saifai: (Default)
saifai ([personal profile] saifai) wrote2011-04-02 12:47 pm
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Spring Growth

Last year our winter season lasted so long that the spring flowers struggled to come up in early June, but by that point it was too late. None of our flowers bloomed last year. I'm afraid the ones that needed to come to seed won't come back up. My Black Knight delphiniums for one. I've had them come back every year for the past... 10 years or so. It may be a first if they don't do it again this year.



The winter was very cold this year, but it's finally starting to warm up again. It's not snowing much anymore, and even gets up to 55 or so some days. Our lilies are coming up really good, as is the bleeding heart. So there is hope we may actually have flowers this year.





Ooh! And I'm wanting to replant my garden in a new design. One of my magazines had offered several garden plans free this year. And yet another one had construction plans for several simple garden accessories (raised tiered flower beds, garden benches, etc.). So we shall see. Anything that can help draw me out of my funk and get me interesting in something (anything) again is a good thing.

[identity profile] fantomeq.livejournal.com 2011-04-02 08:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Beautiful lilies! I miss Idaho flowers. There are a lot of different types around here, and they always seem to get black spot from the rain. Also, I'm fed up with the moss in the flower beds. Provided the sprinklers worked right, things grew better in Idaho. I'll love to see what you plant this year.
ext_74119: (Mike A-OK)

[identity profile] saifai.livejournal.com 2011-04-02 08:21 pm (UTC)(link)
That'd be a tough transition. We're such a dry area, the shock in differences for gardening practices would kill me.

Mom and I have been planning to xeriscape the yard. We've got a lot of native flowering plants, shrubs, and trees that all work great in this type of area. We're only making a few changes this year, but I'm looking forward to it. I'll have to post some pictures once a few things (hopefully) grow out and bloom this summer.

[identity profile] fantomeq.livejournal.com 2011-04-02 08:37 pm (UTC)(link)
It is different. I was excited that camellias grow here, but I killed the two I bought. It rains nine months of the year but is arid the other three. I have to wonder why all the pioneers thought here is so great, LOL!

On the upside, Portland weeds are less prickly and large, but they do grow all year long.

There are some beautiful wild flowers in Boise. Are you considering growing echinacea?
ext_74119: (Mike A-OK)

[identity profile] saifai.livejournal.com 2011-04-02 08:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Not sure that weed situation is an upside, but every positive thought counts, eh?

Love wildflowers in general. We've got a few in mind to try out. One of our front flower beds Mom wants to just get a bunch of seeds and starts for flowers that grow wild in some areas and just let them have at it. Echinacea was of course one of them. It's purple!

[identity profile] fantomeq.livejournal.com 2011-04-02 08:53 pm (UTC)(link)
There was a particular Boise weed that grew tall with huge prickles and had white sap that came out of when it was broken. I was glad to see that one go. :)

I can't wait to see how they turn out. We put in some periwinkles last year, and they look so pretty. I'm looking forward to the blossoms on my fruit trees soon. I'll probably take the girls to get some annuals like pansies.
ext_74119: (Alien Aaah (Base by little_needle))

[identity profile] saifai.livejournal.com 2011-04-02 08:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, milk weed I believe. I hate the bloody things. They've got tap roots and are damn near impossible to remove. HATE!

Periwinkles sound lovely. Pansies are a particular favorite too. In our last house we had a big wooden barrel by the front door filled to the brim with pansies. Would love to do something like that again.

[identity profile] fantomeq.livejournal.com 2011-04-02 09:51 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm allergic to them. The milky stuff made horrible hives.

Snow pansies are popular here. They bloom most of the year. LOL, I kill things that grow in barrels and pots. I think it's because the container heats up the roots.

[identity profile] velvetwhip.livejournal.com 2011-04-02 09:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Pretty!!!!


Gabrielle

[identity profile] chicken-cem.livejournal.com 2011-04-03 04:15 am (UTC)(link)
How beautiful! Is your garden all flowers, or are you planting vegetables also?

We only have a tiny apartment balcony, but we try to plant as many vegetables as possible. It's amazing what you can shove into a container garden. Not just herbs, but tomatoes, peppers, even small carrots, as well as lettuce, arugula, spinach, etc.
ext_74119: (Monday Again (secondverse))

[identity profile] saifai.livejournal.com 2011-04-03 08:19 pm (UTC)(link)
We do a mix of flowers, greenery, and vegetables. We like to plant fresh herbs in pots, and we have a raised bed for garden salad type stuff. Usually we include peppers, tomatoes, and etc.

[identity profile] chicken-cem.livejournal.com 2011-04-04 04:26 am (UTC)(link)
That's wonderful. Spring is just SO exciting!

Hoping to have my say

(Anonymous) 2011-04-13 11:04 am (UTC)(link)
Hi - I am really happy to discover this. Good job!