Oh gardenias, I love them and have given up completely on them, even tho I have to pot them I can not keep them alive. Nothing smells as heavenly as a gardenia and I am guessing I have bought thru the years 50 or more....I know slow learner...rofl.
Guess I never paid any attention that balloon flowers set seed. Mine haven't spread, but now that I think about it, I don't remember seeing them this year. I lost alot more plants than I thought due to the drought and heat last year. The trees just sucked every ounce of moisture out of the ground and since we are on a well I started worrying about watering the garden versus us without water....
We were cleaning the hosta beds and I have ALOT of tags without plants. The ones that survived seem to be coming back pretty good. My oldest hosta sum and substance isn't nearly as big as it usually is. I need to look up and see how long they live.
We need more pics, I love seeing them.
What's the oddest thing in your garden? Plant or object?
CLOSED: June Bugs, June Brides.....Summer is Near CHAT
Oddest thing in my garden today.
Leaping rabbits! Eating sunflowers on a stump placed for the birds. :D
Oh, bunny, I like bunnies!
The oddest thing in my garden is my house.
I love your home!
Ha ha - yeah, I'd say so!
Oh, do I miss California!!!!!!!!!! ^_^
How Roomy is your Dome HOME ? Looks bigger then My 24x24 Home :) Cutest things around my Home is (9) New little Silkies :)
& Molly duck & the Hen are sharing the nest & are still Hatching babies . Molly is sitting on the Eggs & The Hen silkie sitting on the babies
till i brought them in :)
& the Other 2 nd Hen are sitting On all those eggs in the dog House :)
Aw, they are so sweet. Luv chickens and ducks ... and the nest sharing!
Susie, is your home a dome too?
Awe! They are so cute! And look at all those eggs and chicks. What are you going to do with them?
Cute, cute peepers.
Dee, I adore your home and love how even the glass panes in your door mimic the dome shape.
Her Home looks like a 1/2 an Egg In the ground So very cute. I will sell the babies going to put them in the paper this week .
so they will go to good homes I Hope :)
Been a long day & I Know I will be up most the night with little Peepers .
I love the little chicks too. Don't have any chickens at present, kind of miss them.
The dome is quite deceptive as to how large it is. Most domes have a 3' "riser" wall making them look more like an observatory.
Mine is 3' underground, you enter split level and go upstairs to the livingroom, kitchen, office, and 1/2 bath or downstairs 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, and a laundryroom.
It's actually near 2000 square foot, you'd never know it from outside. The bedroom windows are 12" above ground level, kind of an interesting way to view the garden!
Here's one out the back door deck too.
Love it! :)
To me, it's perfect, Dee. I've seen the dome kits and always thought I'd like to live in one. Yes, I'd say it's very deceptive from the outside as to its size. Just adds to the charm, IMHO. ♥♥♥
If I Was Younger I Would also love the Domehome But as I Have aged I Find it is Much harder climbing the stairs any more so I Made do with my converted Garage :) Have just one step up to the bathroom :) & at times is hard to do :) well guess i better get off here ya all have a great day .
I agree - I like a single story these days. I'd probably opt for a single story dome home since DH can't do stairs. Or perhaps the in-ground part could be used as a basement. I think there are lots of options these days.
I understand the energy savings is suppose to be really good on a domehouse also. We have stairs but when we get to the point of not being able to climb there isn't anything up there we would need.
Guys my gardens are the best they have ever been and not because of what I have done, but my nephew and g-nephew came and helped me cut trees, shrubs, and pull weeds for 2 full days! We all worked like crazy but it was nice to have someone in the garden with you to chat with. Haven't got to spend time with them like that for years and years. We all get soooo busy with whatever and then if you are together there are phones, this or that, but we had 18 hours of peace and quiet and time. I told them that is all I ever wanted for Christmas again was a day them working with me in the garden. Meant more to me than anything money could buy.
The stairs are a challenge. It's amazing how I can stomp around the garden all day but those stairs are killer on my knees and feet!
I do alot of "honey, when you come down . . .".
Well, Summer is no longer near, it's here! And I'm slowly moving back into the back yard and the shade. We've had a bit of a reprieve on the weather the past two days and it's in the mid 70's, I love California weather.
I do too. Sigh! :)
We are going to have temps hitting 97 for the next 3 days....that is awful hot for us so early.
But summer is here...I just hope we don't have a repeat of last year....
Elfie is it your back again? Oh do you have the recipe for lemonade pie? I probably shouldn't ask...rofl.
It is beautiful outside tonight.
Deejay did you get your babies all sold?
Whaaaaa?!
But there's not a single calorie in it!!!
That last pie was so damned tart, I can't believe we ate it. Ack!!! My salivary glands just kicked in.
Happ, I do believe someone here on DG posted it years ago , where I learned of it in the first place. I didn't look for the recipie when Kris and Susan came to visit, just went by memory.
Ingredients:
Graham cracker crust
Frozen lemonade concentrate (cartons come in 4, 8, and 16 oz., I think)
Frozen non-dairy topping (e.g. Cool Whip) (small container is 8 oz.)
Ratio topping to lemonade can be done to taste. A single pie crust can hold approximately ten (10) - twelve (12) ounces of the topping/pie mix.
I purchased 3 tubs of topping and filled two pie crusts to the the brim. One 8 oz. container of concentrate will create a mildly flavored pie. Two containers of concentrate will cause your jaws to lock.
I like pink lemonade, but I suspect any kind of concentrate could be used.
Defrost slightly and blend topping and lemonade concentrate till smooth. Pour into crust. Freeze for four hours or until solid.
Ummmmm.
