Summer 2008 Inspiration - March Posting - little revision

I'm going to post this subject a couple of days early. This is my "Summer 2008 Inspiration muse idea." It's a little untimely as far as the early seeding subject, but it's never too late for Next Year's Plans! :-)

The subject for this month is early seeding and looking ahead at upcoming landscaping plans.

Early Seeding

I've enjoyed SO many helpful and informative posts by other garden bloggers with regard to Winter seed sowing, plant propagation and starting seeds indoors. I've never before done any early seeding and feel like a real Greenhorn! (Better than a bluehorn or a purplehorn?) ha.

At any rate, Kylee at Our Little Acre has shared her Winter seed sowing techniques annually. The first time I spotted her illustrated instructions was during the 2007/08 winter. I was so pleased that she posted again This Winter! :-) This link takes you to this year's post, which links to others.

(This is the little revision of which I spoke in the title)
I hope this works, I hope this works, I hope this works!
Experiment a la Kylee!

Patsi, at Garden Endeavors, recently posted Very Helpful illustrated instructions on indoor seed starting... I've not gotten to this yet, but anticipate trying very shortly (or at least, next year!) :-)

I know there are others that have posted helpful instructions, including Doug Green at his gardening-tips-perennials.com

Just look at Jan at Thanks for 2 Day! or Mr. Brown Thumb, who has several inspiring posts - including this one!

There are also seed swappers, including Monica at Garden Faerie's Musings

***I know I've missed a lot of great gardeners and their informative posts...
please add additional links in your comments!!***

Landscaping Plans

Now, as far as landscaping plans... I Really want to work on a little fence for the raised bed gardens. I am definitely looking forward to beginning 4' (or so) sections (soon!) that can be put in place once the posts are set after the ground thaws! Hopefully you'll get the idea before long. :-)

The stone walkway I started last fall needs to be finished. This means I need to forage for more rocks and purchase a few as well. Both ends of this little walkway are unfinished. And I need to fill between the stones with a lot more (sand?) between the stones. Any suggestions?


Of course, I need to continue working in the Woodland Walk; readjusting the stone path, adding a little more dirt, compost, a few more items, etc.

Starting from the west and walking east, towards the backyard, these photos were taken at 7:00 p.m. May 29, 2008. Click on all the photos below. Some enlarge more than others.








Do you see the ligularia in the bottom left corner? (The Rocket)

Now we've reached the east end and looking back westerly over the path we've just walked.

Here's a broader picture, looking west. This is another photo taken at 7:00 p.m. May 29, 2008.

Here's a photo taken at 7:00 a.m. on July 15, 2008.
You can see the bench is now in place!

The plant in the foreground is 'Lightning Strikes' tricyrtis.
The white and green hosta is 'Night Before Christmas.'
Heartleaf Brunerra right beside the bench and Ostrich ferns behind it.

One more project would be to create something out two small beds in the front yard. The following pictures were taken May 22, 2008. The "clump Shagbark Hickory" (allowed to grow this way, but why??) was removed in August 2008.

I want to plant a (Crimson King Maple?) tree a little further to the right and a tiny bit closer to the bushes back there. The woodland out here is chiefly a variety of oaks and a few shagbark hickories, so something a little different might be nice.

These two beds aren't as far away from each other as they look. I can visualize several interesting plants here, as well as a smallish water feature of some type. Not a pond, but some recirculating water. Any suggestions?

Have a great day! As you can see, the month of April really gets us into Spring! Yea!
Nothing "shady" here! ;-)

Ladies In Waiting

Did you notice anything in the photo immediately above these words?

Perhaps the photo below will help?

This amaryllis is my second to begin growing. This is because I could wait no longer for these ladies to begin growing on their own. I brought this amaryllis bulb upstairs and began watering her. Two days later, she'd begun to sprout. Greatly encouraged, I brought the rest of the ladies upstairs and watered them!

This is amaryllis bulb "Number One." I took this picture yesterday.

And this photo was taken today.
:-)

What a difference a day makes!


Wait a minute!
You might want to scroll back up to see those first two photos again...
the ones with the ladies in waiting...



Now look closely at the photo below...
do you see a little something unusual?
Hold still...
And let me catch my breath!
;-)


What's this????

Have a great day!!!
(p.s. Do you think I should let that little "side-winder" grow, or remove the dirt and put him in another pot?)

Green Thumb Sunday

A Happy Sight

A sight to behold.

I do not know the name of this African Violet.
Would you like to help me name her?
I'd welcome your suggestion! :-)

Green Thumb Sunday
Sign up at As the Garden Grows

So, what was special about your day, today?
SG

Just a Few Buggy Buddies

Last July 17 (2008) I decided to take photos of a variety of hosta blossoms.

There are people in the world that don't appreciate them,
and I'm not exactly sure why.

I found myself taking photos of a variety of insects, too!
(and accidentally deleted some of my favorites)
But here are a few bugs and blossoms.
:-)

This crab spider looks as though he has a symbiotic friend.

Can you spot a little black ant?

Ladybug, ladybug... should you have flown?

A blossom for blossom's sake.

I thought this photo looked rather "watercolor-y."

Another looking-towards-Spring-collection!
:-)

I've Been Sorting Photographs!

And walking a bit down memory lane.

This is my sister's tree.

It had been just recently planted when this photo was taken June 20, 2007.

These are 'Lady Sheila Ann Germaney Iris' early Spring Iris bulb plantings.
These were flowering April 6, 2008 around the tree. Daffodils bloomed later.








This photo was taken April 20, 2008.

These photos were taken May 7, 2008.
I was sure the tree was outdoing itself!
:-)

This photo was taken June 8, 2008.

