Jack-go-to-bed and other garden friends
By terratoonie
22 comments
Thanks to those kind members who’ve asked to be remembered to me.
Lovely to hear from you all. 😊.
Lately life gets more and more busy and demanding, but here is blog with an update on my gardens.
My springtime front garden … blossom and tulips spreading nicely ..
Far end of my April back garden … Exochorda mingling happily with Photinia pink marble …
Sapphire budgie is 7½ years old now, and seems quite an elderly lady. At bath-time, she still indulges in hectic splashing and her feathers get soaked 😊.
I have had previous budgies live into their teen years, but I rescued Sapphire as a youngster, and she has never seemed especially strong, so nowadays I consider her a pensioner budgie … very keen on her millet and on her whizzer toy 😊.
I am hoping Siris will see this blog, because a long while ago she generously sent me a rather unusual iris… she will know its name. I cared for it, year after year, as best I could, but no flowers .. until this June, when it surprised me by producing this pretty bloom 😊.
A couple of weeks ago, in my front garden, I noticed a bright yellow flower with slim long foliage … but when I checked it again at lunchtime, it had closed up all its petals.
Next morning it had woken up again, so I photographed it and asked clever Hywel via facebook, if he could please i.d. it… and of course he could 😊 .. and he also explained why the flower folded its petals around mid-day ..
The yellow flower is Goatsbeard – Tragopogon pratensis. It’s a native wild flower of grassy places flowering from June onwards.
The flowers close at noon hence it’s other common name ‘Jack-go-to-bed-at Noon’ 😊.
It’s a close relative of Hawkbits and Catsears.
Here are my garden helpers. They are posing with the bargains we bought this week ..
two half-price watering cans, and a stunning lavender with variegated, pretty-shaped leaves.
Neptune my Sheltie is now 6½ years old, and has learnt loads of tricks .. very enthusiastic … Truffle is an amazing 14½ years of age, and enjoying life .. loves his meals and drinks, and still does a few tricks, but he is an old lad now. My previous dogs have not lived much past 13 years, so I am very lucky to still have Truffle.
Recently I attended a charity fun dog show, and Truffle was first place in Veteran class, and Neptune won Tricks, so they each came home with lovely medals and goodie bags.
Both my dogs are quiet, contented and good-natured, and I feel lucky to share my house and gardens with them.😊.
24 Jun, 2023
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Comments
Terra, I was wondering if all was well with you and your pets ... thanks so much for posting this blog ... love that last photo! Look after yourselves ... :o)
24 Jun, 2023
Lovely to hear from you TT, I loved your blog and your pets are as gorgeous as ever. Glad you are doing well. take care of yourself. Very best wishes xx
24 Jun, 2023
Terra what a treat it is to see you back on here and to hear that you and your lovely pets are all doing well.
Your spring garden is so very pretty - as always, and it is wonderful to have you with us again.
Thank you.
24 Jun, 2023
Good to see you and your pet pal on here again. Sorry short reply, keep getting cut off on here.
24 Jun, 2023
well hello TT, lovely to hear from you. The iris looks like Iris foetidissima, [Stinking Gladwin] It has amazing orange/red berries in the autumn that last through the winter. I love them.
24 Jun, 2023
SBG is correct, the wild form, she must have been occupying the site while I was trying to reply.
24 Jun, 2023
Thank you for your update. It’s good to hear that you, the doggies & Sapphire are all doing ok.
24 Jun, 2023
Hello TT, nice to read your blog. Your garden is looking lovely as usual and pets are a joy to see :) x
Are you going to save the seeds of the Goatsbeard ?
25 Jun, 2023
Great blog, TT! Your blogs are always so uplifting and full of lovely pics.
The Goatsbeard looks an exotic, vibrant yellow. Love the shape of it, and it's alternative name!!!
I've never seen it before, but, lovely to hear its a native.
Your pets look adorable as always, Sapphire loving all the pampering, rightly so! Neptune and Truffle are very photogenic, have their poses down to a T!
25 Jun, 2023
Thanks for lots of lovely comments and for those of you who 'liked'. Useful to have the identity of the iris and details of its orange berries. Yes, I'll try to save seeds from Jack-go-to-bed and also the Iris later on. I think the Iris can cause allergies but I have it in a place well away from my dogs. Happy, sunny gardening to everyone😊.
26 Jun, 2023
Great to see you again Terra … thank you for posting your lovely photos! Look after yourself 🙂. x
26 Jun, 2023
It's so good to see you posting on Goy once again TT! Your garden is an absolute joy to behold! 😃
The garden helpers look as great as they always did! It's difficult to think that Truffles is 14 1/2 years old now! Sapphire looks very good as well! We lot both our budgies some while ago & the house still seems empty without them flying freely around our living room. 🙁
27 Jun, 2023
Hello Terra,lovely to see you all again,and how well Truffle,Neptune and Saphire look, with all the love and attention you have given then over the years.
Your garden is as lovely as ever too.
Take care , xx.
27 Jun, 2023
Thank you, Sheila ...
... nice to see some familiar faces here. x x x 🙂
Balcony ... thanks.. the strange weather over past couple of years has not helped gardeners. 🙂 ... That's sad you don't have budgies now. Their life spans do vary a lot. My uncle had a budgie which lived to about 20 years of age !
Hi Bloomer .. Thank you. Good to find you on GoY. x x 🙂
29 Jun, 2023
You have been missed Terra - so nice to see you around again, and good to see that Truffle is still going strong and still winning contests!
30 Jun, 2023
Hi Steragram .. hoping all is well with you.
Thanks for your kind words. 🙂
30 Jun, 2023
Hello Terratoonie - lovely to hear your news about your garden and your lovely pets - I have recently rejoined Grows on You - I was a member a few years back but managed to get myself locked out for no reason - I remember your interesting blogs from then - take care x
1 Jul, 2023
Hello Terratoonie,
It’s wonderful to read your blog again. It sounds like you’re doing well. 😃
16 Dec, 2023
Hi TT 👋 How are you getting on? I see this blog dates back to 6 months ago! Are your helpers still enjoying helping you in the garden? How's Sapphire getting on? Is he still having his evening baths?
Are you still occupied in the garden & with your charity events? We would all dearly love to know how you are fairing.
Have a happy Christmas with your "family" & we all want to wish you a happier New Year 2024 than the current year about to end.
16 Dec, 2023
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Hello Tt, I agree with Julia, it is good to see you here again! Your garden is just as lovely as ever. I think the unnamed iris is Iris foetidia. It will have orange berries now in the autumn.
Your pets are looking great! I can't believe Truffle is an.old lad now. Saying that, Lottie is 13 and still as wick and spritely as ever..:)
Neptune is gorgeous and Sapphire enjoying her bath..:)
It has been great to catch up, take care now Tt. Xx
24 Jun, 2023