B - ABC Wednesday -B - I WON!

ABC Wednesday is now in its 12th round.  Click on the logo to view posts by many other bloggers!

This week, we celebrate the letter:

Some time Before Christmas,

after a run through the house,

I sprang to my computer

just as quiet as a mouse ...

When what to my wondering eye

should appear

But a post by C (Carolyn) Binder -

told of Give-way Cheer!

(SG note: To view Carolyn Binder's post ("Ten Days of Holiday Giveaways for Gardeners") of  December 9, 2012  --- click the date). 

 The temptation to enter?   

Too great to resist.

I typed a short comment, 

crossed my fingers, and then . . . 

. . . performed "Christmas Business,"
Giving nary a thought to the contest 

I'd entered --- and yet,

Bless My Soul, an e-mail.

'Twas an e-mail from Carolyn.

The great contest spinner ... 

an e-mail that stated, get this!

I was a WINNER!

By Gosh and By Golly,

I was truly Jolly!

But the nicest of all ---

a Beautiful prize by Steve Asbell  

(click his name to link to his blog and relevant post).

I received his Epiphyllum Burst last week.

Basking!

SG

A - ABC Wednesday - A

This is the first ABC Wednesday post in round #12.  Click on THIS LINK to view the blog posts by others.  Enjoy!
  You could also click on the logo in the right side bar.
 
A is for 

Anticipation!

I recently created several milk jug greenhouses, see photo below.

Each jug houses approximately 2" of potting soil and several seeds that need stratification prior to germinating next Spring.

These greenhouse are each cradling 10 -14 Jack-in-the-Pulpit seeds.

(Arisaema triphyllum)

Two greenhouses have been planted with seeds we found on our land.

The other seeds were a Christmas present from Mr. Shady.  

He purchased them.

We'll see which seeds have a better germination rate.  

:-)

Don't know how to do this?

1.  Rinse an empty milk jug and create several drainage holes in the bottom.

2.  With a sharp knife or scissors, cut a line from one side of the bottom of the handle, clear around to the other side of the bottom of the handle.  The point at which the jug halves are connected becomes your "hinge."

3.  Put approximately two inches or so of potting soil in the bottom of each jug.

4.  Plant your seeds.  At this point, you can make a plant marker indicating the type of seeds planted.

5.  Close the greenhouse with duct tape.

6.  You can also mark the outside of the greenhouse with permanent marker.  Oftentimes, however, the marker will fade by Spring.  Not always.  However, having label inside AND outside is a great idea!

7.  Throw away the milk jug lid.   Precipitation (winter snow) will enter through the opening.

8.  Place outdoors in a sheltered spot, such as near a raised bed, near the house foundation (as long as the jugs receive precipitation!), where they cannot be blown away by the wind!

 (These are from two years ago)

 

Of course, we're creating 

ANTICIPATION!

This coming spring, you should see something like this!

 

All photos shown (except for the first one) were taken in previous years ... some during a session I led in a fourth grade classroom January 20, 2011. 

This is Definitely NOT a shady subject!  

 Just presented by Shady Gardener (yours truly). 

Do I want to begin 2013 still receiving HUGE numbers of Spam Comments??

Are you receiving large amounts of spam comments?  I'm using Comment Moderation, meaning all the comments are placed "in limbo" until I either delete or allow them to be posted.

Are you experiencing this same problem?  I wonder what you're doing to cope?

The only thing I can think of is to change my web address... what do you think?

Now THIS is a "shady" subject! 

:-)
SG

A late addition to the Hospital Garden

You can see part of the beautiful trellis recently added.  Clematis will be planted here next Spring.

Also, you get a close-up of the mailbox placed in the garden.  This will be a repository for garden gloves, hand tools and a journal for keeping track of notes, dates and work completed.  :-)

Yes, there's a "flag" to be raised when a note is left.  :-)

Nothing shady here.
SG

My Last Floral Bouquet of the Season?

This post and its contents are property of http:yardisgreen.blogspot.com

It dropped 45 degrees today... and we received a little more rainfall.  Rain is very good.  We've been through drought conditions for way too long.

Here's a photo of the bouquet in the kitchen window.

A little closer look below...

FYI:  Three Springs ago, I started seedlings from gaillardia 'Fanfare.' 

Seedlings from this hybrid variety do not reproduce the parent strain.

However, you might see that a couple of flowers have partially LENT themselves

to a 'Fanfare' inclination.

The variation in color was not as pronounced as the first couple of years, however.

It's still a beautiful bouquet.  The late-blooming phlox is due to the fact that I partially dug out plants this past Spring, leaving a few to fend for themselves.  :-)

Not Shady... just a happy note for a rather bleak day.

Trees and Color and RAIN! Oh, My!

We were in NE Iowa this past weekend, and saw sites like this!

This photo was taken Thursday, as the skies were beginning to become overcast.

Do you see the brightly-colored falling leaf??

 

 The next 4 photos were taken at variou spots on a trail

at Pike's Peak.  MY it was cold!!!

(This is Bridal Veil Falls.)

Photos from a trail at Effigy Mounds.

Do you see the mounds below?

Perhaps 6th graders? on a field trip to Effigy Mounds.

 Now... out my window today...

No sunshine, but Look At the Color!!

And THIS is what it looked like this morning!  It was still raining, and the leaves

were WET!  (Something that has rarely happened this year.)

When we arrived home Saturday evening, we'd received 3 1/4" of rain.

We left the gauge alone, and by noon the gauge read 5 (Five!) inches of rainfall!

An answer to prayer

and a dream come true!

Something New... in a "backyard nursery"

Just waiting to be planted this coming Spring . . . Check out these new plants!

  

After all, both my next-door-neighbor-friend and I felt the need to perk ourselves up after the immense, behemoth machinery left our backyards...

Sweetspire "Little Henry"

Itea virginica 'Sprich'

I'm really looking forward to enjoying these little fellows next year.  The tag said they thrive in full sun to full shade.  Guess I can satisfy those conditions!  :-)

It's described as an excellent companion to Hosta and other large-leafed plants.  Check!

Enjoys evenly moist to wet soils... (will have to water periodically!) and prefers acidic soils.  I can also handle this!

Late Spring/Early Summer brings prolific white blossoms that attract hummingbirds and butterflies.  Foliage color is a rich green that turns orange- to burgandy-red in the Fall.  Oh, Yes!!

'Little Henry' will grow 2-3 feet tall and 3 feet wide.  Sounds like a sweet butterball!

It is hardy in Zone 5 (yes!)  and is the recipient of the Ohio Nursery Association Plant Selection Award.  Good!

If it needs to be pruned at all, it should be done right after it finishes blooming.   Guess I can handle that, too.

Over-all, what do YOU think?