| Posted on Saturday, August 30, 2003 - 05:34 pm: |   |
It’s been a hot, dry month in Wisconisn. I’ve been watering almost every day. Here is a list of what’s blooming well on August 30, 2003. Today I fertilized the tomatoes, staked some plants that were flopping, started a new “plant tag” ring binder. Just saw a squirred with 3 black walnuts in his mouth from our tree. What a sight, wish I could have gotten the camera fast enough. Now it’s out to dinner for Mexican food and Margaritas!
Late August Delights:
Annuals:
Anagalis - Gentian Blue
Angelonia - purple and white
Browallia – ‘Starlight Blue’
Cobaea Scandens
Convolvulvus - Blue Ensign
Dahlias – always a good time for them
Impatiens – Cancun Mix
Nasturtium ‘Tip Top Velvet’
Nicotiana - lime green
Salvia - Victoria Blue
Zinnia - Green Envy
Perennials:
Anemones – gangbusters right now
Aster – Stokesia ‘Purple Parasols’ –
Clematis – ‘Blue Bell’ – still blooming
Delphinium ‘Bellamosum’ –reblooming now
Geranium 'Jolly Bee' – going on 4 months of continuous blooms
Heucheras – beautiful foliage in the shade garden
Rudbeckia – not a favorite but blooming like crazy – considering moving it all next spring
Bulbs:
Caladium – bought a huge box of bulbs from Sam’s Club this year and I’m loving the green and white ones planted with the hydrangeas
Shrubs:
Hydrangea ‘Frau Taiko’
Hydrangea arborescens
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| Posted on Monday, September 01, 2003 - 08:36 pm: | |
Wow, September 1. I'm sad to see the start of the months that end in "ber"!
Went into the city last night to take in the sights and sounds of "Harley Fest" - the huge 100th anniversary celebration Harley Davidson motorcyle. What a great time. Elton John played at the lakefront and the number of bikes in town was amazing - estimated at 250,000!
Today I recorded my containers to recall what pleased me this year.
I like this mix of angelonia, brocade-leaf geranium and nemesia.
This container also has angelonia, an ivy-leaf geranium, and a bacopa.
I love the "Million Bells" petunia in the front container.
There's something about nasturium - so simple but pretty and carefree - blue torenia in the front - also some newly potted mums.
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| Posted on Wednesday, September 03, 2003 - 04:16 pm: | |
I can't believe what I did yesterday. I actually bought annuals! I was looking for end-of-the-season bargains on perennials and saw some Lisianthus that had gorgeous pink blooms and figured, what the heck, they're 75% off, I'll see what they do in the next month or so and maybe next year I'll buy some more in the spring.
Today I ordered 2 new clematis - Silver Moon and Emelia Plater. Ordered a larger size so they will be able to get adjusted before the first freeze. I'm very excited about these.
Watered the tomatoes and all the flower beds today. The dry spell continues but I can't complain because the temperature and humidity have been so ideal lately. |
| Posted on Wednesday, September 10, 2003 - 08:19 pm: | |
Still no rain! I can't remember having such a long time without a rain shower. The hoses seem like a permanent addition to the yard (wouldn't it be wonderful to have underground sprinklers!).
Been busy with birthdays lately. Had two fun birthday celebrations last weekend, DD and MIL. Took DD to Chicago for shopping and dinner. Saw the most beautiful plantings of coleus I've ever seen on North Michigan Avenue - wish I would have remembered the camera!
What I've bought recently:
Clematis - Silver Moon
Clematis - Emilia Plater
Clematis - Montana Rubens (I must be nuts)
Phlox - Laura (blue flowers with white eye!)
