tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41818426554825701302024-03-13T07:30:01.219-04:00Wicked GardenerA Central Florida gardener doing it all wrong. Very wrong.Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comBlogger342125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-27264848655896318702012-01-01T17:24:00.000-05:002012-01-01T17:24:04.174-05:00Shuttin' Her DownIt is a sad day, but I've been pretty busy with my life and this blog hasn't gotten the attention it deserves. I'm shutting down the comments because the spam is getting out of control. I'm still around though, and with planting season coming up, I might post here and there. I'll also try to visit your blogs as much as I can. You can find me on Pinterest (cause I'm addicted,) and if you are a real human being who has a question or wants to say hi, you can email me at wickedgardener76ATyahooDOTcom. <br />
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Love you all (except spammers. You know who you are and should be ashamed of yourselves!)Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-86955819490494181892011-06-22T19:04:00.000-04:002011-06-22T19:04:04.184-04:00Hey! I was featured on <a href="http://pocketchange.become.com/">Pocket Change</a> in their "Best of the Web" post! Check it out <a href="http://pocketchange.become.com/2011/06/best-of-the-web-no-26.html">here</a>.Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-18501545284950820032011-06-16T11:14:00.001-04:002011-06-16T11:14:42.571-04:00Crinum Lilies<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKyVB_z-3BEMlULXWoSQPEopF6bVKyJo_ssZ4zJi1FpBtzu8ji2IqCl8pRkOVaVe44p31c6gYujkMuYVIlYw1qVohstg8n_lBD88F32bq3VPE5nxVQfJgw5nGzbjmFqMoe-Udpoc0xlp4/s1600/crinum+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKyVB_z-3BEMlULXWoSQPEopF6bVKyJo_ssZ4zJi1FpBtzu8ji2IqCl8pRkOVaVe44p31c6gYujkMuYVIlYw1qVohstg8n_lBD88F32bq3VPE5nxVQfJgw5nGzbjmFqMoe-Udpoc0xlp4/s400/crinum+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crinum Scabrum bud</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_TDcNXIy9245GoRgv2FkXJtVK7jz1mct8Nv8GcZ3lO4YmJQXkP-HBE3ZbkxYlKmLgcunlq2eFz0M5lPHS8VUFpBclUD5mMWLoT_fNoY7SLzYxznOSyfO380LlT2xNwg5zVYd8f1gl3U/s1600/crinum+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_TDcNXIy9245GoRgv2FkXJtVK7jz1mct8Nv8GcZ3lO4YmJQXkP-HBE3ZbkxYlKmLgcunlq2eFz0M5lPHS8VUFpBclUD5mMWLoT_fNoY7SLzYxznOSyfO380LlT2xNwg5zVYd8f1gl3U/s400/crinum+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">A garden staple of mine for the last few years has been the crinum lily. It has been crinum time in the garden lately. Blooms have been popping up in the corner garden. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6AyLR_yOoI3RaYgiT7F82q_GBxH8qvpDeNRwcSXR2lVG3GaT_0xQ_GPuKLd0ZWa9Xyv_GtGFGbVQCz__PFOGuWoSjsFJqgWVsyIq-84KGuQ0GZhOBrtR9jHP07pEnUPTAkJPykuwoUqI/s1600/crinum+2.5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6AyLR_yOoI3RaYgiT7F82q_GBxH8qvpDeNRwcSXR2lVG3GaT_0xQ_GPuKLd0ZWa9Xyv_GtGFGbVQCz__PFOGuWoSjsFJqgWVsyIq-84KGuQ0GZhOBrtR9jHP07pEnUPTAkJPykuwoUqI/s400/crinum+2.5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> The crinum ("cry-num" I only just realized had been mispronouncing this for years) is related to the amaryllis, but is rarely seen in your typical garden center. It is the quintessential pass along plant. You almost have to be chummy with an old gardener in order to get some. I received mine from a friend of my mother who cleans them out of her beds from time to time. The huge bulbs sat in the corner for months until they started to sprout leaves. <span id="goog_1409217670"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/">I planted them not having a clue what they might be and soon they bloomed.</a><span id="goog_1409217671"></span> Since then I've been pretty enamored with the crinum lily. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ17skQPrY2jt-esGDXpkNSpRaQzQ0I3FAw3TKipF4aOTRvAVv5mGGuKEz9ZMqNPG9QfpCBOpxlU_wp8qixwWfM4MSP7_XnsPUBv-WeDcvDmrp_wZ3g5QYjK7ZptHuwsKkRSfqa2IHRRA/s1600/crinum+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ17skQPrY2jt-esGDXpkNSpRaQzQ0I3FAw3TKipF4aOTRvAVv5mGGuKEz9ZMqNPG9QfpCBOpxlU_wp8qixwWfM4MSP7_XnsPUBv-WeDcvDmrp_wZ3g5QYjK7ZptHuwsKkRSfqa2IHRRA/s400/crinum+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Crinum Scabrum bloom always reminds me of peppermint.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSZ_UADxEifMd4jN752q667_Vs1DZxFiM4VB-jxg-6Y4YklOFeG4dboMw4ifX3qV8YQPyPxOFPQzOXGZkrEXjyDkUf-IG7HwqchZD-_YiN4xyYi87h7K56R4bTJ8-pVaXGU-jq9rYZ6o/s1600/crinum+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSZ_UADxEifMd4jN752q667_Vs1DZxFiM4VB-jxg-6Y4YklOFeG4dboMw4ifX3qV8YQPyPxOFPQzOXGZkrEXjyDkUf-IG7HwqchZD-_YiN4xyYi87h7K56R4bTJ8-pVaXGU-jq9rYZ6o/s400/crinum+9.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crinums in the Corner Garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The crinum scabrum comes first, their red striped white blooms opening up around mid to late May. I got these from a <a href="http://wickedgardener.blogspot.com/2007/10/plant-sale.html">master gardening sale</a> with only "White crinum with red stripe" on the tag. I had to figure out the rest on my own. The next to bloom are the original crinums I got from my Mother's friend: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7G7J4q6l6AG86Efb91mSZWAZgGXC8LDuK9NdYAQMT-JxmdVjC9FRbQ_1R9cMuIbgC6BqIGKDZ9AfB5aWoZIuzodX4bKlIqgrGD06w7IBa5we48moHekc2URfBF9oFtOHNMTJRmARV_sw/s1600/crinum+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7G7J4q6l6AG86Efb91mSZWAZgGXC8LDuK9NdYAQMT-JxmdVjC9FRbQ_1R9cMuIbgC6BqIGKDZ9AfB5aWoZIuzodX4bKlIqgrGD06w7IBa5we48moHekc2URfBF9oFtOHNMTJRmARV_sw/s400/crinum+7.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I still don't know the type, but they seem to be very common in older neighborhoods around town. They do very well with our sometimes drought/sometimes flood weather, and have been known to outline long gone homesteads, far out lasting the homes they were meant to adorn. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5j2URz-1aqEZiuiBWkNjyJ7JqBeyK0INP_BSisT5WrVsX53Fr0Bgt-VBldWwjEaeAIgGVyL9pIOuZQaYpSKE_6FRGo66IF97wRgrjxyQS1IuvFHBZXIe8iZOSxBkO3ezRwF_-H-okw4/s1600/crinum+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5j2URz-1aqEZiuiBWkNjyJ7JqBeyK0INP_BSisT5WrVsX53Fr0Bgt-VBldWwjEaeAIgGVyL9pIOuZQaYpSKE_6FRGo66IF97wRgrjxyQS1IuvFHBZXIe8iZOSxBkO3ezRwF_-H-okw4/s400/crinum+6.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Crinums by the shed this morning.</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIH2Lb1h2L36rUcCxjIb8lGBrxVeFFKWKX11z0ypjzshUW0tM9L0ylEWktnjtYgQUrcRzTvsySw2Hr4WQQYMUzvcc7Xu2tX2e1Y5HmEDwiXPaQULKBKAGvIkLLPXWoXCzhFQSVcNohOFc/s1600/crinum+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIH2Lb1h2L36rUcCxjIb8lGBrxVeFFKWKX11z0ypjzshUW0tM9L0ylEWktnjtYgQUrcRzTvsySw2Hr4WQQYMUzvcc7Xu2tX2e1Y5HmEDwiXPaQULKBKAGvIkLLPXWoXCzhFQSVcNohOFc/s400/crinum+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cluster of crinum blooms.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Most crinum originated in Africa and it is thought that many were brought over during the slave trade. While I don't know if this is true, I kind of like the humble origin story of families passing these plants down from generation to generation in the South. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMnksLqPlpYHTwEObubJt6tDpM2IqGfMdwR9k0B8o_bOOuzNPNgNdJ9S4BlVTe6aKrfcOT1wmiR8CFQ-xDYs_lEZeVdOewU-Fgfn4rR56Iy_-7f4tdgn99RCG9_2051ah-PEp75EdCsY/s1600/crinum+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMnksLqPlpYHTwEObubJt6tDpM2IqGfMdwR9k0B8o_bOOuzNPNgNdJ9S4BlVTe6aKrfcOT1wmiR8CFQ-xDYs_lEZeVdOewU-Fgfn4rR56Iy_-7f4tdgn99RCG9_2051ah-PEp75EdCsY/s400/crinum+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The crinum lily seems to be the Miracle Whip of the plant world: you either love them or hate them. While not in bloom the plants can be ungainly and their huge bulbs can be difficult to transplant. But I like them, and I hope this post gave you something to like as well. If you are interested in learning more, here are some sites I recommend: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Crinum">The Pacific Bulb Society</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://marcellescrinums.com/">Crinums in East Texas</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.crinum.us/">Amaryllids in Cultivation</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-89222107257094050022011-06-13T10:32:00.000-04:002011-06-13T10:32:22.391-04:00Tersa Sphinx Hummingbird Moth<div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikG5XcHMHyPRgiX1mX-xEtgnsN_Daip9yDppt1sEGDtPx_92MN0sXRLwMHhHDD_IbFn_dPPSnP3Q2evq2SG6GA425fuvdYogc4LlzAyOt2uCr3t6THKZ741GK80tXSZtVZXWxvAZn57n0/s1600/Pentas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikG5XcHMHyPRgiX1mX-xEtgnsN_Daip9yDppt1sEGDtPx_92MN0sXRLwMHhHDD_IbFn_dPPSnP3Q2evq2SG6GA425fuvdYogc4LlzAyOt2uCr3t6THKZ741GK80tXSZtVZXWxvAZn57n0/s320/Pentas.