Friday, May 28, 2010

You Win Some, You Lose Some

Well it looks like the heat is on now here .It has
been a sweltering week and a busy one and I am loving
this warm weather.
Each day was spent planting containers with plants
that were germinated this winter.
I always believe every winter that I have planted
too many seeds since they are taking up every
shelf of the little greenhouse and every available
sunny window and yet I always run out and need
to buy more.
Of course I have to take in the consideration
all of the failures in germination which meant a few
less plants.

Astilbe_Salvia

White Astilbe and Blue Hill Salvia

I have came to the sad conclusion that there are
some seeds which I should just quit wasting my money
on trying to grow.

Verbena, Gardenia, Gazania, Lantana and this year
the failure after failure in trying to germinate
some of the Impatiens seeds I had bought.
The Impatiens seeds I saved from last summers plants
germinated well but the ones I bought were complete
failures to my frustration.

Stachy_Salvia_Penstemon

Stachy Lambs Ear

After trying over and over again to germinate Hibiscus
seeds this winter and using so many seeds that were
sent to me from blogging friends I decided to just give up.
One little container of them were moved outside and
was left setting on the potting table from seeds of our
Dirt Princess had sent to me.

Campanula_BlueWaterfall_May26 Campanula Blue Waterfall groundcover


Today while cleaning up my table after a day of planting
I decided to pitch them into the garbage can.
Under that lid was that green I saw?
Taking off the lid I discovered tiny seedlings growing.
I was so glad. Now if I can keep them alive to plant them
out later. LOL! Thanks April!
So hope bubbling up I ran to the spot where I
had planted some Blue River Hibiscus
seeds from Donna on the bank last Fall.
More Hibiscus seedlings! Thanks Donna !
Then I got really sad because I had pitched the
little container that I had been trying to germinate
from the Hibiscus seeds that Darla had sent.
If I had waited they would probably be growing now too.
Sorry Darla!

Eupatorium_Chocolate

Eupatorium rugosumi Chocolate Snakeroot

Some moving of plants was also done this week.
I know,I know, it is no surprise to you all.
Anemone Queen Charlotte was really spreading herself
and hiding a hydrangea so I moved some to the woodland bed
and to other beds. Hydrangeas come first in my garden.
Like this Blueberry Parfait hydrangea below that is
starting to bloom for the first time.


Hydrangea_BlueberryParfait

Hydrangea Blueberry Parfait

Also tired of all of the red roses along the garage and
sick of them taking over, I dug two of them up to make
room for some new colored roses later. One I just pitched
and my neighbor was glad to take the other off of my hands.

Hydrangea_Nikko_May27

Hydrangea Nikko Blue
My hydrangeas are making up for not blooming last
year due to the cold and icy spring.
Just look at all of the buds on my Nikko hydrangea.
It is going to be one big blue ball.

Lily_Lolypop

The Lolypop lilies are starting to get a few opened blooms.

LilyBed_woods

The woodland bed full of assorted lilies are
getting some blooms also. The string has garlic clips
to help keep the deer at bay.
These were bought as an assortment and cheap
but most of them look like they are going to be….

Lily2_Unknown

the ugliest red lilies I ever saw, but I should have expected
that cheap is not always a good thing.
I am so glad I did pick out others that I really wanted
and planted on down the long woodland bed.
Many have buds now and I am praying the deer stay away
so they will have a chance to bloom.

Sobet_Peony

Sorbet Peony

The Sorbet peony is a disappointment this year because
it only has one bloom. I wonder if it needs more sun.
Should I move it?


SweetWilliam

Sweet William
This is the only Sweet William plant that I have
and the poor thing is going to have to be moved .
The Monarda is growing taller this year so it is hidden
behind it and it is too pretty to take a back seat.


Campanula_ChettleCharm2

Campanula Chettle Charm

This bellflower has spread and is now in its leaping year.
I love it this flowers blooms.
Its white blooms turn blue on the edges as the bloom matures.

Bellflowers_MiddleBed

The white bellflowers are taking over a section of the
backside of the Middle bed. Yes, I moved some to the
woodland bed also. LOL! It likes the part shade and will
brighten up the bed. The Bluebird delphiniums planted
her with them are budding and will be blooming soon.

CornerBed_May26

The little Bonnet girl is surrounded by blooms now
with more to come.

