Goldfinch Enticing
(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)
As I sat yesterday I saw this Juvenile Goldfinch sat above my garden, closer than they have ever come before.I have a feeder hung up now with black Thistle seed, with small holes for the birds to eat the seeds from.
The Finches usually stay on the Fir trees behind the Privet hedge.I have not seen any in my garden yet.I hope the Niger seed and sunflower hearts can entice them down.The Goldfinches are the most beautiful colours on the head and yellow wing bars.
I have two long days, so the birds can chill unwatched this weekend.The Sky is blue outside.I hope it stays dry long enough for the allotment to dry out a bit.
Have good weekends wherever your gardens are in the world.
As I sat yesterday I saw this Juvenile Goldfinch sat above my garden, closer than they have ever come before.I have a feeder hung up now with black Thistle seed, with small holes for the birds to eat the seeds from.The Finches usually stay on the Fir trees behind the Privet hedge.I have not seen any in my garden yet.I hope the Niger seed and sunflower hearts can entice them down.The Goldfinches are the most beautiful colours on the head and yellow wing bars.
I have two long days, so the birds can chill unwatched this weekend.The Sky is blue outside.I hope it stays dry long enough for the allotment to dry out a bit.
Have good weekends wherever your gardens are in the world.
Gardening Question of the Day for Saturday, March 29, 2008
(Via Gardening Question of the Day (from the Old Farmer's Almanac))
What is the best way to rid my lawn of grubs? (answer).![]()
What is the best way to rid my lawn of grubs? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
Raggedy Robin Sees The Sun?
(Via An Iowa Garden)
I love every small flower bulb; I love them even more when they are just sticking their little noses out of the ground... testing the waters, so to speak. I love Bulbocodium vernum when it's just peeking up, more than I can communicate. It sits there for a day or so, then at the first sign of warm sun, no matter how fleeting, it just throws caution to the winds and billows its fragile little flower into full sail, hoping a honeybee comes along before the next freezing rain. Its pale lilac flower, which I must show if the sun ever reappears, is called 'Raggedy Robin'.
Three Colours Spring
(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)
Blossom flowers on a fruit tree at Swillington yesterday. I spent too much money but came back with lots of plants and some seed to attract the Goldfinches.
Iris Cantata at Hil's yesterday. They are like Monet paintings with Blue, white, and yellow.They were quite delicate. I hope my Dutch Iris grow on as well soon.
Back in my own garden the few Crocuses that have opened. They look spectacular as buds then either get eaten or deflate like popped balloons. Next years Crocus will go into the windowbox to see if they fare any better.
A wet and windy day.I just watched the birds.Its back to work over the weekend.I hope to dig the last ghost bed at the allotment on Monday if its dry..
There are so many projects and things growing, no shortage of subjects to blog about.
Blossom flowers on a fruit tree at Swillington yesterday. I spent too much money but came back with lots of plants and some seed to attract the Goldfinches.
Iris Cantata at Hil's yesterday. They are like Monet paintings with Blue, white, and yellow.They were quite delicate. I hope my Dutch Iris grow on as well soon.
Back in my own garden the few Crocuses that have opened. They look spectacular as buds then either get eaten or deflate like popped balloons. Next years Crocus will go into the windowbox to see if they fare any better.A wet and windy day.I just watched the birds.Its back to work over the weekend.I hope to dig the last ghost bed at the allotment on Monday if its dry..
There are so many projects and things growing, no shortage of subjects to blog about.
Who Else Would Like To Increase Their Backyard Harvest?
(Via Home and Family: Gardening Articles from EzineArticles.com)
A simple, well looked after smaller garden is just as gratifying as a bigger one. You need precisely the same two things - some real old fashioned know-how and large amounts of perseverance. The Happy Home Gardener has put together six simple tips to help in keeping your gardening by the yard looking in good shape and good looking.
A simple, well looked after smaller garden is just as gratifying as a bigger one. You need precisely the same two things - some real old fashioned know-how and large amounts of perseverance. The Happy Home Gardener has put together six simple tips to help in keeping your gardening by the yard looking in good shape and good looking.
Attracting Birds Into Your Yard with Birdbaths, Birdhouses and Feeders
(Via Home and Family: Gardening Articles from EzineArticles.com)
It's that time of season when the birds start migrating back from the south. Now is the time to start preparing your yard for their arrival. Clean, fresh water whether to drink or bath in will make your birds happy and healthy and they will keep coming back. A birdbath brings the birds up close so you and your family can watch, listen and be entertained.
