22 April 2014

Greening Up

Hang on, Babies!

The season of watering has begun. The snow hasn't stopped yet, and technically we're not supposed to plant before Mother's Day at our elevation, but I couldn't resist any longer. Some seeds have been been planted in pots on the porch, and the bare spots in the front yard garden where last year's dahlia and rosemary used to live have been seeded with new hardy flower varieties.

I want to flower my bicycle...

Coming Up

home of last year's dahlia and this year's holly hocks

I didn't know last year when I planted the dahlias and the rosemary they couldn't survive the winter or I would have put them in pots. None survived the pre-frost transplant, even though I followed directions.

I couldn't decide if I wanted to do dahlias again because they haven't done as well for me in pots, and the mail-order dinner-plate variety I ordered last year is too expensive to lose again. But then I leafed through pictures of last year's treasures. Even though my altitude stunted their dinner-plate size, these babies brought too much joy to pass them by all together again.

strawberry cream

cherry vanilla

raspberry

burst of light and moisture

Dahlia Pilot

So I invested a whole $9 in a department store grab bag, and I planted all five new dahlias, too. All in are in pots, but some are in the garden, hopefully easy to be removed come first frost in September or October, and some are on the porch.

this year's garden

this year's garden

early bloomers

My little neighbor loves to rearrange my critters.  Every day.

Six varieties of sunflowers, eight varieties of blue flowers, three varieties of peppers, a handful of poppies and marigolds from last year's flowers, and a few purple flowers for fun all have new homes. Lots of flowers that didn't bloom last year are beginning to come up now, and hopefully, this year, they will produce huge bursts of color and joy. Now, if the whole green family can just survive our fickle spring...

Delphiniums!

We seriously need scratch and sniff.

Daisies, I think.  They leafed beautifully last year but did not bloom.

I also couldn't resist the call of the wild; I've had birdfeeders for five years now. Our house came with a bird house, but recent winds made quick work of that. We bought two more bird houses and sturdier posts, hoping we can house a few of those musical insect-eaters who clean out my feeders at least twice a week.

Not Suitable

Even garden friends are beginning to move in! I don't know where they hide when we get yet another hard freeze and three more inches, but they've found a hiding place nearby somewhere. They are busy doing their jobs in both the front yard and the unfinished backyard.

Now we just need to finish building our raised-bed garden for the backyard!

Munch, munch, munch!

Bee Mine

Ladybug!!!

Daffodil Tenant

13 comments :

  1. I have to laugh at your first tiny little green sprout! Great captures throughout, you are lucky, we seem to be still behind in the game. But, hey we discovered our first tick of the season.

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    1. My little sprouts are getting taller, Karen! In spite of wind and snow!

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  2. Nature sure surrounds your shore, cheating a bit I see as it is way before mother's day lol, but oh well if they can bloom let them bloom

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    1. The hyacinths all bit the dust last hard freeze, Pat, but hopefully we have cleared that hurdle now until September or October...

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  3. I put my crochet covered stones in my garden too! It will a long time before we can plant anything up here in the north! Sigh.....

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    Replies
    1. Delena, I'd love to see photos of your rocks and garden, even if it will be a while in the Great White North...

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  4. The crochet covered stones look great. Your dahlia photos look beautiful. Good luck for the next round.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Paul! I do LOVE my dahlias. Couldn't resist trying again...

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  5. I've been trying to garden a bit more, even though I don't really have my own little spot of dirt (just random containers at work and the Boy's house), so your pictures are making me jealous! But I'm happy to be gardening with my kiddos and trying to inspire some love of gardening with them, even if it's not really the same.

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    Replies
    1. Yulian, I'm so impressed that you are trying while you do not have your own little spot. I tried container gardening on the very tiny patio when I still lived in an apartment, and I didn't have a lot of success, but it sure instilled the desire to one day have a real garden again! I have to admit, it was much easier at a much lower altitude in suothern New Mexico, where the growing season lasted from February to about November, even though we had continual water shortages! But I guess the challenge of high altitude and continual thread of overnight frost build determination! Good luck with your efforts!

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    2. Southern New Mexico sounds like here in Southern California! I can't wait to see how your garden grows. =]

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  6. Ooh, those hyacinth are beautiful! And what are those little white flowers? Do scilla come in white?

    The garden is looking great despite all the snow you've had ... hang in there little plants! Your time is coming soon. :)

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    Replies
    1. White flowers??? White flowers??? Did I have white flowers up there??? :)

      Had to scroll back up to see what I'd shot because I couldn't remember. The last snow (a week ago) got them all, and they were all white flowers before being withered flowers!

      Anyway, Sue, those white flowers are more hyacinths. And those, I CAN smell!

      Now I do have more white flowers... Candy tuft. The deer didn't eat them, and they waited until the end of April to begin blooming, so maybe they'll last...

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