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!

Barbie's Tree

This 'Sargentii' flowering crabapple tree was planted in the Spring 2007.
(date of this photo)

taken June 6, 2008

taken Sept. 30, 2008

taken April 17, 2010 (pruned)

next three photos taken Sept. 13, 2010

With Love.

Central Gardens

You would find Central Gardens in Clear Lake, Iowa. This 1/2 block area used to be the site of an old brick schoolhouse. I remember its being at this site when I was young. Several years ago, they tore the school down, and the lot sat empty and dull.

Over the past few years, it's been under development as a beautiful garden site. Reiman Gardens of Ames, Iowa has been giving direction and recommendations and this garden is becoming absolutely wonderful! Want to take a tour?

Have you ever heard of RAGBRAI?

The Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa began 39 years ago. Riders of bicycles ride from the west to the east side of Iowa - the routes vary each year.

This year it went through Clear Lake. The Art Guild of Clear Lake promoted a bicycle sculpture contest. The two photos below show the promotion.

Meet Wysteria Fairy. I'm wondering if she didn't win the contest?
Wouldn't you love this in YOUR garden? (I would!) :-)

Without further adieu, I'll walk you through the gardens.

I try to get here every time I visit my parents. There are always changes. :-)

Herbaceous Plants!

is a term that stands for non-woody plants - annuals, biennials and perennials - not trees and shrubs with woody stems and branches.

Blue-eyed Grass
Sisyrinchium montanum
(Click on these words: This is a great site for information about this plant.)

I'm smack-dab in the middle of taking the Master Gardener Training/Class sponsored by the Iowa State University Extension Service. Last evening's 3-hour session centered upon the subject of Herbaceous Perennials. I was so excited! I've been reading and reading the text ... all about my (OUR) beloved subject of "Flowers!"

Herbaceous Plants

YOU post on them all the time, too!
Don't we love our garden plants and flowers?

I brought up the subject of these little greenhouses in class last night. There was a bit of interest. I don't anticipate owning a Real greenhouse, but most of the time this little endeavor works! And, for the moment, that's good enough for me! :-)

Anticipation...

The photo below illustrates the readying of our milk jug mini-greenhouses last January.

The first set of greenhouses - outdoors during the first week of January.

These were set outdoors in January, also... but this photo was dated March 6, 2010.

May 3, 2010 - on the front deck

from the bottom towards the top: Money Plant, Gaillardia 'Fanfare,' Blackberry Lily, Tennessee Cone Flower (I think) or Joe Pye Weed (I can't tell from here).

Below:
Ligularia

Other seedlings are in the backyard... this photo of the ligularia was taken about 1 1/2 months ago. It's looking even better now...

Last year's Tennessee Cone flower seedlings

are still in their nursery bed, but they bloomed profusely this summer!

Herbaceous Perennials! Gotta Love 'em! :-)

Happy Fall!

Aint Nobody Happy if Nasty's Aren't Happy!

But, I'm not complaining today!

These Nasturtiums have shown that they Really Prefer cooler weather. They started very well this past spring. However, once summer weather arrived, even though it wasn't nearly our traditional hot, dry summer, the nasturtiums began to yellow, die back, and generally look terrible. I was quite disheartened.

However, if you click here, you can see the difference between September 9 and today!
Amazing, don't you think?

Happy Days are Here Again! :-)

These 'Spitfire' nasturtiums were provided by Renee at Renee's Garden (click here) for the "Grow Project." Thanks, Renee!

Clicking on the logo below will take you to the Grow Project where you'll find the other participants.


Thanks Mr. Green Thumb! :-)

Tongue in Cheek - Akin to Blogging? GBMD

ou, Reader

by Billy Collins, poet and Poet Laureate of US 2001-2003
author of seven collections of poetry, including this volume -
The Trouble with Poetry and Other Poems.


I wonder how you are going to feel
when you find out
that I wrote this instead of you,

that it was I who got up early
to sit in the kitchen
and mention with a pen

the rain-soaked windows,
the ivy wallpaper,
and the goldfish circling in its bowl.

Go ahead and turn aside,
bite your lip and tear out the page,
but, listen---it was just a matter of time

before one of us happened
to notice the unlit candles
and the clock humming on the wall.

Plus, nothing happened that morning---
a song on the radio,
a car whistling along the road outside---

and I was only thinking
about the shakers of salt and pepper
that were standing side by side on a place mat.

I wondered if they had become friends
after all these years
or if they were still strangers to one another

like you and I
who manage to be known and unknown
to each other at the same time---

me at this table with a bowl of pears,
you leaning in a doorway somewhere
near some blue hydrangeas, reading this.


Shady's note: Actually, I'm sitting at the computer and you may be enjoying your hydrangea... is it blue? Or is it like this below... my 'Pinky Winky' in its second year?

I know, I know.
I understand that the name is slightly silly... but the plant is not. :-)

Now visit Carolyn at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago. She began this muse. Aren't you glad?
Have a great day!