Phlox - Miss Kelly
Geranium - Ballerina
Geranium - Mrs. Kendall Clarke
Geranium - Buxton's Variety
Helleborus - 3 varieties
Bloodroot
Tree Peony - Shimanishiki
Huge box of double flowering tulips from Sams
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| Posted on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 02:40 pm: | |
Rain - at last!! It's going to be a nice, long, soaking rain too - maybe 2-3 days. We need it badly. Many lawns are parched and brown. Of course it had to come on the weekend - we have an outdoor lobster boil tomorrow and a Packers game on Sunday!
I'm so happy I got my new geranium, phlox and Icicle pansies in the ground this morning before the rain came. |
| Posted on Monday, September 15, 2003 - 08:24 pm: | |
After three days of rain it was a beautiful, sunny and cool day. Tonight's
temperatures will get down to about 50 degrees.
Today I bought two big, beautiful Jackson and Perkins roses bushes at half price -
Morden Blush (has been on my list since seeing Monique's photos) and
Grand Prize which is so beautiful. This will be my first attempt at growing roses!
Also bought a new hosta and a gas plant. |
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 07:55 pm: | |
What I have planted in the last week:
The two new roses, Morden Blush and Grand Prize,
clematis Emilia Plater and Silver Moon,
I also planted Kaveh's Angelica seeds and Jodi's Lupine seeds outside.
The tomatoes plants are still producing beautifully and I'm certain it's due in part to the hot, dry August.
Tonight I used one whole can of hornet blaster on the hornet nest outside our front door.
Off to Cleveland tomorrow morning. |
| Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 - 07:27 pm: | |
Last night I had to cover my tomatoes and tried to cover as many flowers as possible - the first frost. I'm trying to save the dahlias as long as possible.
Tonight (October 1) it will be even colder, a freeze warning. This may be the end - we'll see tomorrow morning - I have lots of plastic and sheets out there tonight!
Squirrels keep digging up the areas where I planted Kaveh's and Jodi's seeds - rascals! I keep smoothing over the dirt and hoping for the best. |
| Posted on Tuesday, October 07, 2003 - 09:35 pm: | |
Three frosts now. All the tender annuals are done, a few hardy ones ane hanging on. Today was a beautiful 80 degrees. I planted the first phase of my $3 perennial booty (Another Betty Corning, The President, Sweet Autumn) and some peonies. Tomorrow will bring more work in the garden after another trip to buy more $3 perennials. A very good day! |
| Posted on Monday, October 13, 2003 - 08:24 pm: | |
Much wonderful work in the garden. I've completed adding all my wonderful $3 bargain plants.
Hopefully, they'll make it to see 2004!
Here's the list:
Clematis:
1. Betty Corning (2)
2. The President
3. Venosa Violacea
4. Duchess of Edinburgh
5. Unknown (Hoping Comtesse de Bouchard)
6. Unknown (I think it’s The President or General Sikorski)
Other Perennials:
7. Aconitum ‘Cammarum Pink Sensation’
8. Aubrieta ‘Whitewell Gem’
9. Blue Oat Grass (2)
10. Brunnera Macrophylia (5)
11. Cimicifuga White Pearl
12. Epimedium Versicolor Sulphureum
13. Pulmonaria 'Janet Fisk' (4)
14. Pulmonaria 'Diana Clare' (2)
15. Pulmoniaria 'Raspberry Ice' (2)
16. Tiarella Running Tapestry
17. Tiarella Pink Brushes
18. Tiarella Brandywine (2)
19. Variegated Solomon’s Seal
20. Wooly Thyme (2)
21. Ranunculus ‘Buttered Popcorn’
Peonies
22. Japanese Tree Peony 'Hoki'
23. Japanese Tree Peony 'Yagumo'
24. Japanese Tree Peony 'Hana Kisoi'
25. Shirley Temple (2)
26. Duchess de Nemours (2)
27. Bowl of Beauty
28. Sara Bernhardt (2)
29. Krinkled White
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 15, 2003 - 07:38 pm: | |
I was weak. I went back to see what was left at the nursery for $3. Would you believe there were NEW clematis out on the table! When I checked out I asked why there were new clematis. I was told they had been in the storage area because they didn't feel they were presentable until now. Asked if I wanted to go into the storage area to look at the rest of the clematis I could hardly contain myself. Those I selected from the storage area were given to me for only $1 because they were from last year! Here is what I brought home today:
Madame Julia Correvon
Macropetala Blue
Pink Fantasy ($1)
Elsa Spath ($1)
Rhapsody ($1)
Ramona ($1)
Will Goodwin
Guernsey Cream
Lady Betty Balfour
Alpina Blue Dancer
Montana Elizabeth ($1)(I know, I know, but for $1?)
