Yesterday I just wanted to get out somewhere. The only place I will go until after my second vaccine is the garden nursery. So in the afternoon out I went.
And of course I came home with plants! Even though it is a bit early still. I’ll probably have to bring them in some nights until mid-April.
But the nursery parking lot was so full I had to wait until someone was finished shopping and was leaving.
I already had the daisies. Which I’ve been bringing in most nights.
There’s a red geranium. I haven’t had a geranium in some years. I thought I was due for one. Or at least my patio was. It’s a pretty big one. Don’t know if I’ll repot it or not.
I decided to get this hanging basket of purple petunias though I don’t intend to hang it.
Trying To Save Money On The Petunias:
It was $19.99 and just full of petunia plants. I will be planting it in a big container and I think I’ll have saved money instead of buying individual plants for $4.99 each.
I also bought a lemon verbena plant in a small container along with a small heliotrope.
Last year was the first time I planted heliotrope and it was in a bigger pot, so I don’t know how well this young one will do on my hot cement patio.
But last year’s heliotrope in the blue raised bed was just gorgeous and grew quite big.
Lemon Verbena Is Always On My Shopping List:
I always get one lemon verbena plant because I love the scent. And I wanted to get a pineapple sage for Charlie to munch on when his tummy aches. But they didn’t have them in yet.
I also bought packets of seeds.
I’ll have to wait until the night temperatures are in the fifties to plant these though I believe. There are various zinnias, chives and a morning glory.
I’ve decided to plant more seeds this year. Mostly zinnias because I feel like they last longer and are wonderful cut flowers to bring inside.
I wish I could find those golden-yellow zinnia seeds I planted a few years ago, but so far I haven’t found them.
Don’t Know If I’ll Plant Veggies Yet:
Really haven’t decided about vegetables yet.
Last year I had lots of cucumbers, but they tend to give me indigestion. I have to be careful about eating tomatoes too. And I grew peppers, but I can’t eat them either.
Here are my two container trees leafing out.
Unsure Where To Situate My Two Container Trees:
I’m going to have to roll them around on the plant caddies they’re sitting on to see where I want to place them.
Last year I found that they couldn’t take the hot temperatures and needed to be partially in the shade. So I’ll be kind of limited on their placement.
This is the lemon balm that came up in the crack of the cement. It’s already pretty good sized.
Sorry it’s a little blurry. It was early when I went out to take these photos.
The Replacement Sedum Plant:
The sedum is growing and spreading out.
I lost my Sedum Autumn Joy last year and couldn’t find another one. So I got this one.
I was really sad about losing the other one because one of you sent it to me and I loved it for sentimental reasons. It lasted at least 5 years.
I believe it was Annette from California who wrapped it in wet newspaper and sent it to me my first year here. And so I thought of her every time I looked at it.
Lamb’s Ear Progress:
And the Lamb’s Ear is filling in nicely.
New hosta plants are sprouting up almost every day in the blue raised garden close to the Lamb’s Ear.
So that’s really the status of the patio garden so far. I’ll keep you updated of course.
What’s going on with your garden? Are you planning on adding new plants? Or are you fortunate enough to have many perennials and won’t even have to buy more plants?
However, what gardener can resist just one more plant for their garden?
The Pet Babies:
And the pet babies wanted to say good morning to you. They haven’t been in a post in a bit and missed you.
I somehow just discovered you! Love your pet babies!!!
Hi,
Everything looks beautiful, but your garden is always a treat to tour.
I love the scent of heliotrope, it is heavenly. I just want to make sure that you know that it is quite poisonous. Be careful with the babies!
https://mason.gmu.edu/~sejtemai/projects/poison.htm
Dale
OK…. that picture of Charlie with his ears perked up and showing his alertness is simply the most sweet picture. You’ve captured his personality perfectly! I think he likes sharing his new hair cut. The yellow pillow by Ivy allows us to see just how beautiful she is. Is that a favorite spot for her to sit. She’s got her eye on something, that’s for sure. I wonder with your potted trees, have you thought about adding some of those crystal to the soil, the one’s that hold in water? Maybe that would help them survive the heat better? Buying plants in baskets you definitely get more bang for your buck. My sister has a large brick/cement planter and she fills it with about 5-7 baskets every year. It’s a LARGE area but the baskets fill it out nicely. I’m happy to see your able to get outside after such a long winter.
Everything looks so beautiful already! I have yet to get to the garden store for my plants, if I am honest I am just not feeling like doing anything this year. I think all of this past year and some months is starting to get to me, today I decided I hate everything in the house and want to get rid of it all. It is a little strange. Oh well, tomorrow is another day. Thank you for the cute photos of Charlie and Ivy they always cheer me up.
