Box o' Flowers

That sure is a beauty, Maggie. Is it in the shade? Does it need to be watered often?

John

It is in the shade, in rich organic soil that I keep well mulched, so I don't need to water real often. The tag says that it likes moist, but well-draining soil. It's sure hard waiting for this yr's blooms!

Jdee, thanks for the enjoyable thread.
Before you go out and shop, make a diagram of how much garden you have, and how many areas you want to plant.
Then take a few trips and DONT buy anything. Take notes, even pictures.
When you get home with your list, check over watering requirements and zone hardiness. Even if they sell it in your home town, if its hardy zone is a 7 or lower for the high end of the zone range, it can't live in Conroe.
I for example can't grow Lilacs that grew in mama's yard outside of Plainview Texas.
Anyhow, planing and checking before you buy is the way to have better success, besides it's fun. This year, I'm raising alot of my own bedding plants.
Living in your zone, you can start things now for a lush summer garden. My personal preferance is mass plantings for color statements.
Get 3 of a kind perenials and then 2 or 3 six-packs of the same annual makes more impact than one of this, and one of that.
You made a great start with your camelias, add more of those and fill in with seasonal color.
Anyone that can crochet like you can, can also garden.
Sidney

Hi Sidney,

I'm afraid it's too late. My husband and I had been planning all week to go plant shopping today. I've been working part time helping my sister clean a daycare that they have a contract with, so I'd have money to spend today. First of all, I had the primrose and snaps that I bought earlier, so all I needed was a type of shrub. I had decided on azaleas. Last year, I didn't want azaleas becuase it seemed like everywhere I went, there they were. I didn't want to have what everyone else had. I later came to realize that the reason so many people have them is becuase they grow so well here, and they're always on sale somewhere. I decided to conform...

Today we bought three small azalea shrubs, and I decided to fill in the space with my annuals I just bought. Next came my garden ornaments, and plants I bought for the window boxes. I just got in from planting, and I'm still exhilerated. The only thing I'm concerned about is if the ornaments look too busy, but that can always be fixed by moving them. Anyway, this is what I ended up with....

When the azaleas grow, they should be a good background for whatever I might want for a permentant plant, but for now, I can fill in with annuals until they grow. That's my plan, anyway...

I have two window boxes on the porsh railing. I took a picture of just one, because they're both the same. I know it's not the most beautiful garden in the world, but it's mine, and I'm proud of it...

Sorry. I forgot the picture of the window box...

It looks just great jdee.

Thank you. I just hope it stays pretty. I know I may not have blooms, when the summer heat hits, but maybe I spaced them out enough to be able to add a little color later. maybe double impatiens. That's what I had there last year. I got tired of constantly having to pick up fallen petals, so I decided not to go with them this year, but if all else fails, at least I know they work there.


Edited to say something to John....

I know you told me spring isn't yet here, but I just couldn't help myself. :-)

This message was edited Feb 26, 2005 9:17 PM

I bet your plants will be just fine, jdee. You have them arranged very well. Its going to be fun to see everything in bloom.

John

Hi all,

I just wanted to show you what my flowers look like now. Still going.....

Here is the overall view...

Close up...

Wow! Very nice, jdee.

Looking good!

Hi, that looks really sweet and springy. You did a good job.

Today I'm a very proud plant mama. I just took these pictures of my snapdragons. They seem to really be happy, and blooming...

#1

#2

I've noticed that here in zone 9, SF Bay Area, my primroses and snapdragons have always returned in beds where the drainage is good but they also get irrigated regularly. They are definitely cool soil plants, when it gets to the height of our hot dry summers I only find them in the shady beds.

When the bed is partly sunny and the soil stays relatively cool, they have been evergreen, even!

Thanks for the info.