What is growing nicely for you right now?

Nice shots everyone!
Al, loved the agastache! When I first started gardening, I was always picking purples out of catalogues, eventually I realized that blues were my favorite in the garden.
Love that rose Gram.

Nice tulips Pix

Thanks Dave. Kim send me a dmail I would have no problem sending you some plants.


My hostas are very happy this year. I just realized that I have 2 Sum and Subtances.

2 Sums and 2 Substances?

I have no substance.

Very generous Al. Dave, I've heard that.

My veggie garden is not almost 1/2 done. 56 tomatoes, 18 green bell, some lettuce, 2 rows of peas. I put one row of beets, but only one seed germinated, it will get yanked, I think. Today I will put in - string beans, cukes and summer squash. That will fill up 1/2 of the garden.

Long day yesterday. Went and did a flea-market. My DH had - stuff and I had flats of veggies and I did more money then he did :-)

Last but not least ****THE KICKER**** My arms started to itch. I said *%#@%&* I got the big PI........ It is not PI - I have SUN POSIONING. I can stay out in the sun all day and I have never got a sunburn in my life. Oh well I, will get some sun blocker and put it on my arms and pray it don't spread.

Sounds like photo sensitivity - almost an allergy to sun or it could be related to psoralens, a chemical common to many plants. Since you were in the garden for a long time maybe it's a combination of the two.

I had sun poisoning at 19 and it was terrible. It was far beyond itchy arms and I spent two weeks in bed, eating only applesauce and having weak tea.

If I end up in the bed eating apple sauce and weak tea - I WILL take my husbands tractor, run over the whole garden and push it over the bank. I will then proceed to the Green House and take it down with the tractor and destroy, EVERYTHING in there. Plants, supplies and even the dang water hose. I will dig a hole with the tractor and bury it all.

It will be the total end of this story - PERIOD.

I was a mere 120 pounds and lost 15 during that awful time. Good luck!

You might be able to tell I can have a slight temper. I don't want to end up like the boy in the plastic bubble. Let's start with some sun block.

Yes. If you don't see improvement please see a doctor.

Al, isn't Sum & Substance one of the huge ones? how did you lose track of it? I love hosta, but don't have much shade. I try to add at least one every year. just ordered 'Regal Splendor'.

Dave, I finally took advantage of that sale at Gilbert Wild. I was surprised they still had so much to choose from. I got 5 daylilies (plus their free one), the hosta, and some lilies for my rose garden.

I'm so pleased to see that all of my clematis have buds, all of the lilies I planted last fall have come up, also buds on my new bearded iris...just wish something would bloom already! LOL

I have had my time out - again. Here is my little first flower, actually a bud on a Jalapeno. I started them in the house March 10th. They are around 2 feet tall.

I have a few things blooming in the garden finally - I'm much later than many of you zone 5-ers.

Nope - didn't work, will have to post one at a time
Hosta June
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d25/alyrics/May%2027%202007/Mygarden5-27-07060.jpg

Clematis Nelly Moser in shade under a birch tree
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d25/alyrics/May%2027%202007/Mygarden5-27-07058.jpg

Edge of the woods with Dames Rocket. There is a big clump of red Jacob Klein Monarda in front
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d25/alyrics/May%2027%202007/Mygarden5-27-07056.jpg

One side of my hosta path. H. Solar Flare in foreground
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d25/alyrics/May%2027%202007/Mygarden5-27-07053.jpg

Other side - this iprobably H. Wedgewood. Blue Angel rear left, Honeybells directly behind, H. undulata in front
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d25/alyrics/May%2027%202007/Mygarden5-27-07051.jpg

Leucoethoe fontanesia 'Rainbow'
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d25/alyrics/May%2027%202007/Mygarden5-27-07044.jpg

Siberian Iris ?
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d25/alyrics/May%2027%202007/Mygarden5-27-07035.jpg

Allium christophii in a bed of lilies - that will be a June photo
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d25/alyrics/May%2027%202007/Mygarden5-27-07029.jpg

heirloom peony belonging to a great Aunt who has been gone about 25 yrs. short plant and first to bloom
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d25/alyrics/May%2027%202007/Mygarden5-27-07024.jpg



This message was edited May 27, 2007 1:58 PM

I think this is Bowl of Beauty - not sure. First blossom

My first Ladyslipper bloom. This one is stunted (I have 2 miniatures) because I had to move it from under a pile of trees a couple years ago and put it in the garden. It has survived 2 winters and has even multiplied but because it isn't in the "perfect spot" (which is the woods and not my "island bed") they are bonsai in form. It's OK, as long as they keep coming back and continue to be happy, I don't care that it's not as tall as the woodland ones :) I love her tiny and all :)

Kim

Kim what a wonderful feat! Congrats on growing a ladyslipper!

Yes, congrats on the slipper. Great shots Andrea. I hope you feel better schick. That's a lot of veggies. Feeding an army?? If you're taking meds, some produce photo-sensitivity as a side effect.

