Category: Perenniels

Shopping + gardening = happiness

Post author By Christine
Post date October 23, 2011
6 Comments on Shopping + gardening = happiness

Gardening is supposed to be therapeutic and I sure know that shopping usually makes me feel better, so a visit to the local nursery was what my “inner-doctor” ordered for today. And what a joy it was to find something I’ve been looking for forever! Miscanthus sinesis giant variegata was waiting for me – three of them sitting there (I always buy in threes). So of course they came home with me, no hesitation, lovely healthy looking specimens. I couldn’t resist a few extra finds …

Now all I have to do is finish the “big clean-up“, dig some holes and in they’ll go.

My newest acquisitions

[one_half]Miscanthus sinesis giant variegata[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Imperata Red Baron (Thank you Barbie!)[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Miscanthus sinesis Zebrinus – ditto[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Dusty Miller – I love this[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Inspection of the new acquisitions[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Great! My purchases have been approved![/one_half_last]

Yes, I think I am actually starting to feel just a little bit better. Just goes to show … Shopping + gardening = happier.

Now, if the sun would just shine …

Happy gardening
xxx

Tags foliage, grass feature, grass garden feature, grasses, plants

Annuals Christine's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Back to the garden

An absent gardener, a good dose of rain and a few very hot, summery days and we have ground covers that are running rampant, shrubs are growing at breakneck speed, a standard rose produced two massive suckers from the root stem, annuals are in need of dead heading, slugs and snails have taken up residence in the lily and rose beds again, coriander and basil have bolted, crawlies have devoured the cabbages, something has attacked the Gardenias, weeds are going crazy … and the list goes on. After being away for two weeks and having a few other things on my mind both before and after, my garden has been neglected for the last four weeks.

It is time for me to get back into the garden, to reconnect with the earth and hopefully, digging in the dirt will be therapeutic and good for the soul …

The mess I’m in …

[one_half]Shrubs need pruning[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Seedlings need attention[/one_half_last]

[one_half]What’s happening here?[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Annuals need dead-heading[/one_half_last]

[one_half]This is pretty, a field of Lilies[/one_half]

[one_half_last]More goodness, cherry tomatoes[/one_half_last]

[one_half]We also want attention![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Oh dear! What ate the cabbage?[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Oh … another surprise![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Lawn needs weeding![/one_half_last]

[one_half]Its a thug! Ground cover runs wild[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Not just weeds, it needs mowing too[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Yay! The Hydrangea is back![/one_half]

[one_half_last]But the tulips are gone[/one_half_last]

Thats just a very small sample f what’s going on in my garden, so if I go quiet again, you’ll know what I’m doing … cleaning, planting, healing …

Happy Gardening
xxx

Tags gardening

Annuals Barbie's garden Christine's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels Trees

Mid-spring in one garden for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day October

Post author By Barbara
Post date October 15, 2011
26 Comments on Mid-spring in one garden for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day October

Springtime brings with it hope and big dreams and promises – with the garden full of colour and each plant growing 3cm each night while I am asleep, I have great plans of picking bunches of flowers for the home and gathering fabulous salad greens and baby potatoes from my veggie patch for summer lunches. I am missing my best friend and blogger buddy, Christine, this Blogger Bloom Day, but I hope to make her proud with all I have to show this GBBD post! There are so many plants and bulbs and flowers that she has given me that she is also part of this post. Hurry home…..

Thank you for joining us for our October “Spring colour” …

Here’s what’s blooming in Barbie’s garden in October 2011

I have seen the transformation of my garden and the love that both Christine and I have put into it – yes, I have a number of plants and Irises that come from Christine – so I can quite happily say that here is what is growing in my garden with Christine’s help this Garden Bloggers Bloom Day!! Enjoy the burst of colour ….. xxxxx

[one_half]The last of the Sparaxis[/one_half]

[one_half_last]I love the colours against my celery[/one_half_last]

[one_half]A pale California Poppy[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Bright yellow too![/one_half_last]

[one_third]Splash of colour![/one_third]

[one_third]My vision of blue and yellow comes to life[/one_third]

[one_third_last]Bright blue corn flower[/one_third_last]

[one_half]My gaura coming to life – yeay![/one_half]

[one_half_last]They are going to be gorgeous with the roses[/one_half_last]

