Tag: flowers

Categories
Barbie's garden Design Gardening Home page features Perenniels

New patch plantings

Hi Chris – I know I mentioned this to you last week already, but I had little time to get the photo’s done and up for you to see. I know I keep telling you how I love your Nandina, well I have now bought some as well as azaleas to go in my shade patch in the back garden. Everything else I have planted here has died; either ripped out by chickens, or rotted away or just simply faded into nothing. It is such a focal position next to my back deck. In summer it is the only real shady area in the back garden and all the birds flock here for warmth in winter and to cool off in the summer. It is a watering hole and it’s also where the chameleons and bees hang out. I have created a rock pile for my frogs and lizards and the bucket just for fun! There is a yearly arum lily that comes up in winter… look you can see it popping out of the new stone path. I’m going to keep it because it has been there ever since we moved into the house. I remember putting the big tree stump on that area one year and it still managed to push through, so I love plants that love to be here, no matter what the circumstance!

[one_half][/one_half]

[one_half_last][/one_half_last]

Here are the white azaleas and the nandina pygmaea-Dwarf Bamboo – planted behind the Tea Tree and the Pineapple Sage. These shrubs will give shade in the intense afternoon sun in summer. I also have a few Irises I cannot wait to see flower in spring. I have a few Lilium bulbs too. The Arum Lily that comes up every year is Zantedeschia, a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to southern Africa from South Africa north to Malawi.

[one_half]Nandina Pygmaea[/one_half]

[one_half_last]White Azaleas[/one_half_last]

[one_half]A thatching plant but not Cape Thatch[/one_half]

[one_half_last]I have pruned the Pineapple Sage[/one_half_last]

[one_half]The yearly arum lily plant[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The Shady Patch corner at sunset[/one_half_last]

I really hope that this will be the winning combo. I am looking at a more perennial garden patch here with lots of flowers and little work. A bushy, flowery area with nice colourful foliage. I love the Nandina now – the reds are so beautiful. I selected white azaleas because I wanted something neutral as perennial and I can add colour with bulbs and other annual flowers here and there.  I am now going to sit back, water and wait!

The weatherman says storms ahead, so I guess the weekend will be spent in front of the fire with a good book!

Happy reading….I mean gardening xxxx

 

Categories
Annuals Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Miscellaneous

Meadow in colour

Hi Chris – the meadow patch is blooming!! There are delicate flowers every where and more to come….. I know there are weeds in between the flowers, but thats a meadow, right? I know there are alyssums, nasturtiums, cosmos but no real flowers yet, there are phlox and marigolds and others I need help with. Take a look at how nice it looks now! It needs some sort of styling, but at the moment I’m just going to enjoy looking beyond the veggie patch and instead of seeing the usual bare ground, I’m looking into a fields of flowers.

[one_half][/one_half]

[one_half_last][/one_half_last]

I am not sure what flower this is – but it is everywhere and stands tall and has various colours – really pretty.

 

[one_half]Phlox in various colours[/one_half]

[one_half_last]So pretty[/one_half_last]

[one_half]New flower – what can it be?[/one_half]

[one_half_last]There needs to be a path to the guava tree[/one_half_last]

I am like a child when I see all the flowers and have to stop myself from running through them. It needs a bit of “cleaning” and styling so that I can walk through this to the fruit trees without flattening the delicate plants. I’ll see what I can do this weekend – I was thinking of adding a small “path” through this with stepping stones or something like this and maybe a feature somewhere…… birdbath? or a bench?

I’ll hope to have some time this weekend, but it could be put on hold because of the weather or because my sister is here from Australia and we need to catch up on lost time! I’ll keep you posted!

Happy Gardening xxxxxx

Categories
Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Miscellaneous

A wet winter garden

The weather man has predicted rain and more rain and cold temperatures, so for this weekend we made soup and collected firewood for the  fireplace and the only thing missing is a good book. I did take some time during the week to take note of the chores still needing my attention. The chicken run needs a landscape artist – sigh! …. and the next lot of seedlings need sowing – ok! ….. and the lawn needs mowing …..argh! No, I’d rather take some photos! My garden is looking beautiful through the eyes of the camera – it does not see the chores that need my attention!! The rain has washed it all clean and it has a fresh face ….take a look at what I saw!

