CLOSED: 2014 Fall Round Robin On the Wing

Nanny, what does she want to go back to school for (to study what)?
Kathy, you and all the other ladies with big indoor --and outdoor -- setups for seeds etc. continue to amaze me!

Gm wow you all been catty since i was here last so sorry but have been Baking up a storm the last 2 weeks + since my Furnace went out on me , & Now the new one dose not want to stay lit , so Brother jim is going to be over after while & See what is going on.

Kathy I Think I just might have to make a trip out your way & Fill my trunk up :))) your Gardens are going to be Beautiful .

well I will try to stop back in when I can you all have a great weekend :)

Valal, she wants to get her Masters degree. I guess she has just earned her RN Associate degree? lol there was so many degrees flying around yesterday, it was hard to keep track. Anyway, I say more power to her!

I agree, Nanny..it's hard to work full time AND go to school tho! Wish I had that kind of energy these days! LOL

Amanda, I love it when those awesome, surreal days happen! I can think of a few garden bloggers I'm sure would think I'm a creeper if ever given the chance to meet them in "real life"!

The bird is back in the air as of yesterday, so Sue should be getting it Wednesday or Thursday. This time around, I knew what to expect a little more than the last Robin, but the quantity and variety of seed in that box is RIDICULOUS! Boy if it ever got crushed or wet (I know - sad thought!) what a seed bomb that would be!! Lol instant jungle! Sorry it took me so long to get through it, this has been a busy busy week of merry making :))

Nanny and Dee, I hope your daughters realize and appreciate what a blessing you are, being there for your grandkids, and helping out so your daughter could get her degree.. that's amazing!

Kathy - DUDE!! WOW!! pretty much sums it up when I see your pics LOL :D

Lol, thanks! Have to go out when it warms again and reweight the plastic on the hoop house, wind got to it during our most recent snow. Sure am glad I tied rope over the whole thing! I was trying to expand the inside space and went further out at the base just to hold a few more trays...think I may have to bring the base in closer and get more cement blocks! Darn.. Looks like I may be getting the bird for Christmas.

Ya Susie, thanks to you and sooo many other wonderful people here at Dave's!!! Thanks to all who have shared with me over the years!!!! A special THANK YOU and a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!!! Most things in the front garden were started from seed. But in the back it's more of plants that were shared and sales. (first 2 pix are the front and last 3 are sections in the back, things that were planted earlier got some great growth on them. Those planted late summer still look small and nothing more than sticks at the moment til they begin filling in next season. So there is hope to all who want to try growing their things from seed, yes, it's possible! There are things that I don't even try (yet) from seed: Clems, Iris, Dicentra, you know...just some of those things that it's easier to just buy or can't pass up..lol. Or things that were bought just to get the seed to grow more.... Good Luck to all who garden, in their seeding endeavors, scrounging for plants and tending the Earth, or whatever makes them happy....... I Thank You for sharing of your time and efforts and words of inspirations and ideas thru the years! Kathy :)

How long have you been at it at this property, Kathy?

Every year your photos look more and more dense and lush. :D

Make me think I might start gardening again someday. Heh.

I'm cold and damp! I hate that particular combination of weather factors. Time to get under the blankets but I'm tying up loose ends for MY degree. Ack. Graduation is Thursday, but I have walked across enough of them stages - don't need to risk a trip at my age.

Goodnight all!
A.

Thank-you Kathy, for all the plants I've started from your seeds, and the plants you've sent.
I'm growing more than ever this year. I've got several hundred jiffy pots on the mats and some of those have your seeds in them.
We were hit with a big storm here last week. And I stupidly opened the hoophouse door in the wind and one whole side blew out. I did get it tacked back down but we don't get wind like that very often and boy it sure made a mess with branches down and whole trees even.
Winter is arriving with a vengence. Which is fine with me as the trees are so happy to finally be getting watered.

Thought you guys might get a kick out of what I'm up to in my spare time on a business trip to Daytona Beach. My co. graciously put me up in an executive suite right on the beach...you would think I would be taking advantage of getting my toes in some sand but no....I'm so dang excited about my "bird" seeds that I hauled them with me and I'm looking up what, when, where & how to plant them! Yeah...I'm new at this!