[one_half]My first real camomile flowers ever![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Look Christine – I have Ixias blooming[/one_half_last]

[one_half]The Ixias have such beautiful flowers and so unexpected![/one_half]

[one_half_last]The Lychnis has taken nicely to her new home[/one_half_last]

[one_third]My “Auntie Henna” rose is full bloom[/one_third]

[one_third]My borage is a bee hotel! Just loving it and delicious too![/one_third]

[one_third_last]A bright pink corn flower! I thought they were only blue[/one_third_last]

[one_half]First quince blossom[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Blossoms on my new apple tree (still a twig at the moment)[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Armeria Maritima – White Thrift blooming[/one_half]

[one_half_last]White thrift close up[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Fuchsia is amazing this year[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Sisyrinchium Graminoides[/one_half_last]

[one_half]My first rose display – how gorgeous![/one_half]

[one_half_last]My sage in bloom[/one_half_last]

There is so much more still in bloom, but I guess you have already seen my lavender and rosemary and my potato bush and lemon tree far too often. But I will leave that for another day!

About Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

Join Carol and friends over at May Dreams Gardens for October Garden Bloggers Bloom Day to see what other gardeners around the world have blooming in on Garden Bloggers Bloom Day and check out the German version at Seepferds Garten for Blogger Blüten in October! And if you haven’t joined yet and have some blooms you’d like to show off, please join in the fun of showcasing your blooms! We’d love to see what YOU have blooming in your garden right now!

Thank you for joining us!

PS: Please join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter – we’ll be so happy if you do!

Happy Gardening!
xxx

Tags garden, garden bloggers bloom day

Barbie's garden Design Do it yourself Gardening Home page features Miscellaneous Perenniels

Before and After

I have been watching the growth of my garden and, with the gentle prodding from our friends, I had to do this post to showcase the tremendous change that happened in my small part of the world in the short 6 months since I started my whirlwind, one-woman landscaping exploit. I will do each part separate: I have divided the garden into front, veggie patch (along the side), the fruit tree area (back east section) and the back garden (the entertainment area).

The Front Garden

BEFORE:

Remember the front area with the huge lavender bushes that took over the whole bed? They also hid the dry river bed that I so lovingly created…for no one to see! The grass was dry and patchy. I loved my garden like this….. funny how we grow as gardeners! These pictures were taken right in the beginning of our blog in January.

[one_half]Remember my huge lavender bushes?[/one_half]

[one_half_last]My pride and joy, but outgrew their place[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Already starting to look tatty and woody[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The protea bush and the patchy lawn[/one_half_last]

THE ACTION:

The action starts in earnest round about April – it all began with the Leopard Trees then the redesigning begins……

[one_half]The hard work starts ….[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The lavenders are a memory now[/one_half_last]

[one_half]My rose patch at the end of June[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The new grass patch in June this year[/one_half_last]

AFTER:

These photos were taken this week, so this is how my garden is looking like NOW!

[one_half]Its all looking so green and healthy[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Tall corn flowers are temporary as gap filler[/one_half_last]

[one_half]My rose patch is thick and bursting with health![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Can’t wait for the roses to bloom[/one_half_last]

[one_half]I love how lush and full it all is![/one_half]

[one_half_last]The fuchsia is also happy and well mulched![/one_half_last]

I am really pleased that all the love and care you give to your garden, it gives it right back! The mulching and feeding and watering. It is all so rewarding.

Wait until you see the before and after photos of the back garden – you will not believe it is the same garden! Well, I’ll leave that for tomorrow’s post!

Unfortunately, my roses are still shy, so I will have to wait some more before I do a rose post!

Happy gardening to you all xxx

Let’s all send our love to Christine who misses her home and animals and her garden and her gardening buddies!! Send her home safe on angels wings xxx

Tags Design, flowers, garden, gardening, grasses, mulch, plants, roses, trees

Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

How are my roses?

Thank you to Diana from Elephants Eye for reminding me to take lots of photos of my roses!!! I am waiting for them to give me a splendid display! I should be able to post it tomorrow too! I have been nipping some the new shoots to encourage growth and using my home-made bug spray on the aphids who think they can stay …..!

