Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Colors in the Garden


Hosted on Fotki


A close-up view of some of the colors in my garden. In the front is Veronica Spicata (pink & white), Yellow & Orange Cosmos, and Coreopsis "Early Sunrise".


Hosted on Fotki


One of my unknown daylilies that was here when we moved into the house. I was sooo excited when it put out a scape. (A scape is the thing that shoots up with the buds on it.)


Hosted on Fotki


Another unknown daylily from the backyard. I love this one better than yellow! It looks great with the salvia planted near it. Again, this was here when we moved in.

One more view of the daylily from the top.


Hosted on Fotki

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Lots of "Firsts" to Share

As the season progresses, things continue to grow and flower. It's so exciting to see my plants from last year shape up and then flower!

Here are the first blooms on some volunteer French Hollyhocks I transplanted to the side of our driveway.


Hosted on Fotki


These are doing well in their new home also. I actually transplanted 3, but 2 are crowding out the 1 planted in between them, so I might pull out the 3rd plant and just let the 2 have the space.

Here's the first bloom on the Tall Mexican Petunia (ruellia) volunteers I planted.


Hosted on Fotki


These are along the driveway where they get the hot west sun late in the day, so I'm hoping they'll thrive and flourish there.

First buds on some of the assorted daylilies I planted. I can't wait for these to open so I can see what color they are!


Hosted on Fotki


Then finally, the mystery plant from the backyard has turned out to be a daylily!! I have about 5 of these and this one finally put out a bloom! We've lived here for 3 years and have never seen these things bloom. These plants came with the house. I was beginning to think it was some kind of grass. LOL


Hosted on Fotki


I'm thinking this didn't open all the way because it was being crowded out by the powdery mildew infested crape myrtle growing above it. It also may have been because we've been having some very overcast days this past week.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

View of the Front Flower Bed

This is the 2nd year for this bed. We are in the process of expanding it. What fun!! Get to plant more stuff!!

White Gaura in bloom (I just LOVE this plant!! Such delicate flowers)



Hosted on Fotki


Coreopsis, "Early Sunrise" Blooming like crazy. I think it's 4 times the size it was when I planted it last year. This is my all-time favorite wildflower.



Hosted on Fotki


Cosmos, reseeded from last year's plants. There are some with itty bitty buds on them. Can't wait to see them bloom! There are LOTS of volunteers of these throughout the bed.



Hosted on Fotki


Pink & White Veronica I love this plant, but don't know much about it. Last year it was blue! LOL



Hosted on Fotki


Rock Rose loaded with buds! I enjoy the happy pink flowers this produces. Lasts all summer and looks great!



Hosted on Fotki


View from the street



Hosted on Fotki

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

The Rains Have Come & Brought Visitors

It feels like we've had more rain in the past 3 weeks than we had all last year!! The air is very heavy and humid, the ground is saturated, and my seedlings have all but drowned. What hasn't drowned has been destroyed by pests.

This bug showed up out of the blue, stayed for a couple of days, and I haven't seen him since. He didn't do much damage, if any.


Hosted on Fotki


This guy's been doing a number on my shasta daisies, the tall Mexican Petunias I transplanted from my front flower bed, as well as the French Hollyhocks I moved from the front flower bed.


Hosted on Fotki


We've released some trichogramma wasps to help control pests and sprayed some beneficial nematodes on the yard to help with fleas, ticks, and grubs.

Friday, April 27, 2007

Things are Popping Out All Over!

I love it when my plants start to bloom! Gives me a sense of accomplishment.

My first coreopsis (Coreopsis Grandiflora Tickseed "Early Sunrise"). This is my all-time favorite wildflower and it blooms repeatedly throughout the summer and into the fall. It's loaded with blooms so I'll be watching for a time when the whole plant is blooming and snap a pic.



Hosted on Fotki


This is my veronica from last year. It's getting ready to burst out in flower and I can't wait! I have a pink one and a blue one, but I'm not sure which is which and they have slightly different floiage. The little white dots are future flower buds on the spike.



Hosted on Fotki



My white Guara loaded with buds. This is such a graceful plant that blooms during the cooler times of the season, usually spring into early summer, then late summer into fall. Also planted in 2006.



Hosted on Fotki

New in My Flower Bed This Year

I started an almost perennial garden last summer. It's in the front of our house and gets TONS of HOT sun. New to this flower bed this year are the following:

May Night Salvia~Given to me by my neighbor who has tons growing in her backyard.



Hosted on Fotki


Pincushion Flower (pink)



Hosted on Fotki


Ice Plant (not in bloom)



Hosted on Fotki


Trailing Purple Lantana (now starting to bloom!!)



Hosted on Fotki


The May Night Salvia smells heavenly and attracts bees and hummingbirds. I'm hoping the trailing lantana will do well under my butterfly bush and keep the grass from getting out of hand near the corner.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Welcome to My Gardens

This is year two of organic gardening for us. I don't think my DH was totally on board at the outset, but he's a fan now. He's even getting more involved in the process, which is great cuz he's wonderful to have around to lift those heavy bags of compost and mulch! LOL Okay, maybe he's good to have around period!

Here's a picture of last year's garden taken in June. It got a lot fuller as the summer progressed.


Hosted on Fotki


I say that I'm a haphazard gardener because I don't really plan out my garden, I just plant stuff, as evidenced by the tall Mexican Petunias growing in the front of the garden!! LOL Those have been pulled up and relocated to other parts of the garden. I didn't know they were so invasive when I planted them, so I'm sure I'll be pulling runners and volunteers up for quite some time. Oh joy!!

Here's the same bed this year. In place of the Mexican Petunias, I've planted a May Night Salvia and a Pincushion plant. I also added 3 trailing lantanas in the corner in front of my butterfly bush, a rescue from Wal-Mart last year.



This year, we've expanded our landscaping efforts and now have a bed in front of our house, on the west side of the house by the driveway, and outside our back door. I'm also going to start a butterfly garden, which I'm really excited about!