Cottage Flora Thursday

I'm joining Tracie over at Fishtail Cottage for Cottage Flora Thursdays. http://fishtailcottage.blogspot.com/2011/05/cottage-flora-thursdays-18.html


I can't believe it's been slightly over a week since I have posted. Sometimes things just happen that way. I've had a few things going on and lots of work to do too here at the office.

I haven't felt good in a few weeks since I am dealing with a bad tooth. Have to go back to the dentist on Monday. Yuck!

I've missed you guys and will be by to visit as I can today. I love blogging and visiting so I hate when I can't check out your gardens regularly. Ya'll mean a lot to me, each and every one of you.

I've never seen the poppies in this stage right as they are opening up. They are so pretty. I need to know how to extract the seeds from the poppies. Help me out here.

I love the hydrangea I recently purchased. This bloom is only an inch from the ground. I had to get way down LOW to get this pic.

This bloom is on the same plant as the one above. I fertilized a few days before I took these pics with Miracle Gro All Purpose. I usually use the all purpose and then a week later I spray them with Bloom Burst. I fertilize about every 3 weeks alternating.

How do plan your stages when you fertilize with what and how often?

The begonias are really taking off now. This one is crowded though. The salvia I planted next to it is a larger plant than I first thought. Would this be a bad time to move some of the plant?  

Mums blooming.

The butterfly weed is looking good. I've noticed more butterfly activity but can't capture those pretty things on camera.

Beautiful dianthus.

Check out the blueberry bush. The entire bush is leaning towards the ground loaded with berries. They are beginning to turn. Soon I'll have some cobbler. Yummmmmmy!

Enlarge and check out the critter. (PS it's a fake) Can you see the berries?

Beautiful snapdragon.

Put on your sun shades to look at this four o'clock. The sun is bright, shining on this yellow beauty. There are many more to come. The plant is loaded now.

More butterfly weed.

I love the blue sky and the wispy clouds this morning.

No rain in the seven day forecast so the sprinkler will be used regularly. I bought me another sprinkler from Ace Hardware and hopefully it will last the entire season.



I'll be visiting my daughter this weekend for Mothers Day. Can't wait to get some kisses and hugs from everybody. I miss them so much.

Since I'm taking tomorrow and Monday off I'll be back to visit on Tuesday.

The state of Alabama is still cleaning up after the tornadoes a week ago. This will be a long road for these people as as there is so much loss. There are 38 counties in Alabama that are disaster areas. The death count in Alabama alone is above 250. Please continue to pray for these people as they pick up the pieces and put their lives back together.

Have a great day and a lovely weekend.

Some Blooms

Today I'm linking up with Tracie at Fishtail Cottage for Cottage Flora Thursday's  http://fishtailcottage.blogspot.com/2011/03/cottage-flora-thursdays-13.html  and with Tootsie at Tootsie Time for Fertilizer Fridays   http://www.tootsietime.com/. Ya'll go by and visit and then check out the other bloggers participating in these memes.

Can't believe that this is the last day of March. The saying goes - March winds bring April showers and April Showers bring May flowers. It is certainly windy here today and much cooler. Woke up to 50 degrees this morning. Nippy for me. Seems that winter just doesn't want to turn loose of you guys up north. I'm sending warmer thoughts your way and hope that ole man winter is saying its good byes.

This is the view from my front porch. A beautiful pink hedge of azaleas.

 Four O'Clock returning from winter.

Help me ID this plant. I put it down from seed last year and they didn't do anything but it is coming back. Perhaps a coneflower or balloon flower? I don't know.

And this one too. I'm thinking this is a balloon flower?

This penta looks sad as it droops everyday except right after watering but check out the guy sitting right next to it in the next photo... One Unhappy Penta next to

One Happy Penta. This one is all perky and doesn't droop at all. Bought at the same time and planted at the same time.

 

Sarah Bernhardt Peony... still hoping... it is growing much faster and looks so much better than it did last year.

