The storm appears to have weighed down the daffodils
Showing posts with label flower. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flower. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Peeking Over
Haha! This weekend I went outside and saw this sunflower peeking over from my neighbor's yard. It is full size but is along the edge of their house across an otherwise empty yard twice as big as mine, which is why the perspective makes it look so tiny in the photo.
Ever get the feeling you're being watched?
Hmmm... now I want to grow sunflowers too! They're so cheery. But I have a feeling that Scrub Jay would peck the heck out of it before I could harvest anything (which is what is happening to a friend's sunflower this week)... he already shakes all the smaller seed out of his bird feeder to get to the sunflower seeds, and is pecking apples off the tree.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Stinky Plant
There is a plant which is the best yet the worst plant in the garden. Between the front & back yard, there are 5 large bushes of it. It is herbaceous, with a woody stem on the old growth.
Pros:
- Hummingbirds LOVE LOVE LOVE this plant. Its bright red-pink flowers attract them like nothing else, and they are constantly in the backyard, nearly ignoring the hummingbird feeder.
- Let's not forget that bees & bumblebees (and carpenter bees in the front yard) love it just as much... and with honeybees in decline, it's considered a good deed to keep them happy.
- It is quite lovely, with thick fresh green foliage and a plethora of flowers.
- Drought-resistant!
- Growth is astounding, so cutting it back once a month (or more!) is necessary to keep it from going crazy. Never have I encountered such a vigorous plant. Cutting it so frequently has literally made a constant supply of fresh flowers since late winter.
Cons:
- It has the most offensive smell of any plant I have ever smelled, hence the nickname Stinkyplant. My husband agrees! The smell isn't so bad when you're next to the plant, but if your clothes rub it the scent becomes overpowering. I can't continue to wear contaminated clothing, and being stuck in the limited air space of a car with contaminated clothes is pretty horrific.
- Growth is astounding. No matter how much I cut it back, it is always encroaching into the places where we need to walk, so it is easy to brush up against it. I have measured 6" of growth in a week after a chopping. I would kill this thing if it was allowed (we're renting) and if the wildlife didn't love it so much.
My mother-in-law has suggested that it is a type of salvia, but I cannot find anything on it. I'll bring it in to work next time to see if either of my coworkers might know what it is.
Do you know?
Lovely... but beyond gross!
Pros:
- Hummingbirds LOVE LOVE LOVE this plant. Its bright red-pink flowers attract them like nothing else, and they are constantly in the backyard, nearly ignoring the hummingbird feeder.
- Let's not forget that bees & bumblebees (and carpenter bees in the front yard) love it just as much... and with honeybees in decline, it's considered a good deed to keep them happy.
- It is quite lovely, with thick fresh green foliage and a plethora of flowers.
- Drought-resistant!
- Growth is astounding, so cutting it back once a month (or more!) is necessary to keep it from going crazy. Never have I encountered such a vigorous plant. Cutting it so frequently has literally made a constant supply of fresh flowers since late winter.
Cons:
- It has the most offensive smell of any plant I have ever smelled, hence the nickname Stinkyplant. My husband agrees! The smell isn't so bad when you're next to the plant, but if your clothes rub it the scent becomes overpowering. I can't continue to wear contaminated clothing, and being stuck in the limited air space of a car with contaminated clothes is pretty horrific.
- Growth is astounding. No matter how much I cut it back, it is always encroaching into the places where we need to walk, so it is easy to brush up against it. I have measured 6" of growth in a week after a chopping. I would kill this thing if it was allowed (we're renting) and if the wildlife didn't love it so much.
I wish every plant grew as easily as this one.
My mother-in-law has suggested that it is a type of salvia, but I cannot find anything on it. I'll bring it in to work next time to see if either of my coworkers might know what it is.
Do you know?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Bloom
Look what's been happening while I've been distracted by garlic and worms!
The apple tree has begun to flower... I'm surprised that there are more flower buds than leaves!
I was told that these vines were "decorative grapes"... but after seeing these flowers my father thinks it's a wisteria.
Can anybody identify these tiny flowers?
The crocus opens
A daffodil is getting ready
Apple beginnings
The apple tree has begun to flower... I'm surprised that there are more flower buds than leaves!
