Preparing for next year 2008

Candyce: too much is the American way! If the directions say a teaspoon somehow many people will use more, thinking they're helping but they aren't.

Harper: imitation plastic is realllllly poor quality.

David: asters bloom so late! How about a few asters and a few zinnias? Many asters do spread fast so be prepared to divide.

pirl...that would work. I was thinking about white zinnias and white marigolds with helenium--a sunny side up egg look.The yards we use are on the side and back. The front is on a main road into town so the border display needs to be see from a distance. Zinnias alone didn't work well because the foliage is so heavy (and the purple was a mistake). Thought of pompon Dahlias mixed in with the wispy tall asters. That would put some blooms out there sooner too.

Speaking of asters, look what popped up on the other side of the lawn yesterday. Huge maple trees on the property line over there. Little sun. Wonder if these (I think they are asters) just happened along or were planted many years ago:



This message was edited Sep 15, 2007 6:53 AM

A long line of Allium can be very dramatic.

Been pricing that out Victor!...have you tried white giant allium?

Not yet. I have only grown the smaller varieties. I do want to try the big ones.

David_Paul .... we have the same asters here, although ours look a bit more blue. Our grow wild on the back hill, which is where one of our gardens for next year will be going.

You are so determined, Canyce, and I applaud you and the new garden even if Anna is reluctant.

David - some dahlias are earlier than others so check with the dahlia forum and do remember to stake early and pinch after the third set of leaves, along with slug bait!

From my experience Alliums do not increase in numbers but dwindle instead, though not like disappearing tulips. They're still lovely in May.

Aren't there Fall blooming Allium??

If there are I'm in the dark about them.

Quick Google.

http://www.gardenandhearth.com/Flower-Gardening/Alliums.htm

Thanks, Victor. I never even heard of the fall blooming ones before you mentioned it.

You're welcome Pirl. I'd like to try some Spring and Fall ones myself.

I still haven't spray painted the heads of the spring bloomers. I'd like to do them in glow in the dark Neon Green.

Glow in the dark Alliums. That's gonna be cool!!

I should have guessed the artist would approve! I'll let you know when I do it. Months ago I worked magic with the astilbe:

I need to try invisible paint on my weeds.

Let us know if it works.

If it works, I'll order a case of it!!

Those astilbe were great!

Harper, I nominate you to try painting leaves on a tree after the real ones have fallen off. Might be real cool.

Oh, great. Will you help with the engineering aspect of that? How do I paint on thin air?

Pieces of glass in leaf shapes?

That's the best you can do? I thought you'd invent some mathematical fascination and make us both rich.

I did, but I'm greedy.

You both missed the boat. Harper - paint the invisible leaves with invisible paint.

That's it!

I'd buy those! :)

They're useless in the compost bins.

Fine in invisible compost bins.

Hey! We got a taker! Ngam, they're so rare and fantastic, they go for $1000 a piece. I have a bushelful. I'll send them over right away! You can pay me through paypal. Muha, ha ha ha ha! Leave Victor out of it, he's greedy. I'll share my dough with pirl.

Hey the invisible paint was my idea!! I'll take a page out of Gates' book and patent invisibility.

You keep the money, Harper. It's invisible anyhow.

Oh well. How about I design a hologram for the tree's leaves? We could put maple leaves on oak trees and fake everyone out.

Whats not to love about no rake leaves.

I like your idea, Harper, and I agree with no rake leaves. That would mean trouble for the compost bins, though.

Not for that invisible compost.

well, this has definitely deteriorated into another nonsense thread. maybe we could see how many of those we can keep going LOL

I'm starting to be afraid that our gardens are going to be invisible and that would be sad :(

Our gardens should be invisible to all those who cannot appreciate beauty or the time, effort and thought it takes us to create the beauty.

Amen.

I'm afraid they are invisible to those who don't appreciate the beauty and the time that goes into it. I know people who can walk right by a beautiful flower and not even see it. (I'm married to him) I know others also. Eleanor