Chitweed

Early Mum Color

2007-09-10T21:09:00.000-04:00

In order to encourage Fall to arrive, I'm spreading the news far and wide about Autumn color. There is lots to look forward to for fall color...I promise.

Today's color is from early mums.

Diana

Hannah

Helen

Michelle

Temptress

Urano Orange

Phyllis (don't think you can fit another bud on this gal)

Echo

Oh Henry!

2007-09-06T19:30:00.000-04:00

This one is going in a corner bed that is begging for more fall action.

'Henry Eilers' Rudbeckia

It gets about 4ft tall, and 2 ft wide.
It loves the sun.
It doesn't mind a bit of neglect (I can provide that).
It also does pretty well as a cut flower.

I have pulled some of the fading summer annuals in anticipation of planting fall pansies, and some hardy plumbago.

This little (big) guy caught my eye and will be good towards the middle of the bed where I need some more height and definitely more fall interest.

I Want Fall

2007-08-29T19:10:00.000-04:00

Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall!

Fall Magic Million Bells 'Salmon'

If I say it often enough maybe it will come sooner?

No?

I'm still gonna think Fall.

I really can't do otherwise...it is poking its little head out at me at the Stand all day long:

I'm ordering and stocking and displaying fall plants of every kind.
I'm receiving and displaying Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving merchandise in the gift area.
We are starting to see more reddish peppers in the green pepper bushels in the produce area.
Concord Grapes are in!

Sneak Peek Mukdenia 'Crimson Curls'

Also I'm getting in a lot of 'Sneak Peaks'. 'What is that?' you say? They are new varieties and new colors of sample plants nurseries start to see if they want to grow them for next year. A few of my growers plant extra to sell, and therefore get reactions from retailers and consumers on how those selections might go over for next year.

Above is one of these 'Sneak Peeks', it is Mukdenia 'Crimson Curls'. It is a shade perennial ground cover. It likes to be kept moist. Its color starts out green and then goes into a bronze red on the edges as summer progresses. It gets a white flower in spring, and grows to a height of 12-16 inches.

Mums. Mums. Mums Mums.

Chrysanthemums, another none mistakable sign of Fall. I know a lot of people gripe about not liking mums. I don't get it. It seems if its a plant readily available, easy to grow, and fairly expensive it gets labeled as commercial and over done and therefore undesirable. Hey, mums are gorgeous, easy to care for, inexpensive, and come in a boatload of colors...whats not to love?

Ahhh...I so want Fall to get here.

Fall is a Comin'

2007-08-27T20:24:00.000-04:00

...and I am so ready!

It's been all over the place temperature-wise here in Delaware for the last few weeks. Early last week we were in the 60'sF for highs, and later in the week we were 98F for a high. What the heck is that all about? It's been dry most of the Summer. Then (not that I mind) 3 days of rain in a row. It's foggy most mornings, with heavy dew dripping off the trees. The dew makes the over night work of the spiders glisten like jewels.

School has started for most of the my kids...high school and college for my kids in my home, and the same for my kids who work at the greenhouse.

The displays start to change greatly at the market as new merchandise comes in...

Mums and Sedum start to line the walkways.

This is what I see when I walk out the front of the greenhouse. Planted behind the pots of sedum and chrysanthemums are 'Blackie' Sweet Potato Vine, 'Confetti' Coleus, and Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo which are part of the summer beds at the Market. The Sweet Potato Vine and Coleus go well with the fall colors, but won't last long once the cold weather starts. Fall Pansies will be in this bed in a few weeks.

I love this combination for Fall.

Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' (a good ol' reliable fall plant), Liriope 'Big Blue', and 'Caramel' Heuchera.

Brunnera 'Looking Glass'

This is a gorgeous shade perennial...it really pops in a garden next to ferns. It's certainly a bright spot in a darker corner of the garden.

Here are some tiny sized Ornamental Purple Kale. They are in 4" pots. They aren't dwarf varieties...just tiny starter plants. As the weather gets colder, the purple color becomes more intense. We also sell pink and white varieties, the color intensifies in these as the cool weather comes as well.

In this picture you can see some of the mixed bushel planters we sell. They are packed with cold tolerant annuals, and showy fall perennials and grasses. Also in the picture you can make out some Ornamental peppers. We sell tons of these for fall, this particular variety is 'Explosive Ember'.

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. The new plants arrive almost daily. The colors just beg to be touched...deep yellows and oranges, plush purples, and oooh russet and browns. Its a nice perk up after a long hot stinky summer...even if it still is a long hot stinky summer. Come on FALL!

Confetti

2007-08-20T20:30:00.000-04:00

The Rain came

and left me

with Crape Myrtle Confetti.

What's for Dinner?

2007-08-17T19:40:00.000-04:00

Cranberry Beans!
(*I apologize in advance...blogger just refuses to allow me to make this a pretty post*)

Interesting, huh?

We got them in at the market today. My Uncle knew if he pointed them out to me, I'd have to buy some.

If its different, I'll give it a go. If it's weird, I'll try it. If it doesn't have liver in it, I'll eat it.

They were different, weird, and they didn't have liver in them...so bought me a bag o' beans on my way out of work...and took them on home.

There is a bit of range in the speckley-ness of the pods. The pods go from pink and greenish specklesto increasing pink speckles on white, to almost pure red.

The Cranberry Beans came from a farm in New Jersey, just over the state line.

We got in several bushels this morning to sell. They are so beautiful, they were practically selling themselves (it couldn't have hurt if my Uncle talked to them either, right?).

So pretty, it almost seemed a shame to shell them.

But of course I did...

The beans inside the pods are speckled, too. Light pink to hot pink dots were on each bean. (They look like they would be nice jelly bean colors...)

I couldn't resist, I had to eat some raw. They weren't bad, like a raw Lima Bean. Between my son and I, we ate a handful before they got to the pot.

I don't know if you can make it out, but the inside of the bean's pod is completely white, no speckles at all.

Here they are, beginning to heat on the stove.

Water, salt, pepper, and a bit of butter.

The directions for cooking the beans said it was to take 15 to 25 minutes on the stove top. With plenty of experience cooking fresh beans...that seemed a bit short for the time...so I started then early.

...I am glad I started the beans early. They were on for 45 minutes before we ate them, but maybe could have used another few minutes.

Viola! A steamy pot of Cranberry Beans.

They taste kinda Lima Bean...ish.

The beans lost the pink polka dots soon after I started them cooking. In the middle of cooking they looked mostly green. As they got to the end of cooking they turned a purple-beige color (would that be taupe colored beans?).

They were very good. A different, weird, liver-less kind of good. I'd recommend you try them if you come across some at a market (and especially if a guy who looks like he could be my Uncle, says you should try them).

I Love the Rain

2007-08-09T20:27:00.000-04:00

Raindrops on Roses...

My toes-es on raindrops...

Raindrops any ol' place...

...are my Favorite things.

(along with this song, maybe imagine it playing in the background?)

Doo-dloo-doo-doo-dooDoo-dloo-doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-dloo-doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-dloo-doo-doo-doo-doo...

I'm singing in the rain

Just singing in the rain

What a glorious feelin

'I'm happy again

I'm laughing at clouds

So dark up above

The sun's in my heart

And I'm ready for love

Let the stormy clouds chase

Everyone from the place

Come on with the rain

I've a smile on my face

I walk down the lane

With a happy refrain

Just singin',

Singin' in the rain

(Gene Kelly, Singing in the Rain)

The Tree of One Hundred Days

2007-08-07T21:03:00.000-04:00

Crape Myrtles are wonderful in the garden for summer.

My 'Dynamite' Crape Myrtle started blooming about a week ago. It will continue to bloom for a total of 100 days. It prefers full sun, which it gets. Since it was established 3 years ago, it has required little care. Crape Myrtle can take dry conditions and this year, that is pretty much what this little gal has had.

I think I will give 'Dynamite' a good trim this coming spring to fatten up its shape. I want more branching happening, and that will do the trick. This 'Dynamite' variety is a fantastic dark red. It will be approximately 20-25 feet when it reaches maturity. I want to add maybe 2 more red Crape Myrtle to my yard...I just haven't decided if I want the same red (this is beautiful), or try others. This Dynamite is by far the reddest of the reds, the other 'reds' tend more towards pink or coral. I will more than likely go with more 'Dynamite'.

Wow, I love this tree. I love that the hummingbirds have been visiting it each day...it must be all the red it produces (maybe I should watch out for charging bulls as well?). I love that as other plants are suffering a bit, or slowing in the summer heat, the Crape is just getting started with its show.
I especially love that I get to see all this color, and more to come for 100 days.

Just One-Night Stand?

2007-08-05T21:40:00.000-04:00

Here is the 'morning after' picture of the Moonflower. The blooms only last one evening, and then its all over.

This is the bloom from the smaller of my two vines. Behind this bloom you can see another bloom that will probably open tomorrow night.

Something you can see in this picture (even though it's 'done did' its thing), is the long tube on which the flower blooms.

With such a long wait for the first bloom, it seems once it gets going the Moonflower just keeps on going. There are buds starting to crop up all over my two plants.

