Plants that bite!

The 6th Annual Fall Carnivorous Plant Show

Sponsored by the New England Carnivorous Plant Society

Narragansett RI: The award winning New England Carnivorous Plant Society (NECPS) will again be hosting the Fall Carnivorous Plant Show at the greenhouses of the Roger Williams Park Botanical Center, Providence RI.

Plant lovers and all those who enjoy something different will be able to get up close to hundreds of carnivorous plants exhibited by the members of the NECPS. Pitcher plants from Malaysia the size of softballs, capable of eating lizards and mice, Sundews from Australia the size of a dime to 12+ inches high, Venus Fly traps of all sizes, and Carnivorous Plants that grow locally in New England and Rhode island are just some of the plants that were displayed at past years shows, and will be on display again with even more plants added.

This is the largest collection of Carnivorous Plants on the east coast on display every year !

Over 300 plants scheduled to be on display !

There will be a Venus Fly Trap feeding area where the public can watch close up how these plants devour insects. Vendors will be on hand with plants and accessories for sale, along with plants offered by the NECPS. Plants will be available for purchase for both novice and experienced growers. The Permanent Carnivorous Plant Bog exhibit will also be available for viewing. Society members will be available both days to explain how the plants feed, what they eat, where they live, and how they can be grown and enjoyed at home.

Admission to the show is FREE with the purchase of regular admission to the Roger Williams Park Botanical Center Admission to the RWP Botanical Center is $3 for adults
$1 Children 6 to 12, under 6 FREE

Date and time: Saturday, September 27, 2008
11:00 AM till 4:00 PM
Sunday, September 28, 2008
10:00 AM till 3:00 PM
Location: Roger Williams Park Botanical Center, Roger Williams Park, Providence RI


For additional information about this exciting upcoming event, please visit www.NECPS.org
Or email to johnatthebeach@cox.net
(Please note that this event is not located at the Zoo. The Botanical Center Greenhouses are located across from the Providence Police Mounted Command station in the Park. Follow directional signs located throughout the park or visit www.NECPS.org for directions.)

The New England Carnivorous Plant Society PO box 606 Saunderstown, RI 02874

Water garden photos & apocalyptic thunderstorms..whoo hoo!

After gushing about my new lotus, I had to run out and get some photos of it! This is the first flower it threw right after it moved into its new home. I love how it turned out...complete with little dragonfly. *grin* It had a couple more buds that have since come and gone, leaving their really cool seed pods. It seems healthy and happy still which is great and I couldn't be more pleased.



The pond is looking pretty good despite the murky water. I think I'm going to go back to the polyester batting again to remove the sentiment and junk that is suspended in the water. I have enough coverage with the water lettuce, lotus, and waterlilies that I can clear the water a little more. Until this week, it had been really windy and dry for the past several weeks and the regular gardens became drought stressed. But the water garden boosted my gardening ego with the consistent water lilies blooms.

At night, we have one bullfrog who goes nuts at night and sings all night long. I'm usually up late and I hear him chugging away out there. But even when I get up in the middle of the night for a drink or whatever, he's still out there booming his head off. I think I saw my serenader tonight when I took Lars outside. I would like to get some more tadpoles next spring now that I know they do hang out around the following year after they mature.

Like I mentioned earlier, it's been dry, hot and windy which doesn't mix with my sandy soil. So, the soaker hoses I laid all over the gardens have been working overtime. I am so glad I put them out this spring because it has made my life much easier. Our veggie garden hadn't been doing as well as I had thought it should have been....but I had been stingy with the water. When I finally figured out that it wasn't going to rain for a while, I started to water every couple of days and saw a big difference in the plants and the yields. We've been harvesting green squash, tomatoes, and beans. The lettuce, radishes, and peas have already gone by...but I'll be starting another crop for the fall. I miss having lettuce. I did pick up some heat tolerant lettuce a couple of weeks ago and maybe I'll try that this summer. Eric's got peaches and tons of hops coming which he uses in his home brewed beer.