Fuchsia bush is blooming again – I love the rain drops on the leaves!

 

The sunbird is back! He is looking for a mate!

The Mighty Mugwood tree is collecting rainwater!

My second favourite tree in my garden – Tea Tree (still a young bush)

Protea bush in full bloom and loving the weather

My raised bed with brand new seedlings – all self-seeded from last summer. There is celery, chamomile, Sparaxis and comfrey. Love definitely grows here!

I have Nasturtiums all over my garden – self seeded as well!

Celery – so good for you and so easy to grow – they are popping up everywhere!

Love in my garden!

Cleomes still charming the camera lens!

[one_half]Cleomes and the meadow in the background[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The guava tree and wet meadow[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Bulbs growing in between Soapwort[/one_half]

[one_half_last]My Leopard tree soaked and loving it[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Roses getting a cleansing shower[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The grass feature with its birdbath-full![/one_half_last]

[one_half]My grasses looking divine in winter colour[/one_half]

[one_half_last]More grasses after rain[/one_half_last]

My Artemesia Powiss Castle is just stunning when it rains.

The aphids on this wet rose bud don’t look to happy!

This rose got a real good soaking. But looks happy!

Are you also having a wet weekend? What’s happening in your garden?

Happy gardening xxxx

Categories
Annuals Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Miscellaneous

Meadow in May

I am so excited to see the carpet of Meadow green is now flowering – that is so quick! It seems like yesterday when I scattered a bunch of Winter Mix meadow seeds onto my bleak back garden patch. There are so many different varieties of plants that I will only know what is what when they start blooming. I am not worried about the weeds because Mother Nature doesn’t either. I want to let it look as authentic as possible. If there are some dreaded nasty weeds then I will spot them and pull them.

Christine suggested I plant a few of my bulbs in the Meadow – I like this idea and have put aside some Sparaxis and Ixias bulbs for this. But I can already see the flowering of the Alyssum and the Cosmos. The arrows will help:

Red arrow – Cosmos; Yellow arrow – Alyssum; Blue arrow – Marigold

This Meadow will be a wonder this winter! Happy Gardening xxxxx

Categories
Annuals Barbie's garden Design Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Back garden highlighted

Hi Chris, I have been busy with planting and cleaning and creating and just enjoying the back area of my garden. I know that I have these silent moments where no one knows where I am and what I’m up to – even my hubby looks for me…… I am in my garden. I have become very close to my garden again, now that the time has come to reawaken and refresh all the beds. I take long moments just looking and imagining. I look at funny corners and visualize an old chair or an old ladder with a creeper growing up it, a bucket or a few old pieces of wood and some stones.

Here is what I’ve been creating and planting…….

[one_half]My new area of interest-near the back wall[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The new bed under development[/one_half_last]

Still needs lots of work, but the idea is there and I want a lush area of green in the back garden. It has been stark and barren for too long – cheerless and somber before I got my hands on it. I want to have this organised jungly effect. A place you forage for vegetables and fruit and berries and medicinal flowers…..

There will be grenadilla, yarrow, grasses, peaches and blueberries all growing together.

[one_half]Grenadilla will creep up an old ladder[/one_half]

[one_half_last]With neat little walkways of interest[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Old wood holding bird bath bowls[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Wood and stones always featuring[/one_half_last]

I have tansy and borage bringing scores of bees and butterflies to pollinate the peach and blueberry blossoms, Black Pearl peppers and Irises all enjoying the same bed. I love the idea of adding flowers in amongst herbs and vegetables and fruit.

[one_half]Grasses in between finishes it off[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Each area has a water feature [/one_half_last]

And these beautiful pots on the big table on the back deck just paints this lovely picture of rest and tranquility. Thank you, my friend, for this lovely gift – they work so perfectly in my garden and soon the Freesias will be blooming!

Happy Gardening xxx

Categories
Barbie's garden Bugs & Pests Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Cleome attack

Oh No!! Something is chewing on my Cleome and I have lost one bush already! What can this be? Chris, I know that you lost your Impatiens to cutworm – could this be the same thing? I hope it is not that dreaded Stem Borer Beetle that is now attacking other plants in my garden. The Cleome is in a patch near the Fig and Guava tree. I will not spray any pesticide so I will have to tackle this by removing the pest by hand.