Here is a bloom for tomorrow from the bigger of my 2 vines. I might even have two blooms on this plant...see the bloom just behind?

I wish my camera took better up close pictures (or maybe just that I was a better photographer).

The flower buds themselves are very interesting with their ice cream cone kind of twist. A lot of flower and fragrance is gonna come out of this bloom tomorrow night. Maybe the bloom has to get a bit of a spring action going to make a 6inch power flower pop open...

Of the flowers I planted for the white garden this year, this might end up being one of my favorites...

Though it's a sort of one night stand with the flowers themselves, I might have a long term romance with the Moonflower Vine.

Finally, A Bloom!

2007-08-04T21:17:00.001-04:00

At LAST!

A Moonflower Vine Flower,

actually two!

It's been a long time coming. Here is a picture of the first bloom. It was just opening when I came home from work tody at 7pm. This picture was taken at 9pm, and it was almost all the way open. What a nice fragrance, I was surprised at that.

The flowers are quite large. At first I had my husband hold the bloom for me, but the big bear paws he calls hands gave no sense of how big the flowers are. My hands are a normal size for a human being...so I used my hand in the picture instead.

Since Mother Nature has poured on the hot weather, the Moonflower Vine has gone crazy. It seems to grow 6 inches every day. I'm forever directing and twining vines around the poles and posts. The Moonflower likes to twine around itself especially. I'm also forever un-twining the Moonflower from other plants it seemingy wants to strangle.

These are the start of more Moonflower blooms. I corralled these vines today, and got them going on the posts in the right direction, and not all over the Carpet Rose in front of the fence.

This is the smaller of my two vines. It is not in as sunny a location, though only a few feet from the first, and has not gotten near as large. It is not 1/3 the size, yet it's first bloom opened today as well. Can you see tomorrow's bloom just above the white? I can't wait.

Please, Sir. May I have some more?

2007-08-03T18:34:00.000-04:00

This is 'White Swan' Echinacea. This gal is new to the garden. She is part of some of the new plantings this year that have been all white.

These beauties have been blooming all Summer. I've cut them and brought them in for bouquets several times.

The bugs haven't bothered this plant. I gave it a bit of Plant-tone when I first planted it, other than that, no fertilizer. Although its a new addition to the garden, and the weather has been relatively dry, it is still thriving.

I'd say this will be a perennial I will plant more of next year. If it is like any of the other Echinacea, I might not need to buy them, there may be babies a plenty in the spring. Bring 'em on! More. More. MORE!

Can you see the 'Knock Out' Rose in the back? It's been blooming like that all summer as well.

Lets just say they are friendly...

2007-08-01T21:35:00.000-04:00

I have a friendly bunch of spiders...yes?

When my hubby found these guys, it got me wondering about Daddy Long Legs. First off I have to tell you that these guys are not actually spiders. They are in the arachnid family, but are only related to spiders like scorpions and ticks are. (I had no idea!)

In investigating why Daddy Long legs aggregate in large numbers...the answer was...no one knows why for sure. None of the reasons listed were for mating, which was what I thought when I saw this outside my front door. (There are 5 pictured, 2 skeedaddled while I went to get the camera)

There are over 7,000 kinds of Daddy long legs around the world!

I don't usually shoo these guys away from the door, because they don't make messy webs. I did find out, that in fact they don't make webs at all. The Daddys will eat almost anything, but prefer animal matter. Some species prey on small insects, snails, and worms.

Daddy Long Legs 'legs' can twitch for up to an hour after becoming detached. There are pacemakers in the ends of their legs. The twitching is used as a get away tactic, keeping the predator busy, while the Daddy hopefully gets away. (I won't be doing any field testing of my own)

Lastly, I found out that they stink when you smell them up close. Really? (I think I'll just take the experts word on that as well)

Lil Chitweed in the Big City

2007-07-29T15:19:00.000-04:00

I'm back from my visit to the big beautiful city of Chicago, Illinois.

I did not have an internet signal strong enough to allow me to post to the blog with any ease (I lugged my laptop along for just this purpose), but I did have my camera with me to share the sights of the city when I got home.

I went to Chicago for work (poor me), to the Chicago Gift Show at the Merchandise Mart. I finished up the shopping for our Market's Fall and Christmas seasons, and started a bit on Spring '08. This show is always easy to navigate, the displays are wonderful, and the reps who work it are among the nicest people you'll meet anywhere (this goes for the people of Chicago as well...such nice people in general).

I will say the show was not the busiest I've ever seen it. It was almost too easy to navigate...there weren't any buyers I had to wait in line behind at any showroom.

Hmmm... Was it the weather that was, shall I say 'perfect' mid 70's that kept people from the showrooms? Were they busy reading their copies of Harry Potter? (I was so jealous of Hubby sitting in the hallways reading one of our 2 copies as I worked each showroom) Or were they out enjoying the gardens?

Along with the Gift Show, I love going to the City of Chicago in the Summer for a multitude of reasons:

The food is fantastic, I've never had a bad meal. (Greek town is always a must, and sushi, and deli, and Tai, and steak, and Italian, and Brazilian, and, and, and...). I gained 4 pounds in the 6 days we were gone...and I walked almost non-stop everyday (in the hotel 'til midnight reading Harry Potter doesn't count).
My good friend Steve lives there (Holla! Steve G...)
The Magnificent Mile is the place to shop (even if it's only of the window shopping variety).
Navy Pier is a nighttime treat (although a hairdo whipped up by the the famous Windy City out on the Pier is a fright to behold).
The gardens. (?) Yes, the beautiful gardens.

This purple is a plant I didn't recognize...anyone know it? It's not a heuchera...it reminded me of a non-vining sweet potato plant...sort of)

The gardens are everywhere. They are in front of hotels, restaurants, shops, museums, churches, and city buildings. There are private rooftop gardens we could only see from our hotel windows. Gardens are on top of buildings, along edges of buildings, and filling balconies where people live.

These Hydrangea flowers must have been 10-12 inches across, and were the most beautiful shade of green. They were part of a flower bed we passed while walking to the 'Brazzaz' restaurant.

Gardens line the streets, and are in the middle of streets. There are even gardens in places where people couldn't possibly enter, the gardens are there just because people can see them from other very public places.

There are gardens all along the river. This was a shot I took from a across Wacker Avenue. The people on the tour boat are looking back a a couple getting married on a bridge over the river (I hope the happy couple's photographer had better luck better than me in getting their picture).

Here is the surprise I had this year:

'Allegory', by Theresa North, International Academy of Design and Technology

I just love them!

In the middle of beautiful gardens along Michigan Ave. were these torso dress mannequins.

These gardens were along the Magnificent Mile a.k.a. Michigan Avenue., the shopping Mecca of the City.

A close up of caladiums in another bed along Michigan Ave.

It is a public art installation created by fashion design students from the The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, and the International Academy of Design and Technology, and well known designers located along the Magnificent Mile. Each torso dressers mannequin is 'planted' in a garden bed and is sponsored by an organization or business in The Magnificent Mile District.

This one is called 'Cultivating Knowledge', by Stanley Smith, Oak Street Design, Loyola University Chicago

There are 30-some torsos all told, I saw about 12 in our evening walks. They are so unexpected, and interesting. The gardens they are set into are colorful, thoughtfully designed to look good from all angles, and well maintained.

For more and much better pictures than mine, check out this website. http://themagnificentmile.com/SeasonalEvents/Summer/GardenInspiredStudentFashion.cfm

So...

I go to the big city and get great ideas for my garden? Yep.
I go to the big city and find new plants I need to get my into yard, and for the the Market to sell? Yessiree.
I go to the big city and decide I need to add a dressers torso mannequin to my garden? Well, no. But it does make me think the unexpected should be a part of every garden...and what I want that unexpected 'something' to be is totally up to me. A lil' bit of the big city, in my lil' garden.

Murphy's Law?

2007-07-17T19:27:00.001-04:00

Know how they say "The best laid plans can go awry"?

Or Murphy's Law about "Anything that can go wrong will"?

My garden is the picture in the dictionary that demonstrates both of these.

It's not always a bad thing...

This is a zinnia that reseeded from last year. Last years were a reseed from the year before. The year befores zinnias were Profusion Apricot. This is not Profusion Apricot.

This is not what I expected. Still, I like it. Maybe the Profusion Apricot is an offspring of Profusion Cherry, as I think that is what this flower color looks like.

Don't count your zinnias before they hatch...um...bloom.

This beautiful snap dragon is white. Right?

Wait...you see a bright salmon flower, too?

Whew, I thought maybe it was just the sunstroke I might be suffering from in the 90F temps we had today. I planted white, which 11 of the plants are (part of the all white plantings this year), the 12th has managed to not be white. 'Tis OK, I like it.

This is a very tender annual, coleus. It hates the cold. Its the first to take a dive in the fall with a light frost. It is a reseed from last year, but who am I to tell it that it shouldn't have come back? I like it. I just wish I remembered what the name of it is? I can't at all remember the name at the moment...Florida SunSpot...maybe?

So...

It's 'Chitweeds Law' in my garden instead...

"What can go wrong will,

the best laid plans will certainly go awry,

but dude... it's all good".

