Cure for the winter blahs- Pretty Pictures 2

I compared this pic to Pirl's no id, the petals aren't recurved like hers and the blooms are held more out facing. The Lily above is 'Red Dutch'.

Hey I have that one and Shocking is on the other side of the path

Beautiful photos GE & Gemini. A large part of my house is white stucco, so I love planting vivid reds around it. Here's a truly RED Rhodo named "Vulcan".

I have that one too.Its around the fountain.This will be the second year.

More pictures! More pictures! I am getting such good ideas for my garden. Keep it up. PLEASE!!!

You asked for it
http://picasaweb.google.com/jgentle4/GardenBestShots

.http://picasaweb.google.com/jgentle4/ShadeGardenSummer0903

'Vulcan' is GORGEOUS!!! And such a true red, isn't it irritating when hot pink blooms are sold as red (complete with color enhanced photos). Goodness knows I'd still want whatever knowing it's hot pink, but I'd plant it in a different spot, LOL.

Here's sweet little surprise I had last summer, an Alstromeria that had never bloomed after a couple of years of digging in fall, trying in various containers in various positions, till I finally planted in the ground and left there to freeze out during winter. Low and behold, it not only survived the winter, but bloomed too!

ge1836, Love the pictures. I loved the poppies and that beautiful dark purple iris and all the other plants. I want my garden to look like that, but it will take a couple of years, I know that. I'm just impatient with the cold and I can't get out there and get planting. I've got a couple of orders to nurseries for some stuff that I want, including my elderberry bushes. Won't have berries for a couple of years, but will be watching them closely.

Gemini, I know, this Rhodo is a perfect example. It was sold to me as a true red. Actually the buds are quite red, but when they open, the blooms are this deep magenta.

I tried my first Alstroemaria this summer. It had a few small blooms. I'm hoping that they overwinter and do well next year. Yours is quite lovely.

Ge, your photos are all wonderful and bring much sunshine to these dreary winter days.

Looks like you folks went shopping together, you have so many plants the same.

Wonderful pics, everyone.

Marti thanks my gardens are fairly new,I am retired and bored with nothing to do but garden so thats the sedret

Marti, you'll see amazing results in no time- I've only lived here 3 years, so I can tell ya, perseverance pays off :-)

gemini,
great garden. Gives me hope that mine can look like something and not have to wait 10 years. I have lots of seeds I've been sent by the great people here at DG and I've ordered some things. Now just give me a good break in the weather and I'll get things going.

Hi everyone! What a wonderful thread. Your pic's and chat sure
did chase away my blahs today.

ge - My very first attempt at a planned garden was a red garden.
It was awful! Reds are harder to mix than most colors. You've done
a lovely job there.

Neal - its already three years? Wow. From your pic's there, looks like
you did a great job of digging in and making it a paradise.

Carolyn - I just love those jubilee agastache. I'm going to have to find a
spot for them. They do well in very dry soil - right? And that collection
of heuchera's & heucherella looks wonderful! I love them.

Stormyla - Love the vulcan rhodie! Do you ever go to the Rhododendron
Society sales at Morris Arb? They have their sale during Morris' Rare Plant
sale in May. Oh and where did you get that Pink Penney geranium? It
sounds like one I'll be looking for.

Tam

How cute is this bee?

Those are hard to photograph

Yeah... don't ask me to post the not-so-great pic's I took the same day. lol

Tam

This is the garden I am working on.I needed other plants to go with the lilies.

Here's my project of many years. This is an extremely steep
hill of rocks and sandy soil. Pretty hot - faces south.

ge - what is the deep purple lily? Its wonderful! Do you
have a picture of the area you'll be planting with those lovelies?

Here's another part of the same hill. I love looking thru
summer photo's - its hard to remember the bright colors
when the landscape is brown.

The deep purple lily will bloom for the first time this summer.
Its Midnight from The Lily Garden
http://www.thelilygarden.com/pages_lilies/trumpet_1.html#mid
This small strip under my bedroom window already has lilies and poppies and sedum.
I removed half the hydrangea to make room for more garden and planted more lilies Montenegro and Sherazahd this fall so it should be popping in June and July.

I can't wait to see your photo's of the newly
refurbished garden there!

Dreams are great arent they?

So how many of you have shown friends your
wonderful new garden bed - before a thing has
been planted? I think my gardens are at their
very best after the dirt has been fluffed and there's
nary a weed (nor flower). The next best time is
in the winter as I look back at the season thru pictures
that capture only the beauty and none of the weeds.

Tam

DGer's have miles of files.

Tammy, No, I've never been to the sale at the Morris Arboretum. How are the prices?

I bought that Geranium Pink Penny at Pickering Mill Seed & Feed in Chester County. They were end of season 50% off plants in 3 gallon containers. Last year, I couldn't find it anywhere, but now I see that many online nurseries have it. The prices at Lazy S'S seem to be about the best. While you're there, check out the Geranium "Midnight Reiter". That will be my next Geranium purchase.

http://www.gardencrossings.com/_ccLib/image/plants/DETA-274.jpg

I bought everal Midnight Reiters last year. They are slower to acclimate than the other Hardy Gers.I have.
I have high hopes for the survivors.Ithink 2 out of 4.I bought them from Eminence Meadows,First and only purchase from them.Plants were dried out due to poor packing

I've tried midnight reiter too I believe. It loses its dark
purple/black color in the folliage in the summer, right?

Morris Arb sale - yeah, pretty pricey but really fun. The
rhodo society sale is very good on prices (I think. I don't
buy a lot of rhodies).

Tam

I find it very strange that some of the plant societies have really expensive plant sales. Around here, the Daylily and Iris societies have good prices, but the Hosta Society charges 3 times what the plants can be bought for elsewhere. The plant sales for the Hardy Plant Society are always great with multiple vendors. Look for a branch in your area.

Tammy, these catalogues and websites rarely tell you if the foliage color remains or changes. I have Geranium Victor Reiter, but not the Midnight Reiter.

I think the foliage turns greener in summer.If I remember right its dark again in fall.Maybe cooler weather.

I think the worst I've run into are Herb society prices, consistently.

OMigosh, ge - I've spent the past 1/2 hour at the Lily Garden...

Morris Arb's plants are very nice. Typically there are
plants you can't find elsewhere. But what's more common,
you can usually find cheaper elsewhere.

I had a very bad experience HPS members sale but really
liked the market sale.

Anyhow... sorry for the hijack of your thread Neal. How's
this for spring color? Our dogwoods are just a delight every
spring.

Around here a lot of the societies prices are very high. Our iris society people sell irises themselves for very high prices. I really think it's because a lot of them are not internet people, and really don't know what's going on in the world.

apparently those different plant societies are getting those prices or they would not be charging them. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Good morning everyone

Ge, that is such a lovely garden spot! I love your use of primary colors there, was that intentional?

Thank god for primaries.
No it wasnt the red nastuerteum came up as a result of composting the dead plants from the year before.
I didnt have the heart to yank it.If things get too out of hand I will weed out some offending colors.

Very nice, don't you love those surprises. You can always yank the surprise stuff if you don't like it and you don't have to worry about wastin money.
Here's a shot of my red white and blue garden
Veronica

pretty good