I'd say that's a seedaholic in the making! lol

I just returned from Orlando where I spent a few days with my sister and two of her friends that were visiting with family in New Smryna. The hotel was across from Sea World and the Christmas lights and decorations were really something to see. They put me in a wheel chair and took me to IKEA for a special lunch of meatballs, mashed potatoes, gravy and lingonberry sauce. It was wonderful. My MRI results were that I need to see an orthopedic doctor about knee replacement. I so do not want that as it end your ability to kneel.
So wonderful to hear of graduation, what an achievement, to reach your goal.
I'm not bragging but I do have seeds (from the robin) sprouting. I even have an aocado that has started it's rooting. I love Florida gardening.

LOL,Thank You Amanda.. Not sure, might be getting close to7-8 years.

Dee, so what's growing.........I'm getting ready to start, just trying to get into the mood..

Mittsy - yes I am excited for you. In the dark days of winter one day i realized as I was planning for the next year's garden that there was an optimist inside me after all. That was a life lesson. Let us know how things go with your knee! I'm sending healing thoughts.

Flo - you're absolutely MAD!!! Ha ha ha. But I love it. Do get some sunshine and sand on your toes.

Kathy - I think it's amazing what you've done. Just wish I had more space to plant, but I'm up to my eyeballs as it is.

Tomorrow is graduation day - trying to get in touch with one particular instructor, but sure it'll all go down just right.

They won't mail diplomas till January, so I won't believe it till it arrives. Ha HA !

Have a beautiful day.

A.

Amanda - I'm sure your graduation today went wonderfully.

Kathy - For the butterflies so far I've got Blue False Indigo up and so I think I'll put more in and I have a yellow Baptisia I'd like to try too. I also had a Genesta "Bridal Veil" come up, first time with this one. Thunbergia is a short lived perennial here and amazingly enough they are coming up from 2011 seeds. I also have some white hardy Hibiscus up, not sure if it's really the right time for these but I'll see. And lastly Salvia "black and blue". I wasn't sure this would even grow from seed but I've got one of eight up.
I put some more in trays yesterday. I'm trying to grow some more exotic plants as I have a friend who sells seed and will buy rare plant seed from me. By exotic, well, I put in more blue milkweed (Tweedia caerulea), echium wildpretti (Tower of Jewels), and pink dandelions. I had hopes the pink ones would be as invasive as the yellow but their not. So I think I'm going to have to germinate them all in jiffy pots and then put them out. They do seem to survive well.
Another one is Giant Scabiosa. I tried sowing it outside last year and failed, so this year I'm doing it indoors. It's a herbaceous perennial so that's exciting.
I could go on and on, it's an illness I tell you.

id love to find seeds for another black pincushion flower. It had to be the prettiest flower ever next to my white swan echinacea. But then again, they are all my favorites.

Also interested to hear whether your B&B salvia comes true. I was also under the impression it did not set seed and only method of reproduction is division - at least I've never seen it set seed in the 5 years I've had it.

Amanda, CONGRATS on your graduation!

Dome, I'd really love to see your pink dandelions in bloom if you. would be good enough to share photos! :-)

This message was edited Dec 17, 2014 9:24 PM

I just read the info on the Black and Blue and wow there is a lot of contradictions. I've got mine in medium size pot, mainly to keep it away from the gophers. Maybe I will plant it out so it can get bigger, it's a beautiful plant and I collected the seeds so I could have more plants for myself, LOL. If the rest of these seeds don't germinate I'll take cuttings in spring.
I remember black pin cushion. They are pretty, we should be able to find seeds for that one.

I have my Black & Blue Salvia in a 24" pot with some yellow Lantana and it pretty well fills up the pot in summer. I bring it in in the winter. It dies back, but comes back in the Spring. This is the 2nd winter for it, I don't know how long they will live. But it is such a beautiful plant I couldn't bear to lose it. Congrats Dee on getting seedlings. I harvested some seed but haven't tried any yet. I wonder how true they will grow from seed. Let us know how that goes.

