Saturday, September 1, 2007

Hello, Good-bye


SunflAug07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
Hello to the dependable sunflower which always volunteers in my garden and will always remind me of my mother-in-law. If I had the time, I'd harvest the seeds; because I don't have the time (to harvest AND shell), the birds have free reign. Good-bye to my blog. It was fun to create it and learn a few things; but my camera is presently broken, and I've started a new job. A summer journal it is, and I am happy.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Monster Hydrangea


HydAug07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
I'm having photo difficulties--as in a cracked LCD screen. It's time to get another camera, but I guess I'll punish myself with this one a little longer first. It's been slow-going getting photos, and I can't delete them.
Anyway, who doesn't have problems? :)
My hydrangea has given me much satisfaction for many years, but this year it's doing something a bit funny by giving me one huge, already flowering hydrangea, and a few smaller ones which are not, yet, flowering. I refurbish my dried arrangement every fall and hope I can save this--that it turns colors before it turns brown. Always a patient gardener...kind of.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Rusty Daisy


metalDEndJy07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
I didn't know when I purchased this metal daisy this spring at the Master Gardener's day-long event that it would get rusty. Perhaps due to the surprise, I wasn't immediately taken to it, but soon I decided that I liked the contrast in colors--and even the juxtaposition of life and death. And that does it; I finally used the word "juxtaposition" (I can't tell you how many times I heard it from professors in college). And I amuse myself.

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Only One


SwtPeaEJy
Originally uploaded by kage2007
It's been a very busy August so far, and I need to take more pictures (with my now broken LCD screen). Anyway, I usually have a lot of Sweet Peas crawling up the espalier by early summer, but it now has a dwarf apple (which was intended to begin with--it's just the third one!), so I couldn't plant all those pea seeds there. I scattered them here and there, but this is the only plant I see. Not liking Wisconsin summers, this plant was in its glory and is now fading fast. I'll have to make a place for them next year as I do enjoy the flower, the fragrance, and the beauty (while it lasts).

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Give it away. Take some back!


GerEJy07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
It seemed like I had so many geraniums (that's what we'll always call them even though Martha has tried to set us straight) overwintering in pots, that I just let my hub take some early this summer and plant them in his own gardens (he's not the potted kind of guy). This is doing so nicely on the north side of the house, that I'll have to remember to take a cutting soon to overwinter again. I had so much to do in the gardens this spring (I always like to have everything in by the end of May, like all my elderly neighbors have done for years). Hub was such a help that I knew he would be pleased with this plant--a simple pleasure all around.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Only Summer


GerbDEJy07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
DaughterJ showed me how to reset my very simple camera to get a better close-up, so I was really excited to see it turn out like this! It may be one of my last as my LCD screen now looks like a broken window, but I don't have time to mess with that right now (yes, later). I'm back from vacation where I did spot a couple new Wisconsin wildflowers and reacquainted myself with ones I noted a year ago or so. This Gerbera is not a wildflower, but I did try to over-winter it one year. It was a tough one, needing lots of attention (like watering). It made it through the winter but never really came back. Maybe it wasn't my fault. So, I'll just buy a new one each spring and enjoy it for a season. Right now it has two flowers, and I try to be very patient waiting for each one. Such delight.

Friday, July 20, 2007

A Double Surprise


Globe&BellsEJy
Originally uploaded by kage2007
Not only did the Globe Thistle from sisterA come back this year after dogC chewed off quite a bit of what I had last year, but the Creeping Bellflower (Campanula) was a lovely surprise--a Wisconsin Wildflower! I'm not sure where it came from, but suddenly I see them everywhere, especially in the fields.
I'm hoping to find many wildflowers as I head to the mid-northern region of the state for a week.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Four Bubble Vases '06


I'm trying a different way to post today, and this is only my second attempt; therefore, I'm not going to write a lot as I'll probably be writing it again! As much as I like to work in the garden and watch them bloom and grow (a song in my head now!), I also like to pick them. What makes me chuckle about the title of this post is that there are no longer four vases; and then again, maybe I'm not really chuckling. Yes, I am. That's the way life goes. But I sure am glad I snapped this photo before they became three (rose, scented geranium, alfalfa, rose).