Achillea_Moonshine

Achillea Moonshine

The new yarrow that was planted last Fall at the sunny
end of the woodland bed is getting a few blooms.
It starts out bright yellow and fades to a softer shade.
More yellow plants are planted here in my attempt to
broaden my color palette in the garden.
Milk Weed was also planted there this week from seeds
Darla had given me. Thanks Darla!

cellarBed

This corner bed is filling in lovely now
and there is a Scentimental rose behind the Rainbow
Knockout rose. Yes, more moving! Maybe it will be moved
to take the place of one of the red roses I dug up.

Bulb_unknown3

Allium Molly A. Moly Luteum
Thanks Tammy and Kathleen for the ID.

Finally these bulbs of yellow flowers are blooming.
They were free with a plant order and their name have
completely slipped my feeble mind. Does anyone know
what they are?

Today is also Fertilizer Friday and time to ‘Flaunt
Your Blooms’ so join us with our sponsor Tootsie
over at Tootsie Time.

Fertilizer_Friday

Happy Gardening Everyone !!

Until Next Time,
Lona

33 comments:

Darla said...

What a great variety of plants/flowers you have. Don't fret over the hibiscus seeds at all. Maybe I'll have some more to send you at the end of summer. Glad to know the milkweed made it, lol. Mine reseeded everywhere, c'mon Monarchs!

Bonnie said...

Everything looks wonderful. I just love that lolypop lily!

Jeannie B. said...

Oh Lona, your garden looks beautiful. I a m impressed that you garden from seed!! Wow. I am lazy and impatiant and rarely try seeds! I am crazy about your blueberry hydranga!

Roses and Lilacs said...

Your garden is just beautiful. You have so much blooming. Love the campanula and the foxglove photos. Love the combo of lambs ear, astilbe and salvia!

I have a terrible time with seeds. I don't have a good set up with lights so I have to start them pretty late in the season. Cosmos is easy for everyone else to grow from seed but I simply cannot. Have to buy them from the greenhouse. Frustrating.
Marnie

Tammy said...

Your unknown yellow flower sure looks like what I have here:
http://tammyinwv.blogspot.com/2010/05/allium-molly.html

Lona said...

Darla: I was so glad the milkweed seeds germinated.So did the Okra but they are spindly. I am hoping they will perk right up now that they are outdoors. I would like another chance at your hibiscus. I could have kicked myself when I saw the other growing.LOL!

Marnie:Thanks.I did get some cosmos to germinate this year for the first time after trying for years. So keep trying LOL! Some seeds drive me bananas. I know its is my fault but don't know what I am doing wrong.

Jeannie: The Blueberry Parfait is pretty and I am delighted with it. I think it is suppose to turn a darker blue on the edges as the blooms mature. In my soil though who knows. LOL

Bonnie: I have had the Lolypop lily for a few years now and it just gets better every year.

Rebecca @ In The Garden said...

Beautiful post Lona, your garden is looking wonderful. I also have trouble with seeds, I started a bunch this year, many didn't germinate. We'll see how many actually make it into the garden...Great perspective, we all feel the same way!

Helen said...

You flowers are blooming beautifully. I like that lilac colored Campanula Chettle Charm. Some of your flowers I have never seen before. I have a beautiful dark pink hydrangea that my daughter gave me, it bloomed the next year I planted it but the last two years it has not. This year is is full of buds and blooms, just started blooming. I did sprinkle some lime around it so that could be why it is. Helen

Helen said...

Did you know that you could take a limb of a hibiscus, strip the leaves all but the top few, put it in a glass fruit jar, set it in the hot sun and it will root in a few weeks? The medium size stems work best. I have rooted and given away many that I have done like that. Mine is an old one that is a dark rose pink. I would be glad to mail you some seeds if you would like to have them if the birds don't eat them first. They love those seeds. These are not the dinner plate variety but about 7 to 8 inches across. I could send you some old pictures so you can see if you like. Helen

gardeningnaturallywithclaudia.blogspot.com said...

Your photos have inspired me! I was in the destruction mode - pruning and pulling. Think I'll rethink that and just enjoy my blossoms too. I'll post them next time, although I'm not the photographer ou are. Thanks for the inspiration.
http://gardeningnaturallywithclaudia.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Love your section with the Welcome Spring sign it just looks so inviting.
I've never seen Lolipop Lilies - they are just beautiful!
You sound like me with seeds. I'm trying for the 3rd time to get the poppies to grow. They grow and then disappear. Maybe birds so I bought some flash tape and will try again!