Gm all I also had the Black & Blue salvia & I forgot to take it out of the ground the yr I Planted it & It came back the Next yr
so I Left it in the ground thinking it would come back again but it did not , so if anyone has an extra plant or a few seeds I would love to grow it again :)

So I have not posted in a couple days but been busy Baking & Packing boxes 2 I sent to My Family members in the Service,
& Bro in FL , & In Tx Plus For 2 of my Neighbors .
Now I have to do for my bro & family here next to me . then i will be done :) so more baking today :) wish i had time to read back through I will try to get caught up after the Holidays :) Promise :) .

I dug my Salvia Black and Blue and potted 2. So far 1 is showing growth at the base....hope it or they make it thru the winter!!!!!!

Amanda....I have seed for Scabiosa atropurpea Ace of spades that will be put in the bird...want me to make you a packet? Congrats on your diploma!!!!!

Dee..is that Cephalaria your referring to (ref Giant Scabiosa)? If so alpina or gigantia? I grew both from seed more than 20 years ago and would LOVE to try them again. Think they might need stratification..... I have a garden aquaintance that has one of them but the baby that was shared didn't make it.....still looking for another tho. His seeded from mama dropping seed. One is a darker yellow than the other and one has larger flowers than the other... Nifty plant at 4-6 footX4foot. pretty much all summer bloom. Tell us more!!! LOL.

I believe it has yellow flowers. I have 2 more packs coming from the Netherlands and it should be here soon. If I get it I can send one on to you. If one of us can get it to germinate we'll have more next year.

This is what I traded for:
2x Astrantia major
2x Chephalaris gigantea
2x Rhodochiton atrosanguineum (purple bell vine)
2x Silphium perfoliatum (cup plant)

I'm real excited about the "cup plant" too. I don't know where I'm going to put these big plants but what the hell, I can always start watering the pasture, LOL. Just don't tell the neighbors.


The cup plant

I don't know who has shade gardens, but I just obtained the Silene virginica (firepink) that I've been coveting for YEARS. Can't wait ...

About B&B salvia - it was NOT supposed to survive in my zone, but it has thrived at the foundation of a south facing wall. I will have new plants a plenty in the spring Suzie, or whoever wants them. They are outgrowing the space I alloted to them, which, is a gracious plenty, considering. :)

Kathy - I would love to have the Scabiosa atropurpurea. Thank you so much.

You know me, I take on too much and then tend to underproduce results which I HAVE to stop doing. I had that experience this week, my computer failed me and ate a document I had been working on. I didn't think that was supposed to happen anymore in this day and age. Certainly must be difficult for someone on the other side to accept that as a legitimate "excuse" anymore. The dog ate my homework, or the iguana crapped on it would be more likely accepted coming from this house.

Still, I'm at peace with it - been doing my birdwatching. Had to reconfigure some feeders this morning because I watched a hawk take a bird yesterday. Made my heart very heavy, but I'm reminded that everyone has to eat. So. I saw a ruby crowned kinglet just now, which is a rare sighting for me as it happens only once a year, usually. I'm buoyed by that sighting, and by checking in here with friends, and the feeling that the peace and joy of the Christmas season is upon me. And to my friends who so celebrate, Happy Chanukah - today begins the eight crazy nights.

Have fun friends - in whatever shape it takes. Enjoy your day.

xo
A.

My gazania seed that I collected from the pink ones, turned out to be orange and yellow as well, must have been cross pollinated. Pretty none the less. I took the seed heads from the Scotty Culp center in Satellite Beach. They were so lovely in the pink.

The Robin landed today and she's a fat one! I haven't opened her yet but I imagine there are some goodies in there. I'll try to get her back out on Saturday but am working OT today and tomorrow so more likely Monday. I'll contact the next person on the list before I send and then will post here when she's flown.

So excited!

Sue G

Sue...It headed to Colorado!!!!!! Yeah!!! lol

I'm getting anxious too. I actually ordered some seeds from that Ebay seller that does seeds for a $1.00. I didn't think I'd find anything, but I did. Kathy, does Oenothera naturalize in your area? I think it does here as I see what I think is the yellow Oenothera by the side of the road. The drought this year has me putting in more water-wise plants.

