Smokey Week

The first week of August lightning ignited a fire in the Great Dismal Swamp that has been burning peat underground. The swamp is at least 40 miles south but when the wind blows from the south it quickly turns everything hazy. Peat fires are difficult to extinguish so this may take awhile. It's not terribly offensive but it does burn your eyes and throat after being out in it for awhile.

A couple of things have been exciting this week. The first is the Cereus buds.  This is a new plant for me that I purchased at a plant sale in April--I didn't think it would bloom the first year. One night this week I'll be up taking pictures I hope.

The other good news is I've enticed the voles to eat d-CON pellets--lots of pellets. About three weeks ago I noticed a fresh tunnel when I moved a pot in the garden so I put out a poison pellet tray and covered it. They ate three trays sporadically but the last three nights they've eaten a tray every night. I must be feeding hundreds of them.  For all the damage they've done I'm feeling good to even the score a little.  Here's the cover and an empty tray with a well worn tunnel entrance.

Edgeworthia is not one of my favorites flowering shrubs but it had a place in my garden. I don't think it be around next year as it is slowly dying.  I can't find any pests so maybe voles.

The Turtlehead is in full bloom now.  It likes a little shade so I keep it in pots buried in the ground and spot water, otherwise the tree roots just strangle it.

I overwinter this ponytail fern in the garage. About once a month I thin it for flower arrangement foliage.

This is another plant that I picked up at a plant sale.  I think the label said it was 'Rough" something. I cut it for church flowers this week.

The rose of the week is 'Midas Touch' a hybrid tea introduced in 1992.

These are the flowers and foliage I cut this week and an arrangement.