If any of you are interested, I am going to be posting some VERY special shots of some of my slippers. I have a clump of 7 pure white ones and went to the woods today to get some shots and they are in full bloom. I also found a very unique speckled one and plan to pollinate it with my whites. I will be going out to pollinate for a while and then I will post all the pictures in the Orchid forum on the thread that I started over there while these were in bud :)

Kim

I do like to plant tightly - prob one of my downfalls.
In this photo I have
Valerian
Lilium Black Beauty
Geranium Johnsons Blue
Geranium sanguineum striatum Cascade Pink
unknown dwarf yellow hosta
Dianthus barbatus mixed
Salvia Blue Hill
Sedum Neon
Sedum Frosty Morn
Iris ensata variegata
Chrysanthemum Mary Stoker that is buried

Before this, there are dwarf daffodils that are now gone.
After the May/June blooms everything is cut back for the lilies, sedums and mums

On the contrary - a good idea. It really takes care of the weed problem. I am still trying to get to that kind of density.

Why thank you Victor. This bed is now 3 yrs old. It all started with a break in the pipe coming from the well in the middle of the night in May a few years ago. Subsequently we had to waterproof the wall and I had to take up everything along this whole bed. It was completely gross blue and red unamended clay so I started from scratch and did a lasagna bed piled about 2 feet high and let it lay over the winter. I planted it then the following spring and have been removing things ever since as they've grown in.
If I could start over in every bed in my yard I would - having nice soil to work in is heaven and the plants grow much better too. Its also a heck of a lot easier to weed since they slip right out. Am big fan of lasagna beds now. I redid a huge bed in my front yard and planted it last fall - mostly in blues - lavender, nepeta, caryopteris, with a nice Kalmia in the middle for spring. For fall, I actually got my mums to winter over by not uncovering them till about 3 weeks ago, and am putting in a stand of cannas and dahlias. It will take another year or so to grow in but at least I'll be able to work in it in the future. Now I see I need to put my stepping stones in or I'll be shut out.

Great. I've heard people rave about lasagna beds. I am lucky to have pretty good soil to work with. Clay, but not too bad. It's the time, effort and $$ to fill all the beds that is the challenge. And that's ignoring the plants that inevitably fail and must be replaced. Seems just when a bed is finally nice and full and looks good, something goes wrong - a number of plants die, a new invasive takes over, or whatever.

I have added some very unique Lady Slipper pictures on the Orchid forum if you'd like to check them out :)

Kim

horse manure is my favorite ingredient, second is really aged sawdust. Since you're in 6b I think you should try the new cold hardy camellias. I was just looking at them today and wondering where I was going to put Winter Joy to give it enough protection. Since I redid that bed, I've just lost 1 Tricyrtis that was almost croaked when I transplanted it and probably a nice family member stomped on it anyway. The soil is nice and deep and real loose.

Kim - again
incredible - hats off to you for doing this

Very nice Kim - thanks! I like both the white and pink. A good friend of mine has been growing Orchids for years and is an international judge. He put on the Greater NY Show for years.

Andrea, thanks. I would like to try a Camellia.

Well thank you so much for the compliments. Again Mother Nature is a much better gardener than myself *lol* I have alot of fun with them :)
Not much new blooming out there other than the slippers. Maybe in a few days :)

Kim

My living wreath of suculents is starting to fill in nicely. In fact maybe I filled it too full to begin with?? Does suculents have 1 "c" or 2 "c" 's? grammy

2 C's. it's the second C that holds all the water! Very nice grammy. I keep saying I am going to do one. What will you do with it in the Winter?

I think you have room for more plants in the wreath. maybe some smaller hens and chickens or a little more sedum.
My tall bearded iris and my siberian iris have begun their show. I have purple and blue tb iris and a pale and dark blue sibs out now. the pale blue are out full the dark blue, of which I have the most, are just starting. I am seeing lots of buds. a good iris year, I think.
my korean lilac 'tinkerbelle' is out full and fragrant and my Delaware Valley azaleas are still out full and holding up beautifully! The other lilacs are past and I have to get out the clippers tomorrow and deadhead.
I seem to have lots of light pink double columbine too that are just gorgeous. I am digging some of these up for my plant sale in two weeks. I will take pictures of them to put on the pots so people can see what they are buying if the flowers have gone by.
Martha

Good question victor?????????? Got any suggestions? I thought about that before I made it but went ahead and did it anyway. Bringing it inside is not an option because my house is too small for any plants. Maybe putting it in a large box filled with leaves and placing it under my deck. It would be protected but would still freeze of course. I don't want to lose it because I spent a lot of time and $ on it. Succlents are not cheap!! Too bad greenhouses don't rent out space and I could go visit it and take care of it in the winter!! LOL

I think you have to bring it indoors. You might want to post the question on the Succulents Forum. I'm sure they can answer. Please post pics as it fills in.

thanks victor - grammy

I think you could pack it in a big box of moistened peat and layer newspaper and styrofoam peanuts around it for insulation. In the garden hens and chicks overwinter just fine, esp if they have an insulating snow on them. I think sedums would not like the warmth of a house. Just above freezing would prob be ideal. Does someone have garage space you could leave it in?

Now is the time for the Herman's Pride Yellow Archangel to bloom with its lovely yellow flowers. The rest of the season, the foliage is so pretty it makes up for the lack of flowers.

The Asiatic lilies (to the right of the Yellow Archangel in the photo with the previous post) will be popping open in a couple weeks or so.

The astilbe has grown up from approximately 4" high (the height I cut it down to last fall) to 22-24" and is ready to burst into bloom in about 4 weeks -- just in time to look like white and red (2 plants) fireworks for the Fourth of July.

Great variegation on the Herman's Pride.

This is the time astilbes get wild and crazy!

Very nice moonslight. I love Astilbes. Wish I had more shady places for them.

My daylily bed is doing great and one of the early bloomers has already sent up a flower stalks.