I present our Senna Didympbotrya, or better known as the Cassia Popcorn plant. Mind you back in June, these three were only about 4" high! The Cassia is an annual plant I put in the garden each year and is in the legume family and is native to Africa. They are stunning and I love to watch them grow. And when you rub the velvety leaves, your hands smell like buttered popcorn. Flower spikes emerge by mid to late summer and last well into fall. The spikes have dark brown buds that open from the bottom first then open to the top giving spectacular yellow spikes. The flowers then attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators. There currently seems to be a lot of bursts of yellow right now. It's been a good relaxing weekend, and one I needed since being back from the Carribean. All told I great weekend lounging about in the garden.
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Other bright spots....
The Queen of Sheba
A bee on the beautiful green onion grass flower in the herb garden.
Some clippings for indoors.
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Some harvested hydrangeas for a neighbor.
The little Prince!
My first batch of chicken corn soup made! The corn this year is amazing, and I used herbs from the garden. I already enjoyed two bowls. The huge stock pot made a ton of soup...25 containers to be frozen and enjoyed later and others given to friends. So there was that too.
Wow, Maddie, your flower garden is amazing given that it's mid-September! We had our first frost warning here about a week ago, but I'm rubbing my rabbit feet regularly in hopes that winter snows will hold off until Halloween. The Little Prince & the Queen of Sheba look very happy you're home too!
ReplyDeleteAll feels right with the world right now, well, at home at least. The garden continues to go till mid-October usually, and our weather right now is doing wonders for it. Still time for more grilling and pews in the garden.
DeleteJust lovely! Cute doggies too. And nasturtiums! And chicken soup!
ReplyDeleteNasturtiums?!?! I wondered what they were. They were in my packets of wildflower seeds I got back in spring. I understand the flowers and leaves are edible and have many health benefits.
DeleteDue to the drought we are suffering this side of the pond my nasturtiums haven't even attempted to flower this summer.
DeleteThat bee picture is amazing! I love all the cheery yellow, and those Cassia are got huge! They sure are pretty. Looks like so is right now that your back at the Casa.
ReplyDeleteEspecially with the pups!
DeleteVery nice. Is any part of that popcorn plant edible?
ReplyDeleteNot to my knowledge Dave, but they sure smell good!
DeleteThe garden is so pretty but you had me henny at chicken corn soup!!!!! YUMMY.
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge fan of the cassia plant! They are so spectacular in a garden. Yours have gotten so big already, with another month yet to grow!!! I also spied some purple aster blooming??
ReplyDeleteAmazing to think that those Cassia are merely annuals! I imagine if you has a greenhouse, you could overwinter them. Anyhow, there's something to be said for the mellowness of a late summer/early autumn garden - there's a lot of flower to enjoy! Jx
ReplyDeleteYour right about that Jon...there does seem to be a mellowness of it...it knows soon it will be going to sleep for a while soon. We aren't lucky enough like you to have any flowers come December till late march. And I can't believe the cassia are annuals either. I could dig them up and bring them in over winter, but the root system is huge as are the plants, I'd need a huge pot! And I'd love a greenhouse...don't give me any ideas. I know my reader and friend Christina from the UK has one and she loves it.
DeleteI always enjoy views of your flower gardens. Today’s photos make me happy. SG would be in heaven with your corn soup. Do you think it will ship to Spain?
ReplyDeleteI will see if I can expedite it!!!! It a PA Dutch thing here...easiest thing to make too. But the corn this year has made it exceptional.
DeleteYour flowers are spectacular! I love those bright, cheerful colors.
ReplyDeleteCan you share your soup recipe? It sounds yummy.
I will Jennifer! Keep on the look out!!!!!!
DeleteIt is so nice to have you back where you belong.
ReplyDeleteThose are lovely flowers, and I don't recall the last time I had a proper chicken corn soup. That looks scrumptious!
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised chicken corn soup is a big thing out in California?
DeleteThe Fall colors look amazing as does the soup!!! Yum.
ReplyDeleteThe flowers are all so gorgeous.... The desert only flowers in Spring - but that short time can be quite spectacular!
ReplyDeleteI used to think I wanted to live out west, but I think I would miss the Northeast and the four distinctive seasons too much.
DeleteWe get 4 distinct seasons, here --- but without the winter snow. Every 5 - 7 years we may get snow and it might even stick to the ground for a day, but that happens very rarely.
DeleteI am in awe. It all is so fabulous.
ReplyDeleteWe know Senna Pods in the UK (I'm sure you use them for the same purpose in the US) but I have only seen the plant and flowers growing in the South of Spain I love it.
The other flowers are more familiar to me but none the worse for that they look amazing and I love all of them and your two little friends keeping you company in the garden
All of that and chicken sweetcorn soup.
As I said I am in awe
I would tell you boys to grow it if you had space, but it gets to be 4 to 5 ft tall. Starts out slow. You never think it's going to get going, and then all the sudden it starts growing fast. But the flowers are spectacular, and they actually do very well as cut flowers in a vase. They actually last several days.
DeleteWhat a great garden have you, so well tended. Your pets must love it !
ReplyDeletePan in Wynnewood
By this time in the season, I'm getting a tad tired now, but thank you for the compliment. It's been a labor of love.
DeleteI love seeing your Cassia Popcorn plant - so bright and cheery. Do you save the seeds to grow next year's plants?
ReplyDeleteThe photo of the bee on the onion grass flower is beautiful!
In response to your reply above, I'm not surprised that you're tired - I don't expect you get anyhelp in the garden from the Queen of Sheba or the Little Prince?