perennials Archives - Linda Nelson

WATCHIING THE CARS GO BY

July 11, 2016

When was the last time you stole a moment to sit and do absolutely nothing. No cell phone. No newspaper. No book. No TV……… nada. It’s a gift we often neglect to give ourselves. I gave myself that gift the other evening while waiting for some dinner take-out. Now, I don’t use a cell phone anyway, but I could have easily grabbed a pen and paper from my purse and made some notes. I could have picked up the free newspaper lying about and read the local gossip. I could have even snatched a take-out menu and have blankly stared at it…….just for the sake of keeping my hands and mind occupied for a mere ten minutes. Instead, I parked my tush on a sidewalk bench, and with my hands in my lap, just watched the cars go by. I felt so unencumbered and so at peace.

Perhaps I just needed that kind of moment, knowing the task that lies ahead of me. You’re clued in to what that is if you read my last post. I have yet to make arrangements for the lifting and relocating of my beloved dwarf Hinoki cypress. What’s going in its spot? A septic tank.

©Linda Nelson 2016

Okay, enough crap talk, let’s take a little peak at what’s growing at the createaerie.

©Linda Nelson 2016

I’m delighted that my space saving pumpkin plants have taken off, and have already set some fruit. If I had lots of open space on my property I would grow as many varieties of pumpkins and gourds that I could. I love them all.

©Linda Nelson 2016

And, I finally have a nice crop of blackberries. My friend shared with me some of her plants a few years ago, but just as they were getting established, I redid my vegetable garden and had to move them. Now they permanently and happily reside at the back of the garden. My tomatoes are growing like mad, though I always have success with growing them.

©Linda Nelson 2016

Isn’t this daylily just absolutely lovely? I think so. I acquired this plant a few years ago when dividing a big patch of it for a client, and took a few scrapped pieces home with me.

©Linda Nelson 2016

Yellow crocosmia makes for a delightful and cutting-worthy garden perennial. I had to pot up a few clumps of it that are in the way of where the septic system installation machinery will be trafficking. I can’t wait until that saga is over with so that I can get my cherished plants back in the ground.

©Linda Nelson 2016

I accomplished a lot in my garden beds this weekend. The “septic” punch list is dwindling, and that makes me feel good. My friend assisted me this past Saturday with taking down the rock wall and lifting and potting up more plants. I’m pooped.

Signing off with a few more photos I took the other day. Enjoy!

©Linda Nelson 2016

©Linda Nelson 2016

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“DIVIDED WE THRIVE” AND TWO OTHER GARDEN MOTTOS

Wow, it’s been one month since I’ve been able to even consider sitting down to create a blog post. This is the busiest time of my work season, and will continue as such for the next few weeks, but I thought I’d share these three useful mottos to garden by.

Motto #1 – “DIVIDED WE THRIVE” – This one is sung about every three to five years by many perennials. The following images represent some telltale signs that it’s time to get out your shovel.

©Linda Nelson 2015

With irises and ornamental grasses, the center of the clump will begin to decline in growth, the irises

producing fewer blooms.

Hemerocallis (daylilies), on the other hand, may produce a larger mass of foliage, but send up less blooms.

Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan) clumps will start to spread, forming a sparse, weedy looking mass.

Motto #2 – “I NEED MY SPACE” – Really. Are you guilty of instant gratification planting syndrome? Do you see how much space there is between each plant in the flower pot pictured below? That’s what yours should look like when initially planted. Looks a little sparse, right? Well, I’m going to update you on this gorgeous-to-be arrangement throughout the summer to prove to you that combination container plantings need their growing space. Stuffing your flower pots for instant gratification is simply foolish. Floral instant gratification is for magazine photo shoots or wedding decor. When it comes to planting up your patio pots, do it right. I’ll share a photo of this one’s progress in a few weeks.

Motto #3 – “DON’T LEAVE ME HANGING” – Folks, please! Plants sold in plastic hanging baskets are meant to be removed from them, then potted up or planted into more suitable containers. These baskets are for space saving purposes and shipping convenience at the nurseries and garden centers. They’re not meant for hanging, as is, along the roof line of your front porch. Good golly, stop doing that. It looks cheap, tacky and just screams, “I don’t know what I’m doing .”

There you have it.

Three mottos.

Now, get in your garden.