Garden Blogger's Bloom Day - Dec. 15, 2010

Perhaps you recall the earlier post (see below or click this link)

where I described some gifts made for friends and neighbors
(for their birds and other wildlife).

I sneaked over to a neighbor-friends' house
(they're both friends)
to see how their gift was faring.

In only a couple of days, it's already showing signs of
happiness!
:-)

And speaking of happiness...
the photo below makes me Very Happy!

My dad made this plywood cutout quite a number of years ago,
and he placed it in their northern Iowa yard at Christmas-time!

He offered it to me and we worked out a way to bring it
to my SE Iowa home this summer!

JOY TO THE WORLD!

And peace. And hope.
And thoughtfulness.
And love.

May we all be celebrating and readying for celebrating Christmas (already) again this year!
SG

GB Muse Day - November 1, 2010

Beautiful colors paint the blue sky,
Colder temps coming; as swift they draw nigh.

Leaves are tumbling to cover the ground,
whirling and mounding, without a sound.

Rejoice with the beauty as outdoors we tend
our final duties as Fall nears its end.

(best wishes from yours truly)

Visit Carolyn Gail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago to see who else is participating in her Garden Blogger's Muse Day.

Wishing you beauty.
SG

Green Thumb Sunday, October 17, 2010

What's blooming today, you ask? Okay! I'll give you a little glimpse. ;-)

This is 'Fanfare' Gaillardia.

I really like it. I recently learned, from a nurseryman, that gaillardia are such prolific bloomers that they tend to bloom themselves to death. Consequently, they're treated more like an annual than a perennial... unless you're diligent about deadheading all the spent flower heads (and perhaps removing a bud from time-to-time!

Last Fall, I harvested some of the seeds and in January, I placed them outdoors in the miniature milk jug greenhouses. Do a little search here. You'll find several posts on this seed-sowing method! At any rate... check out the next two photos. As I might have suspected, the offspring did not return true to the hybrid. But that's okay. They're still Very Attractive! :-)

Offspring #1

Offspring #2

You've seen a lot of posts this Summer on the nasturtiums.
Here's one more photo of each of my plants. They are "going crazy" in this cooler weather!
:-)

Had I not been involved in The Grow Project,
I may have gotten rid of these plants long ago!

Yes, this is a close-up of the nasturtium in the Sunny Corner Bed, but you might notice a new baby has come to live out there. Aster 'Woods Purple' is another low-growing aster (12-16") that will neighbor 'Alert!'

In the shady backyard beds, hosta 'Red October' began blooming during the last two weeks of September and continues. (Mr. Shady's birthday is in October.)

Cimifuga racemosa is a definite late-bloomer! It's just now getting ready.

Ah, those anemones. Anemone japonica 'September Charms' just go on and on.

Forgive this blurry photo - it's Tricyrtis formonosa 'Autumn Glow.'
These are definitely the last blossoms... notice the nice leaf edgings.
This was a June 2010 gift from Iowa Boy.

Back in front of the house, two miniature roses are outdoing themselves.

An errant snapdragon.

The "Best 'til last!"
I completely forgot to plant my gladiola bulbs this Spring!
Instead, when I discovered them, I planted them in mid/late July...
and look what happened this morning! (Oct. 14, 2010)

Tah-dah!

:-)
Made my day!

Best wishes to you this day!

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day - Sept. 15, 2010

How Did We?

How did we meet September midst?
When all the while we wandered
through the days that led to this...
It does quite make one ponder.

I look to what seems Nature's best
in beauty, yet so tender . . .
All things grow, mature and rest
while I can only wonder.

--by yours truly

Please click on each photo for a very nice close-up!

Stonecrop, Sedum 'Neon Lights'

closeup - another set of plants

Stonecrop, Sedum 'Diamond Edge'

Sunny Corner Bed

left corner: Butterfly Bush 'Adonis Blue', Phlox "Mattie"(not a cultivar name);
center: Eupatorium, Joe Pye Weed 'Little Joe', Russian sage, Aster 'Alert', late-planted glads;
and way back there: Stonecrop, sedum 'Matrona'

This is probably one of the latest posts on this beautiful day. Please visit Carol at May Dreams Garden to see who is participating in this, her meme.

Green Thumb Sunday, September 12, 2010

Color combos? Bright green hosta, two-toned ajuga, and this cute sedum (for which I have no name).

S. 'Vera Jamison' (Thanks Grace!)

A few tricyrtis (toad lilies)

'Tricirtis hirta'

The plant grows tall here.

'Gilt Edge'

'Tojen'

'Taipei Silk' with unnamed hosta

Anemone japonica 'September Charms'

This is 'Lightning Strikes' which I nearly lost last year... getting ready to bloom.

'Red October' Hosta - the last to bloom here.

Little scene with houseplants and hosta

"from seed" ligularia from Jim Groble
(a two-liter bottle fits into this cone for watering when necessary)

Happy Sunday!

Green Thumb Sunday - August 29, 2010

Just a little drumroll...

not a lot of fanfare...

Thought you might like to see a few of what's blooming around here today.

'Fanfare' gailllardia

Chelone oblique - 'Turtlehead'

Susie Scare-the-birds with her flower baskets.

a blurry photo of Rudbekia 'Goldsturm'

One planter created by Mr. Shady and . . .

. . . the second planter . . .

Do your impatiens re-seed?
This is only One of the places where they decided to add a sweet surprise to my life!

Gerbera Daisy

'Seiryu' Toad Lily

'Blue Wonder' Toad Lily

Another photo of 'Quickfire' Hydrangea

'Diamond Edge' Sedum with volunteer impatiens

I've been advertising a special broadcast by PBS' "Sid the Science Kid." There are seven upcoming episodes to be broadcast in honor of grandparents. Please check back here on September 1st. I've prepared a little "commercial message" in honor of these episodes. (Also in honor of grandparents, of whom I am one, and parents everywhere.)

Perhaps, after you read this post, you will help advertise this series? And perhaps you will enter this little give-away by PBS personnel?

Have a wonderful day!

Green Thumb Sunday - March 14, 2010

This hibiscus has been sitting quietly all Winter.

Good morning! :-)

Click the logo above to participate in this meme and to see other posts.