TRAILING: Dichondra "Argentea" - Silver leaves on silvery stems: 2-3" tall, trailing 3-6 feet!
MOUNDING: Diacia Twinspur "Flirtation Orange" - 8-12" mounding habit
HEIGHT: Dahlia: Dahlianova Texas -10"
There are three boxes each with the same mix. Yesterday I scrubbed out the resin containers, which are in their 10th year or so of servce. They were baking in the sun when I potted them this afternoon on the front lawn and are now in place.
Marinka. After many unsuccesful attempts at capturing this blooming Fuchsia I finally pointed the camera upwards from the ground.
Voodoo. Another non-pink variety chosen from the array of pink, really pink and super pinks at the garden center earlier this season.
"Lemon" Sunsatia, Nemesia hybrid
"Obsession Apricot" Verbena
"Double Lemon" Calibrachoa
Here you can also see the fabulous pink Lupine and purple blue Johnson's Blue Geranium.
Two of these bright pansies were added to the north side container, along with two burgandy snap dragons from a local grower.
In the peat pots are seeds for Goldy Honey Bear Sunflowers. The planting area needs to be prepped but I wanted to get these guys going! Now I have to remember to lightly water them every single day....started in the ground are two types of small pumpkins. Oh! And set aside for planting tomorrow are a San Marzano tomato plant and Snow Peas.
The bits of green sticking out are spring bulbs. I've learned they will hold on and find the right time to bloom, without damage despite the record low temps and snow.
View from the laundry room window. Artsy.
The orange dart? It's another element of Garden Whimsy. We found the lawn dart under the deck during the remodel. The teak bench was a great investment. Built from a kit, it requires not annual maintenance except to hose it off in the spring.
So nice not to see the ugly red shed. The blue recycling tote is standing on the remaining foundation until we build a proper corral on the north side.
Here are some early signs of spring bulbs after a near frosty morning.
Before I misplace the plant sticks, here are the details on the annuals in containers. It's a cool, pretty much sunless July 4 here, but preparing these in fresh potting soil can't help but lift one's spirits.
Gartenmeister Pink Fuchsia for the shade. According to plant "stick" these are single, upright, hardy with brick red corolla and red-orange sepals. Since I am not a fan of the wildly popular pink and purple varieties this was a special find. From "Cascade Cuts" in Bellingham, WA, no website found.
Petunia Dolcissima Amaretto, or Dolce Flambe! (emphasis added). There were two plant sticks: "Incredible petunias from Italy that just bloom their little heads off until frost on a semi-trailing plant. Gorgeous peach-terra cotta colors" and "Radiant ruffled blooms in soft pastel shades." These are for sun or part sun from deGro Flower and Garden Co.
A pair of window boxes plant with one each: Superbells Coral or Calibrachoa Hybrid and Snowstorm White Bacopa or Sutera Cordata . Both have a trailing habit and prefer the ideal combi of full sun or part shade.
Naturalized white Foxgloves, or Digitalis in the a large container on the north side.
Looking toward the south side, with start of yellow Tickseed, or Coreopsis and the pink and white foxglove "village" on the slope. Bottle brush like bloom in foreground is a Hebe shrublet.
Ornamental grass plumes in contrast to the rare blue sky. Have to look of variety name of grass.
Lupine!
Columbine.
Johnson Blue (Geranium)
Tulips!
Here garden whimsy is added with Ali, Frank and Annie on daytime guard duty of the Amaryllis. This will be its first outside bloom. Before, it was forced to bloom inside in a container. The red bulb was planted alongside the pathway to the top of the garden. Along the way sedums and ornamental strawberry surround the stones and ornamental grass mark the top. Raised beds with the vegetables are in the background along with a few soon to be blooming iris plants.
Time will tell if this experiment to start my own hanging container of fuchsias using 4 "starter" plants will work. They have been getting regular water, but I've been informed fertilizer is essential, so that will be added to the routine to enhance their growth.
Walking through the park yesterday I came upon a Fuchsia competition. Shown here is a portion of the tables displaying one of each blossom.
The reddish Carex was removed from this container, and transplanted to the rockery, giving room for a treasured Heuchura to move over and make room for a smaller plant that was getting run over by the hose reel.
Volunteer Carex of both types are forming and I look forward to adding them to the rockery where they have room to wave around.
Still lovely in mid-February, Cyclamen are a great winter time container plant. Placed on the porch around Thanksgiving, this pair of plants continues to thrive. This link provides a ton of information if you want to read more.
This archive photo of a large container is refreshing on a cold day. Heuchera and Carex are the focal point, with a soft, almost foamy looking annual for contrast. Since this time, the Heuchera were relocated to the yard and another Carex added. Also, each year a Sunflower seems to naturalize in this spot.
Cyclamen is a lovely cool weather outdoor container plant, for a protected spot like the front porch.
I usually get red, but liked the neutral white; which is unfortunately a bit fragrant - yuck!
This wood container was just topped off with worm castings from our kitchen scrap compost bin. Go ahead and squirm, it's the best soil enhancer.
The "Frosted Curls" Carex (or Sedge) on the left had a quick trim so everything else has more room to grow and move in the breeze. The lower green plant is the devine Chocolate Ruffles Heuchera or Coral Bells. On the right is buchannanii or "Leather Leaf "Sedge.
Soon as we heard the high wind warning the pumpkins and containers decorating the porch railings were moved to a more protective location on the floor.
Shown here, is the awkward corner noted in the previous post. California poppy are growing from cracks in the retaining wall, and make an interesting contract with the red flowers and green foliage.
In due time, we hope to add a water feature to this spot as there is electrical (see detached conduit hanging along fence) and a desirable elevation change.
The retaining wall may be ugly reclaimed broken concrete; and the end of August near, but these lovely flowers are blooming strong.
Red flowers were specifically chosen to add vibrancy to a highly visible, but awkward corner.
Underplanted in the container is a sedum, which should start to flower as the annual fades back.
Container gardens are a perfect place for Sedums - that require little or no care. Unlike annuals which last only a short time and require constant attention and water, this type of container garden is strictly low maintenance.
Also included is some Vinca, which eventually will yield either blue or purple flowers. The best thing is, all the plants were lifted from the garden where they were thinned from larger plants. The resin pot previously contained a color bowl of flowers received as a gift years ago.
Lime green, violet and burgundy: these colors look even better together than I thought. Don't mind the toasted lawn.
Here is one of the boxes with the original 3 plant lineup, from left to right:
The four boxes are coming along nicely, with regular watering can sprinkles and great sun exposure.
Adding yellow and orange highlights to this box is "Million Bells" Terra Cotta, a Calibrachoa hybrid.
Trying something new this year with the four front porch containers. Each looks like this<<<
Three pots ready to brighten the area by the back door. Plant list forthcoming.
The window box plants are settling in and starting to spread. Meanwhile, I added some Seeds of Change Snapdragon seeds directly to the soil about a week ago, and they are starting to sprout.
Now, the pair of boxes contain:
"Persicum" or florist's cyclamen bloom for 4-6 months and grow 2-4 " tall. With a little care and protected location they are outstanding winter container plants.
Here in USDA Zone 5 are three plants on the front porch, still in their separate plastic cups, set in a galvanized steel container.
When it's extremely windy or cold I move them closer to the house under a bench, away from the driving rain or wind. Pinch off older flowers to encourage new growth. A nice and bright bit of color through grey months.
According to the plant ID stick, these were sustainably grown by Cascade Cuts, Bellingham, WA 98226.
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