Just read a really nice article on Roses in one of my favourite gardening mags:

Rose grooming and growing

Roses are queen of the October garden
They need at least 6 hours of sunshine a day
Roses can flower up to 10 months in a year
They need 10 litres of water a week
Fertilize monthly during summer
August to April use organic pesticides for thrips, red spider mite, aphids and beetles
Dead head regularly to encourage new floweing
Winter prune at the end of July (this is only for our Southern Hemisphere gardening friends)
Groom in January!

Happy Gardening xxxx

PS: I miss Christine too xx

Tags aphids, blooms, flowers, garden, gardening, roses

Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Going Green

I had taken a number of photographs towards the end of September because my garden is bursting with green. I don’t know if you remember, but I used Blade Runner on my lawn at the end of July. Julie, from Neutrog, kindly sponsored some samples and all I can say is WOW! I am very impressed!

I am so impressed with the look of my lawn – it has never been so lush. I have struggled with a patchy, brown lawn in my front garden for years. No help with the chickens scratching it all up. So, I decided to lock them out and really look after the lawn. But still, no real results. Until I used Blade Runner. It has made the world of difference! I have also noticed that the fruit trees are also healthy and green and dense with leaves!

[one_half]Front lawn – looking lush![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Lawn near the grass feature[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Going green![/one_half]

[one_half_last]I love all this green![/one_half_last]

[one_half]My new Camomile plant![/one_half]

[one_half_last]New peaches! Still green[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Blueberry blush![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Loquat tree[/one_half_last]

[one_half]My new Hanepoot grape vine[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Lush clover – green gold![/one_half_last]

I’m loving my garden at the moment. So much promise to come

Happy gardening xxx

Tags grasses, lawn, organic garden, organic vegetables

Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Miscellaneous Perenniels

Miss you

I miss your posts and the laughter in your garden… I miss the way you hug your plants… I miss the birds, the blommies and even your moles… I miss the fun in your voice when you blog about Dex and Hercules… but most of all I miss you!

Here are the first batch of irises I have dedicated.

[one_half][/one_half]

[one_half_last][/one_half_last]

[one_half][/one_half]

[one_half_last][/one_half_last]

xxxxxx

Tags flowers, garden, gardening, irises, plants, spring bulbs

Christine's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

At last Makhaya Bella flowers

Post author By Christine
Post date September 28, 2011
5 Comments on At last Makhaya Bella flowers

In February I wrote a post about a large shrub I have in my garden called Makhaya Bella. A South African native, according to PlantzAfrica.co.za this plant occurs nowhere else in the world except in Southern Africa.

I’ve had the shrub for just over two years now. Its grown fabulously well in a rather dark corner (they like shade). I’ve nursed it from a tiny plant to a dense shrub that reaches about 2.5 metres high and almost 2 across, but it has never produced a single bloom (which it is supposed to). Then I read somewhere recently that Makhaya Bella will only flower in its third year and here we are, her third spring season and she has hundreds of buds and two blooms open right now. I’m thrilled! The individual flowers are not overly impressive but I can imagine once the shrub is covered in blooms it should look fabulous.

Right now very few of the flowers are open but you can see on the photographs that there are plenty more to come. I’m looking forward to them all being open. You’ll also see on the photos that the bugs seem to like it – I’m happy they do. The shrub lives at the back of a bed which is filled with Camellias and Star Jasmine and I’d rather they eat the Makhaya Bella and leave the Camellias alone. Its at the back of the bed and the shrub is so dense that you really don’t notice a few bug eaten leaves unless you get up really close. I’m glad they choose to eat the Makhaya Bella.

One thing I’ve noticed is that this shrub is always full of wasps. If I work near the plant they fly upwards or away. I also found out that the beautiful Blue Pansy butterfly caterpillars (Precis oenone oenone) feed on this shrub. I don’t recall seeing the butterflies in my garden, maybe this is the year! I’ve sure seen the caterpillars though 🙂

Makhaya Bella Flowers and Buds

[one_half]Makhaya Bella flower at long last[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Makhaya Bella full of buds[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Close up of the leaves[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Blooming Makhaya Bella[/one_half_last]

Any nice surprises in your garden?
Happy Gardening
xxx

Tags makhaya bella

Christine's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

My favourite ground cover flowers unexpectedly

Post author By Christine
Post date September 26, 2011
6 Comments on My favourite ground cover flowers unexpectedly

My favourite ground cover for shade is Lamium. I love the texture of the leaves (soft and a little furry), I love the colouring and I love how undemanding it is. Unlike other ground covers (for shade) that I’ve tried before, Lamium keeps itself neat and tidy. Regardless of the weather it always looks perky and fresh and as well as it does in shade, it also does well in the sunny areas of my garden. Bugs seems to ignore it and the variegated leaves brighten up deep shade areas and provide a lovely contrast against the other foliage. It spreads itself well by stems rooting as they grow along the ground, but it is not that fast growing that one can call it invasive – in fact, it took its time getting going. It’s a great ground cover (for me) and I love this easy plant.

