Lamb’s Ears and Begonias

Posted on: Aug 27, 2014        In: Life and Love        With: No comments

Disclaimer:  I am not a gardner.  Miss Jane and Super Sister are gardeners.  I love pretty flowers and visiting beautiful gardens, but the best I can do in the yard is water the container plants, and deadhead the roses.  Okay, my roses do have a happy spot in my back yard, but that has nothing to do with my expertise as a gardner.

Recently a frequent topic of conversation among visitors to our home are the plants in our front flower beds.

To put it bluntly – They are huge, very large, gigantic, and monstrous, but in a good way.

lambs ear

“I have never seen Lamb’s Ears that large – not even at the Arboretum,” exclaimed one friend.  It is true.

Here is some information about Lamb’s Ears from the National Gardening Association:

Lamb’s Ears is a very hardy and strong-growing perennial, with thick white-wooly foliage, valued as a dense, low growing, spreading bedding plant in the landscape.

lambs er

“Low growing” the description reads.  Well, I don’t think so.  The article mentions that even the “Big Ears” variety should be about 10 inches tall.  Ours are 14 or more inches tall.  (I do love the silvery soft fuzzy leaves.)

We have done nothing special to encourage these plants – nada.  They just thrive.

begonias

The Lamb’s Ears are not the only over-achievers in this bed.  The begonias are also very healthy. (Isn’t that what they say about fat babies?) These are the regular begonias that we bought at the local nursery late in the spring, and they are also taller and fuller than average. (Last year’s begonias were also tall and full.)

begonias

Sometimes I think the begonias will overtake the lions and the lanterns.

A couple of years ago we had new landscaping installed.  Many of the plants in these beds appear to be on steroids.  We have no idea what they did.  Maybe it was the “new soil” they brought in.  Whatever the reason, we are enjoying our robust specimens.  Makes me happy!

Blessings to you and yours,

 

 

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