It's that time of season when the birds start migrating back from the south. Now is the time to start preparing your yard for their arrival. Clean, fresh water whether to drink or bath in will make your birds happy and healthy and they will keep coming back. A birdbath brings the birds up close so you and your family can watch, listen and be entertained.
The things you find on the Internet
(Via Dig in with Kym - The Oregonian - OregonLive.com)
Except to guide you to this photo, I am not going to say a word. If I do, it will only get me into trouble. Oh, heck, I have to say one thing: Do you think it was intentional or...
Except to guide you to this photo, I am not going to say a word. If I do, it will only get me into trouble. Oh, heck, I have to say one thing: Do you think it was intentional or...
How to Grow Roses - 5 Tips to Grow Healthy Roses
(Via Home and Family: Gardening Articles from EzineArticles.com)
Summer is coming and there's nothing more beautiful than a rose bush covered with lush blossoms and healthy green leaves. How to grow roses without a lot of strain and effort? Follow these 4 tips and you can grow healthy roses.
Summer is coming and there's nothing more beautiful than a rose bush covered with lush blossoms and healthy green leaves. How to grow roses without a lot of strain and effort? Follow these 4 tips and you can grow healthy roses.
Green Flowers
(Via EnjoyGardening)
first published March 20, 2008
If you happened to celebrate ‘all things green’ a little too hard this past Monday, you might want to consider a gentler ode to the colour for the rest of the year: green flowers. Of course, the shamrock will always be unrivaled as the plant most closely associated with the luck of the Irish, but when it comes to gardening, there are a number of plants that outshine the shamrock—plants that not only have green foliage, but green flowers too.
Still warming up to the idea? I can understand. Some green-flowered plants look like they just couldn’t decide whether to grow more leaves or give up and produce flowers. Fortunately though, there are also those that are remarkably beautiful and much more refined than their underachieving counterparts. Here are a few of my favourites.
Tulipa viridiflora ‘Spring Green’
If you were lucky, you might have seen a couple of green-flowering tulips popping out of the ground on St. Patrick’s Day—although not very likely on the Prairies. Tulipa viridiflora ‘Spring Green’ emerges in early spring, and as its name suggests, has flowers that are distinctively pale green. In fact, if you wanted to truly tip your hat to the Irish next St. Patrick’s Day, you could force this variety to bloom the week of March 17th by potting up the bulbs this fall, storing them in a cold garage over the winter and then moving them indoors to a very sunny spot in late January.
Bells of Ireland
As for green flowers to enjoy the rest of the year, consider growing bells of Ireland (Moluccella laevis). These bedding plants produce green, bell-shaped blooms on tall spikes and look great in the garden and in the house as cutflowers. My wife grows them every year, primarily to add to bouquets, and even I—someone as florally design challenged as they come—think they look striking. So give them a try. They’re easy to grow, love cool weather and are remarkably frost tolerant. If the weather is favourable, you’ll be harvesting bells of Ireland well into October. Left to go to seed, you may even get a few volunteers popping up the following year.
Amaranthus viridis (loves lies bleeding) is one of the bolder green-flowered annuals, producing long, rope-like stalks of flowers that make a striking addition to any garden. Some of the stalks can grow to a length of 40–60 cm, and these tough plants are, by and large, pest free. Love lies bleeding is rather closely related to the not-so-charmingly-named pigweed, but at least it doesn’t share pigweed’s hog-like invasiveness, although it too will self-seed if allowed.
‘Green Envy’ coneflower (Echinacea) has lime-green petals surrounding a wonderfully rich-green, cone-like centre. The entire bloom fades slowly to magenta, offering great ornamental value. The Echinacea genus has been undergoing some extensive breeding work lately, making Green Envy one of many intriguing varieties to add to the garden. Keep in mind that Green Envy grows about 1–2 m tall and likes plenty of sun and space. I haven’t tried this perennial as a cutflower yet, but I’m betting it will hold up well.
Hydrangea ‘Limelight’
Hydrangeas more your style? Then I’d suggest giving the variety ‘Limelight’ a try. This variety of Hydrangea paniculata yields wonderfully green flowerheads that change to a light pink by late summer and are held straight up on the branch—making them easy to see and appreciate. Limelight can grow a couple of meters tall and one to two meters in diameter. Hydrangeas enjoy moist soils and a bit of shade from the hot afternoon sun. An added bonus with Limelight is that it makes a good cut or dried flower.
So if you have never ventured into the world of verdant flowers, there is no better time to start than this year. Green-flowered plants are no more difficult to grow than any other plant in your garden. All it takes is a bit of planning, a good watering schedule and, of course, a bit of luck.
