関東地方も今日 梅雨入りしたそうです。朝の散歩で空き地の横を通ったら、ツユクサが咲いていました。雨は散歩のときにうっとおしいけど、梅雨の涼しさは有難いです。
The rainy season officially started today. When we passed by an empty plot of land during our morning walk, we saw this flower. It is called 'tsuyukusa' - 'tsuyu' meaning the rainy season, and 'kusa' means grass. Rain is inconvenient for walks, but I like the cool temperature of the rainy season.
Just before we reached home, Taiga suddenly stopped at the side of a block of flats. We had not reached the usual 'treat' spot yet, but for her to stand still now, she must have been fed up with the rain, too.
いつもは、そのマンションの反対側にあるこの窪んだ場所の階段に腰かけて、おやつを上げています。家はすぐそこなのに、散歩をしたご褒美を要求してきます。一体誰のための散歩なのか。。。 その階段の上のほうではクチナシの垣根が満開になっていました。
It is at the other side of the same block of flats, where I sit down on the stairs and give her the treat. Our house is literally 30 seconds away from here. However, she expects a treat for having been out for a walk - whose walk, anyway? Above the set of stairs, gardenia plants were in full bloom.
大輪の一重咲きで、秋には大きなクチナシの赤い実が生る様は見栄えがします。実は料理などに使えるので、いつか園芸店で苗を見かけたら欲しいと思っています。
These are large flowers with single petals, and in autumn, the trees will have red fruits against the backdrop of green leaves. The fruits can be used in cooking, and I would love to get a plant if I see one in the shop one day.
今年もオニユリが元気に育っています。これらの数本は10号ロングスリット鉢に植わっています。スモモの木の下、半日陰の状態が良いのか、それとも日向が良いのか実験中。
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My tiger lilies are growing well again. These several stems are in a 30 cm deep pot and placed in half sun, under a plum tree. I am experimenting to see which is better for the tiger lily - half sun, or full sun.
蕾も出始めました。
Flower buds are starting to separate.
かなり草丈がありますが、茎がしっかりしているので未だ支柱をしていません。ただし開花時期には上部が重くなるので、支柱は有るほうが風対策に良いと思っています。
咲くと、こうなります。うちのオニユリは珍しい無点青軸の品種です。普通のオニユリよりも濃い朱色で、花びらが艶やかで、とても美しいです。
These are flowers from last year. My tiger lily is a rare variety with no dark spots, and with the glossy petals, the flowers are very beautiful.
門の階段の反対側には２本植えの鉢が置いてあり、これは日陰にはなりません。
On the other side of the stairs, I have another pot with two plants. Here, the plants are in full sun.
The stems are quite tall but, being sturdy, they have not needed any props yet. However, when the flowers are in bloom, the upper part of the plant will become heavy and need a support against wind.
These plants in full sun seem to fare better, with the flower buds' growth much advanced. Despite the usual image of wild tiger lilies growing in woodlands with half sun, they probably thrive in full sun, given a chance.
On each of the plant of both pots, baby bulbs are growing. Even though the flowers are yet to bloom, these baby bulbs are already mature, and some of them have started to fall off. Those baby bulbs that are still on the plant are now barely hanging on to the base of the leaf.
地面にはいくつか落下しています。
地面にはいくつか落下しています。
Some are on the ground.
今日の雨の中で植え付ける作業はキビシイので、ほんの少しだけ鉢に植え付けしました。
一部のムカゴには既に根っこが出始めていました。
You can see the root coming out with some of them.
I really did not want to do the planting in the rain, but some of them could not wait.
土をかぶせて来年の冬までこのまま。今年の冬までには葉っぱが出て来ますが、鉢やスペースに余裕がないのでこの窮屈な状態で１年半 育てます。
The baby bulbs will start growing leaves by winter this year, but I am leaving them as they are in this pot until winter next year, when I will space them out in multiple pots. I have baby bulbs growing from previous years, too, and I am running out of pots and space.
