Daily Musings - page 12

Yeah, we've been down that one, Carrie: Brush Hill Rd.. Hope all's well on the South Side (of the Hub). Keep the love lines flowin'.

victorgardener, I don't understand. Is not a cremini a cremini? Or was I sucking my thumb? So often, the cigarettes taste better from the bottom of the bowl. But who would eat from the top; in the first place?

let me just say "the white acid is not particularly good"

The white knight keeps talking backwards.

Feed your head.

Gee, everyone seems so much funnier tonight!

xx, carrie

watersedge is artificially enhanced.

I meant funnier than usual, of course, we are all terribly funny just by nature, or maybe iyt's nurture.

Today, perhaps, on Mothers' Day, we should give credit to Mother Nature.

xxx, Carrie (logging off)

Good Night Carrie - and Happy Mothers Day!!

Thanks, Karl. Now you have me wondering who recommended this thread....
I'm thinking of using the Peony cage/ring on the Sedum.
It's time to cut the Garden Phlox in half, they are about up to my knee. They don't flop over in bloom when I trim them this way. (A past experiment that worked.)
Well it's bed time.
Bon soir.
Andy P

well, I want my mom to love it... and I am her favorite daughter!!!! the first one!!! and she is so cute... but I can disapoint her... have done before... but I am still the favorite...

great idea Andy... too late for mine I think!!!!

I guess that means my 2 garden phlox didn't stop in this year... nothing's out there.

xxx, Carrie

And I thought I was weird . . . . LOL

Sarahskeeper, Tracy DeSabato-Aust (I know I've spelt her name wrong) has a great book on the type of pruning and supports for perennials if you're interested. You might already know what you need by now but she has some good tricks.

Karl, I HATE staking. I avoid planting anything that needs staking. That's the main reason the Dahlia 'Bishops Children' may not get planted this year. (Well 3 are in, special colors.)
These Peony cages are just play.

It's been awfully dry lately. I'm watering already, unusual.
Andy P

I'm with you Andy. If it can't stand on its own, out it goes!

Victor, don't let Al hear you say that, lol. He loves his Dahlias.
The tallest perennial I have is hardy Hibiscus, about 5 feet. No staking needed.
A DGer gave me some mystery seed last year, they are very pretty. I have reds and this pink. Three of the four I moved from the 'nursery' are coming up.
Andy P

I love dahlias too. We tried them for the first time last year. Thank-goodnes for the Kevin Limelight (or whatever the giant yellow one is called). I spent much of the summer in British Columbia (my dad wasn't doing well) so DH had to care for my plants. He was very proud of his dedication - and the huge dahlias he had grown. Without that experience, I doubt I could have ever convinced him to dig up a large part of his precious lawn so I could have a fragrance garden :-)

I even saved the tubers and made a feeble attempt to divide them - I must have made some mistakes cause not all of the divisions sprouted - though they did get quite fat and have roots. However - I do have more dahlias than last year - but after dividing the tubers, I messed up on the labelling, so I am not really sure what I have now, though I know two are the giant yellow ones. The ones I really like were the simple pink ones. oh well. I guess I will find out in a month or so.

I don't mind staking things, but then I have a small yard.

I've got all kinds of plants I stake - aster and helenium over 7', my tallest dahlia was 8' last year. I didn't like having to stake some of my coneflowers but the wind was just keeping them sideways.


It's Kelvin Floodlight

I got a very generous gift of many dahlias from a DGer. The people on the Dahlia forum are psychos and Dahlia leaves look like weeds. I like the blooms but it's not worth it!

xxx, Carrie

I like my stakes - RARE.

Karl, I really like her book too (The Well Tended Perennial Garden) for the info on cutting back, pruning & deadheading.

I'll admit that staking tkaes a lot of time and considerable effort to do it well. Here where I work, a new perennial border worker will take hours on just one plant. Unfortunately this has to happen so that the staking in invisible and we get the fantastic height that we look for in the back of the border. Luckily, on an estate we have hours to dedicate to this type of thing.

The Well Tended Perennial Garden gives great tips for being able to plant some of the taller plants without the need for staking. The approach is generally one of pruning which, though it makes tall plants shorter, creates a stalkier plants that holds up better.