Tropical Parking Lot

2007-07-14T21:05:00.000-04:00

This is what you would see if you came to the greenhouse where I work, this week. The parking lot out front is crazy with flowers. The tropical flowers we have out there can take the brutal sun and heat...so...thats where they are.

We sell a lot of tropical plants at the greenhouse. I just love the blooms and the color. While I enjoy them very much, I've finally learned not to buy them for my own home. My deck area which practically screams for plants like these (I think), can't sustain them, because there is no sun.

I have some tropical Jasmine I sneak into some beds out front, and into some planters, other than that I just can't have them.

No purple bougainvillea. (sigh)

No gorgeous Oleander. (arrgghhh)

Perennial Hibiscus.

Yeah, perennial. I might have to start a new garden for this one next year, out front. I've been eyeing them for a few years now. More varieties are available every year. There are lots of colors... from reds, to yellow, to pinks, and plums. There are solid color flowers, and flowers with accented 'eyes'. Some have big fat leaves, and some have lacy delicate leaves. Believe it or nor, this is not a tropical! Sure does look like it would be, yes?

I do not have enough sun near the deck. There may be enough sun near the area where we park our cars. Then, I could have my own tropical looking parking lot.

I Feel a Threat Coming On...or maybe a Prayer

2007-07-11T21:31:00.000-04:00

I am having a very hard time waiting for this plant to bloom. It is a Moon Flower Vine. It is part of my only white plantings this year.
While I've not grown this plant in my garden before, I have seen them in other people's gardens, and I sell tons at the market. It gets a huge white bloom about 6"-8" across. It is fragrant. I know it to be a great flower, and I want to experience its greatness.

So far I am not.

I didn't realize it would be this late in the season and it would still be bloomless. Lacking. Scant. Barren. Without. Devoid. Less than endowed. (you get the picture)
I feel a threat coming on...not yet tho...maybe give it another 2 weeks...before I yell at it. In the meantime I will be complimentary of its growth (it is growing everyday). I will continue to train its vines and tendrils along the fence (as I have been doing every other day). I will give it a shot of fertilizer (for a 2nd time). I will say a little prayer to St. Fiacre (the Patron Saint of gardeners) to help along in the quest for some moon flower action. (and my Mom would love the fact that I asked a Saint's help...I love you Mom!)

So let's not waste time...
"Dear Saint Fiacre, Patron Saint of Gardener's (and Taxi's) it's me, Chitweed. Please help my little Moon Flower to get over its blooming issues. (You might take a gander at the variegated Hydrangea while your at it.) Thanx. "

Hey, I'm a good gardener...not-so-good a pray-er...but why not hone both skills?

Hydrangea Heaven

2007-07-09T22:37:00.000-04:00

The Hydrangeas are blooming beautifully. I am watering them deeply about every other day. They are rewarding me...

Here are a few of the plants in their full glory at the moment.

The variegated Hydrangea has grudgingly given me 4 blooms.

2 aren't worth taking a picture of, another is just OK,

and this last bloom is actually quite loverly.

Recent Grand Openings

2007-07-09T21:57:00.000-04:00

The blooms have been popping in the garden while I've been playing with the recent pond addition.

I have to try and capture the photos early in the day if I can, because the weather has been so brutally hot they are not their best when I get home from work.

'Vanilla Fluff' Daylily.

Big very fluffy blooms. Like a meringue out in the garden. The plant is quite large as well, I will divide it next year or it will be too big for its spot.

'Krakatoa Lava' is a hot orange.

I love red daylilies, and 'Rooten Tooten Red' does not disappoint.

'Mauna Loa'. I thought it would be a bit brighter, but I still like it.

' Big Snowbird'

This is a 'Nosferatu' Daylily.

I love the name, but its not scary at all. It's darker than the photo looks. One of the petals kinda hooks up like a vampire's turned up cowl on a cape...maybe? I wonder where the name came from? The plant is large, with lots of buds coming. I like it, especially because of its name. I think I might move it over near the 'Night Coming' Daylily. I bet they would be great buddies color and name-wise.

The fresh 'Nosferatu' flower is not scary.. what IS scary is what the bloom looks like the next morning...like its life's blood had been sucked out.

ewww.

Speaking of scary...

While I've been playing with the pond, the Japanese Beetles have been hard at work in the garden. Time to get back to work on keeping the damage at a minimum. They are as busy as I am!

A Pond I can Live with?

2007-07-08T20:06:00.000-04:00

I can!

It's Official. It is in the ground, level, filled, and (mostly) all done.
'It' is the pond my husband and I started to build, each thinking the other was the one who wanted it. We are still laughing about it. How did we each think the other wanted a pond? It's just one of those things I guess.

It was a lot of work, but has turned out surprisingly well, considering we've never done this sort of project before.

Here is the 'dry run'. We placed the largest stones where and how we wanted them. The mound of dirt we started with was packed down, and then the levels were carved for each drop.

The more space between each drop of the waterfall, the more sound. Figuring there would be plenty of sound when it dropped into the pond itself, the other 2 drops are about 2" and 3" each.

When we had the stones like we wanted, I took this picture so we could remember it, and recreate the effect. It was a good thing I took the photo, because we looked at it several times!

We added the liner the waterfall was to go down. The liner is a very heavy rubbery kind of thing, and it was 5'x15'. The flat stones for the falls were mortared in and made level. This is the second of the 3 drops being installed.

Hubby put the 3 large flat stones in, mortared them, and made sure they were level. We let the cement dry overnight.

The next day I played with the placement of the stones while Hubby was at work, so we would have a head start. I ended up liking it after a while, and then I took the plunge! I installed the rocks along the edges using the expanding pond foam that keeps the water from running under them.

Hubby couldn't believe I did it all by myself. Me either! I didn't tell him until I was all done. I'm so glad he liked it. I'm even more glad I like it! (is that terrible?)

I trimmed the excess liner. I left about 12" around the stones and hanging into the pond.

We added a few plants for accent...a 'Pacific Blue' Juniper, a Pieris Japonica, a Red Rhododendron, and a Japanese Maple.

So...

Here is the great unveiling...

>

(music swells in the backgound...lots of horn action)

>

(don't you hate when people do this?)

>

TA-DA!!!

(the effect is lost a bit with the hose still filling...but you get the idea)

The waterfall end with the Juniper, Maple, and Pieris.

Here is the other end. It is where the Red Rhodie, and oops, forgot to mention the new Hosta 'Fragrant Dream', were added.

After running the waterfall for the first time we discovered one side leak. So we filled the pond, but let the fall dry out. I will add more of the pond foam tomorrow when I get home from work, and let it dry once more.

To this end of the pond we still will be adding a stone shelf inside to put some water plants on. I have of course already got my eye on some at the market. (did you doubt that?)

Yes...this is a pond I can live with...even if at one time I didn't want it. As Hubby and I sat outside this afternoon on the deck near it, we decided we do indeed like it. It is so relaxing, so calming, so cool, so attractive...yes, we like it.

Maybe we didn't either one choose to have the pond, but the pond chose us?

The Unwanted Pond

2007-07-06T22:27:00.001-04:00

The Saga and the work continues...

It is in the ground and level.

A view from the opposite side. The edge and surround gets filled with pea gravel.

Trying out some possible edging blue stones.

The waterfall gets started with a pile of dirt at the back edge of the pond. There was not enough dirt excavated from the unwanted pond-hole to make the waterfall...so we brought in extra bags of top soil. It is a much bigger mound of dirt now. This is a LOT of work!

My Aching Back

2007-07-05T21:38:00.000-04:00

Truth be told...
"My Husband's Aching Back" should be the name of this entry.

It could also be called "The Ballad of the Pond No One Wanted". Maybe, "The Hole that Hubby Built"?

Somehow we came upon the idea to have a pond in the back yard. The pond form was in the yard all winter (a cheap buy from the market as it had spent quite some time in the barn). Hubby brought it home in the back of the pickup. The space was chosen last year. Most other yard work this year has been done. The weather was bound to get disgustingly hot any second, so it must be time to break ground on the pond.

All along I've thought the pond idea was his idea. He thought it was my idea.

As we sat down and were discussing some stone choices for the waterfall feature we (OK, I) decided to add, I said "I don't know why you wanted this pond in the first place."
His response? "Me? I thought you wanted it it?"
Well, by this point the hole was dug, bags of pea gravel and sand in place, the preformed pond in place and leveled, a pallet of stone purchased, water pump, cement, pond foam, and let's just say the whole shebang. It was to the point of no return we agreed. We now are working on a pond we neither one apparently want. (it WAS his idea)

This is the 'pre-hole' we didn't want. It was roughed out tracing the upside down pre-formed pond liner. It rained the night before, so the digging went better than first thought.

This is the spot for the pond, just off the back edge of the deck. Just enough room to have a few plants and walk on each side of it once the form goes in.

This is the preformed pond liner moved out of the way so the 'unwanted pond' could get dug. It wintered in the back yard upside down so it wouldn't fill with water. When we lifted it up from the 'winter spot' there was the ugliest patch of grass/weed/ick underneath you ever didn't want to see. I didn't take a picture of that...but believe me when I say...you just don't want to know.