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pentas</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've been enjoying my pentas this year. Massive butterfly attractors, these plants grew back wonderfully from the plants I put in last year. They also do well from cuttings. Penta cuttings seem to be sensitive to humidity and do not like to dry out. I added several to my<a href="http://wickedgardener.blogspot.com/2008/06/propagation-station.html"> propagation station</a>, a large clear plastic tub that creates a high humidity environment for my new cuttings. Yesterday, when checking on these plants, I found this: </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1L_IwoPfGKdNPmygjnCYk4pfJUiC-XUQsVYny-dNzjK52MceDIBj5Twwod2WEkiY0L0ae1PRurr3iskxTjZXH1CN9lRnph-SK-Z-6jjCz1mWStMQphJAW3MFjjtGdyBAobjBkFvuO9k/s1600/penta+damage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1L_IwoPfGKdNPmygjnCYk4pfJUiC-XUQsVYny-dNzjK52MceDIBj5Twwod2WEkiY0L0ae1PRurr3iskxTjZXH1CN9lRnph-SK-Z-6jjCz1mWStMQphJAW3MFjjtGdyBAobjBkFvuO9k/s320/penta+damage.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ackk!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It did not go into the tub this way. There were plenty of leaves when I cut it. I've seen this<a href="http://wickedgardener.blogspot.com/2009/06/mother-nature-is-hating-me-right-now.html"> sort of thing before</a>. After checking the rest of tub for the culprit, I felt it before I saw it: </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3WwHXX78kQa6JxeSW4MhNuXZxFfaesokDzl4PV8m_zqbIgkapb8b4c3_5cCRBPZlVBYPwQ84w5axxLkrWmB9wp4KUFtayGY5m-ycDpQHNyvQZUdUem_S6P-gLsm2qJKLM0EoRu1LMZtk/s1600/bug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3WwHXX78kQa6JxeSW4MhNuXZxFfaesokDzl4PV8m_zqbIgkapb8b4c3_5cCRBPZlVBYPwQ84w5axxLkrWmB9wp4KUFtayGY5m-ycDpQHNyvQZUdUem_S6P-gLsm2qJKLM0EoRu1LMZtk/s400/bug.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tersa Sphinx Hummingbird Moth </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">There he is! I did some research this year and found out it is a Tersa Sphinx Hummingbird Moth caterpillar, also known as a hornworm. Here are some good sites for more info: <a href="http://blog.hmns.org/?tag=hornworm">Hornworm</a> and <a href="http://www.birds-n-garden.com/tersa_sphinx_hummingbird_moths.html">Hummingbird Moths</a>. While this little guy is no longer with us, they are pretty harmless, excluding their taste for penta salad. I'll have to keep an eye on the rest of the pentas to make sure there aren't any others hiding out. </div>Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-65705181230067106402011-06-09T18:48:00.001-04:002011-06-09T18:50:20.885-04:00Update: Front GardenWow - This update is overdue! The winter annuals have peaked and been torn out. The summer annuals are already coming along. This is what the garden looked like in March: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVeJL7GThBBgmv-JDV4wUn8_LNfMdGhMTrwUJeWMpgqbGJy2GDL3bJKXld5BBs5ENkJ2Ayf4ocOJPPBS-xDwq3fU1lkPFjw-X7iTdw8NFNhuwnYCo8Oi5XMCO1uezPUi0kDVTVYoOeodU/s1600/Blog+4+march+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVeJL7GThBBgmv-JDV4wUn8_LNfMdGhMTrwUJeWMpgqbGJy2GDL3bJKXld5BBs5ENkJ2Ayf4ocOJPPBS-xDwq3fU1lkPFjw-X7iTdw8NFNhuwnYCo8Oi5XMCO1uezPUi0kDVTVYoOeodU/s400/Blog+4+march+pic.jpg" t8="true" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliyKSaPdGlc3aUkWBeFPOwm7NgE82fsT2cu_NFkH8DKn6qkiIXzUH8SCRx0R3F0cp7wWEmSKVXjtUZPk3F4cAKf2UkNcGrPF7wY3bdcqX31WzhbKQ3XvQ1xLOqGjJHwX7i6e4wHODtPQ/s1600/Blog+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliyKSaPdGlc3aUkWBeFPOwm7NgE82fsT2cu_NFkH8DKn6qkiIXzUH8SCRx0R3F0cp7wWEmSKVXjtUZPk3F4cAKf2UkNcGrPF7wY3bdcqX31WzhbKQ3XvQ1xLOqGjJHwX7i6e4wHODtPQ/s320/Blog+7.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I loved the Double Petunias from Kenny's Place.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8edmb0Bh-oah5slBELkhyRm96yJbi1-m0nr7aS4Uonv991S0JSDrJV0ujs1urmh-ctA82VhXba9_yAWs-UdzqpR4QikmamdWGDEe-tCwm5QKTOreClmOQGG3MDfwlCutWljMRMihINdA/s1600/blog+6+march.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8edmb0Bh-oah5slBELkhyRm96yJbi1-m0nr7aS4Uonv991S0JSDrJV0ujs1urmh-ctA82VhXba9_yAWs-UdzqpR4QikmamdWGDEe-tCwm5QKTOreClmOQGG3MDfwlCutWljMRMihINdA/s320/blog+6+march.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They almost looked like carnations.</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlhwmyKh-BWYgl2i5SGML6x1SVXtA4IbhL_-LvhhTypGs4AeqlaoCmsJUba0qA6Tgva5kbc971CNYkN4RWe0qRJeW_Kr4yQwb0MhHfBCEfZbhT9wSp-6Pw1WgDEgMCVCyZke4rV5Bdew0/s1600/blog+5+march.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlhwmyKh-BWYgl2i5SGML6x1SVXtA4IbhL_-LvhhTypGs4AeqlaoCmsJUba0qA6Tgva5kbc971CNYkN4RWe0qRJeW_Kr4yQwb0MhHfBCEfZbhT9wSp-6Pw1WgDEgMCVCyZke4rV5Bdew0/s320/blog+5+march.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is what the garden looks like today: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpu9LTvMBsrznOmI09jwm-ujJcHRg7aDuVcFbZ_fo6U3v8rwWqRmfHaAO2FrCB6MXxdYPJME98k27SyIOEOxFNSyX7-oa7lOx8OfhGDVvUbIHQ1flac-n2A1FA9Pss6naQQ4sSOBNLtzs/s1600/blog+2+Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpu9LTvMBsrznOmI09jwm-ujJcHRg7aDuVcFbZ_fo6U3v8rwWqRmfHaAO2FrCB6MXxdYPJME98k27SyIOEOxFNSyX7-oa7lOx8OfhGDVvUbIHQ1flac-n2A1FA9Pss6naQQ4sSOBNLtzs/s640/blog+2+Front.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I can't believe how big the philodendron has gotten in just a few months. I didn't realize it changed much at all until I looked at these pics. In front are some rain lilies that have been sending up single blossoms one at a time. I wish several would bloom at once. Also in this bed are baby pentas, coleus and vinca. In front are some lily-of-the-Nile. They didn't bloom last year, so here is hoping for blooms this year.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2i6A-icIwHK6uMFFCiQT8Xx6Sgfm9NN-WvmMZgyfcOnFRzuhZNadnRRPGoIomFGiDt9c0Dqq8oVyCX-wxeR2VTrAtXYtSmkHNnCMQBBWtymECWdLQZNkU5CjCSejZBaKN9JwYvmO5jhQ/s1600/Blog+1+Philo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2i6A-icIwHK6uMFFCiQT8Xx6Sgfm9NN-WvmMZgyfcOnFRzuhZNadnRRPGoIomFGiDt9c0Dqq8oVyCX-wxeR2VTrAtXYtSmkHNnCMQBBWtymECWdLQZNkU5CjCSejZBaKN9JwYvmO5jhQ/s400/Blog+1+Philo.jpg" t8="true" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;">One of my favorite spots in the garden is under the philodendron. I poke my head down there when I weed and it seems like such nice spot for creature much smaller than myself. Kitty sleeps there all the time and I'm so jealous. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOdEmSYfIASZZ_WmTQIes0NyZCoesTZqyO5V6XYQ7e3w9MsyXWEGvwCOGSi4_AayY69k5yLTgpZ_kniPOQzkX1bmTmH3GkWsd4SEhGZG21lRIVzSaCpQKWvX_eksQnXW3e_xp-WdXZWM/s1600/blog+2.5+front2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOdEmSYfIASZZ_WmTQIes0NyZCoesTZqyO5V6XYQ7e3w9MsyXWEGvwCOGSi4_AayY69k5yLTgpZ_kniPOQzkX1bmTmH3GkWsd4SEhGZG21lRIVzSaCpQKWvX_eksQnXW3e_xp-WdXZWM/s640/blog+2.5+front2.jpg" t8="true" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the other side the summer annuals are coming along. I'm pretty proud that the only flowers I've had to buy were some vinca and the pink/green coleus up front, and their numbers have increased due to cuttings. Everything else came back from last year.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <strong>1. Pentas</strong>. Grew back nicely from last year.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<strong>2. Persian shield</strong>. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Doing well in the back, but struggling in the foreground.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>3. New coleus. </strong>No name on the container. Damn big box store . . . </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>4. Coleus "Stained Glass"</strong> <br />
More on these in a later post. Hope to have the garden filled with these soon!<br />
<br />
