This Week in My Garden

Tags

bloom, blooming, flower, garden, iris, perennials, Star of Bethlehem

Our purple irises are stunning right now!

Young Wifey’s Purple Irises

Young Wifey’s Purple Iris

What a contrast from the soft white small Stars of Bethlehem.

Young Wifey’s Star of Bethlehem

What is blooming in your garden?

Advertisement

This Week in My Garden

Tags

black locust, daisies, garden, gardening, landscaping, perennials, red buckeyes, roses, salvia

Spring blooms came late this year, but with a sudden wave of heat, the may flowers quickly showcased. Then there was a snap of cold and again sudden heat. Fickle Mother Nature has drastically affected all the blooms. The delicate cherry tree blossoms have disappeared, and the sweet smell of lilacs shrubs and black locust trees are now fading. My alliums bursting with vibrant color. A few of my red coral bells are opening.

The red roses are raring in ruby…

Double Knock-Out Roses

The sweet scent of black locust blooms delicately drift around…

Blooming Black Locust Tree

Bright buckeye blooms beckon butterflies…

Red Buckeye in Bloom

Stunning salvia showcases in the sun…

Stunning Salvia

Delicate daisies dance down the front bank…

White Daisies

What is blooming in your garden?

Garden Gems

Tags

400th post, bushes, day lilies, flowers, garden, gardening, landscaping, lilies, mountain stone, perennials, plants, postaday2011

One of my favorite things to post about is my garden… Spring was especially difficult for me. Now that we’re homeowners again, I no longer need to wistfully dream of gardening. This summer, we’ll be updating and putting more energy into the house than the outdoors. Even though a few junk plants need to be ripped out, there are difficult to landscape areas and several overgrown features, I did hunt for the few hidden gems that the previous owners left.

A small maple stands guard at the top of the hill in the front of the house.

Front Maple Tree

A few mountain rocks add framework behind faded irises.

Mountain Stone

One young oak dances at the top of the back hill, taunting us with his cool relief.

Under the Oak

In the far back corner, native day lilies hide with chagrin in the shade. Don’t worry, I’ll soon replant you where you can flourish.

Native Day Lilies

There are a few flowering shrubs and a lot of work needs to be done!

Blooming Beauties

Spiraea to Lure in Butterflies & Hummingbirds

A lilac bush stands alone along the road, the hostas are chewed and lonely, an azalea is hiding beneath a vine, and a fire pit needs some love. I also remember in the spring, seeing a few daffodils in the front and a few grape hyacinths in the back. I can’t wait to see what else awaits us…

Which is your favorite?

PS… This is my 400th post!

Bright Foliage

Indoor Succulent Garden – Gift for the Non-Green Thumb

Tags

centerpiece, chicks & hens, chicks and hens, Christmas gift, Christmas present, garden, gardening, gift, gift giving, gift idea, hostess gift, house warming gift, perennial gardening, perennials, present giving, succulent garden, succulents, Xmas gift, Xmas present

An indoor succulent garden is the perfect gift for the non-green thumb, they can even forget to water it for a while. Succulents are forgiving, adaptive plants, that vary in color and texture. This indoor garden can be a great Christmas present, house-warming gift, or centerpiece for the party’s hostess.

Before we moved, I pulled tiny three chicks out of my garden. They sat in a cup on the window sill at our interim place for two months, until I rediscovered them today and planted them.

 

Materials:
Glass dish (I used a leftover centerpiece bowl from our wedding), garden soil, succulents to transplant, river rocks (or marbles, or  gem rocks)

Directions:
Clean glass dish and pour a layer of dirt on the bottom. Depending on the type of succulent you use, remove any dried leaves and extra roots. With the chicken & hens, I trimmed the root to 1″ long. Arrange the succulents in the soil. Remember they will fill out as they grow. Carefully arrange rocks around the plants, covering the soil. Drizzle or spray plants and rocks to dampen the soil, keep damp for the next 7 days.

Succulent Suggestions:
Chicks & hens, snake plant, jade, sedums, living stone, cacti

What is your favorite succulent?

Lovely Lily

Tags

day lily, daylily, flowers, garden, gardening, landscaping, lilies, lily, perennials, plants, purple d'oro

With their ruffled edge petals, deep pinky-raspberry tones and yellow center of the purple d’oro  day lily, it’s no wonder these day lilies are quickly becoming my new favorite.  I planted them from roots last summer and they have really filled out this summer. They were planted alternating with the golden stella d’oro day lilies (and yellow sedum behind). I can’t wait to split them and grow more!

Day Lilies

Summer Beauty

How do you like them?

September Blooms

Tags

gardening, landscaping, perennial gardening, perennials, roses, turning of the season

Garden Visitor
One of my former university advisors (from graduate school) and his wife stopped by a few weeks ago to enjoy my garden. The semester I had finished at the university, I had just started my front perennial garden. He loved listening to my trials and tribulations and I was planning and planting my first garden. Now I have a side garden, island garden, shade garden and back garden (partially) to show! He commented that he likes to see how I grow as a professional and as a gardener.

Now Showing!
My magic carpet rose really have some abracadabra power, pink, red and yellow blooms are still bountiful. I have vases of them throughout the house and I take a few to work with me each week. My day lilies are blooming with their endless season of blooms. The heather is blooming and giving a soft look to the garden. The berries on my groundcover winterberry are turning red. The purple coral bells are still blooming, yet the yellow yarrow is beginning to fade. The cool crisp mornings are followed by warm afternoons (except last weekend) which fall into chilly evenings. The leaves on the japanese maple are turning vibrant vivd colors. I hope my camera is fixed before these colors fade.

Garden Work
It’s time to rip off the browning leaves and trim up my evergreens. The spiders have been so busy the past two weeks, I’ve spotted many beautiful webs in my garden. I also spotted two huge praying mantises (I remember one day , when I was a kid, I spotted three of them in my parents garden before anyone else had time to discover them first), I’ll have to keep my eyes open for an egg sack hatched this spring. I still have more chicks and hens and seed pods to share with friends. I’m also anticipating the delivery of my fall bulbs.

Next year, I’m looking for some fall flowering perennials to plant. Any suggestions?