P is for Pansies, Phlox, Peas, and Potatoes

Season 7, Episode 30, July 2, 2025

My favorite this week is Lisianthus

P is for persistence, and we certainly are as we garden through the alphabet, but we opened with a discussion about the NBA Championship. The Thunder won. Carol thought this video on Instagram was funny. Of course, she did.

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Carol’s favorite this week are her tall lilies, like these in her Plopper’s Field

My favorite this week was lisianthus, and here’s an Instagram reel! I gave some interesting information about lisianthus. Listen to hear more. Carol’s favorite was her tall lilies. My lilies aren’t even blooming yet. What’s the deal with this year’s weather?

I was busy on Saturday with our open garden. No, I didn’t take photos. I was too busy chatting. One sweet lady told me my blog post, Hydrangeas for Oklahoma’s finicky climate helped her successfully grow hydrangeas. Hint: Don’t grow H. macrophylla unless you have just the right space. Another lady was diagnosed with Alpha gal because her daughter saw one of my reels on AGS. It’s nice to know I helped. Other visitors showed me their tick clothes from Insect Shield. My affiliate link is DEENASHRDR if you want to save 15%.

Carol was busy switching her spring garden over to summer, pulling out the spent and mildewed plants so that her tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers have more room and sunlight to grow.

Carol’s current currant tomato harvest.

P is for phlox, especially P. paniculata, tall garden phlox, P. divaricata, woodland phlox, and P. subulata, creeping phlox. I am frustrated with one clump of my Luminary Ultraviolet phlox. Listen for why.

Tidal Wave Silver petunias, which are AAS winners.

P is for petunias yet again. But, we have some excitement. Here are two new ones we are trialing: Wave Sky Blue petunias and All-America Selections Petunia Tidal Wave Silver.

We also talked about pansies. Again.

On to vegetables!

P is for potatoes. Carol did some scary research on potatoes. Neither one of us grew potatoes this year, but if you don’t grow yours, you should eat organic. They are now part of the produce Dirty Dozen.

P is for Peas. Yum. Listen to the episode for more.

P is for purslane. Do you grow it? LOL! Who doesn’t? I guess the real question is do you eat it? Carol and I do not.

This week’s book with Carol’s tiny flower arrangements

I found our book on the bookshelf this week. The Hidden Histories of Flowers: Fascinating Stories of Flora by Maddie & Alice Bailey (Amazon Link.) Such a beautiful book that would make a lovely gift for the gardener in your life.

Carol found our dirt which is a treat for the eyes, the USDA Pomological Watercolors. They are in the common domain so you can enjoy them to your heart’s content.

Sample watercolor courtesy of the USDA’s National Agricultural Library

Our rabbit holes were Doretta Klaber, Carol’s latest Lost Lady of Garden Writing, and check out this Bunny Mellon video, which was my rabbit hole. I went pretty deep down that one. I periodically admire Bunny Mellon’s work. You can learn so much from those who have come before you.

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Thanks for reading and listening.