<strong>5. Various Daylilies</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvZ8Kze_DLQyd1G4ViUg2fgdx6qfQUZ8MylK2B05mTeZmjYBT0hAZX5psnfrikFwPRdcqz11tAwevReC8OKl_Bpj4Vlc2Qwl5z3ItByp-eI36u3DsF8s6KkfvJdEoPf-D9t742IpJHXc/s1600/blog+3+butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvZ8Kze_DLQyd1G4ViUg2fgdx6qfQUZ8MylK2B05mTeZmjYBT0hAZX5psnfrikFwPRdcqz11tAwevReC8OKl_Bpj4Vlc2Qwl5z3ItByp-eI36u3DsF8s6KkfvJdEoPf-D9t742IpJHXc/s320/blog+3+butterfly.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Looks like this garden is also attracting visitors. Check out this butterfly I found there. I have no idea what it is, but today I found a cool website that might help me find out. It is called <a href="http://www.projectnoah.org/">Project Noah</a>. You can upload pictures of wildlife and the community there will help you identify it. This little guy will be my first submission. </div>Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-74530823040148996472011-06-06T16:10:00.001-04:002011-06-09T16:34:50.340-04:00Finally!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5rhx_wRkmnqcoK_kLxnRtAwFDmXDgmk5tTMil5T0jn-q9UNVYRPYDi5yNBzXM7T-IfDwq2Kg2RXcS4MdDhIayV3Jg5OoTcCgTRXzFxXrnnMSaj8XOqx_u2wmGNt76T2hMF336LpZkh0/s1600/IMG_1059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5rhx_wRkmnqcoK_kLxnRtAwFDmXDgmk5tTMil5T0jn-q9UNVYRPYDi5yNBzXM7T-IfDwq2Kg2RXcS4MdDhIayV3Jg5OoTcCgTRXzFxXrnnMSaj8XOqx_u2wmGNt76T2hMF336LpZkh0/s320/IMG_1059.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div>Finally! A good solid rain! My plants will be happy and I have freshly manicured nails. Whoo-hoo!Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-61773397921192211322011-05-31T20:09:00.002-04:002011-06-09T16:35:37.802-04:00No Rain<blockquote><em>All I can say is that my life is pretty plain</em><br />
<em>I like watchin' the puddles gather rain</em><br />
<em>And all I can do is just pour some tea for two</em><br />
<em>and speak my point of view, b</em><em>ut it's not sane, It's not sane. </em></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wKzGPnpPf44OxWv9Ax_dXM1TZT-sDpgbcIK5E2QAtgnRWCjtGneQjZfTVAy5yAeX35SQ3j0AVaQ2w7frIXSS0SfaH2kGYIm5jPVpn5SPQ0HC52zzahz0DDX0_O4RG3ELXEY36qBZg2Y/s1600/IMG_0975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wKzGPnpPf44OxWv9Ax_dXM1TZT-sDpgbcIK5E2QAtgnRWCjtGneQjZfTVAy5yAeX35SQ3j0AVaQ2w7frIXSS0SfaH2kGYIm5jPVpn5SPQ0HC52zzahz0DDX0_O4RG3ELXEY36qBZg2Y/s320/IMG_0975.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That song always seems to play in my head at this time of year. (Ok, all year. I was a huge Blind Melon fan back in the day . . .) While the rest of the country has more weather than they can handle, central Florida has been execessively dry. We have distinct rainy seasons, the most significant lasting from the end of May to the end of September. During that time we have daily rain showers and you can set your clock by their 4:30pm arrival. Usually it takes a big storm to kick-start the cycle, but so far that storm hasn't come. So it is very dry right now. Due to wildfires over the weekend, there is a burn ban. Fireside chats with the hubs will have to wait. Worse for wear are my wilting plants. They look so sad and miserable. We have irrigation, but it is manual, and we try to only turn it on when it is desperately needed. It was installed by the previous owners and mainly gets the grass, so some of the corners are still parched. Today I dragged the bucket out and hand watered many of the plants. A few needed more intensive care: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbyACvWimMNaGJ4ZjAV_phjAM2QW_ey00fiCg8mTh5sbLBx761n8Z01i3GPW043ie-5y0yow4msSnTCijEY5DWNOlC8X4bUWmDUumHJOioMLGz2lXKf2xNEgNqeKvtef0PJgk7A0mkpA/s1600/IMG_0976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbyACvWimMNaGJ4ZjAV_phjAM2QW_ey00fiCg8mTh5sbLBx761n8Z01i3GPW043ie-5y0yow4msSnTCijEY5DWNOlC8X4bUWmDUumHJOioMLGz2lXKf2xNEgNqeKvtef0PJgk7A0mkpA/s320/IMG_0976.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">These vinca were totally shriveled up this morning when I first put them in the sink for water. After a little time in the ICU, they perked back up. They'd only been left outside for a day and a half! There is rain in the forecast for tomorrow. Fingers crossed that there will be lots of rain and minimal lightening!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">**The rainy season in Florida also brings the start of the hurricane season. Every year I hear "Why would people live in hurricane prone areas?? It is so scary!" At least with hurricanes you've got a few days notice. I can't begin to image what folks in Alabama and the mid-west have had to deal with from recent tornadoes. That seems like such a nightmare that you can't plan for and my heart goes out to them. </div>Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-71807523881935969752011-05-29T22:04:00.001-04:002011-05-29T22:08:37.884-04:00How to Recycle a Driveway<div style="text-align: justify;">Have you priced landscaping stones lately? I wanted to make a raised bed for the circle of the <a href="http://wickedgardener.blogspot.com/search/label/corner%20garden">corner garden</a> and liked the look of natural stone. I priced limestone rocks at the local big box store and they were $5 - $10 a piece! That didn't even include the delivery charge. So this is what I lived with for the last year: </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRBfHxt9cgRjngj9ZAwY0oWPGzj29yfWZ9TXXMmYcA3FSFviSEc7EIOTP218yVIW3dDJqTK5DPKAxXXgixY3IvuhM8q_hpCvH148LeiiGIOUx35ZAXNTALO-bgtEDFEx9OZF2WuDyu1Q/s1600/Blog+1+before.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRBfHxt9cgRjngj9ZAwY0oWPGzj29yfWZ9TXXMmYcA3FSFviSEc7EIOTP218yVIW3dDJqTK5DPKAxXXgixY3IvuhM8q_hpCvH148LeiiGIOUx35ZAXNTALO-bgtEDFEx9OZF2WuDyu1Q/s320/Blog+1+before.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Black plastic edging that was only marginally better than nothing at all. (And you wonder why I haven't wanted to share lately.) Recently I was visiting my parents who were replacing their driveway. I noticed some rocks stacked in neat piles and I swear I thought "Hmmm, I thought they were pouring a new driveway, not replacing it with rock. . . " Ok, so I can be dense sometimes. My Dad informed me that no, this was the cracked up parts of the driveway that they were getting ready to haul off to the dump in the morning. One big guy and a sledge hammer broke up the entire driveway, a fact that impressed my nerdy little family to no end. Well, I wasn't going to let this go to waste. I immediately filled up the back of my station wagon and went home to build this: </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIoztiWsVPK9yhl62m2XbeCBaeYN5gtiYcEAXb2tPZk_Z__Tnzr3mWC6kK7FdRKq3wRTJIiKDetMwsIluRiNXtwNoW38VQtssKXEVk_4j1KrFjBz93O6NuE2np_O6PzcFGxRaupQrFBE/s1600/Blog+2+cement+blog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIoztiWsVPK9yhl62m2XbeCBaeYN5gtiYcEAXb2tPZk_Z__Tnzr3mWC6kK7FdRKq3wRTJIiKDetMwsIluRiNXtwNoW38VQtssKXEVk_4j1KrFjBz93O6NuE2np_O6PzcFGxRaupQrFBE/s320/Blog+2+cement+blog.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is the prototype that took about 10 minutes to dry stack. I kept what I was doing from my husband. If I had told him what I was bringing home a bunch of broken up concrete for the garden, he would have been on the phone with the local mental health facility. But in the end, he liked the look and ok'd me going back to get more for the circle: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-7s_7LwHG15qUVFzWopBSZe8cJWUDRkRzdIuLkGsoCS8Nu-KgLjyNkus0hf1bTa7q8IJ2oaU8dGxiMSzipVpFjsmBx0tQ8ac4f42vuCbL-nNpw6tawhvb1iFZ5r728tMO-N7vO9lNGE/s1600/Blog+3+Cement+beds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-7s_7LwHG15qUVFzWopBSZe8cJWUDRkRzdIuLkGsoCS8Nu-KgLjyNkus0hf1bTa7q8IJ2oaU8dGxiMSzipVpFjsmBx0tQ8ac4f42vuCbL-nNpw6tawhvb1iFZ5r728tMO-N7vO9lNGE/s320/Blog+3+Cement+beds.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not too bad, huh? Certainly an improvement. In the prototype picture the flat side of the stone, the top when it was a driveway, was on top. I later decided I like the bottom better because it looked more like real stone, and was more stable with the flat part on the bottom. