Finally

Finally the seed grown Black Pearl pepper, Capsicum annuum ‘Black Pearl’ has set fruit. The ones on the top of this plant are black as they should be. These lower ones, which might be older have turned red, the ripe color. We love to grow this pepper for ornament only, and it is right at home in the black garden.

Finally the PeeGee hydrangea, Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’, blooms are fully open and will color to a nice pinky brown as the seasons turn to cooler weather. The flowers will be cut for decorations at that stage.

Finally the garlic chives, Allium tuberosum are blooming. When these were first planted, a passalong from sweet neighbors Mae and Mickey, they were allowed to set seed. Experience is always the best teacher and it was learned that these little bulb roots are nearly impossible to pull from the ground as they spread farther and wider than anticipated. The spent flowers will be immediately cut to prevent an entire garden of garlic chives. And maybe perilla.

Finally a whole year has passed since this self sown Heuchera showed up in the trough. It is the first purple leaf volunteer in the nearly ten years of such things. It was being watched to see if the leaf color remained red through twelve months. It did. Many have sown themselves in this very trough, oddly enough, but the leaves are green with light veining most of the year.

Finally we can name one of these wonderful plants ourselves. Any suggestion?

Finally we get to the real subject of this post. Back in January, we started seeds of Cobaea scandens on the heat mat in the greenhouse/sunroom. A month later the plant was growing well and after repotting was placed in the sunny south facing window to wait until April to be planted outside.

Finally the vine was planted to grow on the large arbor at the edge of the property after all danger of frost was past. Months went by and it grew and grew, but did not bloom. This is an annual here, and a little worry crept into the happy sight of the ever expanding tendrils. Finally, after seeing a close up bloom on blogging buddy Chuck B. of My Back 40(feet) in San Francisco’s plant, the impetus for us attempting to grow Cobaea scandens in the first place, it was learned that the bloom would come from a long stem at the leaf axil. It would appear as a piece of origami made of green tissue. We had one of those! In fact we had lots of them.

Finally we decided to look on the back side of the arbor to see if there were any open blooms there, high or low, for the rising sun hits the backside as it climbs across the sky.

Finally we saw a bloom, three of them in fact. They begin as light greenish pink color then turn to purple before becoming a bit of origami once again. But this threesome is at the very top of the ten foot tall arbor. The zoom has to be used to get a photo.

Finally a bloom opened that could be captured without the zoom, still standing on tippy tip toes and holding the camera at arms length above our head. There are still two months of temperate weather before our first average frost date that might end the life of this fabulous vine. Plenty of time for a good show of green, pink and purple stages of flowers.

Finally.

Frances