This is Hubby digging the hole for the pond we neither one wanted. (He did, I'm telling you!) This picture was taken at the beginning of the project, when he still had a back. That back is now under one of the huge pond stones that were moved several times in the making of the undesired pond.

He is such a great guy.

I supervised, he dug.

I gave my 2 cents, he said "Whatever you want Babe."

I said "How about moving it over there a couple of inches?" He said, "Don't you need to put a few more bags of mulch out front???"

It's still a work in progress. Even a pond that isn't wanted needs to be done right, or its more work to take care of. I'll have more pictures to come...but right now... my back hurts, too.

I Guess I Have a Lot

2007-06-29T17:47:00.000-04:00

When I think of something I have a lot of in my yard, my first thought is Hydrangea.

Then I think Hosta.

I should think Daylilies also...

This is a better picture today, of the 'Chesapeake Crablegs' Daylily.

It's a bright and sunny bloom. The flowers are soooo long and spidery. I have 3 spider-type Daylilies, this is the first to come into color. I've not seen the other 2 in actual flower, just in pictures...so I am impatiently waiting to see them.

This is 'Beth Herr'.

I've not seen her in actual bloom until this year. She opened for me today for the first time. Breathtaking. The dark ruffled edges are even more noticeable than the picture can convey.

This side picture shows the 'Beth Herr' dark ruffles a bit better maybe? The creamy color with the dark purple eye...so very nice.

We had a big thunder boomer storm last night, and rain on and off all day today. I love to see flower photographs with raindrops all over them...today I got to take some.

'Siloam Cooper's Chantilly' keeps making more and more blooms. It's been a real winner in my garden this season. The closed buds on it are so funny and fat, but I guess they have to be, because so many petals come out!

This is 'Night Coming'.

Lavender with an even deeper purple eye, and yellow center. Today was its first day opening and 5 blooms came all at once. Such an exhibitionist...but great way to end the Daylily show.

First, Second, Third

2007-06-28T20:22:00.001-04:00

I enjoy my Daylilies immensely. I can't wait 'til each new variety opens for the first time every growing season. These are the beauties for today.

Well... not just opened today, because when I came home yesterday afternoon and wanted to take some pictures of the lilies I knew opened that morning...they were already fried because of the 94F temperatures we had during the day.
So these are the second day's Daylily pictures taken this morning before it got too hot.

(huh?)

This is 'Back Draft'. Its a great hot orange with a nice red center. BIG fat flower! It looks like a hot Summer Day.

This is 'Little Grapette', a nice purple with yellow throat. The number of fans on this Daylily have probably quadrupled this year, over last. Gonna be lots of blooms.

'Chesapeake Crablegs', an orangie yellow spider. This particular bloom is not wonderful, hopefully the rest will be nicer, there are lots of buds. Maybe this one needs a third try for a nice picture...its color is worth a try.

John,Paul,George,and Ringo?

2007-06-26T21:21:00.000-04:00

If only it was those Beatles.

...but no, it is these Beetles!

I knew they were coming...the Japanese Beetles invasion. It was predicted to be a bad year (meaning lots of them), because we didn't have a very harsh winter. They are here now having started their Summer Tour, and have chosen for a stage... my 4th of July roses.

No screaming throngs of teenagers to welcome them...just a screaming gardener.

Today's were the first of the beetles I've seen this year. I was not happy. They knew I was coming back for them when I walked away.

I guess they got a ticket to ride...because when I got back to where I spotted them, they were gone.

Listen,

Do you want to know a secret?

Do you promise not to tell?

(whoa oh, oh)

The 'spray' comes home with me tomorrow! I'm gonna shake it up baby, and these beetles are gonna twist and shout.

I'm So Blue

2007-06-25T20:05:00.000-04:00

In actuality... its my Hydrangeas that are blue.

Be assured...we are all very happy.

I am lucky enough to live in an area where the soil makes my hydrangeas blue naturally. I don't know the names of but one of the hydrangeas in this post. I photographed them for this post because they were the bluest in my garden. Since I don't know their official names, I want to name them myself.

Of course they won't be the real name...just nick names. Bluesy nicknames.

Nickname: Gertrude Rainey seems apropos, bigger than life.

Nickname: Victoria Spivey

Nickname: Howlin' Wolf

aka Chester Arthur Brooks

Nickname: Muddy Waters

Nickname: Robert Johnson

The myth is that he was so good, he must have made a pact with and gotten his guitar tuned by the devil himself.

Its so heavy with flowers the branches are arching to the ground. Doesn't 'Endless Summer' seem too light hearted a name for this Hydrangea now? I need a bluesy nickname.

How about? Willie Dixon "The Blues are the roots; everything else is the fruits"

Great Blues websites to visit

http://www.history-of-rock.com/blues.htm

http://thebluehighway.com/history.html

http://www.nps.gov/history/delta/blues/

http://www.pbs.org/theblues/

Hippy Hydrangea

2007-06-24T17:57:00.000-04:00

I have a Hydrangea in my yard that has been eating funny mushrooms, dropping acid (is that what gets done with acid?), or maybe just feeling its Flower Power. It's a definite homage to the 60's. It's a real gas.

It seems to be tye-dyed. Not only is each flower on the bush a different color, but fluerettes with in each hydrangea bloom are different. It's outta sight! I can't wait till more comes into heavy color...but there's enough color now to show you whats happening so far.

The Hydrangea is in a batch of Hydrangeas that I don't know the varieties of. It's one of five, that until this year, have all bloomed the same color, a deep blue. I have not fed these hydrangea, also no sprays, no soil additives, no new mulch, in fact I have barely taken care of them at all. It's gone ape all by its lonesome.

The bush is the only one of the five to change its color this year. It's really far out.

You can see the color of the other hydrangeas of this variety that are still blue, behind my 'tye-dye' bush.

I think it's really groovy man.

This is another unknown variety. It makes really big blooms, and lots of 'em. I seem to give a home to a lot of the wayward Hydrangea that lose their identification tags at the market. I have a Hydrangea commune of sorts. As long it's a Hydrangea, I don't care what actual variety it is, I know I will like it.

My mantra? You can never have enough Hydrangeas.

They are fab, man!

This little beauty is the variegated Hydrangea I threatened in my post on June 12. It used to be a real drag. But now...this is the first of 4 blooms on the bush. I need to be meaner to this bush, the harsh words seem to be making it work harder. Ain't it a blast?

K, I'm bugging out...

....you know, I'm gonna boogie.

Can you dig it?

Want to find some choice 60' slang? Try http://www.cougartown.com/slang.html it's a cherry website, man.

I'm a Fool for Foliage

2007-06-24T15:50:00.001-04:00

I like my flowers... but for color, contrast and texture , foliage plants can't be beat. They are the real work horses in the garden.

Hosta 'June'

My Hosta, of which I have many, anchor down the shade portions of my garden along with azaleas and rhododendron. They look great from May through September. The varying sizes, colors, and shapes are endless. They even get a bloom in Mid to Late Summer, which is why Hostas are also know as August Lilies. I don't actually like the blooms (ick), so I usually cut them off and put them in vases with my other cut flowers. When left on the plant I think the flower detracts from the leaves.

Variegated Liriope

These loverly foliage plants look a lot like houseplant spider plants, but they aren't. There are quite a few varieties out there available, it seems more every year, but they seem mostly to be variations on a theme. They are either white/yellow variegated or solid green, and slightly different in size. The flowers which come in August, are varying shades of blue. They multiply fast...so in a year or two you can separate them and have several new plants of the same size as the original.

Gold Mop

This pretty little evergreen is the brightest shade of chartreuse you'll ever want to see. It brightens up any landscape instantly, it akes the hot sun, and requires very little care. A quickie trim in the spring to keep it to the size you like is all it needs. I take a few pieces of it off in the winter to add to my Christmas arrangements, it adds real punch to the normal evergreens used.

Crimson Pygmy Barberry

This deciduous shrub is tough. In the sun, which it prefers, it practically glows with color. With not much sun, it stays green (but,who wants that?). For the most part, dwarf Barberries keep a nice shape if left to themselves. Its a nice shrub to place in front of groundfloor windows as a theft deterent (or to keep teenagers in the house) becuase it is VERY thorny!

Variegated Sage.

This herb is a reliable performer in my garden. It has spread nicely, and nothing seems to bother it much. I walk past it often, and as it hangs over the stepping stones a bit, its wonderful fragrance is stirred up as I travel past.

The Beast

2007-06-21T21:59:00.000-04:00

There I was, innocently taking pictures of some of my favorite flowers in the world, my Hydrangeas.

The Blue ' Endless Summer'. ..gorgeous.

The white 'Oak Leaf'...yeah baby.

The red, 'Lady in red' ...smile for the camera.

The green, 'Lime Light'...work it, work it.

The purple 'I have no idea' ...

Wow, that's one big flower.

I don't have any idea what this Hydrangea is called.

The flower is huge-mon-gous.

So I think it would be cool to put my hand in there for some perspective.

That was my mistake.

That's when it strikes.

I just didn't know it... until I downloaded the picture onto the computer...and there it was...