And this photo was taken September 30, 2008.
I didn't take a Fall photo...
it wasn't very dramatic.

Have a great day!!

Green Thumb Sunday and Garden Blogger's Bloom Day

Head to As the Garden Grows

(click below) to join:
And visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens
(click below) to
make your 15th of the month
Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day post:

I'm going to have to combine these posts in order to be able to participate in both memes!

This is blooming in my house today!

A kalanchoe.Sometimes they do well through the summer outdoors and bloom again indoors during the Winter. I'm going to see if it will work.
:-)

Have a nice day. Hope you're not suffering from eating too much chocolate yesterday!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I must admit, three valentine posts may be a "bit much," but I liked all these poems and couldn't decide on just one! :-)

Conversation Hearts

In February, bring them home,
pink, yellow, lavender
and lime pastels
BE MINE I'M YOURS
to be read by the tongue
that licks the chalk
and tastes what it spells.

I'll give you a boxful,
tasting of daphne, lupine,
mint and columbine;
a mouthful of secrets,
lovelier than whispers,
dear ones, friends
I'M YOURS BE MINE

by Nina Payne

Maybe these flowers don't quite match the poem, but don't they get you ready for those early, early Spring bouquets?

(This bouquet was created in May 2008) :-)

Happy Valentine's Day!

(The end)

Valentines

Valentines

I gave a hundred Valentines.
a hundred, did I say?
I gave a thousand Valentines
one cold and wintry day.

I didn't put my name on them
or any other words,
because my Valentines were seeds
for February birds.

by Aileen Fisher

Looking forward to a Happy Valentine's Day?
:-)

Mother's Chocolate Valentine

This image was taken from a free clip art site.

I bought a box of chocolate hearts,
a present for my mother,
they looked so good I tasted one,
and then I tried another.

They both were so delicious
that I ate another four,
and then another couple,
and then half a dozen more.

I couldn't seem to stop myself,
I nibbled on and on,
before I knew what happened
all the chocolate hearts were gone.

I felt a little guilty,
I was stuffed down to my socks,
I ate my mother's valentine...
I hope she likes the box.

by Jack Prelutsky

This easily could be my predicament. At least there's time to buy another and MAIL it right away! ;-)

There is Something Blooming today!

There is something blooming in my house.
It sneaked in through the night.
It's definitely quieter than a mouse,
But doesn't cause a fright!

Just a Surprised Shock! ;-)
I didn't realize the buds were ready.

Enter, my non-hardy Hibiscus.

(If you click on the photo, you can see pretty good detail,
considering I was holding the camera in my hand and trying not to breathe!)

Be Still My Beating Heart!

A

Green Thumb Sunday
Post!

The first of my 10 amarylis has decided to venture out of its sleepiness!
I will continue to breathe on the others!
:-)

----------------------

Also center-stage, is my second-time-blooming Christmas cactus.
The first time it bloomed (heavily!) was December 2008.
You can click to make either of these photos larger!
To participate in Green Thumb Sunday, click on the link at the top of this post.
You'll visit As the Garden Grows.
Click on the tab at the top entitled "Join GTS Meme"

Have a Wonderful Sunday!

We See-ed 'em, but I Didn't Seed 'em!

I know you're saying "Wha'?"

I'm just posting about Sedum. The common name is Stonecrop. Unfortunately I'm missing the names of a couple of the varieties. (I sure could use your help!)

The Crawlers:

Unless designated otherwise, these "crawlers" are right in front of the house, in my little rock garden type area.

The tag on this said 'Worm Grass.'

I've found it listed as Sedum Album. It is very small and has white flowers.

"Worm Grass" in bloom, next to a Moss Rose.

Sedum reflexum 'Blue Spruce'
Sedum spurium 'Dragon's Blood' on the left
Sedum Spurium 'John Creech'
I believe 'Dragon's Blood' is in the background.
This is NOT Worm Grass in the foreground.
This is much smaller than Worm Grass.
Can you help me with this, too??
(I think it has a tiny yellow flower.) The sedum below could have some height, if it stood up.
As it is, it just lies around, looking beautiful.
(It may be 'Bertram Anderson.' I planted B.A. in the front sunny bed
last Spring, but don't have photos of it yet.)This is 'Gold Carpet' Sedum. I planted this last summer in the front of the Sunny Corner Bed.

This is actually not my photo. If you click on this photo, it will take you to a site with a description of the plant. I purchased my plant locally. I hope it does well! :-)

This is the "Sunny Corner."
In the foreground, at left, is "Matrona." I'm very fond of this plant!
Mid-bed is a shorter plant called "Chablis."
In the back, to the left, is "Autumn Joy" and to the right is "Purple Emperor."
This is 'Matrona' close-up.

'Purple Emperor' stands in front of 'Autumn Joy' (hiding on the right).

This is 'Purple Emperor' up close and personal.

'Chablis' is interesting. In the Spring, half the 'Chablis' stems and leaves are pure white. They turn out to be variegated green and white (on the left). Can you tell there were two different types of blossom heads? This first photo shows them before they're in full bloom.

Interesting comparison, isn't it?
Here are the two close-up photos.

'Autumn Joy' in the backyard.

Right in front of the house, I have two taller varieties. I purchased the one on the left in Sheffield, IL (on US Highway 34) as I drove home from Michigan 1 1/2 years ago. The name tag must be hiding under the plant. I hope I can find it this Spring.

The second plant (on the right) is called 'Diamond Edge.'


name?
Can you help me?'Diamond Edge'
'Diamond Edge' taken from above. :-)

I really do like sedum! There are too many varieties, though. I think I have enough of them. ;-)