[one_half][/one_half]

[one_half_last][/one_half_last]

This looks more like something is chewing, not boring – but the adult beetle chews. The leaves are also all chomped up and have turned yellow. This all seemed to have happened recently. The rest of my Cleome patch is looking healthy and happy and I can’t see any damage on the rest of them.

I will keep you posted on what the pesky thing is that is eating my plants.

Categories
Annuals Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Meadow update

Hi Chris, remember my back garden meadow I want to create? I spread the seeds at the beginning of April and the last two weeks I have taken photos of the progress. I am still not sure what flowers will come out so it will be fun to see how the whole area will develop. I can recognise marigolds and that’s about it! Oh yes – I also see clover and a few weeds, but thats all in the nature of a wild meadow. I really want to see some dandelion and milk thistle. These are great medicinal plants … and it would be nice to have a meadow of useful and beneficial flowers. Right now, I don’t know the difference between the grass, flowers and weeds. The first two weeks they just shot up, but week 2 there was little change.

The Day I Started

[one_half][/one_half]

[one_half_last][/one_half_last]

Week 2 – 14 April

[one_half][/one_half]

[one_half_last][/one_half_last]

Week 3 – 21 April

[one_half][/one_half]

[one_half_last][/one_half_last]

[one_half][/one_half]

[one_half_last][/one_half_last]

You can see patches of lawn that have always been there, so hopefully this will fill out and become a colourful carpet of flowers and new grass.

It is a kind of “wait and see” experiment that will be fun to watch grow.

Can you identify some of my seedings?

 

Categories
Barbie's garden Design Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Creating a meadow

Christine’s last post with her beautiful field of Anemones got me totally inspired! The idea of a meadow brings to my mind the memory of childhood in my family’s back garden. Tall grasses and sunshine and the smell of wild flowers! My Dad used to make hamburgers on the grill and my Mom set the picnic table with a checkered table cloth and paper plates! And then …

when I was reading my favourite gardening magazine, I came across an article on creating your own meadow – I was moved to action!

I had all I needed to start this process. A great area to work with under the 4 fruit trees (lemon, fig, guava and loquat trees). It’s patchy and unattractive. The soil is really not bad and with the wandering chickens giving it a working over from time to time, it must have enough nutrients to sustain a wild meadow!

We had a wonderful full day of rain and the back garden was waiting for a facelift. I had it ear-marked for this idea last year but waited for the rain before I tackled this project. The ground is clay and very, very hard (like cement) in summer, so little can be done with it during the hot spell. I had a packet of indigenous daisy mix and I also had a packet of Berea Lawn seeds (also indigenous). Together with this I combined another packet of garden mix with poppies, lilies and tons of other dainty flowers. A real pot luck of blooms! I added the seeds to a peat moss, compost and bone meal mix. I prepared the area by raking it all open to at least 5cm in depth. Levelled it all out and sprinkled the mix onto the prepared area and then watered it thoroughly!

The Area – before

[one_half][/one_half]

[one_half_last][/one_half_last]

[one_half][/one_half]

[one_half_last][/one_half_last]

And After

[one_half][/one_half]

[one_half_last][/one_half_last]

Ok, you can’t see much, but it was a lot of work!

A meadow brings to mind a wildlife friendly garden, imitating what nature  really intends. Everything living in harmony together and the butterflies and the bees. It becomes self-sustaining and watering will be cut down once it is all established.

I will keep you up to date!!

Happy Gardening xxx

Categories
Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Trees

Leopard Tree in bloom

It is such a wonder to watch my Leopard Tree develop. It has so many different “seasons” and this can happen all in a week!! Last week I stood on my front porch and could see the lime green leaves – so delicate and they were all open. I spotted something yellow on top and sure enough – there were flowers!! Very strange time to flower, but, hey! I’m not complaining! I needed something new for GBBD for March. So they start flowering at the end of summer and I will monitor how long they will bloom.

[one_half]Love the changing greens of this tree[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Light green when the leaves are open[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Delicate lovely yellow flowers[/one_half]

[one_half_last]I just love this foliage![/one_half_last]

Check this out – 1 week later:

Now this week I see a totally different tree! Take a look at all the new leaves – this was just after a tiny bit of rain we had this week. Funny, the two Leopard Trees are about 2 weeks apart in “age” the one tree is shooting new leaves and the other not yet a flower…so I am waiting for that one to bloom. I guess the one in the Grass Patch gets a wee bit more attention. And I have dedicated this tree to my late mother and she does love to dress up!

