petunias

Book Review: 1493

/ Kevin / 9 Comments

When children recite, “Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?” perhaps a more appropriate question would be, “From where does your garden grow?”  That’s the question I ‘m asking myself this Columbus Day weekend after reading the best-selling new book 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created, by Charles C. Mann.  This meticulously researched book examines the world after Columbus set foot in North America. 

While Columbus certainly has his critics, there can be no mistaking that his arrival in the New World placed the entire world on the globalization frontier.  The author’s position is that much of what we enjoy today can be traced back to what he calls the Columbian Exchange, a means of moving plants and seeds and animals from one part of the world to another part.  It is why, for example, that tomatoes arrived in Italy and citrus arrived in Florida.  So much of what we take for granted wasn’t always so; and much of it would not be if Columbus had not set the process in motion. 

I myself am a bit of a mutt: English, Scottish, German, French, and Italian.  My paternal ancestors arrived in North America in 1675; my maternal great-grandfather entered through Ellis Island.  While this is my gene pool, I wonder just how diverse and worldly is my garden? 

Thanks to the Internet and Google, I learned that what I plant has traveled a long way to be planted.  In fact, my garden could be a lesson for world leaders seeking peace.   Although it heavily favors Asia and Central and South Americas, there is little conflict in plants from many lands successfully sharing common ground.   (Note to self: bring Australia into the mix, but wait until full-out global warming for Antarctica to come into bloom.) 

And to think my melting pot only took 518 years — and still counting — to plant. 

Happy Columbus Day — and enjoy the weekend in the garden.

Bloomin’ Update 4: Surprise!

/ Kevin / 2 Comments

Generally speaking, I don’t like surprises.  I tend to get embarrassed by the effort that people put forth, not to mention having to be the center of attention.  As a kid, I would duck under the kitchen table when my family sang “Happy Birthday” to me — a moment my family will still remind me of no matter whose birthday it happens to be.

There are, though, only two surprises that I can take.  The first is a Joe surprise, one where he plans out a day-long adventure.  I am only told to be ready to leave by a certain time, and then off we go to our destination.  I think Joe has as much fun giving me clues as I have trying to guess the destination.

The second surprise comes from my plants.  I imagine them putting their colorful heads together and coming up with creative ways to entertain me and keep me on my toes.  

A few posts ago about gardening quotes, I credited my friend and co-worker, Alisa, with this one: “Gardening is like a natural suprise party.”  Although we laughed when she uttered this about 15 years ago, I catch myself saying it over and over, sometimes weekly, sometimes daily.  It has become a mantra of sorts, something to keep me from stressing out when I spot something growing that I never planned.

If you would like to see a few pictures from this year’s surprise party, just click on the “Continue Reading” link.

Continue reading →

Bloomin’ Update

/ Kevin / 8 Comments

Plant seeds.  Add sun and warmth.  Mix with water.  And wait.  Well, the waiting is over, and it seems like everything is exploding in the garden.  Here are some pictures of what’s blooming right now.  Enjoy!

The Niko Blue Hydrangeas are full of blooms. I actually rooted several of these from the original one that Joe's grandmother had planted about 40 years ago.

The Hardy Geraniums are out of control.I planted a ring of white Hydrangeas under a pine tree in the front yard. They're still on the small side, I think because the giant pine sucks all of the water from them.

Remember the Gloxinia that I wrote about in a previous post about bringing plants home from the office? Well, this is the result.

This is the "red something" Hydrangea that I purchased from Home Depot a few years ago. Clearly, the blooms are not red, but they do appear to glow in the dark at night. This picture probably does not do the shrub any justice -- you'll just have to take my word for it.

Purple Petunias.

I have a love affair with Hydrangeas. I rooted 5 plants from the original one, and planted them along a stone walkway leading to my backyard.Bees are going crazy with the newly opened Liatris.

Lavender is planted along the walkway to the front door. My plan was to have people brush passed it, releasing its scent. Of course, I find myself intentionally making sure I touch it so that I can smell its fragrance.

Please indulge me one more Hydrangea. The blooms on this one are various shades of purple.

Thanks for visiting, and stay tuned for more blooms.

I’ll Show You My Plants, If You’ll . . . (Part II)

/ Kevin / 4 Comments

These are Cherry Splash Hybrid Impatiens (left).  I started the seeds in February.  Everything I’ve read indicates that impatiens seeds need light to germinate, so do not cover them with soil.  Each time I’ve done that, the results have not been great.  Two years ago, I began to cover the seeds lightly, and this appears to work much better for me.  I think it helps to keep the seeds moist.  In any event, it is always very exciting when plants bloom while in the greenhouse.

 

On the right is a group shot.  On the left, the plants with the red blooms are Easy Wave Red Petunias.  Moving upward are Gerbera Daisy Crush Mix, and Blanket Flower Arizona Red Shades.

 

Here we have a variety of geraniums: Orbit White and Horizon Red Ice.  The grassy looking plants just below the geraniums are Gazania Daybreak Petticoat Mix.  These were also planted in late February.  Actually, I find growing geraniums by seed relatively easy and rewarding.  The seeds are large enough to handle (as opposed to the impatiens seeds), and I usually get a nice return.  When I begin the seeds, I plant about five of the seeds in a single pot.  It’s also important to water from the bottom to keep the soil from compacting and allowing the roots ample space to grow.  At this stage, the seedlings have been given their own space in which to grow.

 

These are various zinnia, cosmos, and sunflower seeds.  These are the easy seeds, which can be planted where you’d like them to grow.  I planted some of these outside already.  I’m not sure, though,  if the weather has still been too cool for successful germination, so I planted extra seeds in these flats — kind of an insurance policy.  After they develop their first set of true leaves, I’ll move them into the garden.  The seeds are: Zinnias Elegans Queen Red Lime, Zinnia’s Pastel Cutting Mix, Italian White Sunflower, and Cosmos Double Click Cranberries.

 

This is Coleus Carefree Mixture.  Coleus is one of those plants that bring me back to childhood.  I like the variety of colors.  I like the texture of the leaves.  I like being able to pinch them to encourage branching.  And I really like the ease of propagation: clip, water, root, plant.

 

I  purchased Caladium bulbs while on vacation in Florida.  They’re a souvenir — a very colorful souvenir that will eventually be planted in very large pots that receive dappled sun. 

 

Well, that’s the tour of the greenhouse and what’s growing inside.  Here’s hoping to a season of sun, just enough rain, lots of blooms, and very few pests.