Author: variadm

First orders in-house

Awaiting me when I got home from work yesterday was my Brent & Becky’s order. As usual, I’m always pleased to find a well-packaged order of healthy, good-sized bulbs. If weather permits this weekend (a possibility of snow and freezing temperatures forecast on Saturday), I will be putting the new arrivals in the ground.

The honey and I went to Lowes to see about fabricating a light stand. However, we had a hard time finding any pieces for even a decent price. The wire/metal stand started at $40 which I decided not to purchase, and we found with a fluorescent grow light for about $15. I may just return the light and craft something simpler, as shown in the CFL grow light video. The honey had a good idea to re-purpose our unused 2nd bathroom as a seedling house and we may be trying PVC to craft a light stand.

While at Lowes we also picked up two bags of hosta: Gold Standard and Minuteman. These will join the Eternal Flame I ordered from Forestfarm, which should hopefully arrive today. I’d like to add a blue hosta to our collection and am surfing around for candidates.

Colors in the shade, DIY grow lights

The honey and I have been designing our flowerbeds prior to filling them in. I’ve put in an order for some shade-loving daylilies to add color to the beds. Dallas Star, a pale pink semi-evergreen spider, at Oakes Daylilies and Orangeman, an orange spider known to go dormant, at Bloomingfields Farm are both known to thrive in part to full shade. (Edit: I’ve put in the Dallas Star order, but holding off on Orangeman due to high shipping charges.)

I’ve also submitted an order for some astilbe, Fanal and Amerika, at American Meadows. While I was browsing the site, perennial Japanese Forest Grass, such as Hakonechloa macra Aureola and Nicolas caught my eye. I am aware that this type of grass is known to thrive in shade, and I’ve been thinking of adding one or two to the front fence bed. Big Dipper Farm has a nice selection of Hakonechloa to peruse.

Finally I’ve found several YouTube videos on DIY grow light kits and stands. I’m not opposed to making my own cart, after seeing some of the steep asking prices in this season’s gardening catalogs.

My first order from Brent & Becky’s has arrived, and I can’t wait to get home to inspect them. Despite last minute changes to my order, they managed to get it to me within a week of initial ordering. I’ve always been pleased with their online store and I plan to make future orders with them.

Texas landscape resources…and gardenias!

I’ve found the following information useful when determining what to plant in our Texas climate:

I’ve been enchanted with the notion of growing gardenias in the landscape, but worried that the climate might be too harsh here. In particular, I’m curious of the variegated gardenia, which has an attractive foliage. However, information I’ve read on this particular cultivar has been conflicting. Dave’s Garden reports only on the dwarf variety, but a retail source suggests two varieties that are available, the dwarf and a normal height shrub.

Orders on the way

My Brent and Becky’s order is on its way via Fedex, scheduled delivery Thursday, which includes 15 lily bulbs, 3 calla lilies, 1 astilbe. Forestfarm’s order ships via UPS, arriving Friday, includes 1 Minuet Mountain Laurel and 1 Hosta Eternal Flame. With the front flower beds laid out, I am certain that the astilbe and the hosta will find new homes there. I am banking that the kalmia Minuet will find a place of honor next to the front door.

Meanwhile, I discovered yesterday morning that 1 of the first lilies of the valley has began sending up shoots. This particular rhizome gets barely an hour or two of morning sun, in the front door bed. I have not detected any life from the second rhizome which was planted next to the fence door, where it gets no sun at all.

My Asahi zuru has begun unfurling its leaves. It is a magnificent sight and I can’t wait to see it in its full greenery. I believe it is in a good position next to the patio door which receives about 4-5 hours of morning sun every day. When the summer sun gets too harsh, I will probably relocate it under the canopy of the 2 crepe myrtles next to the fence.

 

I’m still debating growing dianthus, coleus and impatiens from seed. With the impatiens and dianthus, a light lamp would be necessary, whereas the coleus simply needs heat to germinate. Much to ponder.

Stump-less

It took a gargantuan effort to uproot 5 stumps and move several hundred pounds of border rock around, but the job was done. With a little more effort and if the weather permits, the front beds will be prepped to receive new residents by next weekend. And it seems we have plenty of landscaping stone to re-purpose in the courtyard beds.

I’ve been pondering investing in seed starter kits (possibly a Park Seed Bio Dome) and a heat mat to start some dianthus seeds that I’ve had my eye on. Super Parfait Red Peppermint, Dianthus Valentine and Diana Blueberry from Burpee Seeds, and the Ideal series developed by PanAmerican seed (also sold by Harris Seeds). I also think I’d save some money growing my own coleus from seed (Carefree or Wizard Mix) and get the colors/cultivars I want, without spending too much at the nursery. Of course, it all depends on the seed-starting equipment.

Another plant I’d like to add to the garden, though I’m not sure how hardy it is to survive the Texas heat. The variegated gardenia may be more suitable to an indoor environment, but with all the shade in our current landscape, it might possibly thrive with some attention.

My gardening wishlist doesn’t get any shorter. I’m still shy several types of salvia, an Ever Red lorapetalum (in addition to the white-flowered kind that I’d like for the front beds) and a pieris japonica caught my eye. Japanese pieris Flaming Silver or the Variegated kinds favor part shade, and I suspect they could do well in our courtyard beds.