[one_half]All these new leaves shooting out[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The one in the grass patch gets more water[/one_half_last]

Brand new leaves only 1 week old.

[one_half]Difficult to capture true essence of the tree[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Full of new leaves and a few flowers[/one_half_last]

Now you know why I am so fond of these trees. The best part is their bark so the next post I do I will focus on this.

Happy gardening xxxx

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

March in two gardens for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

The simmering heat of Summer should be behind us on this our 13th combined post for March’s Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day. Instead we are battling temperatures in the high 30’s this week – 39° today again and not even a hint of a breeze! We are both looking for that zing again that has us babbling on about our gardens. The heat has taken its toll, but with the resilience we have seen, it is all about lessons learnt and knowledge gained.

Here’s whats blooming in Christine’s Garden in March 2012

Its supposed to be Autumn in Cape Town … but today was another of those days that was so hot it was impossible to do much other than wish for cooler weather! I worry about some of the plants when it gets this hot. Some absolutely love the heat (the thatching reed seems to grow inches every day) whilst others hang their pretty heads from heat exhaustion. I’m itching to get back into the garden so I hope that cooler weather is on its way. Here is what is flowering in my garden right now …

[one_half]Lots of Gaura in bloom nowLots of Gaura in bloom now[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The new, cute daisies I plantedThe new, cute daisies I planted[/one_half_last]

[one_half]The first Japanese Anemone openedThe first Japanese Anemone opened[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Calibrachoa going strongCalibrachoa going strong[/one_half_last]

[one_half]The lovely blue HydrangeaThe lovely blue Hydrangea[/one_half]

[one_half_last]And the bright pink oneAnd the bright pink one[/one_half_last]

[one_half]My favourite – the Mexican PetuniaMy favourite - the Mexican Petunia[/one_half]

[one_half_last]And the regular PetuniaAnd the regular Petunia[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Patio rose in red …Patio rose in red ...[/one_half]

[one_half_last]and one in pinkand one in pink[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Abutilon is still in bloomAbutilon is still in bloom[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Hibiscus attracts the birdsHibiscus attracts the birds[/one_half_last]

[one_half]I like this very blue LobeliaI like this very blue Lobelia[/one_half]

[one_half_last]My roses are doing greatMy roses are doing great[/one_half_last]

[one_half]I’m trying something new …I'm trying something new ...[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Dahlias are floweringDahlias are flowering[/one_half_last]

[one_half]A promise of things to comeA promise of things to come[/one_half]

[one_half_last]I really love these I really love these [/one_half_last]

[one_half]More Icebergs showing offMore Icebergs showing off[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Heliotropium ends the showHeliotropium ends the show[/one_half_last]

That’s all from me … let’s see what’s flowering in Barbie’s Garden!

Here’s what’s blooming in Barbie’s garden in March 2012

It might not be my best show, but at least there is still a bit of colour. However, the same flowers are on show, so this is my cue to start planning my garden and be a bit more adventurous with creepers and ground covers and salvias and flowering herbs and fruit trees with beautiful blossoms. Most of my herbs are going to flower so….A fresh new face is needed!!

[one_half]Tansy – a great insect repellant[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Sweet Basil gone to flower[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Spearmint in flower[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The last of the sunflowers[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Chives in flower[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The last of the Cosmos[/one_half_last]

[one_half]The Alyssum in the grass patch looking nice[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Calibrachoa has lost its Vooma[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Still love my Salvia Hot Lips![/one_half]

[one_half_last]The Awakening of the pink Guara[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Cleome never stops flowering[/one_half]

[one_half_last]My Coral Nymph salvia survived the heat[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Pineapple sage flowering[/one_half]

[one_half_last]A small self-seeded borage plant in bloom[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Roses are not at their best, I’m afraid[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Comfrey-a great plant and a delicate bloom[/one_half_last]

 

About Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

Join Carol and friends over at May Dreams Gardens for March Garden Bloggers Bloom Day to see what other gardeners around the world have blooming in their gardens today. 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!

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

Happy Gardening!
xxx