Larry said...

I have had nikko Blue for many years... just can't bloom it here and I've tried all sorts of winter protection... I've just given up on bloom and appreciate the foliage which has such a nice fresh appearance... your photos are lovely ... Larry

Patsy said...

You made me work for this award, but was happy to do it. Thanks
Patsy

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

I had mixed success with my seeds too. I'm wondering if I'm just not that great at starting anything other than Zinnias and Cosmos. The weather hasn't been that great and most seedling have been very slow to grow.
I remember that you didn't have Hydrangea buds last year, you sure have lots now! Your garden looks beautiful. Please send some of the heat this way, it's still only in the 50's here :(

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Lona, we have such trouble in zone 5 to get the Nikko Blue Hydrangea to bloom. I can't wait to see it.

It is hard to keep up with everything when the heat hits, but it looks like your garden is doing great.

Eileen

Kimberly said...

I do love your lilies and peonies...heavenly! You have so much going on in your garden, and all of the photos look so welcoming! Yes, the heat is on, thus transforming your garden into such a blissful haven! I'm not sure I'd leave it!! Have a great weekend!

VW said...

What pretty garden scenes you have pictured! I love the lavender, grey and white combos. So cool and restful. How exciting to have your hibiscus finally sprout!

Sue McPeak said...

I'm telling you, Lona, I've never seen such a beautiful and full flower garden as you have. Your disappointments beat out my best evers.

Love all your photos especially the macro shots like the Lolypop Lily.

I've just posted some of the Texas Wildflowers I shot this spring. I hope you'll get a chance to come by and see them. The bluebonnets were fantastic this year.

Sue
http://collectintexgalphotos.blogspot.com/

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Lona...your plants and yard are gorgeous! Everything looks so healthy. I think I already commented..but it deserves another one~! lol
Mona

Pat said...

Failures germinating is a drag.
Love the fact you're not afraid to move those plants around....sometimes you just got to!
Right now ...I'd say all is looking great !

Liz said...

Hi Lona,

There's so much to look at in your garden and I'm loving the salvias, and colour mixes of blues/violets and whites/silvers. So pretty!

I wish I had as much to look at right now, but I am sure it will come!

Lona said...

Tammy: Thank you for the ID of the Allium Lolly. I wrote it down LOL!

Rebecca: This seed thing baffles me sometimes. I had tried for years to seed Zinnias and Cosmos with no luck. This year they germinated well. Go figure.

Helen: Girl you may take a limb and propagate hibiscus but it probably would not grow for me. I have tried to propagate roses and rhoddys for years too with nothing happening LOL! I would love some seeds though!! Thanks for the offer.

RG: I tried poppy seeds indoor and nothing. I do have a few coming up outside though that I sowed in February. I am hoping they continue to grow because they were seeds from a blogger too. I feel the pressure to preform LOL!

Claudia: I am sure your flowers are beautiful. We never are satisfied with our own gardens I guess. I am always moving plants to their death mostly. LOL!

Larry: So glad you dropped by. Mine usually does bloom but last spring was terrible here and just stunted all of my hydrangeas. Have a great weekend.

Patsy: Your such a trooper girl LOL! Thanks for playing along.

Catherine: This weather is so fickle this year. Sorry you are in a cold spell now. Your garden looks good in spite of it.I finally got zinnias and cosmos to germinate Yeah!!

Kimberly: The heat has made everything here to grow fast and bloom early here.
Have a wonderful weekend Kimberly.

VW: That is my favorite section of that bed. Maybe it is because of the blue and white LOL!

Sue: I will be by to check out your wildflowers. Love Lupines but they are growing so slow here in my garden.Thanks for dropping by.

Mona:Hey, I do things like that all the time. I keep trying to think of excuses. LOL! Haven't came up with a good one yet. But you are fine. Thank you for the comments and have a wonderful weekend.

Patsi: Everything would probably grow a whole lot better if I would keep my shovel in the shed LOL! Have a great weekend.

Liz: Everything will all start blooming at once before you know it. Have a wonderful weekend.

Jean Campbell said...

