"I was just sittin' here enjoyin' the company. Plants got a lot to say, if you take the time to listen."
— Eeyore
4/19/16:
It was a productive Saturday. I watered everything, since it hasn't been raining, and mixed bloom-boosting fertilizer into the watering can before drenching most of the plants. Then I transplanted the shooting star hydrangea, which had been living on the kitchen windowsill, into a gallon-size pot on the north side of the house. Next up was a little more seed planting: hot peppers and an odd product called "Flower Rocket" that I'd picked up at the Grocery Outlet in February. One is supposed to simply place this roll of fibrous material with seeds stuck all through it into a medium-size pot of soil, and water it often. I am skeptical; this puts many of the seeds near the bottom of the pot and they might not ever sprout. But we shall see.
I also spent time studying the trees and hedges, deciding what should be trimmed soon. In places, these larger blocks of greenery are blocking the sun from my container plants, or just looking untidy and wild. I don't mind working on the shorter bushes, but when a ladder or electric clippers are required, my boyfriend Steve handles those projects. The ivy and wild grass of the groundcover has gotten out of hand as well, so I'm thinking of how to tame it while preserving the lush verdant look of the yard.
Clicking on the small images below will bring up a larger version.
Southeast corner of our yard.
Flower Rocket.
Love the sunny gold of these roses.
Camellia season is almost over, so now the stars of my garden will be the rosebushes. I am glad that I learned how to prune them properly in January. 6 of the 7 full sized bushes are blooming earlier in spring than expected, with 3 or more flowers per bush open at a time. The ailing miniature rose I bought in November has recovered fully. When I first brought it home, it was hard to tell what color the roses were going to be. It was a lovely surprise to see tiny scarlet red blossoms appear this April. Morning glories and columbine are finally blooming also. I have to spray these plants with my homemade bug repellents several times a week to keep them from getting chewed up, but it's worth it.
Miniature rose.
Bush morning glories.
Columbine.