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Gifted Coreopsis


CoreopsisJy07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
I was gifted with this plant more than a half dozen years ago and didn't really appreciate it until the last year or so. It has proved itself in my garden by coming back year after year and getting big enough to divide without conquering a huge area. Years ago I had planted it, too, but didn't expect it to come up as it did and must have pulled many thinking they were weeds. I've done that a lot over the years--over 18 years as these gardens developed (and continue to do so). This plant looks like a small, airy bush and has come up in some of the poorest soil I have, and it comes up in shade as well as sunlight. You just gotta love something that is so agreeable.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

A Reason for Milkweed


MilkweedJy07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
Milkweed reminds me of my childhood as I had pulled many seed pods apart just to blow or fluff the seeds into the wind--and such a silky feeling. I don't remember being attracted to the flowers nor their wonderful fragrance (like I am now). I must have found Monarch caterpillars on them, as that is solely what they feed on (and makes them distasteful to birds); and that is why I let them grow in my gardens now. The flowers are a perk; it's the caterpillars we are after. Years ago I bought a butterfly pavilion for my kids (4' long?), and with it came a card for 10 Painted Butterfly caterpillars. After sending the card, the tiny caterpillars arrived, ate everything in the small jar, grew rapidly, and attached their chrysalis to the paper on the lid. I was then to take the paper, attach it to the inside of the pavilion, wait for them to turn into butterflies, and then release them. We did that once and then collected Monarchs ever since. With a few fresh leaves and water every day--it's just an incredible natural event. We had ten this summer, releasing the last yesterday morning. Already I heard someone say something about getting some more. I haven't tired of it, either.

Monday, July 16, 2007

No Scoffing Here


PetuniasJy07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
There was a time I would not have planted them--so old fashioned (maybe just common) were they. But two years ago when I planted a blue New Wave Petunia in my backyard and saw it quickly embrace a rock and then cover the ground around it, that could have been enough for me to never be without some. It was, however, the scent that cinched it for me. I decided to try something new with the planter this year and pulled out all the Pot of Gold and replaced it with red, white and blue petunias. It's given me much pleasure. Hub said he may have to take some. I don't know what color he'd take, but it's still those blue ones that pull me closer (and weeding isn't so much a chore, either!).

Sunday, July 15, 2007

A Malva Surprise


FengShuJy07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
I'd have to check my journal (if I ever wrote anything about this!) to see how long I've had the Malva. Time DOES fly, but I'm thinking...maybe...4 or 5 years. I bought it from an elderly lady in a neighboring town during a citywide rummage sale. I'd never heard of Malva before, and she had a picture of it and described it; the pot in my hand didn't look like much but seemed to hold much promise. I came home and checked my books but didn't find anything on it. SisterV checked and I think came up with some reassuring information that I had made a good purchase. It's in the foreground of this picture (the other side of the Feng Shui Garden) and looks like mini Hollyhocks; and from last year to this it has doubled, I swear! I'm delighted and can give some away now, not that it's become too much, but because it really is a sight to enjoy. Doing dishes (I can see it from the window) is not so bad when you have such a view--not for me, anyway. I'll take this kind of surprise any day!

Saturday, July 14, 2007

My Hub is Like A Bird.


LilyJy07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
It is ok that my hub likes a lot of things I plant. He might have actually even asked if he could have some of these lilies, and now I realize that he has spread them across the yard and saved me the time and effort of doing it (not that I would have even thought of it--to enjoy it by now). As these fade, his Morning Glories (some wild) may be ready to bloom, so he's thinking ahead. I think the dog ran a path through mine as all the petals are off, but I am still enjoying these. I'll let him spread whatever he wants now (even if he steals them), just like a bird.

Friday, July 13, 2007

Volunteers Welcome!


JohnnyJy07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
I planted a small, 3" pot of Johnny Jump-Ups years ago. I've learned to appreciate them more and more--maybe because they are in the Pansy family, and sisterV likes (the term is too mild) Pansies so much! Small clumps will find a place to grow; and if I pull any out, it's usually by mistake. Some seeds have found a spot across the yard, and they seem to like to hang on to the rose bushes for support (even hub can't pull them, I see). I don't welcome all volunteers, but these are here to stay.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Out of the Cracks


DayLilyJy07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
My sisterV gave me my first orange Day Lilies, and I have always enjoyed them. Yes, they certainly can multiply, but in the right spot they can easily be kept in check. This is the first bloom near the deck; my camera doesn't do it justice (but I make do). When my sisterV first gave them to me, she had been throwing all that she could into her ravine; they were coming up EVERYWHERE on her property--even between the cracks in the driveway and bricks. I don't have so many that I toss them in the ditch, but I do have to grin when I see them there (someone else just had too many!). Actually, I wouldn't mind a ditch full of them, either.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Signs, Signs, Everywhere the Signs...