I didn't count, but it looks like more wins than failures. Give the peony a little compost and another year to get established. Give the red lilies some purple companions, or some blue, or some more red flowers. Another year will make them look better, too. I think you're doing wonderfully well.

Jim Groble said...

The flowers and yard look great. Love the peony. Hope you have great gardening weather this weekend. Pat and I have a bunch of containers to work on. jim

Anonymous said...

Hi Lona! You've been so busy and your garden is showing it! It's all so beautiful. I love the foxglove photo too. I have foxglove envy ~ they really don't like it here much. Your yellow Allium might be A. Moly Luteum?? I have that one and yours looks like it.
The hydrangeas are gorgeous already. I am drooling at all those bloom heads! Can't wait to see it in full bloom.
So glad your Hibiscus seeds germinated. I've had my share of frustrations with seed germination too. Last spring I had almost given up (just like you) when I decided to set my seed trays outdoors. As soon as the weather warmed, many things sprouted. It was amazing. I thought about trying it again this spring but never did get around to it. I did start cosmos and sunflowers but those germinate readily for me.
Hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Erin said...

Oh, beautiful, beautiful. The lilies are gorgeous (even the "ugly" one!) and congrats on the hibiscus.

lynn'sgarden said...

Love all your plant/color combos, Lona! The white bellflower and delphiniums will surely be quite stunning and I, for one, love the red lily!

I applaud your patience with all those seed trials...I would've thrown up my hands..lol! Anxious to see how your hibiscus seedlings do...:)
Lynn

Balisha said...

Say it isn't so...The red roses on the shed are gone...boo hoo! I loved the pictures of them... that you showed on your blog.

I could just look at these pictures over and over. So pretty.

We are in the heat too.
Balisha

Lona said...

Nell: Thank you so much. I appreciate your help and ideas so much. I will do that. It is always nice to get free help from the pros LOL!

Jim: I still have a few containers to fill yet. I kind of ran out of energy the last two days.You and Pat have a great weekend in the garden.

Kathleen: If I had known to just throw them outdoors I could have saved myself the agony of defeat LOL! This looks like a good year for hydrangeas in my garden and I am trying to wait patiently. Thanks for the plant ID. Have a wonderful Weekend!

Erin: Thanks. I The lilies may grow on me after a while. Maybe I will mix some other colors in to break them up like Nell said. If I can get the hibiscus to grow big now I will be thrilled. Thanks for dropping by and have a wonderful weekend.

Lynn: Girl I am anxious to see if they will live LOL! The blue delphiniums and white bellflowers will look good I hope together. I liked the my white astilbe with the Blue Hill salvia so I tried it again. LOL!Have a wonderful weekend.

Balisha: No, I kept the big red rose that stretched along the garage, But two others had taken over and the yellow rose turned red too so I had too much red. That rose mildews so bad I am about to get rid of it though completely. Have a great weekend.

OF SPRING AND SUMMER said...

It is always interesting to hear of the trials and tribulations of us gardeners! What I love is the positive attitude and the try and try again ethos that exists! I am impressed!
Have a good time in the garden!!
Ingrid

Rosie Nixon Fluerty said...

Lona talk about being busy - have you a list of all the things you need to move? I have moved my campanulas all over the garden - they sure take over don't they!

I think the peony needs to move to a sunnier spot but it will probably sulk for a year after moving.

Your garden is really taking shape and looks lovely already.

Have a lovely weekend Lona

Paula said...

Love all your blooms! Your Lamb's Ear is purple! Mine is yellow - I honestly dind't know till this minute they came in different colors! Amazong. My plant is huge - nearly 3 feet - love that plant. I also saw in your next post you have a "reblooming" iris - is that a special variety or do you do somthing to make it do that again? I am really curions. thanks for sharing! Paula in Idaho

Lona said...

Ingrid: I am just stubborn and bull headed LOL!It takes a lot to have me give up. Have a wonderful weekend.

leavesinbloom: They do spread but easily moved or pulled up. I am going to try adding compost to mine first and hope that does the trick. Have a great weekend.

Paula: I like their fuzzy leaves. I bet yellow is pretty. Mine has really grown this spring too and is getting big.
The reblooming irises come that way. They have been breed to bloom twice. They come up with new ones every year. I like getting more blooms for the buck. Thanks for dropping by.