ID anyone? From seeds I put out 3 or so weeks ago but I don't know what these are. 

New pink flowers just opened up on the newest verbena.

Animal damage right into the center of a beautiful batch of snapdragons. It really ticks me off when I walk out and see something like this. It happens to us all I know but we hate to see our plants get damaged.

That's all I've got for this week.

Hope you all have a good weekend and some prettier weather.

Today I'm thankful for the rain we had yesterday. (Drown out some of the yellow and green floating in the air - pollen - sneeze - runny nose)

Fertilizer Friday

It's Friday - A day to holler it's FRIDAY! It's the WEEKEND! Yay!!! But before we go today I'm joining the group over at Tootsie Time to share a few blooms. Head on over and check out the other participants today. http://www.tootsietime.com/

This was a welcome surprise. A big bunch of these things growing wild in the back of the property. Today was the first time I've noticed and boy were they in bloom today. All over growing in tall weeds. And blue to boot. I didn't have any blue morning glories so I was pleased to find this patch of them. Sorry about the blur - blues and fuschias are the hardest colors to photograph and focus.

I was lucky to have both of these plants this year because I didn't plant them and they are showing a nice mass of color in their wild conditions. I like this kind of gardening. Needs no attention and is beautiful.

Huge mass of four'oclocks that are in bloom all the time. I think all of the plants seem to have a mind of their own this year choosing to bloom whenever instead of their usual times - in the AM and the PM.

Short today but that is all I've got today.

Here's hoping we get some much needed rain this weekend. Sunday prediction is at 40%. It hasn't rained in at least 3 weeks and what is left of the gardens is really showing signs of their dry conditions. 

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Bloomin' Tuesday

Check out my butterfly I was able to capture.

For the life of me I can't get the dang cursor above the first photo. Every single photo is loaded in a different order than I loaded. I hate this new blogger. Let me say that again. I HATE THE NEW BLOGGER. There I don't actually feel any better but I have to go on.

It's time for Bloomin Tuesday over at Jean's. Ya'll head on over and check out the other bloggers who have some blooms to share today. Go to http://msgreenthumbjean.blogspot.com/.

Still a going. Some of my bloomers have taken on the slogan - keeps going and going and going just like the energizer bunny.

Cannas may be about to be done.

Jasmine is re-blooming. I still have to get a trellis for the jasmine.

My BFF.

Wild lantana.

Re-blooming Portulaca

Volunteer four o'clocks. I love the color. They have made it home around this tree and I like it.

That's all I have to share today. Hope you all have a great day.

Bloomin' Tuesday

Good morning friends. Hope this finds you doing well today. It's Tuesday and time for Bloomin Tuesday over at Jean's. Ya'll come on over and check out what others have to share today. http://msgreenthumbjean.blogspot.com/

My canna is putting on another show. This one is as tall as I am so my photo is taken above my head.

It's a beauty.

 

Camera fogging after the canna photo. Okra hibuscus has taken on all new buds and going for another round of blooms.

Pleasant surprise to find the gerbera blooming again. This is a darker orange than the photo shows.

Milkweed is blooming like crazy. I've seen quite a bit of butterfly activity but everytime I get the camera out away they go - darnit.

My first four o'clocks to bloom. This is from the Marvel of Peru Four O'Clocks. There are several other colors in this pot but no other bloomers yet. The flowers are very small as you can see and very dainty.

This one is a volunteer out back among some cut down shrub. This looks just like the yellow one - small and dainty. I love the color on this one. A very dark pink. The bush is loaded with buds and so far they appear to all be the same color. I captured this at 7:30 in the evening.

This is a very disappointing site. The pecans will be no good this year. Look at them. It's horrible. I suspect the extremes we've experienced this year in the weather have contributed to this. The pecans are falling from the trees already. The squirrels are eating them and they have plenty.

Well that's about it for today. It is HOT here and I suppose most of you are still having extreme heat too. I'll be glad to see cooler weather come next month (fingers crossed).

Hope you all have a great day. Happy gardening!