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCrb6pRaGzJ1QxFAGuZqLH8b89DoAzZ26S-mQN6MrckUjMTqxtTGHmgz0HrodQO97qKBTDf1Db9IxjndgBka-YGVo2plfelCbwKP0MIrjyvnxMSTfdNP-0PA5fq_GJcCh5_NbDqgy_Tk/s1600/Blog+3.1+cement+beds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCrb6pRaGzJ1QxFAGuZqLH8b89DoAzZ26S-mQN6MrckUjMTqxtTGHmgz0HrodQO97qKBTDf1Db9IxjndgBka-YGVo2plfelCbwKP0MIrjyvnxMSTfdNP-0PA5fq_GJcCh5_NbDqgy_Tk/s320/Blog+3.1+cement+beds.JPG" t8="true" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This project was complete and I was very happy with myself when my Husband came up with an idea. We had another problem we were trying to solve. The sand pit adjacent to the pool garden: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfsFYeqarBCGPAcOjHEDCmYNbRKiL7WqGiP6bmtkf5LUfIUnnth1E75uY33fWOLMXPUd5TK6BUnSHn6Ts5OtV9MMKbkwjiiSriDmySPdUVI78YKae_unv7uOn6_cxwsr5o_53n37RwCM/s1600/Blog+3.5+sand+pit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfsFYeqarBCGPAcOjHEDCmYNbRKiL7WqGiP6bmtkf5LUfIUnnth1E75uY33fWOLMXPUd5TK6BUnSHn6Ts5OtV9MMKbkwjiiSriDmySPdUVI78YKae_unv7uOn6_cxwsr5o_53n37RwCM/s320/Blog+3.5+sand+pit.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgst8-iti_rLo8XiHtZelI9cxdYGBrdfB1bAMAsmtbhP8avl5NklarH_zOd1k0GGsYCbFyjyMxo51eMoPKWpYpLUqZuyuRA1z4bp3bjXEPgeE71Gj9L7dpzlyoYaEd10riUwwV8QXalwVI/s1600/Blog+4+Sand+pit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgst8-iti_rLo8XiHtZelI9cxdYGBrdfB1bAMAsmtbhP8avl5NklarH_zOd1k0GGsYCbFyjyMxo51eMoPKWpYpLUqZuyuRA1z4bp3bjXEPgeE71Gj9L7dpzlyoYaEd10riUwwV8QXalwVI/s320/Blog+4+Sand+pit.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When we first moved into this house with a one-year-old, this was a great thing. Our daughter could play in the sand while we watched from the house or pool. But she eventually outgrew it and since it was difficult to put chairs in the sand, it was a huge waste of space. Add to it that the neighborhood cats had made it a community litter box and the wall surrounding it was starting to rot, it all had to go. Of course the same old problem came up. We wanted to use white pavers to make it a patio area, but at $2 to $3 a piece it would have cost us several hundred dollars we didn't have, and I really wanted something more natural looking. Fortunately the cement guys were still breaking up another part of the driveway and had pieces left. This time the guys took pity on me and my little car and dropped off the load at my house: </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJk33kgBDtnvVVhWeCivbvHUnuUZw8dBSfA6gYlfLYQ-je82deFpEnTtiiLspwcs6Ikqp4xMexMDfon5HDLqcgvfTtBTWvtdEG7eSCkKnplhso5wSN2d3qJlonTQd7K2Pbo8w-ljUVlo/s1600/Blog+5+cement+blocks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJk33kgBDtnvVVhWeCivbvHUnuUZw8dBSfA6gYlfLYQ-je82deFpEnTtiiLspwcs6Ikqp4xMexMDfon5HDLqcgvfTtBTWvtdEG7eSCkKnplhso5wSN2d3qJlonTQd7K2Pbo8w-ljUVlo/s320/Blog+5+cement+blocks.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I sorted them into piles based on size, which I highly recommend for this project.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONDfpFMEsi1czXruqddZKEQx_6xhw-wveugDmN8C5nogeYLG6iVKq5qLlkA4DkZVDVxqJ2Q__yNDI2R6KdpT3pQVhkA7y6Wwe0hDesgmXjmF0CQveHZXVLxqjE9UEfeq_xkyDvxJi-vE/s1600/Blog+6+cement+block.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONDfpFMEsi1czXruqddZKEQx_6xhw-wveugDmN8C5nogeYLG6iVKq5qLlkA4DkZVDVxqJ2Q__yNDI2R6KdpT3pQVhkA7y6Wwe0hDesgmXjmF0CQveHZXVLxqjE9UEfeq_xkyDvxJi-vE/s320/Blog+6+cement+block.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;">The cement has its own character. Most of it looks like rock, but in certain spots you see the tire tracks and footprints left from the mud when they first poured the driveway 20 plus years ago.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7oX2NREQTGB4ZDnexHgj0Z6RTSipZLF1sZHVSsfQgbq2y5ZXAenf2oDDHCy7QRATBbQO-xt0ixKrttaSg3n8qkK5SWw5ePD4urGOFDgG3aFjDkcI6DvUjFoDhm_z4okpxAqDBYHSffm0/s1600/Blog+7+Sand+pit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7oX2NREQTGB4ZDnexHgj0Z6RTSipZLF1sZHVSsfQgbq2y5ZXAenf2oDDHCy7QRATBbQO-xt0ixKrttaSg3n8qkK5SWw5ePD4urGOFDgG3aFjDkcI6DvUjFoDhm_z4okpxAqDBYHSffm0/s320/Blog+7+Sand+pit.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;">First there was demolition. This is always the part were you freak out and think "What have we done??" That wheelbarrow in the foreground took a major beating.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5i_mc77yaC1xDkXKqBORLwwdCD2oDxVI6SqeFgYpgYyMO5DY-Pmdz5it3fV-mGfoYxWtRNthCKGS0QLz14fwThak4EG4aYcdehfD5NP0dRQ9riwajbZLk4sd8heiDIA1k4ENTH_ITcr4/s1600/Blog+8+sand+pit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5i_mc77yaC1xDkXKqBORLwwdCD2oDxVI6SqeFgYpgYyMO5DY-Pmdz5it3fV-mGfoYxWtRNthCKGS0QLz14fwThak4EG4aYcdehfD5NP0dRQ9riwajbZLk4sd8heiDIA1k4ENTH_ITcr4/s320/Blog+8+sand+pit.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Halfway done.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjReWbsSg6qNX-6jjsvmd9bWM3s3MX3WnbY0Wv8vgETrzsoT0nmbrlToBLHEtFw4lOoP0L4gkigr-6guWQJlNnrf701yG3e8PMwI4EvfLzqeVf2_LW1baXpKh5PCFerTe3fOrA1MVS3A/s1600/Blog+9+sand+pit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjReWbsSg6qNX-6jjsvmd9bWM3s3MX3WnbY0Wv8vgETrzsoT0nmbrlToBLHEtFw4lOoP0L4gkigr-6guWQJlNnrf701yG3e8PMwI4EvfLzqeVf2_LW1baXpKh5PCFerTe3fOrA1MVS3A/s320/Blog+9+sand+pit.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Three-quarters done. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGuBl1aUVpC_i74fU_6JtGK5jFTdgwC8q1wdJwq6mie7GBpLVon2vGt7qdFsfB9wQUaB1_o4wPqskPP40eNA-GNwdpyb_Pc93XmM2SK46SCskSgLkF3ENN-cVvdx1ZeInHve7BVIzeMU/s1600/Blog+10+sand+pit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGuBl1aUVpC_i74fU_6JtGK5jFTdgwC8q1wdJwq6mie7GBpLVon2vGt7qdFsfB9wQUaB1_o4wPqskPP40eNA-GNwdpyb_Pc93XmM2SK46SCskSgLkF3ENN-cVvdx1ZeInHve7BVIzeMU/s320/Blog+10+sand+pit.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finished product! I took the sand from the pit and swept it into the cracks. Finally, the space is usable again and we've enjoyed several nights watching the fire in the pool. (Yes, it is already very hot here, but the fire keeps the mosquitoes away . . .) Not too bad considering it was all free. Which is a good thing because I clearly need to save up for new lawn furniture!</div>Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-12198795389927498022011-05-18T17:11:00.002-04:002011-06-09T16:37:30.091-04:00Getting Cheap and DirtyWow! January 31 was my last post?? (And a kinda lame one at that.) Time flies. I can't say I didn't post because I haven't been in the garden. Due to being laid-off, I've had the chance to spend a LOT of time in the garden, although the budget is a bit more restricted. Since I've been able give it more attention, the garden is flourishing. It is also the third year I've gardened organically, and it seems like the system has finally caught up with itself. Thought I'd do a quick post on some of the blooms and a quick teaser for some upcoming posts I'm working on. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkP4W8FKJquvHNkvoKPbisIKNl25yqugWiFLiTw42YfUH7baeT2FL2F3hURR6VXdfna0Gdvpvoc8x3ckfs2UhP57u_F9v4KCHPtPEAjZnkOcSRcbyKVGNrxF17-mqDvMUVaYi5i7myXM/s1600/11IMG_0187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkP4W8FKJquvHNkvoKPbisIKNl25yqugWiFLiTw42YfUH7baeT2FL2F3hURR6VXdfna0Gdvpvoc8x3ckfs2UhP57u_F9v4KCHPtPEAjZnkOcSRcbyKVGNrxF17-mqDvMUVaYi5i7myXM/s320/11IMG_0187.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The irises in the front garden have gone gang-busters this year. One day my daughter counted 27 blooms. This may well be my favorite. (If you are interested in how I "acquired" these irises, click <a href="http://wickedgardener.blogspot.com/2007/08/garden-fairy.html">here</a> and <a href="http://wickedgardener.blogspot.com/2007/08/new-plant-in-front-yard-garden-bed.html">here</a>.) <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdPjHupC410i-FMaBzaRvDbCCXe9JYJjrnYKZ1QlekAanBKjJBPLCQt5YU7_t64RGs6VsMZdAd10VAenfBxIpUJT_tlTDbtIGIY9MhZ4Keo722bPe_sGbaszLAhUd8Iwe_iEc25LsVHs/s1600/11IMG_0861+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdPjHupC410i-FMaBzaRvDbCCXe9JYJjrnYKZ1QlekAanBKjJBPLCQt5YU7_t64RGs6VsMZdAd10VAenfBxIpUJT_tlTDbtIGIY9MhZ4Keo722bPe_sGbaszLAhUd8Iwe_iEc25LsVHs/s320/11IMG_0861+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I've been loving the daylilies this year, and a few days ago my favorite purple one came out. I think it might be called Purple Grape but I don't know for sure, and, ( forgive me, Hemerocallis Society) I don't really care. It is pretty.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrlmW8C5b2pYrMEtXD_0Vwf-pnYEfpMmzSZuaJ9Gc-ah93KCmO7XeVw8mbOu_pu_zAZqm2vIiZEPNt6gXbVZbJCgQ-cRyzkqAhHZVdSoVeAYBt9YIb-7VDxEBU7-Eb1tEDGjyE6RBmjg/s1600/11IMG_0708+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrlmW8C5b2pYrMEtXD_0Vwf-pnYEfpMmzSZuaJ9Gc-ah93KCmO7XeVw8mbOu_pu_zAZqm2vIiZEPNt6gXbVZbJCgQ-cRyzkqAhHZVdSoVeAYBt9YIb-7VDxEBU7-Eb1tEDGjyE6RBmjg/s320/11IMG_0708+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>My rainlily would not be out done.