I have planted some ranunculus and dahlias inside. Our growing season is so short that my dahlias are full of buds when the frost gets them.Decided to try giving them a head start.No greenhouses up yet here, but I have seen the hoops they use stacked and ready at some stores.
Have you thought what you will do for shade for your patio area this year? Last year you felt there was just too much sun beating down. You always have a good plan.
The babies look so cute.
Ivy and Charlie look so cute! Charlie looks especially cute with his new haircut!
That was good bargin shopping to buy the petunias in the hanging basket. Saved yourself a lot of money. My daughter and I do that all the time!
Here in Wisconsin, most don’t plant flower pots until June 1st. I’ll put in seeds tho, earlier, like the zinnas. I like them for cut flowers, in the fall, and they sprout more flowers, when you cut some off. Last year only one hollyhock came up?? out of a full pack of them. They had been planted a year before. I hope a few more will come up, they remind me of my Mother, she planted a row on the east side of the house, when I was girl, and I made dolls from upside down flowers. My hostas always fill in each season, and the Lily of the Valley are hardy too, planted below a lilac bush. A pink Bleeding Heart, has even spread to another area in the fountain garden, which is filled with more hostas, ferns, and purple and yellow lilies. Five large 2’h X 15″w, pots, three on one side of our mobile home and two on the other side, are filled with red geraniums with a tall spike, don’t remember it’s name, and a green asparagus fern or ivy, to hang over the edges. Like you, I had purple petunias in pots on the steps last year, and will do that again this year. Jeff (husband) will plant tomatoes and peppers, and chives in a raised bed, behind the garden shed, only a small area, but enough room, for 4 tomato, and 1 pepper plant. The Chives are still there from last year. Well, guess that is it, I think I got carried away writing here, I too am anxious and can’t WAIT…(grin)
Charlie looks so spiffy with his new trimmed and shiny coat! Those ears get to me every time, LOL! I have hardy sedums, day lilies, lambs’ ears and columbines popping up and an unknown flower that has purple flowers on it that showed up a few years ago out of nowhere between two hostas under the tall arborvitaes hiding the big telephone pole in one far corner of my backyard. Looks like the rabbits already were at it, unfortunately. They NEVER eat the day lilies, hostas or lambs’ ears. I’d say we’re probably 3 weeks (at least) behind your climate temperature-wise. Not sure if this is what you’re looking for in a golden yellow zinnia, but I did a quick Google search and found this GMO seed seller – these look gorgeous and get quite tall, are hardy, and the blooms are 3-4 inches wide:
https://www.highmowingseeds.com/organic-non-gmo-golden-yellow-zinnia.html
$4.99 for one potted petunia plant? That’s outrageous. I have learned the efficacy of buying a hanging planter full of the plants I want and then transplanting them. This year – the first time since the pandemic hit in 2020, I will be going flower shopping with a friend near the end of May when it is REALLY safe to be frost free where I live in SE Wisconsin. I am so looking forward to it. I always buy at least one tomato plant, there is nothing like the taste of a home-grown GMO heirloom variety tomato! I’d been buying potted plants for the planters on my front porch at the Pick ‘n Save that I walk to for my groceries but they’re expensive! I may just buy a couple hanging planters of red geraniums to plop inside the planters this year. It saves time and money. We’ve had rain the last 3 days and some expected for the next 2 days, so I haven’t been able to get out and continue to clean up the garden beds. They get loaded with fallen leaves every year. I do leave quite a few behind to continue to decay into the soil, but this year the flower beds in the backyard need a really good rake out, a major undertaking. I get my second vaccination on 3/29 and then will make an appointment for a haircut in 2 weeks, woo woo!
Everything looks beautiful inside and out! I agree with the cuke and tomato issues. I have cut back and now eliminated them. I will be growing herbs and flowers again this year. Planted seeds with my grandsons last week! Glad you were able to visit the plant nursery! Ivy is adorable and Charlie looks very dapper this morning! Enjoy your weekend.
What a good picture of your puppy! His ears are standing up so nicely and he looks so perky!
Yesterday the temperature here was 81 degrees and blossoms on flowering trees and shrubs in my yard
Popped out to full bloom. So pretty and a welcome site after a long, wet dreary winter! Still have some cleanup work to do outside before bringing in flowers, but now I have the motivation to get moving on it.
Since I have not had any Covid vaccines yet, I plan on going to the nursery during the week at off times to keep my exposure to others at a minimum. I can’t wait! Your flower selections are pretty. I can’t say I recall seeing lemon verbena around here though and will have to look for it. I love anything lemon…food or scents. Enjoy your weekend and hug those gorgeous furbabies!
Brenda, I can send you more. Just email me your address. I have it growing in several pots and it is really starting to come in. It’s still
Getting pretty chilly here in the evening. Your nursery run was a success!