Whats blooming outside your door

I think you've hit it right on the nose. And we're very good at (and make no excuses about) enabling one-another. Of course, we're motivated mostly by generosity, but could there be a tiny bit of the effort motivated by our need to feel like we're "typical" because all our friends do it too? LOL

Need, or relief that we're not so weird after all?

Now that's a good distinction to think about. How many other people need to share my addiction/compulsion/love before I feel that relief? For me, each person makes it better. And as long as I'm "hanging" with you guys, I can ignore all the others. LOL

Okay...now the secret is out. I tried to avoid showing all the pots (if you all remember, I said early on, "no thanks. I don't have anywhere to plant that yet," the reply to which I believe was various levels of laughter). So here they are...the pots ~

And a few more...

Oh wait...there's these ~ I really like these ~ Euphorbia "Orange Grove" from Heidi. I really like Euphorbia...right up there with Hellebores for me now.

Oh yeah...the Skimmia, in with the Hells which I just stuck in some soil to get them OUT of the pots! Don't miss the little native Dicentra in there, too!

Also...this is not exactly blooming, but I must introduce everyone to my little garden buddy. This is Monty (because I know in his heart he thinks he's a python). He hangs out at the edge of the QAW and is not at all intimidated by me. I thought we lost him because last Sunday when I saw him he had a bite on his butt and I hadn't seen him since. But this morning...there he was! I was really happy. I think (correct me if I'm wrong all you herpetologists!) he is a Northwestern Garter Snake (Thamnophis ordinoides) and just a kid, only about 14" long.

Great pics Sheri, Love Monty
How well I know pot ghetto, Been digging up unwanted babies, and potting them. I started some of the Rock Cress you liked. when you were here.
Happy gardening.

Tils
^_^

Welcome to Dave's, Monty. So a baby at 14"? How long is he going to get? Good luck to have a snake around - they're better than cats at keeping the rodents away. That's awesome. The few I've seen here slither away as soon as I see them. Of course, having dogs around doesn't help.

Nice pots - at least yours are organized neatly. I love the Euphorbia, too. Hadn't seen that one. Don't forget to wash your hands right after touching it - it can be an irritant, especially if you get it in your eyes. I had one friend who said it send him to the ER.

That rock cress is pretty. And so is the sun. Tell me that's from last summer - I haven't seen sun like that lately.

Thats 3 Days ago, Pic has time and date. I have 2 clumps, one in more sun than the other, this one has more. I got 2 really good sunny days, but was still cold.

I'm jealous!!!

Tills ~ Thanks a bunch. I'm really looking forward to the rock cress, it's just so gorgeous!

Thanks both of you. I'm really glad Monty's okay. Funny how you get attached to the critters around. His bite looks like it's healing so hopefully he'll be around for a while. Garter snakes are typically not longer than 2' but some have been recorded at 4' (unusual). We have a red-headed woodpecker here we call "Woody" (duh) who's kind of a 'tard. Tim has an aluminum ladder leaning against a cedar tree that he was limbing up. Now, you've seen pix of the QAW ~ there's plenty of trees to choose from. But Woody chooses to peck on the ladder. Makes a great noise, but I don't think he's going to get much food or a very good home out of the ladder! Ironically, Tim's nickname in the fire dept and in the Navy was "Woody." Coincidence? I think not. . . ~ *_*

We had two nice days, too. Rachel came down for a visit Weds. and we went to Joy Creek-we could see Mt Hood, Mt Adams, and Mt St Helen's from the nursery-gorgeous, but still pretty cold, especially in the shade.

Sheri, very cool about the snake, too funny about the woodpeckers...and I still see a few thin spots in that pot ghetto. What do you have in those little 4" pots?

This message was edited Apr 4, 2008 10:18 PM

Wonder what it was that almost got Monty - raccoon, maybe. The snakes I've seen are generally green and are only about 10 inches. Monty's very handsome.

And I love Woody Woodpecker. I marvel at how they can bang their heads against things and live to tell about it. Aluminum. Ouch. Hope Tim's nickname doesn't mean there will be a whole flock of aluminum-smacking redheads around the house. Time to put the ladder away . . .

So Sue - what did you think of Joy Creek? Had you been there before?

4" pots have unknown cultivars (Home Depot) of Asiatic and Oriental lilies, 15 of one and 10 of the other. We'll see what they are when they come up. Another impulsive buy..."ooohhh...aren't those pretty? Oh and they smell SO nice!" Yep...definitely a problem. The holes were created by moving certain things away, mostly into the shade. But fear not my friend, for the voids will be filled. . .oh yes, they will be filled (and soon I hope!) ^_^

K59, I hadn't been there before. I liked it. Their display garden is wonderful, or is sprouting up to be wonderful, and their plants seemed nice. It was also nice to be there on a day they weren't too busy-the folks working there were super-helpful. Course, a lot of that is Rachel-she's lots friendlier-she talks to everyone and they are always more helpful than when I'm somewhere by myself. I'm a lot quieter when I'm on my own. I think that Heidi has a wider selection of plants, though. Course, they did say that they were still stocking up for spring and also getting ready for the Hardy Plant Society sale in two weeks.

Sheri, thought those looked like lilies (I love lilies!).....You'll want them planted before it gets too warm-they like their feet cool and usually a little deeper than possible in those little pots.

But, Sue, what did you buy? :-)

Hey Sheri, I have a woodpecker family that has taken over a dead tree in the back. the reason he is pecking on the ladder is because he is calling for his mate. I have a pole that use to have a TV ant. on it, and they peck on it and in a few min. the other shows up. I watch them every year. The sound just about drives you nuts.

So let me get this straight. Girl woodpeckers like heavy-metal head-bangers? LOLOL And that, my friends, is why I should go to bed early.