I like Eupatoriums for tall plants that don't require staking.

But Dahlias are the most frustrating plant of all to stake. I should go over to the Dahlia Forum to get recommendations.

who needs the dahlia forum when you've got the Uber Tuber (that's Al, btw) right here. Al, do tell, how do you stake your dahlias? inquiring minds want to know (including me, while I try to think where to plant the very tall ones so that they won't get pummelled by the vicious winds here)

And is it possible to stake them w/out the stakes showing?

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/684947/

Big thread on staking. Too long for me to get through today. Sorry, don't know how to make a link yet.

ROTFL!! As I've said, I love catching up on this thread. Your quick wits make me feel like a dullard.

I must have 50 green garden stakes and they get rotated all the time. I agree Dahlias need more. I try, but they end up leaning. If I had room I'd just let them lay down.

Wonderful tulips Pixie!

Andy, I love your private patio!

Karl, I had to read slow too :))

Victorgardener, congrats! I see they are already buying from you :))

Kassia, hand your Mom a turtle :)) She'll never see the weeds.

I could never give up tall plants for no stakes.

I have been working non stop for about a month. I've edged everything that will not be enlarged, after I enlarged it, and weeding weeding weeding! If it wasn't raining this morn, I'd be outside.

The Harry Lauder and Mock Orange beds combined and edged! I also decided to edge both gardens this year so I don't have to keep doing it. I love crisp edges!

Hi everyone!!!! my mom arrived ... she looks good... she loved the garden... she told me that I am really looking for a lot of work but that it looks really good!!! what a relief!!!!

dahlias: NO GROWTH, no activities yet... 11 days planted and nothing... yesterday I snooped around one... the thing still there... same way as when was planted... well a litte wet... so I water deeply yesterday and hope the rain today helps too... not that it rained much!

Andy I planted the Bishop's Children this past sunday... finally I planted all the Red Roses....

still have tons of seeds for baby breath, lupines, poppies to plant... and all the veggies... I need a week off work.... oh dream on!!!

Today is April Showers in the wrong month.

This is what my DH and DDs made me for Mother's Day.

xxxx, Carrie
PS it's finished now.

Kassia, say hi to your mom for me! and welcome to the US.

Carrie, what a nice gift! you're a lucky girl.

Hi to Kassia's Mom from me and the cats, Holly & Wallingford.

Carrie, that looks great!!!!!!!!

I will send pics today... I will tell my mom.... I am not sure why I am at work... my head is not here!!!!

Hi Kassia - say "hi" to your mom. When are you coming to Springfield? Bring your mom along, if you want :-)

Carrie - your pool looks pretty shallow ;) What is the gravel on the bottom of the bed for?


Here is a dahlia pic showing stakes. I like the 1/2" rebar painted green - it is a worthwhile investment. Wooden ones aren't much cheaper and don't last and are actually bigger **holding out hand towards Pittsburg**

Carrie, I can't make out what is being constructed there. Might I infer, from all the white chips, that you have Somerville leanings? Is this a raised bed for the porte cocher that supports the grape vine? What a swell Mother's Day present!!!

I might recommend a trip tp Hi-Lo to celebrate.

Now, you may excoriate me. But I just couldn't resist. I wish I were a Mom with adoring children and husband.......I'd make them all wear pink!
Best Wishes and Happy Belated Mother's Day,

Karl

Again I'm not invited. (to Seandor's)

Yes, now that it's filling up with my motley collection of containers, it looks a little more motley. But gee, there's space on the patio!

xxx, Carrie

This message was edited May 15, 2007 6:58 PM

It is a 'Container Garden', part Zen garden and part a place to put all my pots full of plants. Of course I had to celebrate by buying more.

xx, Carrie

I'm planning a 'Now and Zen' garden.

My container garden is my driveway then I think.

Al, my container garden is in the driveway too.

Carrie, those pots are beautiful. What are you going to put in them?

Welcome back Billy! You really do like crisp edges.

Kassia, congratulations to you and "Hi" to your Mom!

Now, if you will excuse me, I have to excoriate Karl.