Garden Tour Thursday

IZA:  

I thought we were done with plants and such fer the year, but I keep finding surprises around the house.   So lets have another tour!

The Venus Fly Traps arent tropical, but we are just a little too cold here for them to stay outside.  And there arent ezactly lots of flies around in Winter annyway, right?  So they need to go dormant when it is cold.  TBT read up on how they like to spend the Winter and there was a lot of conflicting information; evrything from bsgging them up in a refrigerator to burying them outside under a bale of hay.  But he decided to be a bit standard about it.

The garage is IN our basement, and gets cold enough (45-50F) for them to stay dormant.  But they still like SOME light (fer reasons I WONT bother you with (unless ya ask).  

So TBT added a small unner-cabinet light unner a garage shelf he cleared for them.  Its on a timer set to 9 hours so they THINK they are in their natural North Carolina home (and he will adjust that as Spring approaches). 

The traps are dying back, as is natural.  There are base leaves at the bottom that stay green.  I must say, TBT is REALLY getting into these insect-eating plants.  He may try other kinds next year and even make a bog garden of them. 

That stalk in the center is a FLOWER!  We will have to wait to see it...

We also have a lot more Snake Plants.  All these came from one overgrown 12" pot.  I watched him hack chunks of roots apart (I watch him all the time when I can).  They were all tangled with thick roots so there was no separating them.  It has been 2 weeks, and they seem to be doing OK.  I'll know better in a moonth...

This is a Nandina.  Also called "false bamboo" .  It grows about 4' high, is evergreen, and grows tons of red berry/seeds.  The birds dont like to eat them much (they are still there in Spring), but they are very pretty.  Deer dont like them either, so TBT wants to grow more.  So, as an experiment, TBT just pulled up one seedling and potted it to see if it survives.   Its been a week and the leafs arent falling off, so that is good.

The cuttings of the Waxy Hoya plant seem to be surviving after a month.  But they have thick leaves and roots, so we cant tell if they are just "surviving" or actally rooting.  If they live, good.  If not, I think it was worth a try.

It is a bit late, but iffen anykitty wants to come by an look at the plants with me, you are welcome.

We have H-A-A-A-M...

Garden Tour Thursday

IZA:  Welcome to our Garden Tour this week!  We are transitioning from Spring to Summer here.  Here are the last of the Tulips...

And the last of the Daffodils.

Proof that we are entering Summer...  The male Goldfinches are all colored up to show off for the females.

Meanwhile, the veggie garden has gotten started.   TBT plants small crops in square foot patches.  It makes it hard for the insects to find their favorite plants.  Plus, evry time he harvests a square foot patch, something new goes right in.  No wasted spaces!

The Snow Peas have a little cage to climb up.

These radishes grow fast.  These are the little round red ones.

Carrots are slower.  They wont be much for a couple of months.

Tomato seedlings are looking nice.  

We have these tree saplings sharing the garden this year.  There are 2 Sourwoods and 3 Dogwoods.  They are for spots in the backyard, but the spots are still covered with wild brambles TBT dint get around to clearing last Winter (and hasnt yet).

The first flowers in the new wildflower bed are blooming.  They are small, but something had to bloom first I guess.  We dont know the name of it, but there are about a dozen of them.  Lots of other kinds are developing buds.

The Spring-Flowering Almond shrub looks nice.  And it cascades over LCs memorial spot very nicely.

This is a Columbine.  There are a dozen of them, but they are kind of scatterred around.  TBT is going to move them to a shadier place this Fall and add another dozen he has in pots from seed.

This is just a weed in the lawn, but it looks pretty.  We think it is a Buttercup.

Finally, here is our main Nip patch.  Feel free ta chew on a few leafs.  We have PLENTY!

Now lets all sit around in a nice shady spot on the soft grass and have some snacks!  After all that walking around, we can use some.  Lets see, we have...  minced chickie breast with minced bacon, and some Meowgaritas (milk for kittens)!

Thank you all so much for coming along on the Garden Tour today!

Tuesday Outside

AYLA:  I have to watch over TBTs plants ALL THE TIME.  Yeah, Iza shows them off, but I do some help too.