Hot here too but it was overcast a lot yesterday. Chance of thunderstorms today with highs in the 90s. Summer is definitely here. However we had a temperate and lovely spring so I'm not complaining ... yet. :)
Love tart lemonade. I've got to get the sun tea jar out. I've been lazing around in the heat. I'm almost caught up with planting. Ha! Every time I get almost caught up, new plants appear. The gal who mows for us left me a flat of herbs last week. Can't use them all but will plant the cinnamon basil, dill, more parsley and something else I can't remember at the moment.
The Supermoon is still beautiful this (early) morning. I love it early in the morning when the house is quiet and still. No cat herding because they all went outside. lol.
Joyous Tuesday to all! I can't believe it's the end of June already!!
GM All sorry for being MIA But Have been haven problems with my Internet , I Think the router box hates the hot weather & It gets very hot out on the back porch where it sits . Its raining this morning ,sure needed it so no complaint here & That cools it down a bit but it is going to get much hotter later in the day .
Happ No have not sold any babies yet Didn't get them in the paper last week . well its a great morning to get my Laundry done & some housework i have been putting off :) so you all have a great day .
Ohhh that pie sounds absolutely wonderful, my mouth waters thinking about it.... ;) Gonna have to try that. I bought a big old lemonade last night on the way home.
The moon has been amazing. Winds here have really been strong and we haven't had any moisture in awhile. Cloudy for a few days but not water. Daylilies are starting to come into bloom and spuria's are just ending.
Cville, isn't it amazing that June is almost gone, seems like we were just wishing for spring.
Some of my favorite lilies and spuria iris.
Oh, those spurias are gorgeous, happ! Do you know the cultivar? The lilies are beautiful as well. My 'Blackout' (or 'Black Out') just finished blooming.
My Blackouts are just getting ready to open & With this rain today it will really make them open this rain is going to realy pop the gardens & More weeds :( well i have house work & Laundry But I trully do not want to ever have those days .
Lollypop & tiny bee I think is the yellow one my dbl poppies & Dianthus they are so bright & Tall this year everything is taller this year .
Beautiful flowers Susie!
Beautiful, Susie!
Agastaches and tall Phlox are starting to pop.
Four O'Clocks
Tennessee Coneflowers
Does anyone have any Coneflowers, Delphinium or Foxglove to share?
Do you want seeds or plants, LK?
Either one please?
Right now, I have seeds of 'Amado' which is a white coneflower that's okay for your zone. I'm looking to see if I have any other Cone seeds on hand. The Tennessee Cone isn't adaptable for zone 9a.
Is it too hot here for them?
Cville, off the top of my head I don't know the name of the spuria iris. I got them from http://www.comancheacresiris.com/. If I don't go brain dead I will look tonight. He has a large variety.
LindaKay, I have the old purple coneflowers if that is what you want?
How to Propagate Coneflowers (This is from Plant Delights Nursery but have attended a class by growers that have said the same thing)
Echinacea may be propagated by seed or division, but remember that hybrid cultivars will not come true from seed. All of the species are self-infertile to some degree. Gardeners who want their Echinacea to produce seed should plant at least 2 genetically distinct individuals. If the flower heads are not removed, the wild-types will re-seed in the garden. To grow Echinacea from seed, cut a stalk with a spent flower, enclose the flower in a paper bag and hang the plant upside down. The plant will release the seeds into the bag when they are ready. Separate the seeds from the chaff, dry them for a few weeks, and then store them in a cool dry place. The seeds are best when used in less than a year but they remain viable for at least 7 years. If you plan on storing them for a long time, the seeds should be refrigerated. Unfortunately, many of the new hybrid cultivars have reduced viability or are totally sterile.
It is unclear if Echinacea seed has a cold stratification requirement. Scientific studies have reported conflicting results. However, expert Echinacea breeder Dr. Jim Ault of the Chicago Botanic Garden gives his seeds 8 weeks of cold stratification. If sowing the seed indoors, surface-sow them in a pot at 68°F (20°C). Seed sown indoors or in a greenhouse germinate better than direct sown seed. To direct sow into the garden, plant the seeds ¼" deep and a few inches apart in the early spring. After germination, separate or thin the seedlings so that the plants are a minimum of 18" apart.
Clonal Echinacea will not come true from seed and are commercially propagated in tissue culture (micro cuttings taken in sterile lab conditions). New plants can be propagated by dividing established clumps. Dig around the clump, carefully lift it, and shake or wash off the soil. You should be able to divide the crown by hand but you may need a knife. There will be several rooted plants in each clump. Pull them apart and re-plant immediately. Remember that most of the new hybrids are patented, making their propagation illegal, although no one is going to mind if you divide plants for your own use.
There is anecdotal evidence that severed Echinacea taproots and fibrous roots can regenerate an entire plant. About 25%-50% of the plants that are hand dug for the herbal industry resprout the next year. All of the species except for Echinacea purpurea form a taproot and other thick fleshy roots and can be propagated via root cuttings. Place a pencil-sized piece of root upright (top side up) in a container in fall.
It is also possible to propagate Echinacea using basal stem cuttings. Take 4" to 6" cuttings in the spring and treat with 1000ppm powdered IBA. All commercial hybrids are propagated via tissue culture using axillary buds, stem cuttings, or individual cells.
Bet that was more than you wanted to know....rofl.
Yes, it's too hot for the Tennessee Coneflower there, Linda.
Here's some info on the Amado. It is not a hybrid. It is not sterile and will come true from seed. http://www.cherrygal.com/flowerconefloweramadoheirloomseeds2008-p-5143.html
Happ, and Cville, I would love to have what ever you have! Thanks so much! What ever you send, I will send postage for!
This message was edited Jun 25, 2013 12:04 PM
Thanks for the link, Joyce. I'm drooling. Not sure exactly which one it is but would appreciate knowing when you get the time. Some are quite pricey, aren't they?
Looks like you're all set, LK. Yay!