Stir crazy, but there's nothing much in the nurseries yet

pirl: I think it's a combination of both. All the times I've planted them (sun or shade) they start to develop buds way too soon and start blooming when they're oinly 5 or 6" tall.

They are lovely but they are not my favorite spring flower. Daffodils have that spot locked up.

This photo came via an email so I can't give credit to the photographer or the owner but it's quite a site.

Daffs are my favorite too. At least here it's plant them and forget about them. Tulips need to be replanted after a couple of years. But I still do plant a few tulips each year, just for bouquets for the house, they smell so nice.

primulas last 15 min. in my area, tulips, 25. I've even tried the late late, and still just an expensive annual for me.

Neither do well for me. We do have one yellow tulip and that one was the entire "bulb garden" that was part of our inherited landscaping as it's called. It's lasted for 18 years now so it must have some magic component.

saw this yesterday, but not many people buying

If you post that photo in the rose forum, all of the stir-crazy people there will make a beeline for Texas.

Here's something I'll be looking forward to this spring. These were planted in 07. The pic is from spring 08. This past fall I was on the top rung of the ladder tying up the canes. If year 3 is the leap year, I should have a nice display. I will also be out of higher rungs on the ladder.

Beautiful, Louise. You might be able to rent a basketball star to help you tie up the canes.

That's a thought Pirl. I bet my neighbors might appreciate it. There's a motion sensitive light by the roof line of the shed. One of the canes sets it off in the wind. It's like a strobe light all night!

Good thing it's not red.

I'd probably shoot it out. I can't stand light at night. Or maybe I'd feel I was back in the 60s and go look in the garden for something to smoke.

Primulas do very well here, but I have to keep dividing them every two years.

Polly!!!

Pirl!!!

Oh Polly, I am with you! We have idiots for neighbors and they put in street light-type lamps IN THE WOODS! I am beyond disgusted, but these are the same people who think it is OK to shoot off fireworks when we are in a drought or shoot at the muskrats just "because they are there". Idiots. But then, they have placed sculptures on pedestals back in the woods for the deer to enjoy. Maybe that's why they have it lit.

I hope those poor muskrats have a little bit of time to enjoy the sculptures too.

Poor muskrats. I can't believe anyone would be allowed to shoot gun in your area.

Maybe we could get your neighbors over here to tie up that cane and shoot at them as they're on that top rung.

What an ingenious plan, Louise.

There is an ordinance in this town that you cannot discharge a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling. We called the police on them about this a couple of years back when they were shooting their weaponry while we were working back in our woods. The cops said technically the neighbor was aiming away from a dwelling. Fools. How about the fact that we were working on our own property which extends beyond the 500 feet?

I will make the offer to send "Pistol Pete" down to tie up those canes. You can have target practice simply because "he's there"!

I still want a stun gun and not necessarily just for the deer.

Heehee!

This was an old thread from 2005 in the Container Gardening Forum, it gets bumped on a regular basis because of this header image but it's getting way too large even for DSL. The member is long gone but this picture lingers! A good addition for this stir crazy winter blues thread I think.

First image http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=1938569
Second image http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=1938570
What the first image looks like in winter http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=1941072

Wow....That is a garden nook! I have got to get some escargot begonia. It always catches my eye. The winter shot is "why winter is too long"

Sue and I have both enjoyed that thread for a very long time and I copied both photos so I can dream of summer during winter and as an example of the lush feeling that can be created in a not so big area.

Morning...

My cat did an excellent imitation of that the other morning. I don't think it was joy though, it was the alarm clock. Thought he was going to hit the ceiling.

I used to put my pager near one of my cats when he was sleeping...then I'd dial the # on the phone...and he'd be airborne.

One of my Lapagerias is also stir crazy, I guess. This one suddenly put out three little blooms, although all of them already bloomed in October and November.

JD, that is wicked funny!

JD - now I know why the cats knock over your cans of coffee!

Zuzu - the leaves on your plant remind me of Mandevilla vine. Are they in the same family?

The leaves are similar to those on the thick-leaved varieties of Mandevilla, Pirl, but I don't think the two are related. The blooms have nothing at all in common. Lapageria blooms are really thick-petaled and heavy. Here's a closeup of some from October.

Thanks, Zuzu. The flowers on yours are more interesting.

Today I went out and bought more primulas and many, many, many bags of dirt. Last year Jose brought me a few truckloads of potting soil from the recycling yard, but I didn't like it as much as the bagged stuff. It was very heavy, more like pure compost.

My Mom and I went to Lowes for potting soil for her, I got 10 bags organic compost made up of forest mulch and manure mixture. Then we hit HD and I broke down and got one of their $20 J&P rose trees, Cinco De Mayo, it was just loaded with branches. Also picked up a new leaf rake, a couple of Teucrium fruticans azureum aka Bush Germander ($4.47) and a phormium, ($6.47) cheap deals! Admired the pretty pansies and primulas but resisted.

This message was edited Feb 2, 2009 11:54 PM

I have to go to Garden Valley Ranch sometime this week to pick up my bare-root roses. Ron called me and said they were ready. I'm so excited because Chocolate Sundae is one of them. I know I'm going to love that rose, Sue. Remember when we saw it in the test garden at Healdsburg? I'm also getting two of the other roses we saw that day -- Spanish Sunset and Carefree Spirit. In fact, I already bought the latter two at Empire Nursery a couple of weeks ago. I loved them so much that I know I need two of each.

Oh I remember! I really want to see how Chocolate Sundae does as a climber and will watch for reviews.

Night all!

That is so stunning, Sue. You are such a talented photographer!

Zuzu - are there any roses you don't have?

Oh my Sue, that's a beautiful rose!

Zuzu, can Jose bring me potting soil that's like compost, too? I do compost but there is never enough.

Polly, I would think with all your acreage you'd have ready made natural compost in abundance, no ???