You don't see it? What? It must be 6 feet wide! There on the right.

So close it could ...scare the crap out of me 3 hours later.

A Spider!

OK, so I have a borderline phobia when it comes to spiders.

They do look vicious (...you know it).

They have long 'leggy' legs. They make scary 'webby' webs. They have 'fangy' fangs (don't they?)

They are very spidery!

... and they really should not attack me on my computer 3 hours after I've left their company.

That's just beastly.

Nature Lends a Helping Hand

2007-06-20T19:36:00.000-04:00

I love Nature, but often I find myself fighting her in my garden.

That sounds terrible, but its true. Diseases. Weeds. Drought. Bird droppings. Birds biting the plants. Bunnies biting my plants. Bugs biting my plants and me. My plants biting me. (you know, poison ivy & oak, and prickles and thorns of all kinds)
All this is nature I'm fighting...or better to say 'rebelling against' I suppose.

Sometimes Nature is helping
...when at the time I thought she was fighting me.

Case in point. My lavender.

This is the lavender I did not trim back. I did not get around to it in time. When I did have the time it was too late in the season, so I just let it go. Its a mess. Wild and crazy.

More Lavender I did not trim.

Yup. A mess. Blooming like crazy, yes, but such a tangle. I've taken 5 bunches off this snarl. They are not the best looking bunches as they are twisted and crooked. I'm just wanting the dried buds for lavender cookies...so it's OK, but I still would have liked nicer bunches.

Here is the Lavender Nature helped with.

The bunnies trimmed it for me. They trimmed it back to about 2 inches. (8" is what I would have done) I was not happy when that happened. Now it is the best lavender in the yard. Straight. Neat. Blooming nicely, tho a bit behind schedule.

Frosted Kiss Gazania....and friend ?

The Gazania are part of my white garden this year. Next to her is a 'volunteer' zinnia from last year. (there were also volunteer weeds that I pulled before taking the picture) Nature has given me about 20 of these seedlings as returns from last year. They should be 'Profusion Apricot' Zinnias, as that was what volunteered last year as well.

(see the light green? more volunteers!)

I'm letting some of them stay where they are, and moving others away from the grass where they've come up, to better places. They aren't part of the white scheme, but hey...they are free. It's just going to have to be an amendment to my white theme. If it's free it can stay no matter the color. Who am I to fight Nature? Especially when she's being so helpful?

Let the Madness Begin

2007-06-14T21:31:00.001-04:00

The Daylilies are Blooming. Summer is here. Life is good.

(it's me that's ...off)

In my garden the Stella D'Oro Daylily is the first to bloom. It's a great plant. It is unusual as perennials go, in that it is ever blooming. Yeah, it blooms all Summer.

It doesn't count.

I don't know why I don't count this as the beginning of the Daylily Parade...but I don't. I really like, no, love this plant. I don't work for the affection of any of my Daylilies, that's why I like Daylilies, they are easy. So it's not because Stella D'Oro is easy that I dismiss her. I can't figure my mindset out.

Hey, you didn't start reading this entry because you thought I was mentally stable. We will chalk this Stella D'Oro 'dismissal' up to my cute and adorable 'quirkiness' (This will happen a lot)(the cute /quirkiness to that is).

This is a Purple D'Oro. Great bloom count. Growth rate, excellent.

This one does count. (Don't ask)

This is an Orangutan Daylily.

The photo doesn't do it justice. The color is a lot more orange than it looks. Very large flower too.

Counts.

Siloam Cooper's Chantilly.

Loverly peachy cream color. A lady-like Daylily.

She counts too.

Black Eyed Stella. A bit of a disappointment I think.

She doesn't count, but for reasonable...reasons. (*see below)

*I was expecting a showier 'Black-Eye', maybe like a Black-Eyed Susan. The plant performance is OK. An OK bud count. OK scape count. I didn't bring this Lily back to sell at the market this year. She was just...OK. I believe I was disappointed in this Daylily because it's Big Sis, is such an awesome plant, and comparatively, this one just doesn't live up to the hype. (Big Sis? You know...the Stella who's performance I dismiss because she is so good.)

So what's this with my dismissal of such a wonderful plant like the Stella D'Oro? I compare others to her. She's on a pedestal of sorts. Other Daylilies pale when put alongside Stella. Bloom/Scape count and length of bloom time?...none compare. Color?...intense. Hardiness?...fantastic.

That's it. She's in a category all to herself. She doesn't count as the first Day Lily because she is just ... Stella. It begins and ends with her. I figured it out.

Cuteness and quirkiness still intact though.

Run!

2007-06-13T20:57:00.000-04:00

I race home ahead of the thunderstorm (under the speed limit of course).
I weave in and out of traffic (using my turn signals of course).

I had to. I was bringing home plants that had to get in the ground. I had to beat the rain.

This is not a white flower...I know. I am planting only white flowers this year...I know.

It gets to go in the garden this year because it was a 'freebie'.

(Exception to the Rule, freebies can be put in the garden regardless of color. Why? Because they are free!)

I pull in the driveway. I run in the house. I say 'Hey' to the kid, or 'I love you', or 'How was your day?', or... something. Run outside to get the plants out of the car. Run back in the house to get the car keys (its locked). Kid laughs. Run back outside again to get plants out of the car. Get favorite sharp shovel out of garage. Run shovel, and 2 astilbe over to the circle-garden-that-is-not-shaped-like-a-circle.

'BOOM' (thunder, of course).

Move mulch. Dig first hole. Plant Astilbe #1. Replace mulch.

'Pitter Patter' (the start of rain, what else?)

Move mulch. Hurry. Plant astilbe #2. Repl.....

RUN to house! Noah-sized downpour of rain!

RUN back to the circle-garden-that-is-not-shaped-like-a-circle to get favorite sharp shovel.

RUN to house! Put shovel in garage. Go in house soaking wet. Kid laughs.

(of course)

Threatening Plants

2007-06-12T18:19:00.000-04:00

Don't get me wrong...
I don't mean plants that are threatened, or endangered.
I DO mean threatening your plants.

I have a variegated leaf Hydrangea. This plant has been in my yard for 4 years. It is in the perfect spot. A focal point actually, because when I bought it, it was beautiful. Loverly blue flowers. Loverly variegated leaves. Loverly in every way.

Since then, plant has been very uncooperative as far as blooming goes. Meaning it doesn't. It won't. It hasn't. It refuses to.

Until this year.
This year I threatened it.

I have a nice size yard, with various gardens within it. I have room for plenty of plants, and I have plenty of plants. I take care of my plants (reasonably so, anyway). I like plants that are reasonably easy to take care of. I like plants that give me reasonable results in return. Hey, I'm a reasonable woman.

So I reasoned with this Hydrangea, 2 years ago after a second year with no flowers. "Hydrangea, please give me some flowers next year. I take care of you, I'd like to see something in return."

No flowers.

The next year I was nice again. "Hydrangea Dear. I really would like to see some flowers next year. You are in a very visible place in the garden. Your fellow Hydrangeas are all performing wonderfully, I need you to pull yourself up by your bootstraps (rootstraps?) and get busy with some blooms. The variegated leaves are nice, but I need flowers."

No flowers.

This year, no more Mrs. Nice-person. The gardening gloves came off. No flowers, no room in the garden (well, not a focal point anyway).

"Hydrangea..WTF? No flowers again?! I give and I give! I give some more! The watering. The fertilizer. The focal point. The nicey-nicey waiting for flowers. This is what I get in return? NOTHING!? I want flowers this year. NO flowers...and you are OUTTAH HERE! Got it? Get it? Good!"

The Variegated Hydrangea has grudgingly given me 2 flowers. They are at the bottom, you could almost miss them if you weren't looking. I of course was looking. Is this all she could muster do to prove herself worthy of being in the garden? Or the least she and could do and still get away with being in the focal point of the garden? Hmmmmmmm...

I have never watched the Sopranos (I know, I know, what rock do I live under?), but maybe next year I will watch reruns, or invest in a DVD and learn how to properly threaten for results. Next year there will be results or this plant gets whacked.

(or moved to the back garden...sheesh, I'm such a wuss)

I Came Home to This

2007-06-08T19:33:00.000-04:00

massacre (v.)
1581, from M.Fr. massacre "wholesale slaughter, carnage," from O.Fr. macacre, macecle "slaughterhouse, butchery," perhaps from L. macellum "provisions store, butcher shop." The noun is attested from 1586.

Modern Language Association (MLA):
"massacre." Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper, Historian. 08 Jun. 2007. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/massacre>.

People this is not good. I went away for a few days on a business trip and came home to this. In my driveway. It's rather pitiful. Very hot weather, and nothing watered, not a good combo.

I really thought about getting it all planted before I left, but I just ran out of time. Who would think 2 days would make such a difference. I put them in a spot where the sun isn't too bad. (I assumed) I watered them really well just before leaving for the Airport. (I assumed) I asked Hubby to keep an eye out for them, as it would be really hot. He's a really busy guy, but he would take care of them. (I assumed) I really should have pushed and gotten it done.

as·sume /əˈsum/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[uh-soom] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation verb (used with object), -sumed, -sum·ing.
1. to take for granted or without proof; suppose; postulate; posit: to assume that everyone wants peace.