Dad'sGar07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
This is one of hub's gardens; he is currently into Astilbe (the red lasts longer than the white or pink). It's the one thing he can't steal from my gardens as I haven't planted them in ages. I did buy some one year, but the plants were not from a reputable nursery; and I think I actually bought unvariegated Snow on the Mountain which I'm still trying to conquer, but THAT'S another story! A couple years ago I had the boys make signs for some of the garden spots for Father's Day. They were only painted with acrylics and have weathered two winters very well! These are signs we don't mind at all.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Lamppost Garden, Always in Planning


LamppostG07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
I like the location of this garden, but it has not given me a lot of satisfaction over the years. Once I planted the Hydrangea, the garden got a better rating; the Hostas were grand until hub chopped into them a couple years ago. The Liatris doesn't always make a grand show, but the drought-tolerant, disease-resistant rose on the other end does. Last year I added the rose stone and Speedwell and another (fluffy) plant. This year I've added a variety of sedums to the drain end (which isn't really needed and makes a speed bump in my driveway. Last night, almost in the dark, I planted some Russian Sage; turns out it's the smaller version, but we'll see if it makes a statement. I used to plant Alyssum by seed along the edge, and I've tried Gazanias which were nice but small. Always a garden in the planning, I guess.

Monday, July 9, 2007

Coming Up Daisies!


Daisies&Chair07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
I don't remember planting all these daisies (Ox-eye, wild), but I do remember digging a plant or two from the field years ago and then never seeing it again. I don't know; I'm just going with the flow. They look great for quite some time, and I pull what I don't want. There is also more than enough to pick and bring in; they could smell a little more lovely than they do (actually, they don't smell lovely at all!). It's the only area in my yard that I let go a little wild, so I'm still working on filling in gaps (like when the daisies die out); I planted a few Hostas last year and just today planted Baby's Breath by that little bird house by the chair. It looks great, and I hope it comes back next year (I've planted it before). I'll have to mark it well--with more than just the plastic markers that break off. The fence is to keep the dog out and protect the calla lilies; you can just barely see them (yellow). The fun of gardening. The fun of change.

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Fond of Calla Lilies


CallaL07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
This is the first time I've ever planted calla lilies; I never thought I could up in the great north woods (Wisconsin). I had been out walking last year and had to get closer to something growing in the daycare planter--it was calla lilies!! Wow, I never even thought about the idea before. So, when I was 225 miles south and spotted a container at a nursery this spring, I picked one up. The label showed a variety of colors, but only yellow have come up; that's ok. I first became aware of calla lilies when I chose a long-stem calla for my wedding flower; it was a good choice. I have been fond of them ever since. Now I just have to remember to dig it up this fall, along with the Dahlias and Glads and Orchid Tulips and...

Saturday, July 7, 2007

Feng Shui, Revisited


FengShui207
Originally uploaded by kage2007
I thought I'd write one more time (at least) about this garden, especially now that I have pictures (this one from the deck). The area with the tomato cages is where our puppy used to run through, but I just planted the ligelarias there this spring (and they needed protection); on the other side the hostas were always stunted because our other dog (who had been with us for 12 years but we put down) would run there. The pathway between them hub helped me with about three years ago; it seemed more grown over when actually walking on it, but I certainly admire it again from this view. The ladder has been used to get into the tree, but it was actually built (poorly) for my youngest son's loft bed (and it should be fixed or taken down before someone gets hurt--not what I should be thinking in this, my Feng Shui, garden!).

Friday, July 6, 2007

Lemon Tree #2

I had shied away from buying a citrus tree for a couple years as I thought they were quite expensive (perhaps considered a luxury when one has kids); but maybe I had wished hard enough, or talked in my sleep, or circled it enough times in a catalog as hub bought me one several Christmases ago. Such delight! The fruit it produces are small, tart oranges--perfect for making marmalade (which I don't like) or tricking those that don't know! This last year I was gifted with a Meyer lemon tree, and it, too, has been a treat. They both produce beautiful and fragrant flowers (can't bottle this!) that hang on long enough to be truly admired. It has made owning them well worth any cost and care (they do like to be misted). Seeing the buds puts me in such a state of anticipation, and that's exactly where I am right now as I await all the flowers on the orange tree. Now you'll know what's putting the smile on my face or why I've always got my nose next to a mini tree. Simple pleasure!