Domehomedee,
Did you buy Oenothera macrocarpa. If so, it is hardy and drought resistant, full sun and blooms from June until late summer. I have it growing along my hot driveway, as seen. A good candidate for WS as it needs stratification, or sow outside and it will sprout in the spring.

There are several varieties and the pink flowered speciosa is weedy as it spread by underground roots. O. pallida is nice also but was not hardy in my zone (4th photo).

Dee, I've grown O. missouriensis in the past and loved it's sprawling habit...still need to replace into this garden. Also have grown the pink varitety of speciosa, personally I loved it and will try to get more in this garden...but yes it does spread so placement is very important..but if a large patch is needed to cover the ground this one will do it, it's also fragrant. I have a newer one out there that I just got (2 years ago now), bloom first time this season. 'Spose to be a native, I'll check later for a tag and see if there are any seed pods.

The white one in pix 4 looks like O. caespitosa, which I believe is growing around the yard and feild (native).. Remind me come spring/summer to check it out for you, pix and seed. It's 2-6", white, spring-summer, P., rhizomes so it spreads but not a pest so far.... Remind me come spring and I could ship you a few.....I know there are some in the grass areas that need to be removed..............

A couple of other natives are O. howardii, 1-2 ft. , and O. villosa, (hooker's), B., 2-4', both yellow. I've grown a baby of villosa from seed but have to get it planted out next spring as I didn't have time to get it into the ground this year so just brought it back in, once I get ready to start putting things in the greenhouse it will go back out for the winter and planted come spring.

The seed seller just calls it yellow Oenothera, for a dollar for 1000 seeds I can wait until it grows to find out what yellow it is. I grew an tropical orange variety a couple years back and loved it, just not in my formal flower garden, I figured it was going to take over. I'm just always jealous of the neighbors that have it naturalized. I figure I should be able to do that. Thanks for the information, I think I'll do a little research. My sister should be growing some variety of this in New Mexico, she's in zone 5.

Kathy O. missouriensis and macrocarpa (Ozark Sundrop) are the same in my Western Garden Book. It had a name change.

O. pallida I grew from commercial seed under that name.

http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/general/lst.gen.asp?prodid=747

There is O. stubbei (Saltino Evening Primrose) with narrow leaves and yellow flowers. Prostate stems root along the ground. Native to Mexico.

O. fruticosa (Sundrop) from eastern U.S. yellow flowers on erect growth to 2 ft.

There are several cultivars---some are annuals, perennials, and biennials. Not all are hardy in the North.

This message was edited Dec 20, 2014 11:10 AM

Thanks...

Blomma - that all sounds right - I've got half a dozen varieties including the common O. biennis which grows to 6' or more in my dry clay soil. Prolific reseeder, not unlike the hoary mullein, so be careful what you wish for! :D

A.

Amanda, the only one I grow is O. missouriensis aka macrocarpa. Most of my garden space is devoted to iris and daylilies.

Kathy - If you have any excess Oenothera seeds hanging around please stick them in the Robin for me! I've got lots of room and it would be a great experiment to see which does best / looks nicest.
Dee

Ok, let me see what I have....

Amanda...do I see that correctly 6 ft? Is that a sprawl or 6 ft ht.?

6' high.

Actually, the "wing span" is pretty broad too - they can take up a lot of space if you let them. The seeds stay viable in the soil for a year or two. I usually let one or two take over remote parts of the garden. The yellow flowers above practically everything make a nice splash.

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=OEBI

I have seen that plant growing wild when I lived in MA as a 3 ft plant. It is a biennial.

Afternoon all Amanda I Have that Plant In about ever Garden Very pretty but It is a self seeds & Over takes the gardens
I can share with anyone who wants it :) mine get about 3'. always pulling them out.

I consider them to be invasive weeds, they'll choke out everything if left to spread. Very difficult to get rid of completely, mine grow to 5 ft tall.