American Psychological Association (APA):
assume. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved June 08, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/assume
Chicago Manual Style (CMS):
assume. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/assume (accessed: June 08, 2007).
Modern Language Association (MLA):
"assume." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 08 Jun. 2007. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/assume>.

This astilbe might be a lost cause, but I will plant it any way. If it makes it, it will be nice for next year. Arrrggghhhh.

1. arrgghh

To show madness and shouting
Arrgghh my little brother broke my ds lite

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=arrgghh

The begonias did surprisingly well. They are a bit sun burned on the edges, but otherwise I am pleased with their hardiness.

I have faith in the zinnias even if they do look the worst. They are such tough guys, they should actually bounce back with new leaves.

faith (fāth) Pronunciation Key n.
Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.
Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. See Synonyms at belief, trust.

faith. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved June 08, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/faith
Chicago Manual Style (CMS):
faith. Dictionary.com. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/faith (accessed: June 08, 2007).
Modern Language Association (MLA):
"faith." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 08 Jun. 2007. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/faith>.

This coleus seems totally unaffected by the lack of care. I think of coleus as being some of the weenies of the garden, needing special care and attention. I love them anyway, even if they are a lily-livered plant. (I've always wanted to write lily-livered in a sentence!) This gal didn't even wilt, and it was SO dry! She has so changed my opinion of coleus. Hopefully everything is better than I first thought. If the coleus can make it, so can everything else.

Hope, Bob Originally Leslie Towne Hope. 1903-2003. British-born American entertainer. He costarred with Bing Crosby in the popular "Road" films, beginning with the Road to Singapore (1940). Since 1940 he has traveled extensively to entertain U.S. troops overseas.

American Psychological Association (APA):
hope. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved June 08, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hope
Chicago Manual Style (CMS):
hope. Dictionary.com. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hope (accessed: June 08, 2007).
Modern Language Association (MLA):
"hope." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 08 Jun. 2007. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hope>.

OOps...wrong Hope, though maybe the best one. Here's the one I meant to use.

Hope
The delusion that your situation is not as objectively bad as it is.
Hope is the fruitless denial of the more realistic pessimism.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hope

and in this Corner...

2007-06-04T20:06:00.000-04:00

...the Knock Out Rose!
Reigning Champion as best loved rose in my garden.

OK. Only beloved rose in my garden.

These guys really do deserve the name they were given. They bloom all summer...profusely. Not much bothers them. Very few bug problems (even that 4 letter word 'beetle') (...well you know what I mean). Not much if any spraying required. I give them a hard prune in spring, and then just enjoy them.

This one is the original "Knock Out". It's a hot pink called "Radrazz"

This is the "Blushing Knock Out".

It's color is very pale. The bush hasn't quite gotten to the size of the "Radrazz", but is still very nice. Same no care situation.

The only thing I do for the "Knock Outs", is what I do for all my other plants, I give them a bit of fertilizer. I like Espoma's Plant Tone. It's just a general feed for everything.

These roses are very simple, but still cut very well for bringing in the house. I cut just about everything for arrangements. I like very casual styles. These roses are perfect for that.

I will be planting 5 more "Knock Outs" this year to finish the drive. They won't be part of the white garden. The color scheme there will stay the same, it has precedence, and there isn't a white "Knock Out " yet anyway.

:) Hey, I can bend my own rules can't I?

Happy Accidents and New Beginnings

2007-05-31T20:28:00.000-04:00

Spring is still here. (Supposedly)

You can't tell by the weather... It's been so hot and humid, with temps in the upper 80's to low 90's. This time of year it should be in the low to mid 70's.

I can tell that it's still Spring by a few of the happenings in my garden.

I found this happy accident yesterday. It looks to be a baby of my much bigger Weeping Japanese Maple.

(I hope that it is)

There are no other maples near by. Of course the wind or a bird could have brought it to me as a gift. In any case...the little one is in a place where a tree would be nice to have. It will be quite a while before there is any size to it.

I think I shall let it stay. What could it hurt? I like happy accidents.

This started as a freebie, went on to be a happy accident, turned into a nightmare, and is now a new beginning.

Huh? you say? Let me recount the saga.

We get in bareroot veggies, strawberries, and vine fruits at the garden center in the spring. Some roots don't come in in the best of shape and so we don't sell them.

A few years ago I took home 3 grapevines; 1 each of a Red, a Green, and (my fave) Concord. They were some of the not-so-good-looking vines that came in. The roots weren't great looking, but I thought that maybe one might live...what could it hurt? I planted all three together in the same hole. One took off. Woo-whooo!

The first year no grapes (normal).

The second year we got rust, and a few yucky grapes. Vowed to start a spraying program the next year.

Third year we got tons of grapes, then they all turned brown and fell off. There was a bacteria in the soil. The spray didn't cover this problem.

Fourth year (this year), we didn't start spraying soon enough. This Spring the grape was already getting a rust. I said "Enough with you...off with your head". Before I knew it, the once 20 ft grape vine became a 2ft stump, with a pile of grapevine wreath makings next to it. (sigh, head hanging low)

Hubby came home to the scene of the murder. We dug the pitiful stump out of the ground, none to carefully. "Let's plant it again...it was a freebie...what could it hurt"? We decided to bury the grapevine at the far end of the yard, out of eyesight. "If it comes back maybe we can build an arbor for it". "It probably won't come back, we were really rough with it, and didn't leave enough root". "If it is meant to live it will. Just water it"

TA DA!

(a very close up picture)

It's coming back! Maybe NEXT year I'll find out what kind of grape it is.

I'm still rooting for a Concord. What could it hurt?

You can Never have Enough Hydrangeas

2007-05-30T20:02:00.000-04:00

I might not have roses on my list of favorites, but hydrangeas definitely are on the list. I have 8 varieties in my garden now, and plan to add as many as I can possibly fit, take care of, and afford.

I love these old-fashioned, mop-headed, impossibly-huge-flowered bushes.

Most of my hydrangeas are mid summer bloomers, with just a few late summer varieties.

These are the 2 bushes that start the blossom parade for my hydrangeas. They are the earliest flowering variety I have.

This hydrangea is called 'Endless Summer'.

It is a relatively new variety. This is the 3rd summer I'll have these plants. Supposedly they can take more sun than other varieties, so I planted them where they get about 2 hours of mostly sun, and part shade the rest of the day. After growing them, I tell people at the greenhouse to put them in part sun at most.

The 'Endless Summer' need a lot of water, and if mine were in less sun I don't think they would need as much watering. During dry spells I water them every other day, or they look pretty droopy.

The blue of this 'Endless Summer' is really nice. In Delaware our soil is naturally acidic in a lot of areas. I am lucky enough to not have to do anything to get the blue. If you want to have blue hydrangeas try adding aluminum sulfate. My Dad, an old-time nurseryman, used to tell people to put rusty chain or nails at the base of the plant to make it blue.

The 'Endless Summer in the foreground has a staggering 137 blooms. I had to count because...well I just had to! They are looking amazing this year. I can't wait until the color comes on strong.

This other hydrangea only has 97 blooms on it. (Poor little thing)

This hydrangea is hiding a secret. Robins laid a nest in the base of it. There is only one baby bird left now (he's actually pretty good sized now), there were 3 earlier. The last baby Robin has very protective parents to say the least. The Mommy and Daddy fly around us, and yell at us from the top of the fence and gate when we go too near their baby.

I'm not sure if you can tell there is a garden gate in between these 2 hydrangeas. I can still open the door just enough to get thru the opening. The gate will be moved farther up the fence in a few weeks. If the gate wasn't getting moved, we would be moving the hydrangea as they have gotten bigger than I expected.

(woe is me, having to deal with huge, monstrous, crazily blooming hydrangeas)

Honeysuckle in Bloom

2007-05-28T18:48:00.000-04:00

For me, one of the signs I know to look for when the warm weather is here to stay, is when the honeysuckle comes into bloom.

When I was a kid we had wild honeysuckle growing along our lane. My siblings and cousins would pick it in the mornings while we waited for the school bus. The trick was to get the blooms that were just a touch more 'golden'...they were the sweetest.

This isn't a wild honeysuckle. It was a lonely pot with no tag, and not in very good shape when I brought it home. I knew it was a honeysuckle and thats about it...because there were no blooms.

I wasn't even sure this plant would live thru the winter when I put it out on the far fence of our yard. I was happy to see it greening up and then growing in the spring.

Now? Wow. It's beautiful. (I guess I need to set to identifying it)

I'm so tickled it came back.

My son walks past it when he goes down the lane to school.

Guess what? The blooms that are more 'golden' are still the sweetest.

Roses Schmoses!

2007-05-27T20:06:00.000-04:00

The 4th of July in May?

You bet when it's a Rose called 4th of July!

This Rose bush has flowers all over it.

Not one rose bloom is the same as another on this bush.

It looks like mini fireworks shooting off in each bloom.

Some are redder, some pinker, some more striped than others.

It really is a pretty rose bush.

More beautiful blooms.

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With that being said...I have to tell you a guilty secret. I don't like roses.

Sorry.