Lemon Tree


Lemon Tree
Originally uploaded by kage2007

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Just Not Meant to Be


ScentedGer07
Originally uploaded by kage2007
There's a spot on my driveway between my garage door and the gate that always lacked something to make it remarkable. I tried plant stands and pots, and after 18 years at this home, I must say THIS was it! It was just not meant to be. The day after it was up, the wind took the stems and pushed them this way and that (which I then staked). Several days later, while practicing his pitching, my into-5th-grade son found his mark. He and hub tried to repair it (see the glue gun glue?), but, again, it was just not meant to be. At first I thought it had just cracked and broke after years of use, but they pointed out the glue which I hadn't even noticed. I'm glad I snapped the photo; it may be my favorite of the year (it's my desktop background)! And I may get another planter eventually (right now there's one pot there), but I'm not in a hurry. For scented geraniums, they don't have much of a scent (nutmeg?), but I like how airy they are, and I have always liked the flowers. Whenever something of mine would get broken, I'd chant "I can't have anything," but that's the way the world is (especially with kids and a hub), so I'll just keep the memories for now.

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Wildflowers


While I wait for my very first picture to upload (!), I thought I'd write about wildflowers. I found four today (in the field guide mentioned on 7/2): Black Snakeroot, Hedge Nettle, False Sunflower, and Hedge Bindweed. While looking for them I did come across Stinging Nettles, too (but they are not in my book, so I'm not sure what they look like). I guess my mother enlightened me about wildflowers when I found out she actually planted much of her ravine with plants she dug up along and on the way to the railroad tracks. I guess I realized there must have been something about them. First, I learned that they may fade through the season, but when they show it's quite the show! Second, I also had to learn about which were invasive and which could be controlled, and I'm still learning. When I found out the primrose that I planted were actually Wisconsin Evening Primrose (pictured), a wildflower, I was hooked. Now I've let wild geranium grow in my gardens as well as Ox-eye Daisy and Butter-and-eggs (I'm sure I could go on). I think the Black-eyed Susan may have been a volunteer, but maybe I planted it. This spring I planted (to name a few) Virginia Bluebell, Wild Ginger, and Solomon's Seal (smooth) and hope they come back. I could go on and on, because honestly, once you start, I don't think there's any stopping.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Sharing

I love to share my garden. I enjoy going on a "garden walk" with my hub, even though our gardens are really quite modest. There are stories to be told and plants to share (that Liatris in hub's garden started in mine), and when it comes right down to it, those are the things I love the most. The other day we added a rose, and tonight I shared the Malva and the Maltese Cross with a friend; the Malva I bought from an elderly lady's garage sale a few years ago, and the Maltese Cross I started with a small plant. I've shared hostas and Moon Flower (Trumpet), ivy and Marigolds; whatever I can propagate, I'll share. I'm still mystified by the hydrangea, but I'm not defeated. And gardening goes on.

Monday, July 2, 2007

My Wild Side

Over the years I have dug up (and pulled up) plants I've seen growing wild in the ditch or a field and planted them in my gardens. They don't always come back the next year (or I pull them the next year thinking they are weeds), or they may take over for part of the season (which the daisies do, but I don't mind). I remember digging a wild rose and a Columbine and other things I didn't know the name of. A couple years ago I came across a little (but thick) book called "Wildflowers of Wisconsin, Field Guide" by Stan Tekiela c 2000, and I just love it. Not only has it opened my eyes to all the flowers I've purchased over the years that are actually wildflowers (!), but I'm on my own little quest (no timeline) to some day find every one of them!! There is one wildflower I allow to grow in my garden each year, and that is the Common Milkweed (I haven't identified the Swamp or Whorled, yet). The Monarch butterfly lays its eggs only on the milkweed; we scoop up the caterpillars to form their chrysalis in a hanging pavilion and release them when they've emerged as butterflies, dried and ready to fly. It's as close to being a Butterfly Farmer as my husband will ever get (IB), and it brings out the wild side in me. :)