The variety I have is Lamium maculatum, “Beacon Silver”. If you do an image search on Google it comes up as having tiny, insignificant pink flowers. We first planted the Lamium in June 2010 so it is now in its 15th month in my garden and I’ve never seen it flower. All the literature hardly mentions the flowers so I wasn’t expecting any. I had in fact forgotten that it might at some stage produce flowers. So it was a great surprise today to find that one section of the garden has Lamium flowering! Even more of a surprise is that the flowers are not pink, but tiny little yellow flowers. They are really small … if I hadn’t bent down to remove some weeds I would probably have missed them. They are very cute and were lovely to photograph.

Lamium maculatum “Beacon Silver” …

[one_half]I love this combination[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The unexpected flowers[/one_half_last]

[one_third]The flowers up close[/one_third]

[one_third]Buds up close[/one_third]

[one_third_last]Interesting buds, leaves above[/one_third_last]

[one_half]Stretching up towards the sun[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Last photo, promise![/one_half_last]

The “flowering” Lamium is in a fairly sunny position and I think I fed it recently when I fed the flowering plants around it which might have precipitated the flowers. Whatever, I think they’re kinda cute.

Happy Gardening
xxx

Tags ground cover, lamium

Christine's garden Design Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Garden Bloggers Foliage Day

Post author By Christine
Post date September 25, 2011
11 Comments on Garden Bloggers Foliage Day

Another post I’m late with – I’m joining Christina of Creating my own garden of the Hesperides in her new monthly Garden Bloggers Foliage Day which takes place on the 22nd of every month. As I also took part in Foliage Follow-up on the 15th, I found it a bit difficult to do another post about foliage so soon after, without being totally repetitive. That is, until I had the bright idea of showing my current favourite foliage combinations for this post.

Let me preface this post by reminding all that I am a very new gardener and am learning by reading, observation, trial and error. These combinations I am showing here are my own experimentation where I am playing around with colour, texture and form. They work for me … right now. Perhaps I will look back in a year and cringe, perhaps not, time will tell.

I have a few books I have found most beneficial when considering plant combinations and that have changed the way I garden. Two in particular … the first is “Foliage” by Nancy Ondra which I bought on the recommendation of Cathy & Steve of Our Garden Journal. The book opened my eyes to what can be accomplished in the garden without ever considering the flowering potential of a plant. I love this way of gardening as it creates a garden which always looks wonderful, regardless of the season. The second book, which I am absorbed in right now, is “Designing with Grasses” by Neil Lucas. I love ornamental grasses and am on a hunt for a few that will add more interest in my garden. I’m off to buy Miscanthus sinesis “Variegatum” next week. I can’t wait to add this to my garden and have the perfect place for it.

For today, these are my current favourite combinations (Click images to enlarge)

[one_half]Festuca Glauca, Acorus and Lamium[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Festuca Scoparia and Duranta[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Chondropetalum tectorum and Nandina[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Pittosporum eugenioides & Dietes[/one_half_last]

[one_half]A mix of foliage I love[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Iris, Acorus gramineus and Cat~~nip~~ , i mean fur[/one_half_last]

These are just a few select combinations I’ve been working on very recently. Im really loving the combination of photo 4 – the Pittosporum eugenioides ‘Variegata’ with the tall strappy Dietes in front of it and the Delphiniums peeping through … I can stare at it all day. I think the lovely bark of the tree right next to it all enhances the scene of course.

I have a long way to go and right now its all about finding the right plants – sometimes it means waiting for the plant to become available or driving way out of town to a specialist nursery to get it … but its so worth while when it all works.

Happy Gardening
xxx

Tags foliage, foliage follow up, garden bloggers foliage day