Sitting on the porch having a rum and Isagreens while the sun lights up a glowing, quiet, but brimming with diversity in my life bog garden.

A few things in this garden are impossible to find for anyone other than the swamp-fox Ethan Kauffman. A few things, grasses and masses, came from regular old garden centers. Sounds peaceful?

In half an hour, interns and fellas show up with pizza, cake, and beer for Akshay’s birthday party. Mix it up. Nothing like a garden or life with lots of diversity!

What’s Looking Good

From where I sit, setting sun and all, I’m in love with Pitcher plants and Aletris farinosa (Colic Root). I love things that bob and sway. This one brings memories of country roads where it stands above the grasses! tall white spires to 4

Pycanthemum flexicosum (Savannah Mountain Mint), kind of an oxymoron of a common name. But frilly, fine textured leaves and tiny white flowers topping out at 3 and totally erect.

Mimosa Fine Wine (Mimosa). Ted Stephens’ dark burgundy selection can be seen in the background of this picture.

Calopogon (Grass Pink). Delicate orchid flowers in pink and magenta

Eriocaulon decangulare Hatpins. Another roadside plant that brings back memories of summer days in the woods around Allendale, SC. Ethan Kauffman collected these seeds from the wild 2 years ago, now they’re fat little pin cushions.

Plant Diversity

Pansies have gone on and on this years. Weve let them go and interplanted summer annuals. Planted coleus, begonias, boltonia, gomphrena (everyone is taken with the Burpee selection called Fireworks)

Planning for summer professional programs. Madison Turnblad is preparing for water quality and chemistry and how it affects specialty nurseries while Im working on a Crinum Gathering for growers, breeders and curators.

Planted a few tropical waterlilies in the edge of the garden pond. Taken with Queen of Siam

Divided Hymenocallis in the edge of the garden pond and replanted in two other locations.

Weeding out TONS of Jewels of Ophar and Four Oclocks! My favorite old fashioned annuals.