Order Up!

What am I doing today? NOT working, NOT cleaning, NOT laundry, NOT painting the walls ... I am going to catch up! I have so many posts on my list and here it is March already. I also have more orders to place for plants and seeds!

I have already placed two orders. From Nature Hills I ordered my rhubarb (Canada Red) - yeah!, everbearing strawberries and long awaited Serviceberry, Amelanchier Laevis - another check off my "list!" The Serviceberry is an excellent northeastern native choice. It is an understory large shrub or small tree that has spring blooms, fall color and berries that are a favorite of the birds. It is hardy to Z4. I will be placing this tree in my new "woodland edge" section of my garden. I will be working on this section over the entire summer into fall.

Serviceberry, Amelanchier Laevis
 Photo taken from Nature Hills Nursery website.

From Johnny's seeds well, I ordered seeds! And quite a few. For some of my newer flower beds and near the potager, I ordered a variety of sunflowers. Sunflowers are easy to grow and they make a big, bold statement as well as providing a good screen. The birds and bees love 'em, too. I make sure to choose varieties that DO have pollen. I chose Ring of Fire, Valentine, and Velvet Queen. I still have some Mammoth seeds leftover from last year.

Mammoth Sunflower

Also for decorative, edible edging in the potager, I ordered some nasturtium, kaleidoscope mix. I also have some nasturtium seeds saved from last year as well as a TON of marigold seeds.

 Nasturtium

For the real tasty stuff I ordered scarlet runner bean - also a favorite of humming birds. I plan to put together an arbor for that to climb on. April will be a month of making garden support structures! I also ordered royal burgundy bush beans - they are purple but turn green when you cook them, how fun! - northern pickling mini cucumbers, bright lights swiss chard, a couple lettuce/greens mixes, cilantro, and some dill and fennel. The fennel I ordered is not a bulbing type and I do not plan to harvest it. I ordered it as a host plant for butterflies - dill and parsley are also favorite host plants. I plan to work the fennel, some of the dill and some parsley into the flower border along the potager. The border now is mostly all lilies with a backdrop of wild grape and I will be reworking it.

The flower border a couple of years ago. This will be reworked - 

slightly wider with three distinct sections.

Lastly, I ordered some verbena seed, Verbena Bonariensis. I have read repeatedly that this is a favorite of butterflies and that it reseeds itself. I will be working this into the border along the "nice driveway."

I plan to place at least three more orders. From one of my native plant sources, Prairie Moon, I will be ordering some common witch hazel and a swamp rose (bare root). Both of these are natives. The common witch hazel will go in my very new "woodland" garden section (surrounding future patio). The swamp rose will be incorporated into the border along the potager in the above picture. There is a section that tends to be very wet in the spring. The swamp rose will provide winter hips for fruit eating birds.

From Mountain Rose Herbs, I will be ordering some seeds: calendula (thanks to my blogging friends!) for edging in the potager, borage for the flower border, and california poppies for along the driveway.

From Bluestone Perennials I will be ordering some plants for the border along the driveway which I plan to expand. I am planning big and bold! One choice is indian grass, an American native grass that grows to 6' tall and is hardy to Z4. This will be a nice screen as well as provide cover for butterflies and birds, and winter interest. I will also order goldenrod. Contrary to popular belief, goldenrod does not cause hay fever - that would be ragweed. It is a favorite among all sorts of insects and offers a great fall show. Also on my list is giant cone flower, Rudbeckia Maxima. This will grow 5- 7' tall! Another great screen and appealing to butterflies. The leaves are blue in color and also attractive.

Whew, I will be busy as a bee! Time to order up!

Jet Lag Bloom Day, February 2010

Bloom day has passed ... it was February 15th but I was on the red eye flying back from Mexico. There were plenty of blooms in Puerto Vallarta. For those of you still covered in snow (as I am once again), please enjoy the sights of sunny Mexico and gardens in bloom. These photos were taken on a house tour sponsored by the Friendship Club. Our guides were volunteers and fees for the tour are donated to local children. We visited four homes in old town - three along the coast and one in the middle of downtown - spectacular!

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

Bloom day is the 15th of each month and is hosted (and created by) Carol at May Dreams Gardens. Muchas gracias!

C is for Cookie (and Clematis)

I do believe I have the winter blues ... I wake up and think, I want to keep sleeping and then I get up and all I can think is I want to go back to sleep! BUT, of course, I am also thinking - constantly - about the garden AND that I am due for a post!

My next steps (2 and 3) for my spring plans involve a new "herbway" and rethinking the edge of my property line along the potager ... these posts coming soon.

I have also been thinking that I would like to give my garden an official name and I have decided to call it Mohala. Mohala is Hawaiian and for those of you who might not know, I was married in Maui on Secret Cove and Hawaii is very special to me and I do hope for many returns. Anyway, from what I understand, Mohala means "flowers in blossom" or "petals unfolding, shining forth." Very appropriate for a garden name, I think! I hope to make a sign to mark the name of my garden: "you are invited to step into Mohala" or something thereof. I have been saving all my favorite broken dishes forever (because gardeners are clutzy right?) to make a mosaic and I think this is what they will - finally - be used for. So, "M" is for Mohala and "C" is for clematis.

I inherited one clematis on this property that looked pretty sad growing in what was now the butterfly garden - its roots were cemented in the clay soil and baking quite nicely. If I know anything about clematis - which isn't very much - it is "cool roots, sunny flowers" or some similar derivative. I moved it to grow along the wall of the front porch and covered its roots with river stone. I am not sure of the variety and don't think it will get tall enough to work its way up to the lattice work above, but it seems to like its new spot and bloomed for me this past spring ...

I would certainly appreciate any helpful hints on what variety of clematis this might be. I venture to guess 'Kilian Donahue' ?

I really do love clematis and haven't had the fortune to own very many which is why I ordered FOUR yesterday from Bluestone Perennials - special discount code - yes! I am risking a couple at Z5 especially where I plan to plant them but "no risk, no reward" a good friend of mine has always claimed. So, I ordered a Sweet Autumn clematis (which has been on my list for a long time), a variety called Montana Mayleen, one called Claire de Lune (my niece's name is Claire), and an heirloom variety called Triternata Rubromarginata (say that even one time fast)! The following photos, in the order mentioned, are directly from Bluestone Perennials web site.

I plan to plant the larger Sweet Autumn and Mayleen to grow up the lattice work of the front porch - they grow larger. Claire de Lune will be planted in my very new "woodland" garden section - more shady. And the tongue twister will have its own homemade rustic trellis along the northside of the shop/garage wall. I would like to collect more over time. Part of creating a habitat is to plant at all levels - ground, perennials/shrubs, vines, tree canopy. Vines are very important and even if they are not native or offering a food source, they are still connecting the ground to the canopy. Most of these are said to attract butterflies. Now I just have to, patiently, wait for spring delivery.

NOW it's time for that cookie!