I Finally Let It Stay

When we first moved here, there was a
hybrid tea rose in the front flower
bed. It was a pale yellow color, but
to me this rose was not in
the right place and stuck out like a sore
 thumb, so I dug it up.
That was 4 seasons ago. Last
year I noticed a rosebush coming up and
figured it was a piece of the root stock of
the one I had removed.
  I thought it would be an ugly
 unruly rose, so I just kept cutting it back
to the ground. This year I decided
to let it stay.....and boy has it
 rewarded me!!!!

Sunday in the Garden

Silverado Iris planted in front
of the double pink Knockout roses.

Red Knockouts starting to open

Moonlit Water iris getting
prettier every year.

Unknown white, love it mixed in with other
colors.

Golden yellow iris, which I lost the name

Row of double pink Knockouts
have really opened up today.

Spin-off iris along with double pink Clementine Columbine.
I started this from seed
last year and it returned on
it's own this year.

Blooms Today

Every spring when the iris bloom, it's like seeing old friends...
Spin-off. 

Moonlit Water
Everyone should have a least one
iris tucked in the garden.

Large beautiful yellow - have lost the name
of this one.

Heirloom iris clump growing by the road is
quickly multiplying. 

The Texas Mission Almond tree is producing
fruit this year!

The living fence, Elaeagnus, is still coming along...
patience in the garden! 

BEFORE photo of the Elaeagnus shrubs

First One

The first iris to bloom - Footloose. The Elaeagnus leaves have all
turned a beautiful silver color.

Anticipation

Anticipation! I guess that is what Spring
is all about, anticipation, renewal, hope....
Soon this will be a mass of pink roses.
You can barely see the ugly chain link fence.

I guess we are having a "late" Spring. Usually the
heirloom variety of iris are in full bloom by now, but
not a one! This bed will soon be full of
iris, roses, daylilies, salvia,
 coneflowers (Echinacea), Speedwell (Veronica),
 and Tiger lily's....anticipation!

Opening Day

I'm ready to open one of my winter sowing milk jugs!

Beautiful! These are the Abe Lincoln heirloom tomatoes

These are some other tomatoes I bought
at our local family owned garden store. A couple are suppose 
to do well here in hot and humid Texas - Solar Fire and Tycoon.
They are "heat set" tomatoes. I'm trying the method of laying
them on their side until they start growing upward.
Then will plant. More photos to come of this
process.

I just love these - Variegated Aguga - a perennial. This is a sloped flower bed and
the soil kept washing down the hill. So I planted
these along with Liriope to help with this problem. It's working!

Forsythias Looking Better Today

There is a third Forsythia that is really small and not that noticeable. This
one was planted at the same time as the others, but the
2012 Texas drought nearly killed it.  When it gets 
 as large as the others, it will really look stunning. 

Iris are started to show their new growth - can't wait for them to bloom.

Happy First Day Of Spring

Happy Spring! It wouldn't be spring without
the tried and true daffodil. I would love
to add, next year, Ranunculus and Anemones. I
grew them about 10 years ago and love them - but
I am always so HEAT weary in Sept and Oct that
I can't seem to get them ordered.

Not quite what I had invisioned, a glorious yellow mass of flowers on
my Forsythias, when I planted them 3 years ago. They are improving
each year.

Winter Sowing and Some Garden Cleaning

Winter Sowing - Rinse out a milk jug with soapy water. Cut a all the way around
to handle and leave a hinge for opening and closing.

Label your "greenhouse jug" and date it. I
chose this seed starting mix - your preference

Seed packet.

Add some of the seed mixture and then your
seeds. I added a little water to mixture before
I put the seeds in. Cover the seeds with a
little more of the mixture and water again.

I used duct tape to seal the milk jug up. Just waiting for
the seeds to sprout.

Photos of my sad daylily bed. I am in process
of starting to clean up all my beds - daunting task - I think
I have about 12 flower beds, most are 3 times this size.
This one shouldn't be too hard, mostly St Augustine grass
in it.

The daylilies are peeking through as well as the iris.
I will add some superphosphate after I
get all the grass and weeds out.

First Post Of 2014

I have been absent from my blog for quite some time! I'm determined to get back to my gardening for 2014. I'm posting some pictures of what I've been up too for the past year and no, they are not gardening photos.
 I opened my own quilt shop on Etsy.com  (www.cottagedome.etsy.com) and have been busy trying to get it up and running. My poor garden wonders where I've been as well. Most of my quilts on Etsy have a garden theme and are inspired by garden colors.
 I plan to start the new gardening year by getting all the grass and debris out the beds, cut the roses back (on Feb 14), check on the compost pile (I've been using the cold compost method), get the vegetable plot ready - .......I just learned a new trick for getting better tomatoes -- when planting the tomato plant, first let the tomato lay on it's side for a day or two until the tip of the plant starts to grow upward, then plant the tomato with the stem laying sideways in a little trench, then cover with soil. It is supposed to help establish a stronger root system. My tomato harvest last year was next to nothing. One thing I did different was NOT use Heirloom tomatoes. I will be starting my Heirlooms in my milk jugs again. Also will be wrapping clear plastic around tomato cages, so that I can an earlier start on getting them in the ground - this is so that if the temps get low - they will stay nice and warm. Hope you enjoy the photos.