And so it continues...I'm going to have to start thinking of creative ways to plant clematis. I think I can deal with this dilema!
Oh Happy Day!
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| Posted on Sunday, October 19, 2003 - 07:41 am: | |
Called the manager at the nursery to see if she would sell more of their storage clematis for $1. Yes! (They really don't want to over-winter them). So I went back last Thursday. Here is what I brought home for a buck each:
Elsa Spath
Macropetala Blue (2)
Ramona
Rhapsody
Macropetala Markham's Pink
Guernsey Cream
Dr. Ruppel
She also sold a geranium to me for $1 that we think is Max Frei but there was no label. Worth waiting to see. She has Rozanne ordered for next spring (Yea).
Afterward, I drove to my "old" favorite nursery to poke around and found they had their Jackson & Perkins roses in 5 gallon pots marked down to $5 each. This is what I bought there:
Grand Prize (I love the first one I bought at half price)
Flirtatious
English Sachet
Guinevere
Yesterday (Saturday) I did lots of work in the garden. I planted Will Goodwin and one Elsa Spath next to the railing at the top of the front stairs. I hope I get a beautiful blue display like Deb's CdB. Planted one Elsa Spath and Alpina Blue Dancer below a small tree in the front garden (after topping off some large branches), and planted 2 Macro Blues in a dwarf lilac. I also dug up and divided salvias and veronicas and moved them a little farther back in the border.
Today I will work on the remaining clematis and the roses. I'm going to plant some of the clematis around the new roses and see what happens. The rest of the clematis will go in the front border to ramble about. If that doesn't work, next year I'll start looking for obelisks! |
| Posted on Sunday, October 26, 2003 - 09:47 am: | |
Yesterday was a busy day in the garden. I pulled out all of the annuals in the "blue garden" and emptied out all the large containers. There were still blooms left but it looks like a hard freeze coming soon. I potted up a few things and am going to see if I can overwinter them in the garage next to an east-facing window. I'm thinking, nothing ventured - nothing gained! Those that I potted are the more "pricey" plants; marguerite daisies, hebe, salvia guarantica (I followed Miguel's post on over-wintering), pelargonium, and rosemary.
I also washed and stored tubers of dahlia and caladium. This is my first time storing caladium tubers and I'm going to try the same method as for dahlias and keep my fingers crossed. I also planted a few dozen more tulip bulbs.
I mounded up some dirt around my new roses and am really hoping they return for me next year. I also mulched more of the new clematis.
Still more work in the front garden but it's cold, cloudy and windy today and I'll wait for nicer day. |
| Posted on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 08:13 am: | |
It's been a very busy week both in the garden and with work. I took advantage of all the bulb sales (especially Sam's Club) and planted over 400 bulbs, mostly tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. I can't wait to see them next spring - hopefully, they won't turn into squirrel food!! |
| Posted on Thursday, November 20, 2003 - 05:47 am: | |
Yahoo! It's supposed to get up to 65F today! I'm going to put all the outdoor Christmas lights up before it really gets cold.
Yesterday I trimmed back 3 overgrown Burning Bush shrubs along the fence which had grown over 8 feet tall (what a job!). I trimmed them back to about 5-1/2 feet and I'm hoping they will make a good support for Betty Corning to scramble up next year. |
