Out with the old, in with the new flowers

this is a kind of sad times here in the South, it is pansy time. To plant the pasies, I have to pull up some of the old flowers that still have sum flowers on them. The zinnias looked already kind of dead so they had to go, but some of the yellow cosmos is still hanging on. I noticed they drop hundred of seeds and I have lotso of small plants coming up. Hope they survive the Winter, so I can plant them all around the garden. Most of the pansies are planted in the front, but beyond the picket fence I plant them in pots. I have planted a 8 feet tall River burch 5 years ago, now we had to cut the top of because it was reaching the tallest electric wires. I tought they where slow growing trees. This is the proof that it payes to study before you plant. Etelka

This is the River birch, all topped and looks sad, but I had to cut it for safety reasons.

No cottage garden should be without Confederate Rose, it is tall and beutiful.

How long will the pansies stay in bloom?
Marcia

they bloom all Winter and I pull them up when I start planting new annuals, about April 15. That is why we plant them in the Winter, they give color to a almost dead garden.

I am so proud of you for planting up to the street. You should have heard the hugh and cry when I did that at my last house. I even had the cops called in! We moved to the country (well a neighborhood in the country with 1 & 2 acre tracts and I plant anywhere I want to-right up to the street. I miss my Confederate rose- a "helpful" church group thought it was dead and pulled it out when I was bed bound ill. They hoed up a wall full of sedums and thymes they thought where weeds! I am having fun redoing that wall this week.

Ginger, you live among a bunch of fools. Homeowners association? When you are beautifying the area, neighbors should be thrilled. You go to the expense and the work—what could be better?

We plant right up to the sidewalk, and I try to keep the area attractive all summer long by changing out containers and such.

this is the place now, full of pansies. I have asked the mailman if he wants me to put him a bench to rest, he said it would be nice, but against the rules of the PO. Etelka

So, so pretty! I hope your neighbors appreciate it!

Pam

Put a smile on my face. Pansies do that -think I saw sweet william also . I plan on indulging on these in my newly redone fairy garden for when My grandkids come for easter. They will burn out with the heat but well- I want instant gratification in just this one spot that all the bedrooms look out on-indeed have french doors to.

Yes, that's me and Primroses. At $1.50 per plant I can't put any in but I NEED the color when I see at my dining room table and look out. I just added some Garden Art that I have had in the planning, gathering stages for LONG time...

Kiseta, your 'Persian Carpet' of pansies is such a sight for sore February eyes - thank you for posting.

Psychw2 - would you consider wintersowing some relatively inexpensive primrose seeds from the American Primrose Society - http://www.americanprimrosesociety.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=162&Itemid=180

It's a seed exchange that requires a membership in order to order seeds when the list first goes up around mid-December, but after a while anyone can order and there's still quite a few choices left. Generally, they send just a few seeds per packet, but there's a wide variety of choices.

I wintersowed a few last December - mostly polyanthus but also a few species - I think the APS has an essay on which ones are easiest in more hot and humid areas...P. vulgaris, japonica, sieboldii also do well here in Maryland for me where I have partial shade and lots of compost and peat dug in for them. They're not up yet...and have a few more to sow...fingers crossed :)

That's an interesting idea... I'll have to look into that more.

This message was edited Feb 27, 2013 7:56 AM

Well, this is the same garden last Spring, before I knew how tall the Yarrows grow. Against the fence I have grown some coleus, they did good. That tree in the 3d picture was a River birch that grow to the hight of the power line. first I had it chopped on the top, but instead of having to do that every year, I had it cut down. I almost cried when they did that, it was a beutifull tree that I planted 6 years ago on the wrong place. Now in that corner I am planing to fill the place with dirt and plant some high bushess, already have Black and Blue Salvia and in the back I have some Orientel lillies in the pots. The upside down pot covers the stump and hoping to make a bird bath on it. I hope you are not bored with my plans, but I got to keep on being bussy, I work 3 days only so the 4 days got to dig or something. Etelka

Etelka, your "upside down pot" is the prefect pedestal for a sculpture! I was looking for an upside down pot and that is not what I expected! I LOVE your pictures and I'm so grateful to see landscape pictures, especially like you said, before and after!