The roses I have in my yard are there because my husband loves roses. I love my hubby, so I have roses in the yard for him. It is not a plant I would otherwise probably have.

Roses are beautiful. I know.

Roses smell divine. Got it.

A rose by any other name... I read it. (and thank you Mr.Shakespeare)

Guns and Roses. I hear it.

A Kiss from a Rose. I feel it.

I just don't like roses! ( I am a nice person...I promise)

I am not rose fan because of all the bugs and diseases that love roses. Roses are a lot of work! There are products out there to help take care of roses. They work great and you must use them. Roses are bred now to be more bug and disease resistant. I know all this, and it's wonderful.

The beautiful plant you see above is very well taken care of. I spritz it, I prune it, I check it regularly for problems (and it does get them). I take blooms from it into the house. It is absolutely gorgeous. It is also a major pain in the butt! I don't have time for all this care and nurturing.

I don't like roses. Sorry!

BUT...

I also have some roses I don't take care of. They are called 'Knock Out' Roses. These are roses that other roses should learn from. I have 20-some lining the driveway. (5 more will complete the line) I prune these roses in the spring, and then they fend for themselves. I started with these roses 4 years ago because they were touted to be maintenance free. I got them to prove to my husband how much a pain in the butt even 'maintenance free' roses are. These 'Knock outs' are not a pain in the butt...other than that they proved me wrong. I have added 3-4 more to the fence line each year.

Smart alack 'Knock Out' roses. These are roses I could learn to like.

So...Here's the Plan

2007-05-23T19:03:00.000-04:00

The plan is coming together. Work has begun on the all white plantings for the garden. Here are some of the flowers that are going into it. These are a few of the pictures I took in the greenhouse of my choices before bringing some of the stuff home.

This is 'Molimba Helio White' Argyranthemum.

These will go into the Front bed against the part of the house that has cream colored siding. They should show up nicely.

They are 'Nightlife White' Begonia

These are 'Super Olympia White' Begonia.

They will be going into one of the beds in the backyard. I have an affinity for begonias. It runs in my family. My Grandmother liked the funny, funky, weird and exotic begonias, and my Dad always chose wax begonias for his flower beds.

As it goes...I've never met a begonia I didn't like.

These are 'Patriot White ' Zonal Geraniums. (I hope you can tell the ones in the front are the whites!)

They might go in the front corner bed. They are if-y. These are actually in a tie for space with some lover-ly Tall Cutting-type Snapdragons. The Snapdragons are in the running because they are such great cutting flowers, and I love to bring flowers into the house. The geraniums might win the race because...well they are gorgeous. I might end up flipping a coin between these 2 choices. (or extend the bed :) hmmmmmmm?)

These are 'Classic White' Zinnias.

I had some of these great flowers reseed themselves in the grass last year, and I transplanted them into the flower beds. I was hoping some would come back again this year as freebies, but so far...no such luck. So... I have to buy some for the garden this year. Well...at least I will be sure to have them that way.

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I've also gotten:

'Bells White' Snapdragons
'Pot n Patio' Asters
'Moonflower'
Stevia (a very sweet herb)
'White Horse' Lavender (yes, a white flower!)
'Hello White' Gazania
'Hummingbird White' Nicotiana

None of the above are very big, nor are they showing color right now...so I will take pictures after they are finished being planted, and then again as the garden starts to fill in. So far 36 plants are in the ground...with obviously more to go in.

I also need some vine-y things to add to the flower pots sprinkled in different places around the house. Also some coleus for pots on the back deck. (it's quite shady back there, so they do great)

There will also be more Hostas. Plus, Hostas. I might also add Hostas. And then of course, there are new fabulous Hostas which must be added. (I love hostas by the way....)

It's a shame I have no control when it comes to flowers. It's just like an all-I-can-eat-buffet...my eyes are always too big for my stomach at the dinner buffets, and they are to big for my garden when at the greenhouse buffet. I tell my hubby he really can't complain...as the gardens get bigger...he has less to mow. (he complains anyway)

Things I cannot (but want to) use in the garden....

2007-05-20T21:45:00.000-04:00

These are the plants I can't have this year, because of my decision to do an all white garden.

I'm getting them out of my blood, and going on with the white. They might have come to the garden if there were to be other colors. But there won't be....so they aren't.

No to the 'Clown Violet' Torenia.

Nope.

No Superfinia 'Sky Blue'.

These beautiful things are Corydalis 'Blue Panda', and 'Blackberry Wine'.

Can't have 'em.

' Cinnamon Girl' Iris. No Sirree, ain't gonna happen.

Not in my garden (this year anyway).

Firewitch Dianthus. So very pretty. Blooms for a very long time.

Chitweed will not have it this year.

It wouldn't be prudent. Not gonna have it.

(why does that sound like the church lady from Saturday night Live?)

These? Scotch Harebells.

These, I didn't really want.

:) Ok. Maybe I did, but now they will be for next year.

They didn't want to come home with me anyway...see how they have their faces turned the other way?

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Well...that wasn't so bad.

We worked in the garden almost all day. Very weary and achy all over, but satisfied. The weeds are almost all pulled. (but we know how long that won't last, don't we?) Things that needed to be trimmed, are. Things that needed to be sprayed, are. I hate to admit it, but there were a few unlucky plants that didn't get out of their pots last year, and needed to be planted; they now are.

Grass fertilized...check.

Tree poop swept off back deck, lawn furniture, light fixtures, grill, umbrella, steps (etc)...check.

10 bags of mulch put in front half of circle bed...check.

Trees 'limbed up' in circle bed for better light penetration...check.

Last of the leaves out of corner, front, and side beds...check.

Leaves out of backyard beds...not check.

Well...still much to do, but a lot less than there was when I woke up this morning. With BP, J, H, and a little bit of SB, a lot was accomplished. Onward white gardens!

Ahhhh...Spring Time Flowers

2007-05-18T15:51:00.001-04:00

When we moved into our house 4 years ago, this Rhododendron was in the back yard along with a few others. We did not know what color it was for 2 years. It was in pretty bad shape, and probably had not flowered for a few years because of the poor condition of the soil. After working with the soil, applications of Hollytone, and lots of pruning (some resulting from a losing fight with a huge falling tree branch), its still quite large, and now blesses us with purple blooms in the spring.

This Rhododendron was found after we moved into our house. It was in a corner of the yard under mountains of leaves. It was a weird shade of green, and not much to look at. With a move to another part of the yard, TLC, and regular doses of the mini-miracle-in-a-bag called Hollytone it really is looking lover-ly. It's now about 3 times the size it was when we moved here!

No need to fear the all white garden. I can see I'll have plenty of "Grandfathered-in" color in my garden from original plants in the landscape (tho none too many), and the planting I've done here over the last 4 years. Things are popping out and up all over (including the weeds). A lot of my plants will even look nice with a dose of white near them. There are some unfortunate pale yellows that might not look as nice with white...but I can be creative.

I'm almost done the plans for the new perennials to add this year...all whites and or greens of course. I finally got Moon Vine in the greehouse again (there are some very happy customers this week)....I'll use it for my fence...it will be a nice 'white' flower to grow up and over it. Moon Vine gets large white flowers, about 6 inches across, that open in the evening.

I can't wait to start. It may have to wait a bit tho...rain over the next 2 days is going to slow down my progress. Don't be surprised if I'm out there in the rain planting if it gets to be too much of an itch to scratch (been there & done planted that way many times).

The Search Begins

2007-05-17T18:46:00.000-04:00

I've begun the plan for the white garden. I'm looking at some of the 'staples' of the garden that I've not grown in years with new appreciation.

I've never used Wave Petunias for my own garden, even tho I've had them in planter combos, and hanging baskets we've made at work for the longest time. They are wonderful, this I know...I've just not used them at home. They are likely going to be a ground cover type addition to places where I need some lower annuals.

'Perfume White' Nicotiana will be very nice in an area where I need just a little height, and a bit will go into some of my containers. It will be interesting to see if they attract the hummingbirds as well as the reds.

For some more short stuff...'Pot and Patio' Asters, in white of course.

I found a very interesting new plant for my garden. I've never had it at the greenhouse before, tho I'm not too sure on how 'new' it actually is. It's called Breynia. It's an annual that gets 4-6 ft tall, & about 3-4 ft wide. Just mottled leaves of green and white distinguish it in any way. I will use it at the back of one of the beds where I usually have an elephant ear planted. I lost the HUGE elephant ear I've had for a while to a hungry mouse over the winter.

There are still so many plants I need to choose. (& lots of spots and pots to fill) I want a new hydrangea...maybe a tree Pee gee? I definitely like the Perilla 'Vanilla', I need to plan for that....

I'm gonna go get out the pencil and paper to start mapping it out. :) Sooooooo exciting!

The Challenge

2007-05-15T11:38:00.000-04:00

Yippee Skippee!
I love a challenge.
The challenges at work are daily, thats what makes it so exciting and fun. The challenges at home are many (those with teenagers understand that as much as anyone), getting thru challenges is what family is all about.
The challenges I give myself, however, are my favorite kind.

(I think...)

