Somebody Stop The Madness

Decisions, decisions.

Easy for you maybe but anyone who knows me
knows I run things over, under and around in
my mind, even in my dreams at night until a final
decision is made on anything.
Starting in the Spring when the first flowers are
being potted or sown I am already starting a list
for the fall planting or next winters seed list.







Every new posting of the blogs that shows a flower
that is so pretty and that will grown in my zone 5
garden is added onto the never ending list of prospects.
I say never ending because just when the list is just
being whittled down to size a new variety of echinacea,
phlox or hydrangea appears on the gardening world
scene.







To add to the clutter in my mind the gardening
catalogs started arriving earlier this fall.
They all naturally have the glaring words
"New For 2010", "Spring of 2010" on each issue.
On cold, rainy evenings (when the house is clean)
we look through every page folding the pages on the
corners and marking another potential new seed
or plant that would look wonderful in the garden.
We go through them over and over again adding
some to the now 'Monster List' of plants.

And then it happens. The day fast approaches
when we have to sort through the list and finally
decide what will be ordered for winter sowing.
We set and ponder in our minds the layout of the
garden beds. Which flower will go best with the
plants we already have? Will the colors clash?
How tall will the new ones added get and where
can they be placed in the beds? Does it need more
or less sun? Will it take some partial shade?
How much room does it need to grow well in?
When is its blooming period?






Do not forget the plants in the basement.....




and the ones over wintering in the house have to
be accounted for in the decision process.



Then do not forget all of the seeds blog friends and
seed swap friends have sent are to be included
into the seed or planting frenzy.
Decisions now have to be made, it is crunch and
countdown time.
Draw up a diagram of the beds and try to
pencil them in with the plants that are already there.
Do not forget the bulbs and roots that are planted
in the bed too. You don't want to dig into them.
Scratch that seed. Cannot find a suitable place for
that bright flower, so cross it off.
But, you moan and groan "I really love that one".

Somebody has got to stop the madness!!!!

So like all practical and knowing gardeners
the decisions, diagrams, and plans are ready and
your mind is finally made up.
It is really quite simple .......

you just make another new flowerbed.




Happy Gardening Everyone!

Fingers Crossed and Seed Germination

Well some of the seeds that were sown have germinated
and are doing very well. It is so good to see things growing
again and my fingers are crossed that they will continue to
do so.I do not have the best record when it comes to the
germination and transplanting of plants.

Some of the old faithfuls that are growing are a mixture
of Impatiens,which are a staple for the many shady areas
around the house, a mix of Verbena and Duchess Light Blue
Torenia.
Rose Queen Diascia for the hanging baskets and window boxes.

I have also Blue & White Lobelia, Yellow Angel Trumpets and
Osteospurmum.



I may have to give up on the Osteospurmum because I do
not have much luck in germinating them.
The one in the basement over wintering is doing fine
so I will at least have one for the Spring.

Some new plants that I am trying this year is Red Easy Wave
Petunia, mixed Pentas and the Black Velvet Rose Geraniums.
I am excited about the Black Velvet series of Geraniums because of
the dark leaves combined with the Rose colored Geranium.
Also new for me and growing are:



Crescendo Mix Primrose



Marine Heliotrope
I have been told that Heliotrope has a great fragrance.



Regatta Rose Lobelia
I just fell in love with the color of this Lobelia.

I have many more seeds to get sowed and have determined
to get it done tomorrow. Amongst which are seeds saved from
tall Phlox, Stella de Ora Lily, Armeria, Gladioli, and some more
annuals.

Some of the seeds and plants that I have just about given up on
ever doing well for me are:
Osteospurmum, Mustead Lavender, Delphinium, Larkspur and
Moon flower vines, all of which I would dearly love to grow.
My thumb is brown when it comes to germinating and
transplanting them.

Black Currant Swirl Datura

This has been a year of "firsts" for my household
in the my love for flower gardening. Every year I spent
quite a lot on perennials and much more on all of the
annuals that were needed to fill pots and bare areas in
the flower beds to add color. After many attempts and
failures to grow them from seed directly into this heavy
clay soil that surrounds my house, I purchased a mini
greenhouse and thought to start the seeds indoors and
then planting them. I had a few disasters in starting seeds
and some great results in others. It was a learning process
and now know how to correct some of the failures and
have noted them in a plant log for future reference.

One of the seeds that I had the greatest results from
starting indoors was from another "first" or new flower,
the "Black Currant Swirl Datura". I got the seeds from a
purchase on Ebay and they all germinated very well.



I have treated them as an annual because of the cold
winters here in my zone 5 area. I put them in an assortment
of containers in all sizes because I did not know how well they
would do. They adapted to each size container
and grew to the size of the container and all are now blooming.
It does better in larger pots where it grows larger and is able
to branch out. If planted directly into beds it would grow in
leaps and branch out into 5 foot plants.




The Black Currant Swirl Datura has just stunning blooms.
The black stems adds a wonderful contrast to the plant.
The blooms are light lavender with rich purple in the center
and on the edges of petals and has a wonderful fragrance.
The blooms are 5-6 inches long and about 4 inches across.
Now that I have learned more about how it grows and what
it likes it will become addition to my garden in the future.
The seed pods will be harvested and the seeds kept for starting
next April. Next Spring I want to put some in the back of the
flower beds. The blooms do not last long, but it has many on it
so there are always some in bloom.

April Showers

April Showers are here in the Hocking Hills. Although I truly
believe they arrived two weeks prior to April.



This is my first year at attempting to germinate my own
seeds and starting them indoors for the flowerbeds. I have
planted so many packets of seeds directly only to have them
not sprout or grow at all.
It was just a waste in this old clay soil that is all around us here
in the Hills. So I purchased this little Greenhouse which I am
discovering is working out well to germinate the seeds and it
also provides humidity for the plants. It will be an added
bonus to help over-winter plants in the winter for the next
planting seasons.




Every Spring I spent too much on flowers for all of the beds and
containers that just seem to keep growing in number every year.
So if the plants all survive my learning attempts it will save money,
which will most likely go to more containers, planters and the junk
gardening ideas. It is an unending, vicious circle but, hey, can one
have "too"many flowers?




The answer to that old question may turn out to be "Yes"
because I am also learning that maybe I should not have
planted that whole packet of Geranium, Petunia and Verbena
seeds. The three packets of Impatiens will fit in all of the shady
areas in the yard, but "My Lands" where do I put them all until
it is warm enough to plant them! Yes, my plants are slowly taking
over the house.Hopefully warm weather will come early to the
Hills and stay around. Also I have learned that even with the self
watering trays and the greenhouse that I probably should not
purchase anymore Osteospurmum seeds because only two
seedlings have survived and I need to try to find out what I did
wrong to cause their young demise.