This one was enclosed in a wire mesh surround.  He pulled it off in Spring so he could pull the roots out and divide them.  But he didn't.  I am reminding him that he still needs to do that.

 When he looks at ME in the picture, he will see the plant.  I think there are at least 4 pots of plants in there.

And, BTW, you can see Marley and Iza in the picture.  I try ta position myself so they are included.  It takes some talent.  I'm good like that.

Garden Thursday

IZA:  Im not doin a whole tour today, cuz there just isnt much changed from the last time.  But our new little Knock-Out Rose bloomed an I wanted ta show that.  It looks real nice!  And looking nice is very impawtant with this rose cuz there is no smell to it.

And there are 3 more buds ready ta open too.  Not bad fer a rose that is only 9" high (it will get to 3' when it grows up).

But I wanted ta show it now, since TBT is gonna take cuttings from it ta start more plants and it wont look as good in a few days.

The Plant Hider

IZA:  I FOUND IT, I FOUND IT!!!  It was REAL tricky cuz it has no warmth to it, but I FOUND it!

I even broke down some leafs onna big plant getting at it.

It was impressive...  TBT wasnt too thrilled though. He liked the big plant leafs.

 But I had a "PURPOSE"...  See how I kept watchin the broke leaf? 

I could SMELL IT!  And I FINALLY pulled it out!

It looked a lot like THIS...

And HERE IT IS!

Some darn TOAD!

It smelled bad.  I TOLD TBT so, but he couldnt smell it.

But he recognized it.  Nasty old toad.  A sneaky one that hides fer the Winter in weerd places.  Like unner the BBQ cooker cover mostly.

Its the first time we found one IN the house.   I got rewarded with a whole HANDFUL of crunchies all to myself...  Nom, Nom, Nom...

Ayla tried to lay a claim to it fer some noms, but TBT knew I had been searchin and I had found it. He tossed it outside (with a bit of annoyance cuz its a really annoying toad even though he generally LIKES toads).

But no one of ya guessed a TOAD in the indoor plant!  And who WOULD have guessed a toad?
 

Thursday Garden Tour On Friday

Iza:  Well we kinna fergot yesserday.  An today's isn't the usual garden tour.  But its about plants.  I suppose it is that tale of 2 plants what mean a lot to TBT.

I think he has only esplained it ta ME before, cuz I watch out fer plants here.

See this Waxy Hoya?  TBT says it was a housewarming gift.  In 1982.  His sisfur Susie gave it to him when he moved into his first house.  It was a rental, but it WAS a real house.  So that makes it 30 years old just about this moonth.  Not many plants live this long.  I guess TBT gives it ezactly the "benign neglect" it likes.

The other "meaningful" plant comes from a co-worker.   About 1990, he says.  She had it in a small jam jar and was going to toss it away.  It's still in the same jam jar.  He hasn't managed to kill IT yet, either. 

But both plants are still doing well.  Both plants get water from the fishie tank.  He says that is really good for them.  Apparently...  The pots on the sides are for the rat tails to land in an root.  And they do.  They have some ivy in there to keep them company, too

Have you got some long-lived house plant?  Will you describe it and give a back-story?

Vishus Deer Attack!

We saw a Vishus Deer in the front yard last night!  TBT had just glanced out the window and turned away when the motion detector lights came on.  There was a Vishus Deer standing right there lookin up into the window at us!  Ooh, they are bold...

TBT tried ta get a picture of it, but all that came out was its laser-eyes.  We ducked so it couldnt hurt us, but TBT just stood right there.  Vishus Deer dont worry TBT.

Ecept that he discovered this morning that it got mad at us and ate the leafs off the front row of our bootiful hostas!  We are all very upset. 

This picture shows the BIG CHOMP a Vishus Deer can take.  Granted, that was a plant, but we know it left that ta warn us off how it can bite!

We suggested putting out the Have-A-Hart trap, but he said it wouldnt fit in there.  He is gonna set up the game camera.  First, ta get a better picture iffenit comes back (which after finding the tastey hostas, probably will), and second, hoping the sudden flashy-light might scare it away.