This message was edited Feb 27, 2013 7:57 AM

Thanks for the kind words. I just got home from cooking, I cook for 80 people at a Methodist church, just for wed. night dinner. Good thing I have long weekend off, so I can do the garden. Sorry to say, my neighbors do not care about gardens, I live in the old part of Augusta, so lots of the houses are rentals, mostly to Section 8. The last 6 months it has been quiet, the house next to me is empty, so it is nice. Sometime some passersbu would compliment, when I tell them I will help them with they yard, it is always It is to much work. I gardened all my life, so it is not hard work. Etelka

This message was edited Feb 27, 2013 7:56 AM

I missed my yard and gardens so much when I divorced. I went back to school and the place I rented had a balcony overlooking the neighbor's GREAT back yard and flowers! They were my sanity! I remarried 7 years ago and my husband "appreciates" my gardens and brags on them, but is unable to help me with them.

This message was edited Feb 27, 2013 7:58 AM

Yes, when I was going thru the whole divorce thing, my oldest son came out to talk to me. He said "Mom, WHY are you out here in the rain planting, you know you're going to sell the house!" I replied, "I designed and planned this landscape, did most of it myself. I want to finish it and if I'm lucky I'll get to see it all in bloom before the house goes up for sale. Besides, I never have a negative thought when I'm working in the garden!"

My Sweetie has health and physical issues that don't make gardening a viable option. Just walking in the garden is hazardous for his health, his footing is too unstable on anything but LEVEL ground.

Many times I put in new plantings and my prince asks why I didn't wait for him, so we could do it together. He simply does not understand that I like to "commune" with the soil solo. Have always liked to play in dirt. Ceramic clay, too.

This message was edited Feb 27, 2013 7:58 AM

This is the garden now in the place of the River birch tree I had cut down last Winter, big improvement. Under the birdbath is the stump they left me. Etelka

THAT's really pretty!!! Good job. I so enjoy looking at the "big picture" landscape shots like your's rather than the little close ups of "a plant".

When it comes to cottage gardening, it is often the whole picture rather than the plant. Pat, you'll have to excuse us when we get excited about one particular plant. In the theory of out with the old and in with the new, to me it is the whole picture, just always changing. The tulips are fading out, and the bearded irises have stems with juicy buds, reads to go. and som of the allium plants are starting to pop.

Like Etelka, I love that passersby get a constant show.
Marcia

This thread is "the big picture". I have some iris in full bloom, my tulips are LONG gone. I have a pink flowering bush that I do not know the name of... I have a 2nd one that was earlier that I am fairly certain is flowering Almond... You know lilacs are supposed to nearly impossible to kill but over 1/2 of my beautfiul corner "tree" is dead. Breaks my heart.

I'm not sure about that lilac thing. One of my bushes has never bloomed since planted 3-4 years ago, and it is getting big. The other, which was white, seems to be too tired to bloom. Thinking they need more attention. I have no trouble talking to the other plants.

I hear you @ the lilacs. Mine haven't bloomed in a couple of years. Not sure exactly what to do @ this???.

What is alive is blooming beautifully, it just makes me sick to have lost this BIG beautiful tree. It anchored the corner and was stunning. Oh well... I'll cut out the dead and hope what is coming up from the bottom will fill in some day. We'll be trying to sell this place when I get a new job so I guess I shouldn't get to wound up about it.

Here's the "big picture" that everyone gets as they walk or drive past. Alliums have done themselves proud this year.
Marcia

Here is the famous corner now, it is like a jungle, the few days of good rain helped a lot. Also my first time blooming Lolypop lili, it is beutiful. Etelka

Not too sure she is lollypop, but definitely a pretty lily.

I have ordered them for Michigan bulbs, that is the name it went buy, watever is, it is very nice, got 6 bulbs. Etelka

Etelka, you're going to like them in full bloom. I ordered bulbs for the first time this season and am anxious if they come true to the advertising. They are asiatic and oriental doubles, so it will be interesting.
Marcia