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-Azl6WcbA6xklktgQDiVntOBLGTbkXdWZ9j4nzQqXxrLEniKFi53PGjLB1-CRrzCkg99MVIiXueyZGH246zCdPzGQSAF2_P5qTYFemjShwq8RuYYbvcZgYLmIDle3zcvx0YwjEY9pTo/s1600/11IMG_0498+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-Azl6WcbA6xklktgQDiVntOBLGTbkXdWZ9j4nzQqXxrLEniKFi53PGjLB1-CRrzCkg99MVIiXueyZGH246zCdPzGQSAF2_P5qTYFemjShwq8RuYYbvcZgYLmIDle3zcvx0YwjEY9pTo/s320/11IMG_0498+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>As I've mentioned, money is tight, and since propogation is probably my favorite part of gardening, I've bought nothing that I couldn't make twenty more of in a week a or two. The coleous above is included. Yummm, those colors make me drool a little. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3A0Wh8eIW4z0dS7eBBY3QZv0yb7o2ZMFeevi2mjL02oBez_qu_YZeeABuT_Tn7Xs2alJKjjBBN9cytY0DbauWDbuFz1F4ds87ea552CJij_9O2LAVVdNI91wOqaBeTt_da245qIiTY4/s1600/11IMG_0872+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3A0Wh8eIW4z0dS7eBBY3QZv0yb7o2ZMFeevi2mjL02oBez_qu_YZeeABuT_Tn7Xs2alJKjjBBN9cytY0DbauWDbuFz1F4ds87ea552CJij_9O2LAVVdNI91wOqaBeTt_da245qIiTY4/s320/11IMG_0872+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I have an abundance of some plants that for whatever reason I've not been able to reproduce, and this year I cracked the code on two, including the <em>Salvia guaranitica</em> 'Black and Blue' above. I tried everything on this one. I rooted some in water, some in soil with root hormone, and some I dug up. Turns out this plant spreads via an underground tuber, and I dug up and planted some of them tuber and all. I had about a 50% success rate, which was much better than previous years. There's a ton of small plants in pots now and have been giving them away. Digging the tuber up and potting it worked best of all (go figure.)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMvEEclcje5SWSizTYBobdTG-GIiITxZ2Kd69KR_qXHHwZkHtVysZj9cVQ7RfVmz8OfugWsTP5zpKWBlOIvmfiFrpW57rFDfXbcQo_Z443DQkcjNrZFqVMSBNfjhf-PnQPPN30u8h3OM/s1600/11IMG_0881+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMvEEclcje5SWSizTYBobdTG-GIiITxZ2Kd69KR_qXHHwZkHtVysZj9cVQ7RfVmz8OfugWsTP5zpKWBlOIvmfiFrpW57rFDfXbcQo_Z443DQkcjNrZFqVMSBNfjhf-PnQPPN30u8h3OM/s320/11IMG_0881+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The other plant I've tried to propagate without success is the confederate jasmine. It grows wildly on my daughter's playhouse, but up until now, I haven't been able to get it to to grow any where else. The cuttings even have tiny dry roots at the base when I cut them, making it all the more frusterating. In early January I trimmed the plant back and tried to get some of the cuttings to take in soil, which didn't work. I left the rest in a bucket that I forgot about until just a few weeks ago. Rain had filled the bucket and new green leaves were coming out of it. Duh! Why hadn't I thought of rooting them in water? Maybe the woody stems through me off. Now that I know, I'll be doing more!<br />
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Finally, a peek at one of the projects I 've been working on:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEY8eJknY3L80SdvT2FvO9jXYDYmwE38l_zMK4md_D3WLX0JE3ThBDNpyBRMXAWlFQWIOUh07LmxczifQ8Wr8iApNWVAGrXCphBJ_5dSO2cYxaKi7OZPrbAnhqHN0Tl5jFFh-f2wXeWoY/s1600/11IMG_0859+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEY8eJknY3L80SdvT2FvO9jXYDYmwE38l_zMK4md_D3WLX0JE3ThBDNpyBRMXAWlFQWIOUh07LmxczifQ8Wr8iApNWVAGrXCphBJ_5dSO2cYxaKi7OZPrbAnhqHN0Tl5jFFh-f2wXeWoY/s320/11IMG_0859+%25282%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><strong>You:</strong> Oh my! Is that the Corner Garden? With a stone border? <br />
<strong>Me:</strong> Why, yes it is!<br />
<strong>You:</strong> But what happened to the tacky plastic border?<br />
<strong>Me: </strong>I adiosed it. See-ya!<br />
<strong>You:</strong> Wait a minute, didn't you say you were on a budget??<br />
<strong>Me:</strong> Well, that is another post, my friend. <br />
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Happy gardening!!Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-2217904145677554342011-01-31T12:20:00.001-05:002011-01-31T12:21:28.917-05:00I'm Totally Crushin' on This Guy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/0ZVpP6ELyTY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Daron "Farmer D" Joffe</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Who knew organic farming could be so sexy? Sure it is important for the earth and our health, blah, blah blah. I'm watching the video above for the man-candy. You can fan him on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Farmer-D-Organics/195638330269?ref=ts&v=wall#!/pages/Daron-Farmer-D-Joffe/118996574805696">Facebook</a>, follow on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/Farmer_D">here</a> or <a href="http://twitter.com/askfarmerd">here</a>, visit his <a href="http://www.farmerd.com/">website</a> and <a href="http://blog.farmerd.com/">blog</a>, or you can be like me and just stalk him. </div>Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-1579917693438498342011-01-25T17:53:00.001-05:002011-06-09T16:39:25.863-04:00Update of the Front Garden (And Other Bits of Happiness)Time to do an update of the Front Garden. I slacked on doing updates of the gardens last year because they never really got to where I wanted them. Hopefully things will be better this year and I'll be posting more updates. I'm doing the front because is it is really the only garden with anything green in it, never mind something blooming. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmo9Eo0iczH4JPw2v9oSaEJzPvpFrfXgY1eVB0aYriHqe4YLDDl_kw5tXsV4x71_-q8Oy5i8t6ReunXErwold0YSr7gQJ0xFwJVowjuQHLqmy2CrPUen939zl9Wucbwqs1z67dVh3sa0/s1600/DSCF2128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmo9Eo0iczH4JPw2v9oSaEJzPvpFrfXgY1eVB0aYriHqe4YLDDl_kw5tXsV4x71_-q8Oy5i8t6ReunXErwold0YSr7gQJ0xFwJVowjuQHLqmy2CrPUen939zl9Wucbwqs1z67dVh3sa0/s320/DSCF2128.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Gotta love petunias and snapdragons. This snapdragon reminds me of popcorn. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xC8NQDyk3VEsBtOHP7xWCgVk-EfBQ1jPCpTKUfZGA1QnEoG9jZEBSejZpsrAvBne1M8Q6759Rg7_1kDj5-bVQ593ju03fq5aO3GeAocl5fNP5omDFjJTEnpQb_UoQJF_LBRQdiEOi4w/s1600/DSCF2129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xC8NQDyk3VEsBtOHP7xWCgVk-EfBQ1jPCpTKUfZGA1QnEoG9jZEBSejZpsrAvBne1M8Q6759Rg7_1kDj5-bVQ593ju03fq5aO3GeAocl5fNP5omDFjJTEnpQb_UoQJF_LBRQdiEOi4w/s320/DSCF2129.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>I'd love to go in here and plant some pentas and divide some irises, but my last frost date is still almost two months away, so for now I've got to wait. For now, I have to content myself with cleaning up dead stuff and keeping new weed growth to a minimum. Such a bummer because when it isn't rainy and cold, the weather is down right decent. Not hot at all and zero bugs. I've decided that the bugs will keep me out of the garden more than anything else in the summer.<br />
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Well here are some things that aren't bummers:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLusMlwGrqn_sZaUG0w58Bnw0uVEfuNr7ZEFS76l83kA_mQ4B0u0QCCHPdsDC6mkSv-cNQUMSt7X2vmekT8TteFEdib6KIyZl0ml5KznbiWoarpjd7bYxXawAzsvD1cAvHRpKO0j_a3-E/s1600/DSCF2132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLusMlwGrqn_sZaUG0w58Bnw0uVEfuNr7ZEFS76l83kA_mQ4B0u0QCCHPdsDC6mkSv-cNQUMSt7X2vmekT8TteFEdib6KIyZl0ml5KznbiWoarpjd7bYxXawAzsvD1cAvHRpKO0j_a3-E/s320/DSCF2132.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>WORMS!!! Is it gross to take pictures of your compost? Probably, but I'm so excited I don't care. Got to love the worm poo! I've been using the excess water run off from the bin to water plants for a while now, but I can't wait to harvest some fresh new worm poo for the garden. The worms seem to have taken the freezing temps just fine, but they are very camera shy. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gtqa4B3cAnvQMFRjszQBF2YKFYB1hv4DBYOl4OK5IPzdzUmPYiI14HWEIFuzLaq9nM0I3NiRAcpPe22sxXy3Lf81inPrXMv6zzxPBAjei3J24kC9EJ3jZyfl4q8Kcgd_jlXTHIw_FVE/s1600/DSCF2125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gtqa4B3cAnvQMFRjszQBF2YKFYB1hv4DBYOl4OK5IPzdzUmPYiI14HWEIFuzLaq9nM0I3NiRAcpPe22sxXy3Lf81inPrXMv6zzxPBAjei3J24kC9EJ3jZyfl4q8Kcgd_jlXTHIw_FVE/s320/DSCF2125.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>FREE TOOLS! Okay, not quite <em>free</em>, but close. I found these clippers in a big pile of gardening stuff in the shed. Brand new and in the package! It think it is from a few Christmases ago when everyone I knew got me a pair of clippers. These got shoved to the back of the shelf and totally forgotten about. The best part is that I really needed a new pair.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtuIBDsKr67MDq9b3YYRmNU4UsqojgbY2bz8wTCDn11eX12phkthhJnpHXyYeGOWNelyL5Xc6f1ClH3YQfezynBMVaWrC5yf4X02LGkxLh7XEq5PR_l4sonFaxUloUFj6dVVpQiQJ8O0/s1600/DSCF2151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtuIBDsKr67MDq9b3YYRmNU4UsqojgbY2bz8wTCDn11eX12phkthhJnpHXyYeGOWNelyL5Xc6f1ClH3YQfezynBMVaWrC5yf4X02LGkxLh7XEq5PR_l4sonFaxUloUFj6dVVpQiQJ8O0/s320/DSCF2151.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>GINGER! My Disney Ginger survived both squirrels and freezes this year. Maybe there is hope for a bloom on this one yet?? <br />