Failing that, he will put bird netting over the hostas.  That ought to stop it from biting the leafs off.  Purrsonally, WE hope it EATS the net an chokes!!!  Cuz we sure dont want it stealthively staring at us at night. 

The Evidence

THE BIG THING:  Well, first, I thought I should document the evidence of Marley's planty activities from yesterday.  Here is the poor catmint cutting, stripped of all leaves.  Fortunately, there were already tiny new leaves growing at the leaf junctions, so it will survive to make more "happy cat" leaves.

This is some of the torn-up chinese cabbage leaves...

And here is a broken-over and torn up lettuce leaf...

So, why did I go directly to Marley for the blame?

1.  Marley is the only one who shows interest in uncrushed catmint leaves.
2.  There were 6 leaves on that cutting and no remains were left.  Some kitty ate them all. And  Marley went all crazypants in the middle of the night.
3.  Marley is the only kitty here who likes the spicy mesclun greens.
4.  I might suspect Iza of trying to frame Marley (she is sneaky that way), but she can't jump that high.
5.  Equally, Ayla CAN jump that high, but she would never try to frame Marley.
6.  When I accused Marley of eating the catmint leaves, he immediately looked guilty.

The prosecution rests...  Heh-heh-heh!  ;)

Stayin Out of Sight

MARLEY:  Im hiding today.  TBT went down to the plant stand this morning an was surprised ta finnd all the leafs from the Nip cutting he rooted last week missing, some of the lettuce leafs chewed, an even some chinese cabbage leafs torn up.  There were some pressed-in spots in the soil too.

He came upstairs and came straight over ta me where I was sitting in a sunpuddle and told me I was a bad boy fer eating his plants an I better not do it again or I wont get anny treats ALL THAT DAY.  He dint even LOOK at Ayla or Iza!  He was right, but how did he KNOW it was ME?

Hes spooky that way sometimes.  So Im hidin...

Garden Tour Thursday

IZA: Well, there is finally a bit of activity goin on outside!  We have the first of the early spring crocuses blooming in the lawn.  There are lots more planted, but these are the only ones blooming there.

There are 2 dozens of pansies TBT planted last Fall, but only a few are bloomin.  TBT got them planted kinna late, so they are probly still building up their strength ta make flowers later.

There are also the first of the giant crocuses (pretty brave name fer such a small plant).  These are next to the gravel pathway, so they probly get warmer faster than the others in the flowerbed border.

These have actally been growin all Winter.  Can you guess what they are?

The last garden news is that TBT starts plantin seeds indoors this week.  He hadda buy potting soil, an the best price was a floppy 50 lb bag.  He bought 4 bags an it about killed him loading and unloading them into and from the car.

Happy gardening!

Garden Tour Thursday

IZA:  OK, Marley had his big dedicated week (extended courtesy of the Blogger crash) but its over.  Its MY turn again!

As you can see, we are in a transition time this week.  The Spring flowers are gone, the Summer flowers are just gettin started, and the veggies are just beginning their season.

Here, in the far back what is all overgrown with tree saplings and big weeds (hint to TBT), we have a Weigela 'Carnaval'.  Its neat cuz it has white, pink, and red flowers all over it.  It is just startin ta bloom.  Wait til ya see it NEXT week!

Next to it are 3 Weigela "Red Prince'.  It will be bloomin better soon too.

The Clematis 'Arctic Queen' has a first bloom...

The Clematis here behind the compost barrel really blooms a lot!  And its been bloomin like this a couple weeks.  The ground is always shaded and the clematis plants sure like THAT!

The Trollius are startin too.   They get more goldish later.

We dont remember the name of this one.  The label is long gone and this is the last survivor of 6 plants.  Pity, cuz it gets COVERED with pretty yellow flowers.

Marley has put out his first host buffet, and I have to say, it is a good one.  He has brought out FIVE kinds of treats, milk, toona juice, AND Fromm Chicken/Turkey Pate.

Marley, "well done".  I will even partake of that...  Join me in a great after-tour snack up on the deck.  Nom, Nom, Nom!

Oh, TBT says you can see about the veggie garden HERE.