I can start planning my own garden now that there is a bit more time in the week to not be at work. Whoo hoo! The longer days help as well. (cartwheels being done that you can only imagine)

Each year my home garden is a little different, new plants, trees, or shrubs are added. There are new varieties to try. Growers give me sample plants to 'not take care of' , and then comment on what I think about the performance of the 'newbie'. (I have mentioned I'm a lucky gardener, yes?) When we have something especially wonderful and new I gather samples of each up, and let my fellow employee/gardeners choose 1 or 2, with the promise to let me know what they think of the plant they chose. ( I get 1 or 2 myself) :)

The constant in my garden is color. Lots of it. Colorful perennials,colorful annuals, and colorful trees and shrubs. My favorite flowers are usually in the blue tones,and I accent them with other colors. Last year were a lot of hot pinks and corals with my favorite blues. (There were a few volunteer 'classic white' zinnias that reseeded in the lawn that made it in as well. We will mention them quickly and in lower-case-small-type, in the hopes they don't realize they shouldn't have come back, and they will do it again this year.)

This year I've set myself to a challenge. I'm only going to use white this year. The only new perennials to come into the garden will have to be white, mostly white, or have no flower and be a greenish or white color. (no colorful leaves allowed) The annuals will have to be whites, ( & greens or greys). The newbie plants and testers will have to be white, or no flowers, and only greens or greys.

Sheesh...
What was I thinking?

I thought I'd like the challenge...mostly 'cause it wouldn't be too hard. (after all I have tons of stuff to choose from at work, right?) Wow. I'm suffering from serious color withdrawal. I hate this challenge. I think I would change my mind now if I hadn't told a few others of my idea. (me and my big mouth!)

I can't look at my faves in the same way, and I swear they aren't treating me as in years past. The blues (salvia, ageratum, columbine, convolvulous, and others) look at me and stick their tongues out..."you can't use me...nah nah naaa na nah!". The pinks, purples, and yellows? They aren't quite as rude as the blues..they adjust their leaves to look at someone else, and give me the cold shoulder. The coleus, probably my favorite annual, are generally lukewarm about the challenge, likely because some in their rank and file can still be considered.

The white flowers aren't helping. No one is saying "pick me, pick me!" I will have to convince the white flowers and myself I want them to be in my garden this year. I have been sneaking up on them and perusing quietly. I guess because they seem a little more on the quiet side than their colorful cousins, I am quiet myself? (whaaaaat? you say?... ok...I talk to plants)

I'm starting slow. I've been fondling the leaves of the 'New Look' and 'Lacy Leaf 'Dusty Miller, they will work, no flowers, and they are white-ish. (ok, I also fondle plants, but most of them enjoy the occasional 'pet') The white Impatiens? No? Maybe they are too normal...but they are very pretty. The ornamental grasses are very pretty this year...they are colorful with out having flowers, and those I can consider are in shades of green and grey and are awesome. The grasses textures will be nice, too. The lime thyme is interesting (and smells SOOOO good!). Oooh, and the White Queen Cleome...hmm..nice. Perilla 'Vanilla', might be a nice addition to the rear of one of th beds, and I've never grown it before. " 'Plectranthus 'Nicodemus', you might come home with me this week." (Chitweed, stop talking to the plants...the customers are staring again, K?) Hosta...well,need I say more?...I can choose from many of the hosta and have a white flower to go with the loveliest of all leaves.

Maybe this won't be soooo bad?

...Afterall.......?

Hmmm.

Cool!

I love a challenge.

(I think.)

Happy Mother's Day

2007-05-13T20:03:00.000-04:00

Another busy day, and the wonderful weather certainly helped.
The end of one heck of a week. Whew!

The week ahead:

Monday: time to clean up,straighten, and get ready for the weeks deliveries. Place flats order. Finish up pond plant order.
Tuesday: veggie and annual flats delivery. Finish up tropical order. (hopefully get part of the day off)
Wednesday: Perennial delivery (qt - 3 gal sizes)
Thursday: Annual delivery
Friday: second veggie and annual flats delivery.

Sat. and Sun: be very busy :)

Happy Mother's Day to all to whom it applies. I hope you got awesome additions to add to your garden,terrific tools to play in the garden with, and happy helpers volunteering to get your garden ready for summer.

Mothers Day Weekend

2007-05-12T21:32:00.000-04:00

Well, it is all I can do to log on and write a bit this evening.
Doesn't that sound pitiful? :)

Actually, as long as the day was, it went by pretty fast. When its heck-a-busy, I enjoy it. Just movin' around, rearranging displays, directing people, answering questions all day... that's a good day. In general running around like a headless chicken (with a purpose) suits me.

Hanging baskets were the hot ticket item today, along with the planters taken out of the growing greenhouses on Thursday. I'm so glad 'our' stuff made the date. It all looks so great, and customers are really complimentary. The 10" fuchsias that came out of the houses the week before last are almost gone. I think we grew 150 pots...guess we should have grown more.

It's funny that I'm still in the Mother's Day holiday, but my mind is on the coming week, and the trailer of tropical plants I have to fill for delivery June 24-26. I've found a new grower In Fl. that I'm really excited about. They've got an amazing inventory, and have been nice enough to send lots of pictures of current stock. LOTS of unusual stuff, and in bigger sizes. Now to narrow down the list of what to bring in. It will be hard, but I'm up to the challenge (I am amazing after all) (tho very humble about it)

Now I shall Play with one of my new Mother's day presents - an iPod (does that spelling look right?) (yep, it's right...checked the box) Guess I can't be all that tired if I want to play with a new toy.

I'll tell you about my other Mother's day present when I can take a picture of it.

Lemons and Lemonade-Making-Time

2007-05-10T20:57:00.000-04:00

It was the perfect plan on Sunday.
It came undone around the edges today. Today lemonade was made out of lemons.

The plan was for 1-2 greenhouse truck deliveries each day this week: 2 trucks on days when each delivery was a smaller, 1 truck for the big load days. Well, one of the big truck days was today. No dice. Plenty of people on hand to unload, tag, and put out merchandise...from a truck that never came. It will be here tomorrow.
That makes 2 big trucks tomorrow.
Oiy vay!

Silver lining: KS was able to get a lot of the pots, planters and hanging baskets that were grown here out into the retail houses. They are really pretty. It was touch and go that they would make Mother's Day because it was so cold it was holding the growth back a bit. The last few sunny days have really made the difference.
Always something to do, even when the day gets messed up a bit. Mom came in to help tag the truck that never came...so she put out mini roses. (hey..she asked if there was anything she could do....)

For tomorrow: All the tags are made. The tables are ready to receive. The greenhouses are swept and washed down. There will be a few extra people on hand to help, even my Mom (I just love that woman).

Did I mention there was a power outage? Some accident up the road or something. We limped on for a couple hours with the generators running a few registers, lights, and scales. (sheesh)

Tomorrow... It's gonna be sunny and warm. It's gonna be hectic. The sunscreen and the lemonade are at the ready.

The Busiest time

2007-05-09T19:59:00.000-04:00

This is the busiest time of the year for me. The first 3 weeks of May are crazy, with this particular week being the The Mother of all crazy busy weeks.(hee hee, Mother's Day week...Mother of all...ok so I'm punch drunk tired)

This is the busiest time for gardeners and thus, greenhouses & garden centers. So its a double whammy for me and my garden. The home garden takes a backseat this time of year, I must admit. As my Dad always said..."You gotta make hay when the sun shines", therefore off to work I go, leaving behind the weeds that need pulling, the perennials that need dividing, the beds that need mulching, the rest of the roses that need pruning, and so much more.

Another 2 weeks and I'll have time to get my hands into the thick of it again.

Pricing yet another of the many trucks arriving daily, the staff are all saying we would like to have 2 weeks hiatus in the spring to play in our gardens. (Ahhh, a sweet dream...but it ain't happening.)

My eyes settle on the tags of new additions to the inventory. I find myself salivating over the color picture tags, reading the particulars of a plant, figuring out where it might fit in the ever expanding home garden. This week...11 new Echinacea (adding to the 6 from last week), 20 new Day lilies(42 varieties now!), Gold Heart Dicentra, Convallaria Bordeaux, Captain Kirk Hosta, Lady in Red Hydrangea...might they be new additions to my garden?
No! I must stay strong, at least for few more weeks, other wise I will be watering pots of stuff everyday in the side yard, and feel bad I don't have enough time in the day to plant them (much less water them).

If it was meant to be, I'll be able to order them in when I'm ready to plant them.

(It could happen...please let it happen)

The First

2007-05-08T21:44:00.000-04:00

The first day, the first words, yikes...here I go a bloggin'. I've read other garden blogs for quite sometime now. Thought I'd wing it myself. What was I thinking???!!!!
I love to learn, and I'm sure this will be a learning experience. Learning about blogging. Learning about designing, maintaining, and making something interesting. Learning from other gardeners. Learning about myself as this all goes along.
Please don't be too critical of the spelling and grammar mistakes..I'll be more than critical of myself when re-reading my posts. I'm not too bad a speller...I just happen to be an impared tyyppst. (that was not an accident by the way)
:)
Welcome to my garden blog. I hope you and I enjoy it.