Well, that's it for me. What made you happy today??Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-52574551506711704082011-01-12T12:07:00.001-05:002011-01-12T12:07:51.750-05:00Does Anyone Else Still Have Their Christmas Lights Up?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7enYbtDFqczAs2coG92V0CBRcokraRJFXCTKyenCQSccX2YTYUHunq8Lm29Ye8ECY2TQX9ZLn0aPy42VYsRJIe67HaDxJ60CSMZRHb8_XPKibJG0S1DfWJtdSEeCMmHt0gXsJu-GHZ4k/s1600/covered+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7enYbtDFqczAs2coG92V0CBRcokraRJFXCTKyenCQSccX2YTYUHunq8Lm29Ye8ECY2TQX9ZLn0aPy42VYsRJIe67HaDxJ60CSMZRHb8_XPKibJG0S1DfWJtdSEeCMmHt0gXsJu-GHZ4k/s320/covered+up.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Procrastination is often detrimental to the success of a garden. Seeds aren't sown in time and aren't ready for the summer heat. Weeds aren't pulled and quickly take over the garden. Garden blogs don't get updated for months at a time . . . But every gardener has experienced a little beneficial procrastination. That beloved plant that up and dies out of the blue that you can't bear to throw out. You stick it in the <em>left-for-dead</em> pile and suddenly next season it comes back to life - Wa-hoo!<br />
This year, we've delayed getting on Christmas lights down. Certainly mid-January is far from epic procrastination: A friend of mine's mother kept the Christmas decorations up in her house well into July, but that was generally interpreted to mean she wasn't taking her recent divorce too well. Mid-January is late for us, though. Here's where the beneficial part comes in. This year the freezing temps came early in November and December. Usually I cover as much as I can with sheets, fitting most plants only half way, and hope for the best. I normally loose just about everything. This year, I thought I'd focus all my efforts on to one plant, the philodendron in the front garden. Every night before a frost I've covered it with <strong>two</strong> sheets, one of them flannel! I filled several gallon milk jugs with hot water and placed them near the plant in hopes the heat would radiate out and get trapped by the sheets. Also, this plant was nicely wrapped up with Christmas lights. I've kept them up, the theory being that the electricity in the wires is enough to keep the temperature up half a degree or two. I'm sure there is a fire hazard here, but so far, so good, and the plant has had minimal damage. This year, the Christmas lights will stay up a bit longer. The giant inflatable Snoopy? It is coming down.Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-46122812269763866012010-10-19T17:56:00.007-04:002011-06-09T16:16:53.925-04:00Best Cat Ever!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLHeK99q04yJSjYWCYjLJz8LepsbnqZQ5l8riavRqrLEYBRD1qfW2YR2Zx3cwUGvd0X9PPmIsYKPTxWhlyioUKG-7yEd9KQ68QXiAja5mLHx2hi3DN8GcZ890froh9OtkzOUq0NK-82OY/s1600/squirrel2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529880080589232642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLHeK99q04yJSjYWCYjLJz8LepsbnqZQ5l8riavRqrLEYBRD1qfW2YR2Zx3cwUGvd0X9PPmIsYKPTxWhlyioUKG-7yEd9KQ68QXiAja5mLHx2hi3DN8GcZ890froh9OtkzOUq0NK-82OY/s400/squirrel2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a> Look who is trying to get on Mama's good side!<br />
<div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529879874801361954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZJrjpoxMkVaqe-XYTkfIZkOBCbmSVhFcFoMEQOtooJRFfu0VHgyFdb4nNQsx7klAPwbo9YE0_31U5EB3XCWoteDXbd_YGg5k5n6A-3sLpwtUR-ko8r0pxBxqmxBqXfhfxzm3O6cXfso/s400/squirrel1.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 329px;" /> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">While I don't advocate harming of animals in any way, I must say that I get a little bit of joy when my own Killer Kitty sees it fit to take care of the problem. She was quite proud of her catch. She kept trying to bring it inside, presumably to skin it and roast it with carrots and potatoes. That's only proper. If you want to know why I dislike squirrels so much, exhibit #1 is <a href="http://wickedgardener.blogspot.com/2009/04/squirrels.html">here</a>, and exhibit #2 is <a href="http://wickedgardener.blogspot.com/2009/05/bastard.html">here</a>.</div></div>Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-57286584000486424962010-10-03T21:20:00.014-04:002011-06-09T16:19:42.556-04:00In The Weeds<div align="left">Wow - This summer really got away from me! I woke up one morning and all of the sudden the pool garden looked like this:<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523996187903723922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-e7mB33lCchHU_lfcif-I_LhKLMMo9D5EuwFr1NoXJ5ltIJ188E9x4lZSxhcJINSkpPyb8l-jD731W69xaGsaAd2xQloktqA85NLbwFIoiUaKwUE_AckPQBBj_N-MfljEeO5jHUZRTo/s400/website+weeds+2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />There truly is a garden path in there somewhere. My husband and I looked each other and said "Ahh, a frost will come eventually and take care of this sticky little problem for us." All those weeds are just too much to think about without the aid of a machete. </div><div align="left">Fortunately, there are little bits of joy to be had around the garden lately, if you look for them. This week the weather finally cooled and Floridians seemed to come out of their long air-conditioned hibernation to spend some time outdoors. Everyone was outside mowing their lawns, taking walks (I took two! Wha? Wha?) and putting up Halloween decorations. I took the opportunity to do a little gardening, or more accurately, pull a weed or two and look for plants that didn't croak on me after a long summer of neglect. </div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523996051986263458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsAI2G3Q_gIRreAsBIKF33fTmIUn_K8w-CFVqoHa457qeF_ELPJOOXsw5B4x-32pzzJgrH7C9yRdta5SXLoCwTX6d14bTHYOkpkItzKwCZNFdPpd5dtXneRnQMi6SzAvNokCMXhjkEnJ4/s400/Ginger+leaf.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" />Ahh, my gingers. A few survived the squirrels and one even bloomed, although I couldn't get a good picture of it. I still love the leaves, especially at this angle from the bottom looking up. <br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523995905623535970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6J89xnTPYfUGTCQxUKdkMbNOl0jYQr6c-Emm7RNZfwVndW50OK2YcWo1yU7zl-CxXrJHvOJE52YT5-kVvqe622tvLOAxRO3gBMTF6ngm1XdY5_ztOBiS8v5JcgaZ5ec67EVQPXsX0HQ/s400/website+coleous.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /> Some coleus, hiding under the gingers. Both were taken as clippings from my Mother's house.<br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523995764401762738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdO0hAHoIzEVQOhq6-WfNBcDAr9rREiQ9pRVPJ8c5KQgNbzOApDhjqyEHw7XlPnvFU6KurOOq_6u9JfHaJN0xKQHz_xmt-wOmXm_ly_qm0je4BRyuYXl5xg6rTgr6c33RYw8jW98ye3sA/s400/website+camilia.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /> The camellias are really budding this year, and a few have started to bloom. YAY!!<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523995600008250514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2BPSMtdwE70s3ERo44IePQ5cr3RcxpCZmzrLNjYz0Js9JhlQYlu9GbE-pYj0NAV06RgB1EhhH3NiOsyrop1EYHFvtFCwqZmTQ4p-dqEu2dRcX1k-5t9dSDxI2Amux0RECwFwZsgfytHk/s400/website+crepe+myrtle.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /> The last hold out blossom on the crepe myrtle bush. Note about crepe myrtle: You can dig up some of those really annoying seedlings that always come up in the spring and replant them! I keep them in a pot in a shady area for the first summer and then replant them where I want them the following spring. It is a slow process, but I've had success with it. Nothing like a free plant.