Surprises In & Out of The Garden

I walked outside to get the mail last week and was greeted by a naked lady ... also known as Surprise Lily.  I had no idea that Otahal had included Lycoris radiata amongst the plants he gave me last year ... thus far I've only been surprised once, so maybe he has no idea he did either.  The common name of Naked Lady stems from the plant's habit of blooming on a foliage-less stem.  The climate in my part of Texas is not conducive to growing Kniphofia but I hear tell that gardeners who can grow Red Hot Pokers find it amusing to do so in tandem with naked ladies. The Head Gardener is attempting to put on her poker face and pretend that she is not amused by such a juxtaposition.

During my travels to and from the Garden Bloggers' Fling in Asheville, North Carolina, I was fortunate to spend some time at Fairegarden in Tennessee.  Frances, Gail of Clay and Limestone and I took a little road trip over to Frances' favorite local nursery, Mouse Creek.  As usual, I was unable to resist temptation and came home with quite a few plants that were new to me.  I've grown Ironweed, Vernonia lettermannii, for several years now but a different variety caught my eye and then jumped on the cart.  It refused to be dissuaded from coming home with me and I am so delighted that it did!  It started blooming recently and I am just wild about it.  Now if only I could remember the species and/or cultivar.  

My Meyer Lemon tree is loaded with fat green lemons ... I've had to prune the Persian Vitex growing nearby so I can use that plant as a support for the branches of the lemon tree.  I have no clue why ONE lemon chose to ripen ahead of all the others.  It has now been harvested and juiced and I have only to decide what kind of cocktail I should make with it!

A box arrived at my gate last week ... knowing that I hadn't ordered anything recently, I suspected my sister was responsible for this delivery.  Yep, once again I have been blessed by the largesse of the inimitable Dr. Laura (not Schlessinger and for that I am truly thankful).  Chickens everywhere are doubtless crowing and clucking over this addition to the funk art gallery that adorns the driveway fence.

There was one unhappy surprise ... congestion in my head and a tickle in my chest turned into a nasty attack of sinusitis and bronchitis last weekend.  I battled it on my own for several days before conceding the need for medical intervention.  A visit to the urgent care center netted me a cortisone shot, antibiotics and an inhaler.    You know I'm really sick when a cool front arrives and I spend my days inside!  I'm recovering more slowly than I'd like but I expect to be in good shape by the time the next cool front arrives.