The whole porch will be doused in purple soon
I was told that these vines were "decorative grapes"... but after seeing these flowers my father thinks it's a wisteria.
These seemed to pop up all at once!
Can anybody identify these tiny flowers?
Monday, April 19, 2010
Itching for Action
I want to get these raised beds in sooooo badly! There are numerous things standing in my way... husband stuck in another country due to a volcano (I promised to do the building with him), a cast on my foot for a torn tendon (makes the digging awkward), lack of an appropriately-sized shovel. It is suddenly bright, warm, sunny weather, and I needed to do something this weekend though!
Instead, I have trimmed back all the plants that had started to intrude on the stone pathway... barberry, something that attracts hummingbirds but smells horrible on your clothes, some large grass-thing, and very very overgrown lavender. I should have done it before their growth spurt began, and I did a little bit, but I had NO idea how much they'd spill over once they got started! It's always so hard for me to cut back plants because I feel like I must be hurting them, but this time I felt strangely inspired (cabin fever?) and it was very easy. The only thing that needed massive trimming which I left alone is the rosemary... I need to start cooking with it before it becomes sentient, or at least cut and dry some once the weather gets a bit warmer.
At the end of my trimming expedition, I turned around to see a grey-haired lady in a blue-purple (with pink highlights) muumuu staring blankly at me. I blinked, and she was gone. .... I need to remember to stay hydrated after a few hours of sweating in the sun! Hahaha.... haha....... ha. Ahem.
I also weeded quite a bit... after a month of weed neglect, they were trying to take over! I had at least kept everything around the zucchini plucked though, except for two plants that I thought looked like scarlet pimpernel, which was my favorite flower during early childhood. Turns out I was right:
What were you up to this weekend?
Instead, I have trimmed back all the plants that had started to intrude on the stone pathway... barberry, something that attracts hummingbirds but smells horrible on your clothes, some large grass-thing, and very very overgrown lavender. I should have done it before their growth spurt began, and I did a little bit, but I had NO idea how much they'd spill over once they got started! It's always so hard for me to cut back plants because I feel like I must be hurting them, but this time I felt strangely inspired (cabin fever?) and it was very easy. The only thing that needed massive trimming which I left alone is the rosemary... I need to start cooking with it before it becomes sentient, or at least cut and dry some once the weather gets a bit warmer.
Trimmed the barberry by at least 1/2 its width, but not by height (1/3rd of the height is new growth this spring already). It used to be all red, but after the trim you can see a lovely gradation from green to red tips. This thing is thorny, thank goodness for leather-palmed gardening gloves!
At the end of my trimming expedition, I turned around to see a grey-haired lady in a blue-purple (with pink highlights) muumuu staring blankly at me. I blinked, and she was gone. .... I need to remember to stay hydrated after a few hours of sweating in the sun! Hahaha.... haha....... ha. Ahem.
I also weeded quite a bit... after a month of weed neglect, they were trying to take over! I had at least kept everything around the zucchini plucked though, except for two plants that I thought looked like scarlet pimpernel, which was my favorite flower during early childhood. Turns out I was right:
I have such a weak spot for scarlet pimpernel. <3 They're such an unusual blend of cheery color.
What were you up to this weekend?
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Flower Surprise!
The schedule for this blog is Monday/Wednesday/Friday... but I just couldn't help posting a quick note, because otherwise I wouldn't be able to show you everything in a timely manner! Look what popped up a bit ago:
Two of the Japanese maples had been in the care of an aunt for the past two years, and we put them in the backyard as soon as we moved to a place that actually HAS a backyard. There was something special waiting for us in one of the pots that came out when we moved them to the right level of sun. I asked her what they are, and she said they are crocuses... and that she'd planted a few other surprises. Hello, spring!
Do you have any flowers in your garden yet?
Purple buds
Two of the Japanese maples had been in the care of an aunt for the past two years, and we put them in the backyard as soon as we moved to a place that actually HAS a backyard. There was something special waiting for us in one of the pots that came out when we moved them to the right level of sun. I asked her what they are, and she said they are crocuses... and that she'd planted a few other surprises. Hello, spring!
Do you have any flowers in your garden yet?
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