But the news this week was those insane thunderstorms that have been coming through these past several days. They started on Wednesday and we've had rain Thursday and today. Wednesday storms were nothing short of incredible. I was home working and had been watching the Weather Channel in the office for Hurricane Dolly coverage (I'm a TOTAL weather geek.) When the severe thunderstorm warnings started to pop up I had gone upstairs with the boys since I didn't want to have all of my computer stuff on and if we lose power, I can't see to draft. When I came up, the sky was black with eerie green highlights...and that no exaggeration. Right before the storm hit, it got dark, like 8:30 at night dark at 4:30 pm. Then the winds started followed by torrents of rain, thunder and lightening. After that front edge of the storm blew over us and hit the bay...right across the bay from us, a waterspout grew and hit the bay. When it hit the land, it turned into a F1 tornado. That was all over the news down here. But, at that time, Eric was driving home around the path of the tornado! He said that he had never seen wind like that before even in his Coast Guard days...they were about 50 -60 knots and were spinning around 195 as he was driving. Thank god he had his big turf truck which was heavy enough to drive through that. But he got home okay which was the most important thing. Later that night, one of the weather nerds on local TV said that thunderstorm was the biggest cell he had seen in the 21 years forecasting weather here in Southern New England. All righty then!

Thursday, the heavy rains continued in the afternoon with thunder and lightening. By this point, the rain barrel I had emptied the week before was brimming with water. I had walked by a little cooler Eric had left on the deck with the top open and noticed it was almost 3/4 of the way full. I had to check the rain gauge over by the garage. Eric said it was empty before the storms...and Friday morning, it had 5.5 inches of water in it. That was excellent! We needed a good rain like that so badly. It rained heavily again off and on today and I'll check the rain gauge tomorrow morning again to check the amounts. So, we're good for a while for watering and I expect things to explode in the flower gardens and veggie gardens. The weather patterns look like we're supposed to get rain every couple of days for the next week....let's hope that sticks around for a while.

OOOOOOO....Gardening Gifts!

Oh my, that hubby of mine is pretty awesome! He got me some "gardening gifts" last week. I was off at pre-agility with Lars Friday night and left Eric to his own devices for the evening. I came back and he asked me to go out and mess with the pumps in the pond. I knew something was up because I know he would have just gone out there and cleaned them out himself. So I called him out on it!

He was a busy guy while I was gone...he re-did the pond lights and made a great hiding place for the fish with some big stones. (I didn't ask how Capt. Back Surgery got those rocks in the pond....don't think I want to know.) But he picked me up another water lily (which is a nice pale yellow), some more floating plants, and A BIG PINK LOTUS!!!! I've been eyeing lotus for a while and I haven't gotten one yet. It's got a bunch of buds on it and one is swelling like it's going to pop soon!. That will definitely be captured on the camera for you all here.

The latest on the heron and June photos!

Well, after a couple of days of having the pond netted, we haven't seen the heron back or even in the area. Apparently, they do get a clue on if they are unable to catch fish, they will move on. Right now the pond is still netted but we're going to take it off and use it on the blueberries. I think Eric's going to use filament are the edges to help deter any more. If we have a new heron come back, we'll use the nets again. The fish are still pretty spooked and from I can see, I think everyone is still in there which is good. **phew** I did by a couple of little goodies for around Lake Larson. I picked up Dianthus 'Tiny Rubies', a Variegated Armeria, and a wicked cool little ground cover, Acaena inermis 'Purpurea'.

I have finally gotten some time to work out in the yard and get it looking like something. I think I figured out what part of my 'garden apathy' is too this year...Eric and I went crazy for the past 3.5 years outside and I think we both need a break from ripping things apart. He's spent most of this summer on his boat and I have been occupied with the boys. So it's all good. Next year we'll be into it more. Speaking of the boys, Sam's doing much, much better since we've taken him off of all the meds and he's back to eating. We're going to go another 6 weeks with no meds and do more blood work...the vet's wondering if we beat his Cushings into a sort of remission. He's skinny and his coat looks horrible...but he's starting to put some weight on.

On to the flowers!!!

It's not summer without Tiger Lilies (Hemerocallis fulva.)

Coneflower 'Mango Meadowbrite'

An astilbe seedling I had gotten from a client

Daylily 'Lady Eva' who I picked up in honor of my neice Eva!

Asiatic lilies I don't know the variety...another gift from a client's house

Geranium 'Rozanne' - if you get a design done by me, you get this plant. It's awesome, blooms all summer, and is this year's Perennial of the year. Who can go wrong!

The lavender and creeping thyme path leading to Lake Larson

The Monkey

The hot side of the house in heat and color....