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523995465016270002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRKQEVWJfnaSJXSse0EugezAFid9DQwchm-VUb7-bmK9N-kMwPVAOhJk3HVqIGr6NRHbKFRs_CgoOdSYdpIsZQ7oeFvHtxVmSCegVq4v7sfL_3S8CcCuDiUWBYX3__qGkn0czpGEjgTs/s400/website+ginger.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />I thought for sure the that the Globba Ginger were goners after our deep freezes this year, but sure enough I now have about 10 plants and they are all blooming nicely. I wish they were taller, but other than that I totally love them.<br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523995306275879602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJsYze22cE5HDqhIWMvgAWyP1ZEQmJwMQVKap9KcAxX8EJSWiSz0TRjHlQkT35BKnDNfFlAElP9nUHHfd2fwkanCGZcIe5pgVBmljHegwsoCGXR-p6srw4dp7LPVhTot01hYo_60mpjw/s400/Website+knockout.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /> Knockout Rose, knocking me out.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523995048450794818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0z8K-hvFFmRATda9LLVP5HhWrTT4S_RaQta9A6S51OsB5kmFNmwi9H-8UgJ3AvFUmLYDTnVPPhO4gcY0_cUcmIH4k-xRtDmQ1I9xNApHuwl2-QiZ4vh3PPkpRue8kjPUmsDTf2q_BJMI/s400/website+vinca.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />A single vinca, grown back from last years planting. This time last year, the vinca looked like hell and I took them all out. This year, the seedlings I let live are gorgeous. Go figure.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523994857564656498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qkRom-fPybT6ATv-yp6dtuyWt9CULiK9sC52fgkpsA-7MvlNNmYizsUj16I7-DpNVa8u_Esl4kGh33IP-xIZmTy34Snijc4ZiSM5NYBJ1igtwQqMEOm0ZID4LTyJ9nDkXDt7gcDIjSY/s400/website+kitty.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /> The mighty attack cat, hunting her prey. She always looks at me like I'm intruding on her world when I work in the garden. It is very much her's most of the week.Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-65475983170555287322010-08-17T21:57:00.019-04:002011-06-09T16:20:33.797-04:00I'm Back!<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506566578150590418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwcRyUIb-AosuAHgAo9EJru3n_61h2wYmtObqSUW0ECP3Ep_wmm6JcvVjvyCLjtN9Qj7P8ZkWQ-Pg5-PRzrxH0VFjpIJNKLVH_NgFW0w7aBYCE5oOeFfhCsOcl6eO7pVtlub67vBlUw8Y/s400/DSCF1759.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" />Okay. So I wasn't gone for a months as this blog might suggest. Life just got in the way, as it tends to do in Florida during the mid-summer with its blazing heat and mosquitoes that I'm pretty sure are really tiny little aliens sent to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">destroy</span> us. <br />
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</div><div>Chicago was fantastic! The weather was great. Supposedly there was a heat wave, but the constant breeze meant us Floridians didn't feel it. I was really looking forward to the trip as I've heard from most of you that it is a great garden town. Unfortunately, my daughter came down with a fever halfway through the trip and some things, mostly garden related, had to be cut out of the schedule. I did sneak some shots here are some:</div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506567788849668418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1t4UFMKOCvBaPHq6XQzJz7Botszluid-jI_FkBr25EDrrmcqzHvKcX324JBYi8o8Rup1hrfJFNZ4MuPV3DluvSwBZ2aPgqjAQ_FKueAzJlTha9imVUxSxxNYBaFccKwZKMUMpfNhLFY/s400/DSCF1416.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></div><div align="center">Laurie Park.</div><div align="center">Unfortunately I missed the park's prime by about two weeks, but it was still beautiful. </div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506569373678422706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUv_Zkn5uWBqL1Pk_v9oO9hp9oDjaCFc3o6wKkJpeQ5xRrHkRh7Q3mu5B9TqUq0tGY2GXQWqkdyRpz57EBb3kZHKp3ug6dkDK-1uoOwKYiivCaaF3NmGDTAIbUbv2yvwFCceXQhgKj3ok/s400/DSCF1757.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506569237453509058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqKchS6up7jt3Qe9yZ8g3twsCMFSsVhA_Gu434r7qrh6_1dl2t1oEjjuAPy7BRJx-4b0hLMl4KOMpnlToK8w7bQyYQnT8l8Rr7lUKIPvr_dz7xw8vTqXc99SVi83hZkq0Zn9SjX6-o1Q/s400/DSCF1755.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506569126822001314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxSSyil8y8IiDSglyd-POFYDLQCGflZv90TPbP00FoTy3go2bEXVBIL1lYZVWHVouu8VEx435Sdg3zvtcdZOfJM5y4f37etXHSomkieeRuev43l7m9nVUbHAbfE6idjjCSnK0lv4Xufo/s400/DSCF1753.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506568601938326530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt36rKbM-At5ZmxIWr29_BcWnEhgcxcVX158EYKCtN_8dwsQjg-UQ_dz4wV1Xsq4DYEVqazzOh3xM5giFNl8lG8TN5ycEuQZ7BELJqMNlw7NQRNzlG8-hr6KbnKGF20yxVRtCJhhUwqQI/s400/DSCF1598.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" />A great little park near the Chicago Art Institute.</div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506568493500750914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Zp9HzpLPdfnVibplpCOXM5SxWZ26JLcCHGlU44duRCGLyesKiVJS4ODn-msh0fIGp9OJNxHMIe6Jr7cbTzRPFul5XcX1I3FxhX8qUtSY1iAupuKpaeKANXDDe6_lmZm3dqRvtBIVuII/s400/DSCF1603.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506568350965430674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzY9N7HBSwKe6O5pLrPeK5HKA8GZfj3WEzJNKgCGSKwGl_h21yFtybfDQayOgKQTtbpAEfwL1LdeqjwbBNDsA7vejq78zTfZSRDIzCE5J5lqBbYxYaqCSG3G49zwwCMi1m9N5M_Ut2Eug/s400/DSCF1590.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />Love these color combos.</div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506568278831132242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYBS7tIE6-jWCKcx9_I4tie8hSu0XdxDXoZKs7dRhUY4KWWoljQ7ZtMj5i3ll99yjtiu0t6bGbyDMXlePaxzl5SPGQsm3d8mSjBYSWMNzLBpRzg1Bx8NoOlJyzsDwjGvvExZn2soRA3uk/s400/DSCF1589.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506568209703574626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8A90yF5FDVSCCzjrPSdwzP-H6gzgwTeaNY1G6PB9VNalRqJ31bNb889DmFrJV3eV522QqM9Awu5j7sNvLoFyPnfLHNrK2cNGZFSpO9Yu36-K14bnTBRo-28notAOswFrFEoFDO6r139I/s400/DSCF1588.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506568050594562402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-EDV01vkPGjaUXnjdSjMkQBVA2vW4LNjJiqbxocjbKqDVB60vecRbXAeYTqet8InKnKnQvBPdJz-9DMbIkbzaWbTtl_IOD74jMdhWmXwCMnUskTaDuvmAQyEz610Q5Ovh3IgIFsnHeM/s400/DSCF1587.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506567656612232498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIf3NWZzQJlaYPUNqnGYPuVI63e4xBEWpAANto90wjYt0IVwPPVV2kaUEjDvKSGm0IB9vSrmsHfo5Z-xEZlxkEiYq0wsxakRyAqHKpUXry7PT1Me01mkNE1974M517lg9UIPFfuOGx-E/s400/DSCF1783.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506569035597456322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqiuDhhKnqVo6cW58HFXQtlBrpIUOvD9Sxq99Dgd4wtodDIMZwgT47DLPhiZJCJyZ6h8vdNk_veAyuDbul_FnvTVLldFisvb8Lp9Ys1dv8pngTjizq-mE-E5HjkqKQlI3nK26GUJApFzo/s400/DSCF1745.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br />
<div align="center">One of the neatest parts of Chicago is how they use plants in unexpected places. <br />
