Siteseeing in the South
Here in the United States, August is usually the hottest month of the year. It's a time to relax and enjoy the garden. Or, in this case, let's relax and enjoy others' gardens – via the Web. Today we head south of the Mason-Dixon Line, to drop in on gardeners in North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
Flowergardengirl lives in a Craftsman/cottage house she designed herself with architectural software. It's in the Piedmont region of North Carolina (Zone 7), and the garden is, naturally, cottage-style.
She writes charmingly of cooking from the garden, projects that didn't work out and those that are piling up undone (don't we all have bunches of those?), evaluations of new plants such as Hydrangea paniculata 'Quick Fire,' as well as flower possibilities for an outdoor wedding for which the bride has chosen an orange and hot pink color scheme.
Although I already had Gail of Clay and Limestone on my visiting list, I see that she drops by to see Flowergardengirl, too, from her home and garden in Middle Tennessee. (That's the area between West Tennessee – Memphis – and East Tennessee – Knoxville and Chattanooga.)
I was fascinated by the discussion of the black and yellow garden spider, complete with video showing the unusual method of web construction. And I had to smile at the "practically perfect pink phlox." An enjoyable garden to visit.
Farther south, Pam Penick is Digging in Austin, Texas, Zone 8b. When she celebrates a gullywasher of a rain after months of drought, we all want to cheer. Just looking at the photo of the pouring rain is refreshing.
With true Texas ingenuity, she shows how to use stock tanks (designed to provide water for livestock) as sleek, attractive planters and small water gardens.
The Perennial Garden Lover in Newport News, Va., writes of the small triumphs and trials in the garden – finding a cache of seeds late in the season, planting a vine and impatiently waiting and waiting for it to finally bloom.
It felt like "old home week" when I discovered her discussion of fried squash. I grew up in Virginia, and one of my fondest summer memories is of platters of fried squash that graced our supper table several times a week.
Well, I now know what I'm cooking for dinner tonight. Mm-mm, can't wait.
