Lets' carry on here, even though we're a bit late into the month.

A few of my roses are getting ready to flush again and the lilies have been so entertaining and fragrant!




This was taken last week on the 5th, the cup n' saucer vines on the left side have now filled in that side opening completely and are about a foot over the top. I am a little concerned now as to how extremely fast they are growing! I planted those 2 vines just 2 months ago, in mid June.


I underestimated a lot of things, especially in the rich planting soil!

lol...yes...lol..it all looks extremely healthy.

I have a poor little basil hidden under that tomato foliage, I really need to go rescue it!

Wow, Sue! How rewarding to see such quick progress on your garden! I thought it was too cold to grow lilies here. Were you able to grow them in SJ?

Too cold? Do you mean too warm? I don't understand. They bloom mid-late summer.
I have had a few in pots for a few years and Zuzu has lots in the ground here so all my potted ones will also be planted.
This is one of hers, it's about 6.5 ft tall. She has had it for years.

These are some more of mine over the past month.

Sue, of course I misspoke! I meant that it doesn't get cold enough! Did you keep them in pots, because the root ball would get colder? Come to think of it, I had an old Easter lily, in a pot that re-bloomed...

There are probably some varieties that need more of a winter chill, I am not that familiar with all the different varieties yet but so far, mine have rebloomed. Zuzu has had that big one for years now. If they eventually fail, they're cheap enough to replace, especially through one of Mamajack's co-op's in early spring.

I still haven't figured out if it's the lack of chill, or the wet winters, but mine have done well here, in Orange county, for the third year. Of course, this was not the "normal" weatherfor the last three years.I know that Orientals don't last very long in this environment, but I managed to bring some Stargazers back to blooming size, though they didn't do as well this year as last. What the heck, it's worth replacing them every three years!

Strange! You know, I forgot that I had some Stargazers until you just mentioned them.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I'll have to try some in some of my big pots. I'm afraid to put them in the ground, anyway, because I've heard horror stories about cats being poisoned by eating lilies. In fact, my next door neighbor just had a really bad experience with one of her indoor cats, who munched on an Easter lily. The kitties been treated several times, but still isn't well.

I just posted this in the Rose forum:

The dahlias (Bishop's Children) in my veggie bed are such a striking contrast against the green, I love the dramatic black foliage and bright tropical colored blooms!




Yesterday hubby & I sprayed the recycled satellite dish (off Craigslist) an olive green to match the poles that it will be placed on. I got this idea from Janet (imapigeon), her's is a much bigger one, I kind of wished I had waited and found a larger one too but hey, free is free and this will look cool once it's done.
My post of a few pics of Janet's garden: http://cubits.org/Califliving/...
along with her blog to document it:
http://satellitedishgazebo.blo...


And when it was done, up it went. It will be planted with a honeysuckle and passion vine, with Graham Thomas rose on one side and whatever else I can think of to make it lush and cozy. I want to add a stain and sealer to that old bench.


And while I was in the spray painting mode, this went from drab brown to hot paprika yesterday too with a plastics spray paint! Great paint for any of any plastic pots too. I am doing two white plastic loungers next, in lime green and rust.

Hmmmm, well, now I'm going to have to watch for old satellite dishes too.

I just posted a request for one and had an answer the same day, they are surprisingly light weight, hubby and I easily lifted it ourselves.

Love the satellite dish arbor, the bench & the paprika items! I want to paint some plastic things, but can't decide on a color - hmmm, maybe I should take a page from your book & do several colors.

Gosh, Sue, I LOVE your dish and the elements under it!

That newly-painted paprika furniture will sure be a focal point in your garden. Are the pieces you painted actually plastic?

Hi Janet! Oh I wanted a bigger satellite like yours, especially when I saw how big that bench now looks under it but I decided to just embrace it, and I mean literally. I plan to surround it with plants to give it an enclosed feeling. Hope it works out the way I envision it.
Yes, the table set was a plastic resin type, made to look like a wrought iron. The actual sprays made for plastic is quite limited in their color selections but they guy at Home Depot said to spray it with the primer and then I could select any color.

CASue, so you're saying that if you spray with krylon plastic primer, you can use any color of spray paint on top? That would really open up the color possibilities!

That's what he said so that's what I did, hope it lasts. If not, I will spray again.

Your smaller dish has an "intimate" feeling that will be enhanced when you get stuff growing on it. I'm already seeing it as a perfect spot to read.....

You've got enough room at your new place to put up a bigger one for more of an "entertaining" spot! The Mercury News building has one right out in front that I keep driving by and speculating about......LOL!

I saw this today, a hot-orange pavilion and I LOVE the color, that's what I want now!
http://www.penick.net/digging/...