Yep...they're going in the bulb bed, probably next weekend. Planned on doing it this weekend but mother has decided otherwise, I guess. I just figured I'd stick them in a pot with some soil instead of leaving them in the bag where they were beginning to sprout (although it was probably not such a bad idea just to leave them there. The big pots out back are the lily bulbs I got at the plant show. Finally potted them up and hope they come up. Got some great ones, or at least I think so.

A lost-my-tag clematis (on sale, $6.50), Geranium phaem 'Samobor' (Pixy is responsible for that one), Veronica 'Georgia Blue' (hope it doesn't spread insanely) and Asarum proboscideum

LOL, Kathy!

Sheri, sounds great. What lilies did you get? (You're in good lily company, btw....I've got more lilies than any other flower, and Pixy has tons of them too..)

What can I tell Ya, they have been in this tree for a few years.
Have a Good night.
^_^

Tills ~ we crossed. You know, that's funny. I mentioned to DH that I thought he may be pecking for a gal because it's very rhythmic. Not just ratatatatatatat like on the trees, but there is definitely a repetitive rhythm to it. Kinda fastfastfastfastfast slower slower slower. Repeats it over and over again. I actually like the sound because he doesn't do it at night. Even if he did, our bedroom is on the opposite end of the house and probably about 100' away from the ladder. We did have a pair of red-shafted flickers that were trying to either find food or build nest on the roof/rain gutter/whatever inorganic material is attached to my house. I think they finally gave up. I really like those birds.

I love to watch them, sit in the back and injoy, to watch them come a go while building the nest, then later see the babies.emerge, wish I had a camera that could really, Get there!!!
And it is like a code.

I like the flickers, too. The way they bob as they fly, and the underside of their wings being red...wish I could talk some into sticking around my yard more.

Going to try to get some pics this year, they are back.

I love the woodpeckers! Occasionally we see a big pileated woodpecker on one of the trees. Always gives me a thrill.
OUtta, your garden is looking great! Love the 'orange grove' euphorbia. When it gets bigger, I'll trade you something for a division of it. Euphorbias are sooo cool. I have a couple of them that get very, very tall. Can't wait.
Tills, my rock cress NEVER looks that good! I don't know why. Probably a drainage and slug issue.

sue, you said it all when you said I had a lot of lilies. I am getting a bit frantic to get them all placed. I don't want the garden to look like a flower shop. Maybe I have too many. I hope not but it is entirely possible. I didn't know it was possible to have too many lilies. But it could be. Maybe I can plant some of them at the edge of the wooded area.

I have Veronica 'georgia blue'. It does spread, but it's so nice a plant that I let it. It's so short that I plant things through it and that works out just fine.

Night Tills ~

Susy ~ I got some Tiger Lily, Orientals ~ Star Class, Sumatra, La Mancha, Amaze, and Rio Negro, and an Orienpet ~ American Heritage. Also out there in small pots are dichelostemma "Ida Maia" and "Pink Diamond," and Crocosmia "Idunno Whatitiz."

Pix, How old is your Rock Cress? And does it have enough sun? I started this from seed 5 years ago, and its the first time it has look good. I have another that doesnt get as much sun, still as bushy but not many flowers. and slugs don't bother it. trust me on that, I have slug city here, and it is under a Ceder.

Are you going to bed or me? I was saying nite to katiy59

Sheri, nice! You'll like the Orienpets-they're tough and beautiful.

Pixy, slugs eat your rock cress? I'm with Tilly-slugs don't bother mine, and I've had it for a long time. It's one of my longer resident plants, and it has been blooming better the longer I've had it. I've got the white, but I really like that purple better.

And as far as lilies, I haven't gotten mine planted yet, either. I'm still shuffling things around here. I'm counting on mine being reasonably happy in part shade, so give it a try-they might like it-especially some of the species. I am jazzed, though-my Nomocharis Forestii Alba is up!

Susy ~ Yes, I do like the orienpets. I love trumpets but frustrating because you can't see the whole flower unless you are laying on the ground. I love that the orienpets have become upfacing and still retain some of the style of the trumpet. The ones I have are only the start. There will be more...oh yes, there will be more.

Pixy ~ I'll be happy to share the "Orange Grove" with you when it's all grown up. The "Blackbird" is really intriguing as well and I think when I pick up my "Wolf Eyes" from Diana I may snag a few other Euphorbias to go along with this one. Planning on picking up a few more at Heidi's as well.

Actually Tills ~ I'm saying good night to all. My computer is running like molasses and needs to be rebooted which takes a few minutes. I have to get up early tomorrow, so will check out for the night.

Ciao all...Kathy and Katye ~ See you in the morning!

Susy, I am trying to take starts from it. or do I have to tier it up to divide it? and I hate to do that, I am just experimenting with a small bunch. what do you think? I noticed that it does not root at the nodes like most spreaders.

Sorry Sheri, Nite Nite
Have fun
Tills

Tills, I'm not good at cuttings, so that I can't help you with. I've taken chunks off mine and it doesn't seem to slow it down much. It doesn't have very deep roots, so it comes up fairly easily. I'll take another look at the roots on mine tomorrow to see how it spreads.

Thanks, would like a second opinion, before I do any damage to mine, work to hard to get it there. LOL
Need to go night night, will pick this up, same time same channel.
Have a go nite
Hugs
Tills

Sleep well- I'm yawning, too-good night! :)

Well after what seemed like a foot of rain yesterday, hopefully today can get out there and do some planting!!

Hi, I thought I would add a few blppms - just got back from California (where they are easily 2 months ahead as far as blooms - sigh, was lovely to see & smell wisteria everywhere and crinums beautiful blooms and oh everything else!)

Here's my clem "apple blossom' I wish you could smell, beautiful scent.