This Years Surprises In The Garden

And, there have been several. I have been pampering a small Gardenia Jasminoides 'Radicans' plant for a couple years and this year it has rewarded me for my efforts. It is a miniature gardenia that grows to one foot tall and three feet wide. The flowers are fragrant, large, double white.

 

The gardenia is planted next to White Dianthus and near White Foxglove.

The biggest surprise so far, this year, is the possibility of my Black Mission Fig producing fruit for the first time. The tree is planted in my White Garden and has not gotten enough sun since I planted it about five years ago because of a very large Oak Tree in the neighbors yard. This past year the tree was removed because of disease. As a result, my White Garden is getting more sun than in the past!

Upon close examination, there are many tiny and little buds of figs. Even if there are only a few figs this year it makes me want to do "a happy dance". Do I love my garden or what?

Many of the Day Lilies are blooming throughout the garden. But, I have a 'Super Purple' Daylily that has never bloomed. And, it looks like this is going to be the year. It blooms late and is small. It really is a "late bloomer" because I have had it for a few years. This is a photo from google. I will have a photo of my 'Super Purple' when it opens a little more!

I know that all of my garden would bloom more consistently and bountiful if I had been able to bring in lots of top soil when I first started planting. This soil is almost  all clay with rocks. If you can call that soil! Each plant was  usually a one-gallon plant and I tried to dig a large enough hole and fill with planting mix. And, then hope for the best.

Yes, it would have been great to have lots of top-soil, BUT, I am so thankful I was able to have a "mortgage" and a garden! If you know what I mean! AND, I am so thankful that I have been able to keep it - - - so far!