Author: variadm

Sowing that I forgot to mention

The weekend prior to the previous posting, I actually was able to get seeds sown into the beds. I dumped all of the Wildseed Farms mix into B5, and scattered White Cosmos, Cornflower and Damascena seeds in S1 and B3. I also got a new gaura, Passionate Blush, planted in B4. We saw some rain last Thursday night, after tornadoes ripped thru parts of the DFW area. Luckily, the seeds weren’t scattered about by the strong winds. This morning, I saw some seedlings sprouting in S1, most likely Cosmos seedlings.

I also managed to do a little trimming on the salvia that got too leggy in the back beds. I especially took some cuttings of the purple salvia, and am looking forward to getting it to root. The white salvia cuttings I took earlier this month have finally shown some rootstock. I plan on transplanting them into soil very shortly. No root stock on the salvia chamaedryoides yet.

I have to mention that the dianthus chinensis in all the beds are putting on a brilliant display…tons and tons of flowers.

Early April Garden

We are moving into mid-spring and here are some sights of the flowers currently in bloom. I love how the Hot Lips salvia is moving from a solid, brilliant red bloom to the customary bi-color flowers. The yellow tulip pictured arrived about late last week and is a bright spot in an otherwise green flower bed (B4). Finally, after the windy storm last Thursday, I spotted the first Dutch irises in bloom among the narcissi in B3.

4/11/2008 Hiding Iris 4/11/2008 Red Hot Lips salvia 4/11/2008 Bicolor Hot Lips salvia 4/11/2008 Yellow Tulip

Spring garden in bloom

For most of last week and this current week, I am pleased to report on the many salvias in bloom in the garden. The Thalia daffodils are continuing to putting on a robust multi-flowered show in S1 and B3, suffering only minor bruising due to repeated canine incursions. The Accent daffodils finished their run just as the Thalia daffodils started their display. The muscari armeniacum are starting to wind down. The white muscari however are popping up here and there, mostly in B3 in the shadows of the Thalias, reminding me again of their late-blooming nature. I wish I could produce a denser stand of these white muscari, but it just seems like this particular cultivar isn’t as aggressive. Another disappointment are the dutch and bearded irises, which have failed to show–they are usually evident about this time in the season.

I finally got the ajuga planted in S1, after cleaning up the remains of 2 more hapless victims of the vicious plant destroyer (an ajuga and a newly purchased purple salvia greggii). The ajuga that I purchased from Sooner are in full bloom, displaying intense blue flower spikes under 6 inches tall. Another happy sight: the first leaf shoots from the Fire and Ice Hosta are popping out of the ground.

I still need to purchase more bags of regular garden soil to level the beds in S1 and B5. I’m also searching the local nurseries for 2 specimens of white salvia to plant in S1 and B2.

Gardening accomplished this weekend

I was able to persuade DH to extract 3 volunteer nandinas from the front flower bed (F2) for transplant in the back beds. I discovered that most of these offshoots seem to have sprouted from buried trunks and stems from the parent, since we required shears and clippers to sever them. Luckily these volunteers had small but developing root stock, so I am hoping they will thrive in their current locations (B1 and B5). I also have to mention that I removed the 1 surviving nandina in S1 for transplant into B5, where I hope it will enjoy more sun.

In its place, I finally planted the new Azalea Gumpo White. I hope that its position next to the patio will give it sufficient protection against summer; I usually dump water into this part of the bed, especially when the dogs’ feeding bowls are set outdoors. I also had to get the purple salvia I purchased last week into the ground, after I discovered its mauled remains scattered in the backyard. Sadly, it met a deadly fate when Dash tore through the S1 bed a couple of days ago. I’m hoping it may have enough root stock left to make a comeback.

Speaking of mauled plants, I also had to set one of the ajugas into S1 after I discovered the half-torn pot lying strewn in the bed. I suspect that strong winds or a rambunctious pup may have knocked it off its brick wall perch. It seems to be blooming quietly and happily next to the replanted ring of tulips.

B5 also required a little fixing; I discovered a crushed dianthus and uprooted lilies and muscari, which I had to reset into the ground. B5 is in serious need of ground raising and leveling; I hope to get some gardening soil into it next week.

The soil will also be useful when I start broadcasting seed into the back beds. I have packets of cosmos, bachelor buttons, nigella, and a wildflower mix that are begging to be sown right now!