Organic gardener growing food and flowers, lovin' pollinators and birds.

Shopping for bulbs

What have you been buying for spring bulbs? I've been dog-earring and making lists of bulbs I want - and I'm running out of time to order - at least for the best selection. (In the past I've ordered from White Flower Farms (WFF) and last year I tried out John Scheepers. I've been happy with both, but "The Works" daffodil collection from WFF is a little more expensive now.)

On Monday I took the impulsive jump and started purchasing bulbs from area garden centers.  Here's my loot:
Vanguard Crocus
Zurel Tulip
Burgundy Tulip

I'm on a purple flower kick it seems! I'm planning on planting all of the above (about 10 bulbs of each) in the new butterfly-shaped garden that is out front. Since the tulips are late spring, I hope it will help transition into the David Austin roses planted there.

And of course, I couldn't leave out the daffodils. I ended up going back to the store to snag the last one of these daffodil collections (shown below). At first I thought I didn't want a mix, but then 100 bulbs for $31.99 is pretty good... so we'll see how it comes out!

I still may get a few more ... if I can whittle down that list!

SHARE:

Flying creatures

The bumblebee sips nectar from the toad lily.
This dragonfly poses just long enough to have his photo taken.

The hummingbird visits the annual blue salvia
by my front door.
I've been fascinated by the flying creatures visiting my garden, more so than usual the last few days. There's the bees, which seem to be more plentiful this time of year. Maybe it's the type of flowers that are blooming now, such as the toad lilies or the sedum, that attract more bees than other flowers throughout the growing season.

And there's also the recent steady appearance of the hummingbird that has really caught my attention. I was finally able to attract him and his mate to my feeder. (After trying on and off for two previous summers!)  I'm really happy to have them in the yard, and I've been caught several times by my husband watching them from my kitchen window.  I was able to sneak a photo in of the hummingbird when he wasn't looking. Hopefully I'll have more opportunities to photograph him before he heads south this fall.

Lastly, but not at all the least, is the dragonfly, which I hope is being fulfilled on a steady diet of mosquitoes. (We've had so much rain that every time I go outside they seem to be making a meal of me!) I've found the dragonflies to be the most patient to be photographed before they grow bored with me and fly off.

~ ~ ~

In other news, we're having very unseasonable high temperatures in the 80s this week- it's not suppose to continue for much longer, though. I was able to sow seeds for peas, carrots and lettuce for my fall crops, so hopefully I've timed that correctly! I was also surprised to learn today that the "onions" I was trying to grow all summer were mislabeled at the garden center. I now have GIANT scallions. Blech!
SHARE:

Reflection

The pear tree is getting taller. (Sept. 11, 2011)

I didn't post on Sunday because I didn't feel it was appropriate to include my garden journal on a topic as heavy as the tenth anniversary of Sept. 11. But the image of the sky this past Sunday I can't get out of  my head. The entire day was beautiful, just as I remembered it being 10 years ago when I lived in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. It brought back my memories of sitting in Christianity class (an elective) that morning when the professor rolled up the window shades. I can't remember his exact words, but it was to the effect of what a beautiful day it was that God had made.

"Look at the blue sky!"

After leaving that class, I found out the Trade Towers had fallen. The world as I had known it was forever changed.

Looking at the bluest sky we've had in a while this past Sunday brought all of that back. I hope you found your own private way to remember those who lost their lives that day.
SHARE:

Goodbye, pumpkin

I had to remove my pumpkin today from the garden thanks to a severe outbreak of powdery mildew. It didn't set any pumpkins this season, and just started to get the female flowers (I was getting lots of male flowers all summer long). I decided to cut my losses after consulting with my local plant nursery. I felt bad bagging it up for the trash can (I was told not to compost it since the powdery mildew could survive the compost pile). Maybe next year I can give it another go. Apparently it's been a hard growing season for pumpkins.
SHARE:

Rainy Days

Sweet Autumn Clematis
It's been a few rainy days here in Connecticut, but it wasn't bad enough to not go outside and photograph the Sweet Autumn Clematis that has begun to bloom. This sweet-smelling vine is a highlight in the fall garden. It grows really quickly, which I consider an asset in my third-year garden.

I even sowed some peas and carrots during the rainstorm last evening while waiting for Rob to get home from work. (The rain has brought some cooler temperatures along with it.) The neighbors must have thought I was pretty crazy to be out in the pouring rain, hunched to the ground underneath an umbrella and playing in the dirt.

But then again, maybe they weren't.

You can see the rain falling behind this white anemone that should bloom very soon!
SHARE:

Garlic is Ready

Last year I attended a workshop on how to grow garlic at the Salem Herb Farm, located in Salem, Conn. Afterwards the "class" was able to purchase garlic to try growing themselves.

This was my first year growing garlic, and I have to say, I'm definitely going to continue to do so.

At right is the variety I grew, a German Hardneck variety. In mid-July I harvested it when half the leaves had turned yellowish brown, and hung them in a bunch behind the back door. It was a somewhat darker spot in the house that had some air circulation as well. It's a rainy dark day today in Connecticut, and I can't do much outside. I cleaned the cloves today by peeling back the outer layers and snipping most of the stalks and roots off.  I'll be saving the largest cloves for planting in October, so I can do it all over again. (The smaller cloves will be used in future meals.)

Yesterday, I purchased a second variety, called Music, again from the Herb Farm. Maybe it's time to cut out a few tomatoes and make room for larger plots of garlic.
SHARE:

Collecting seeds

Blackberry lilies gone to seed.

They may look like bugs, but these are actually seed pods
from impatiens that have exploded.
The daylight hours are waning, and the temperature is cooler in the mornings - it's time to wind down the garden and start planning for next year. I've begun collecting seeds for use next spring. One such plant that I'm collecting right now are impatiens seedlings. When the seed pods are picked, they explode when touched, spitting seeds out everywhere. I've collected some in a glass dish to dry and will store in an envelope until next February.

I let lots of flowers go to seed and leave them in the garden. Some, such as the coneflowers, provide food for birds, while others, like the blackberry lily (which resembles an iris in that it has the same type of leaves), I leave alone for their ornamental value.

This past spring I was surprised to have volunteer seedlings from nicotiana, verbena, bee balm, cosmos and pansies. I've learned to not have a heavy hand when cleaning out garden beds in the spring to let everything take it's time in coming up. Sooner or later, I can tell if it's a plant I want or a weed.
SHARE:

What's blooming now

Buddelia

Anemone, or Wind Flower

Calendula in tomato bed.

Calendula in pots.
Lantana in pots. They are blooming so well right now while other
plants have died down. Will have to remember this for next year!
Hibiscus
Not blooming, but close to being ready to pick! These are Asian Pears.
Aster by front entryway.
Toad Lily in the back shade garden.

SHARE:
Blogger Template by pipdig