Is This Cool or What? [Updated 12-26-08]

And here's how it was done:

6 Watt Solar Panel (back)




6 Watt Solar Panel (front)



Connect the solar panel to a solar-powered water pump, put the pump into the pond, position the panel for maximum light exposure, et voila!

It was good, clean solar fun -- while it worked. Unfortunately, after a couple of weeks, it suddenly stopped working. At first, we thought the panel had gone bad in storage (it was several years old).

Then we began to suspect sabotage.

... Others Not So Much

While daylilies may shrug off hot weather, fuchsias have an entirely different response: generally, they curl up and die.


Fuchsia bud



In flower.






Fruiting -- or seeding. Maybe both.



Fuchsias can be grown in hot, dry climates with certain precautions:

First, make sure that specimens kept in containers have sufficient room for the roots to spread. A pot-bound plant should be moved into a larger pot. Keep an inch or more of soil between the rootball and the wall of the pot. Plastic pots trump the clay ones, in this instance.

Second, water regularly and keep the soil moist. You can mist the foliage too, but the roots must have consistent water, especially when the weather is hot and dry. As we learned the hard way, even a few hours' delay in applying water to these plants can be lethal in summer. A layer of mulch will help the soil retain moisture, but it's no substitute for regular water.

Third, give them some shade. Even varieties marketed as being able to take full sun will have an easier time in partial or full shade.

Some Like It Hot

Daylilies (Hemerocallis) certainly don't mind the heat. They stand tall in temperatures that leave other perennials wilting. True to the name, each flower produced lasts for only one day; however, a single stem can carry multiple blooms which open successively. The American Hemerocallis Society's web site contains an excellent FAQ page for those interested in learning more.


Hemerocallis (Daylily), unidentified.


Hemerocallis (Daylily), possibly "Frankly Scarlett."


Hemerocallis (Daylily), unidentified.


Hemerocallis (Daylily), possibly "Vino Di Notte."


Hybridizers have developed an incredible array of colors, shapes, textures and (in a few cases) scent in these flowers -- which makes it all the more odd that the average garden center carries only two or three varieties, usually in shades of yellow, pale orange or apricot. The yellow one will be "Stella De Oro."

For those interested in something other than yellow, the best bets are independent local nurseries or mail order/internet/eBay. You can pay a little ($5 per fan division) or you can pay a lot (don't ask). We advise against paying "don't ask" prices for something you have not seen blooming with your own eyes.

A Dozen (or So) Red Roses

Unidentified rose #1.


Unidentified rose #2.


Unidentified rose #3.


Unidentified rose #4.


Unidentified rose #5; photographed with flash.


Unidentified rose #6.


Rose "Taboo" (hybrid tea).


Another "Taboo" rose.

"Taboo" rose again.


Rose "Proud Land" (hybrid tea).


Rose "Opening Night" (hybrid tea).


Rose "Beloved" (hybrid tea).


Rose "Black Cherry" (floribunda).

Look, But Don't Taste

A little something we found growing in a pot of something else. Once photographed, it was composted. We advise all gardeners to leave volunteer 'shrooms in the garden -- either as a curiosity display or as compost. Never eat them. Never.

Well, There It Is

So, here we have a poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). These three shots are all of the same plant, but taken in different degrees of light and using varied camera settings. The bracts are a pale, buttery yellow, and the true flowers at the center a richer yellow. The photos are entirely digital and have not been "Photoshopped."



This first shot (above) was taken in full sun, extreme close-up.




Here's what the camera saw when the plant was set in shade.




Here we are in part sun; part shade. This is the closest the camera came to capturing the color as seen by the naked eye.

These plants are difficult to keep alive, much less attractive, once the holiday season for which they are cultivated ends. We kept a red one going for a year, but did not get repeat "bloom" (development of the colored bracts). Enjoy them while they last, but don't get emotionally invested.