Sunday, July 1, 2007

Not What I Intended or Too Hard on Myself

My list was huge for today, and very little of it was crossed off by day's end. It should never have been that long to begin with. And some of it wasn't even a big deal, like never replanting the marigolds (I plant them by seed in one area and then move them where I want once they are small plants) and not getting a picture on my blog (I did take some!). I worked in other areas of the yard (mostly demolishing overgrown vines and doing clean-up). I did take time to make supper (not on the list) and added fresh lettuce and spinach from the garden to the meal. Simple pleasure--going out to the garden for anything! Even though I've felt a bit lazy ALL weekend, I know there is tomorrow. And I know I'll make another list. And I know I won't get it all done. Perhaps that's as it should be.

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Feng Shui

I don't really have a feng shui garden, but I have a patch under a dying Poplar Tree that gives me that feeling of calm when I look at it (especially if there are no weeds and my dog hasn't been digging in it). The Bleeding Hearts (I'm breathless in spring) I planted three years ago have gone crazy, as have the Malva (blooming now) which may have taken a year or two longer. The whole thing is bordered with hostas and edged with rocks that have been unearthed. Add to that my first bowling ball (which cracked this last winter); I was going to sell it at my Annual Rummage-O-Rama, but then I found people were actually LOOKING for bowling balls to put in their gardens. Why not? I was gifted with a garden decoration that holds a candle, so that's where the fire would be. I have no source for water but have thought about it. I could have a better place to sit and enjoy it, but for now I do take a moment to view it from the deck and whenever I pass by. I have to redo the rocks every year to keep it crisp, but it doesn't really take that much time. Tomorrow I'll snap a picture...and maybe even get it posted! Hopefully the feng shui will still be with me after that!

Thursday, June 28, 2007

I never wanted a Rose Garden.

Really, I didn't want to get started with roses. They are touchy and time-consuming. No time to deal with them. Then, I was gifted by my little sister (what got into her?) with a drought-resistant, hardy tea rose that has provided me with many summers of pleasure. It does need to be sprayed a couple times every summer since a 1/4" worm likes its leaves, and I do cut it back every fall or spring. It is delightful in full bloom, but it has no odor. For some reason, my husband (JR) decided to start a rose garden three years ago. It's actually The Sunken Rose Garden as he didn't return the soil from the sod to the same spot. The roses are varied and need to be sprayed, and also delight; but again they have no odor. A friend just offered up a cutting from her rose that came from a cutting from a bush on the family farm; that bush had been there for years and years. Heirloom. It has a wonderful smell! With it's very bushy appearance and very thorny branches, it's hard not to spot it; and I realized two other properties in town have it. By the post office I stooped to smell the last of the blooms before they turned to (very large) hips, and it left a couple thorns in my thumb! Now that I have one (JR planted it in his garden, which I do help tend), I'll learn not to just grab and sniff. And I really don't mind having a Rose Garden--just not too big.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Thanks, Fellow Gardeners!

This was suppose to be a picture--3 days ago!! Since that task has taken so much time and is still not mastered (I did get ONE picture on Flickr!), it's time for just a simple note. I spent HOURS in my gardens on Sunday, mostly in the veggie garden after tilling it several days ago. I know there will be weeds again when I look, and I know there will be many more hours to spend to keep it up. I don't usually mind (but could someone visit when it looks really nice?). One thing on my list is to buy more peat moss; I put it around my tomatoes and am amazed that there were no weeds! I'm also going to try to feed my plants on a regular basis; I have several products! I don't always see other gardeners tending their gardens, but they can be assured that I appreciate and know the work involved. And when I see you bending at the waist (we know we shouldn't), I'll have a grin on my face; I know the position well.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Rosemary

I was going to use Simple Pleasures as the name of my blog, but it was already taken. I guess that automatically gives me a category for inside my blog, and perhaps that's as it should be. It may give me more flexibility. I have a potted, rather wild-looking rosemary plant on a shelf in my bathroom. I never mind bumping into it while opening the window or adjusting the shade. I'll even rub the leaves sometimes and pass my hand across my face--mmmmmm!! The other day I put a sprig into a key envelope (the little manilla ones) and added it to a card for someone else. This is aromatherapy at its simplest!