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Photo by L.A. Jackson
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Photo by L.A. Jackson
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The pretty—yet invasive—ditch lily.
Photo by L.A. Jackson
The origin of gazing globes traces back to 13th century glass blowers in Venice, Italy. Their peak popularity in Europe is often associated with the grand English gardens of the 19th century Victorian Era, but on this side of the Atlantic, many gardeners continue to party with gazing globes like it's 1899.
Gazing globes have been a steady ornamental staple in Southern landscapes because, quite frankly, the allure of such shiny "spheres of influence" can be hard to resist. However, these colorful orbs have often been found perched on top of concrete bases (most often the remains of a broken bird bath). Use—or more correctly, overuse—like this has caused gazing globes to be lumped into the less-than-flattering category of "yard art."
There are other, more creative ways to help restore the fun and charm of this old garden favorite. For starters, find a tree. Not just any tree, but an old guardian of the garden that has three or more trunks. In the cavity at the base, simply nestle a few gazing globes of different sizes and colors to pleasantly surprise passersby.
Of course, not every garden is graced by such a large, stately tree, but there is another trick that can provide a treat in almost any landscape. Buy a round wire tomato cage, turn it upside down, and bend the prongs inward so they can support a gazing globe from its bottom. Next, slip the cage underneath the foliage of a flowing, flowering bush such as abelia, shrub rose, spirea, forsythia, clethra, weigela or kerria. Place the gazing globe on the bent prongs and position it so the sphere is slightly nuzzled into the flowers and foliage. This creates a "floater"—a magical bit of mischief that makes gardening fun.
Speaking of floating, also think beyond the flower border and consider placing a few gazing globes in the water garden, where their constant colors will add visual interest during times when aquatic plants are not in bloom.
And since gazing globes come in various sizes, make use of smaller spheres by adding them to potted plantings. Whether sitting on a short perch or nestled in the plants, one or two of these pretties in the round will complement the eye appeal of fancy flowers and colorful foliage.
July in the garden
- Unless you like to harvest rose hips later in the growing season for adding zing to teas or jellies, keep snipping off spent rose blooms to prevent energy from going into hip production at the expense of future flowers.
- Lawn areas turning brown? It might not be from a lack of water. Dig into the afflicted area and look for short, pale "worms," which are actually root-chomping, grass-killing grubs. For a people- and pet-friendly solution, try a lawn treatment that contains neem oil.
Tip of the month
The ubiquitous orange-flowering daylilies lighting up roadsides this summer are more than likely Hemerocallis fulva, an Asian species introduced long ago for use in erosion control and as a garden ornamental. Commonly known as orange daylily, tawny daylily or, unflatteringly, ditch lily, this fast-spreading perennial has become naturalized in South Carolina to the point of being invasive. So, think twice before adding this daylily to your landscape, as its aggressive rhizomes can readily bully nearby plants. As an alternative, keep in mind there are many clump-forming, better-behaving daylily cultivars that show off more impressive, longer-lasting displays of orange blooms.
L.A. Jackson is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact him at lajackson1@gmail.com.