I really thought these plants on an overpass were really great. </div>Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-72520058377335016222010-06-19T09:31:00.004-04:002011-06-09T16:21:08.113-04:00Going to Chicago!!So this summer our family is taking a vacation to Chicago! We are very excited and are planning all the silly tourist traps we must see. My hubby wants the vacation to be decidedly garden free, so I might get one or two gardens in, tops. Laurie Garden seems to be on the short list, but is there anything else I must see? All suggestions are welcome!Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-14813624268836091242010-05-29T21:08:00.016-04:002011-06-09T16:24:36.898-04:00The Best Thing You Can Put In Your Garden<div align="left">Somewhere along the way I once read "The best thing you can put in your garden is you." Any good gardener knows the biggest part of gardening is being in the garden. Picking weeds, looking for bugs, dead-heading, whatever. Fortunately, I've put a lot of me in the garden in the last few weeks. I've got a ton summer cuttings started in the front yard, the butterfly and shed gardens are picking up and I planted a little <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">itty</span></span>-bitty veggie garden in the corner garden where I finally gave up on some of my gingers growing this year. This concept applies with a blog, too. I haven't put too much of myself here lately. Who wants to be stuck behind computer when there is a garden to garden? I did take pictures in the last few weeks of some of the best blooms. Hope this will hold you over until I get some legitimate update posts done. Enjoy!</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476873067158362770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOt-LuG_NdjbJ3g3AHP9eUlT364BFGjQhaa5Cl0xvSLwZ8q0_OeFoZeL3Fhyphenhyphencz62uyGllNrURlvfbWg3iN3pO7El57udXRg3asdh4L1HZtpTIWWcYyuNft12ULeLqtfNbhMdYlD1wMzc/s400/Purple+daylily.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div><div align="center">I think this <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">daylily</span> was called 'purple grape'. I call it yummy!</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476872991206489650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MCgfde1YtPJdSrB6Gc0zR5XUYTx_FdMs9L-ljBOSO8XavduIRYJtgfnkXr87F3Y_ACUUXurGhEdlRML9-5_U76GlMbv4TFN9bXC2UYdxwWABpnxs5DpMFy6_dIIlpBv4sL0tJbHkm8Q/s400/African+Iris.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></div><div align="center">African Iris</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476872877278953778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtTCx7Akm5Qp4CB6Zt7WpR_MCBFdDzK-H-DupdYvZD0e7b4EoZXZqBKCE6uy3BQaXi-gx4aVOPgQheqVVQzdYmTT_WZwElevWNtAAfTo1fzBeXJG6i8-Mr621qa8lFa4udr3eTqTbSjQw/s400/African+Iris+2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div><div align="center">African Iris</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476872805613826754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSG_goMlXdRlE9VSiWDt8ojrf3xtmyp-bUi_ufEyGD1YUho6mwKwNG7PaTan6YtRG2DGiZ7H_COdCIbJtxfjhBcf_6EJ-9jSXaMolfIIBG7lA3X11nqZKJsrn7bR_QaOD6bh8EQ2sdh9s/s400/Clara+Daylily.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div><div align="center"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Daylily</span> - 'Clara'</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476872719554391330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXoVfHcDHPB4rW2IE7B78hlba7FnmFGiXe5QO4oYcdIS0uZKnNIW1ICQCuXytb_oc77fowH8UQNmrAsaGqC2VslL6OE_hvrkqkDC7NQh8OwugGgDk6PrbqzCt79iWmHWayj-rDJfZG8g/s400/Coleus.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div><div align="left">One of the reasons I LOVE coleus is its diversity. On the right is one from the Aurora series. There was no name in the nursery for the one on the left, so it is now know by me as 'Big-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">honkin</span>' Coleus.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476872633565111026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETsM0pbuHAhAds0lzqVHrY1XIFV3RQmKHrcZe39u_JNYwOIqGa2LHO9WlkSI4zBVljc4G4R-16mAxIwvgqzGOPdTz8Rd5HUH0NIKo_fvP8hb2SDcHNMllSuQxZKp4LoUURBS8gutrRC8/s400/Crinum+2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div><div align="center"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Crinum</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Scabrum</span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476871756012509826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgliOBG3KXljR3Y2iAL0phGELbRQwwHGnXVkqsGfT5c48V8nJGJZX7QUL_Z2aLW-xdotTY6wLesTf9vbHRqepUyOe0AKOf3Ps8Iu-XHL2FlYMdtP9_TfwrvIPBUFdKP3biM-Fti4W3SdYA/s400/crinum+3.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div><div align="center"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Crinum</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Scabrum</span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476870244718365122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Wdzv2WIH7QgI3-xExylJpqoajhf2HOEGKBRFwJ0xWhgz9k3vF6XgbC3uvhF4w30U-lbjYcbrG0fayAhzH9BIYZyIGPzf0AnZ9xOL4ObcmYpGxByTcf8dhwFMIGMASh0ijJcnSRJbPLc/s400/Red+Canna.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div><div align="center">Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Canna</span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476869170110206898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WK2g2P6FNRtCR7xHZ1Q3hcX8y6d_h140gMcu9gE7zY4o03P0HfSEHvVd9XuDvGd0WWoskdUGdS2zVkFAecRnbR-kyRNzukpeqoT_YfQ9r1GFGCj5vv7xTRXQBHu0GRi75_hoE3i0wI0/s400/Walking+Iris.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div><div align="center">Yellow Walking Iris</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476868718263215858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMTGnYh9Cibq2zOqTlIw8rYGdMtcWKjxp3PW6aHY6T-PZMVi1B2Cinx1FFqd9q8-tSVya96WQGzVIIaZR3f3GIXUpBKdAlQgR3XFWysYfeydi5LV4GrOwcrNNxk1o0ErBO4zb27u6Cv0/s400/Hidden+Ginger.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div><div align="center">Hidden Ginger</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476868588541734610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSAJLttlZZLXunvXNsfINq9B-ubFxgzADPz2I7_lF-XU5JPvUZUCoi_NsX9Es5j1YgCFvwGc_LeUOqg2O6WLt_1HOfq8CtU5R4AP2rjvOUywDz1J7i-SxBJnR0bBemCo0YYNS5rPPtOk/s400/Happy+Returns+and+Black+and+Blue.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></div><div align="center">'Black and Blue' <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Salvia</span> and 'Happy Returns' <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Daylily</span></div>Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-37151458888759622452010-05-03T19:38:00.014-04:002011-06-09T16:25:59.801-04:00Summer on the SillIn Florida, summer is an ending. Most of the plants that did beautifully through the frosts start to look something like this:<br />
<div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467197843285610722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBL7OQzwvILstJwLBxDPLNtezjGX2RWQt0afbN6YfzZ3nGj5wY5JuWjfGfrKm5bFnmhsIK8osfGO3-tDD6kIc3mtDeuz1SZ32QeLXC5CeCQ60HFfmWCMi_Ax2gxTmVO_QxAHKrApKEn-8/s400/BG.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />The bugs, the heat and the humidity prove to be too much. It gets to be a bit much for me too. Saturday morning I opened the door to go outside and walked straight into a brick wall of humidity. Sometimes you forget what summer in Florida can be like until you get a weekend like this one to remind you. I realized I needed to get the summer garden started. In the front yard I'll take out the snapdragons and petunias. In their place will go lime green coleus, silvery-purple Persian shield, pink <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">pentas</span> and pink <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">vinca</span>. These aren't by any means the only summer plants I could have chosen, but they all have one redeeming quality. In my garden at least, they are all free. </div><div></div><br />
<div>The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">vinca</span> are starting to reseed themselves in the garden bed, and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">pentas</span> cuttings do best with a slightly different method. But coleus and Persian shield I am propagating by cuttings. The method is pretty basic and any seasoned gardener knows it well, but I'm always surprised by how few take advantage of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">DIYplants</span>. <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467192871255636706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25R9moZDkQ75JS22GJc_Tc56eVSchFwbFX-Tk0B_PKNAvqtJkXcmtX2yDMo1qX_i_BHSKaEOCrgTydxpnFxiqWNHd74dYs2vBXPmYhiv4OuRjpQJ2OwPwJr4THokqhkqbutXGzIYB7v8/s400/BG3.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div><div>First step is to find a momma plant. In my case, momma is actually a collection of cuttings I took hastily right before our first freeze in November. I typically pinch off a stem about 3 to 4 inches long. I strip the leaves off, leaving a small pair at the top, and at least one leaf node below. Then stick in some water and wait for roots: </div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU08GrqS3NPJPAP27q_vLWuMevRtJCgfvN_LXFDcTVeaU0Wllj5Fn5QuQmZYZRVaxRVwuPenBhIFNLt5Lv0RXZvvuO3x-0DCJGGbIhZ3RZ5h2OpLXvf7OFL0SRLHkAN2RJmhhsojKSh2s/s1600/BG.jpg"></a><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467195589580832738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYPcXfGD9RyiO3vCuz1lk9BCd913y7yZZSxKMEz-SSaLuCK_M3381OcWgx_MuCJZY4oWQgzVh2l9wzIZpjs3z_YJr1fD30jB0tekHx54KVbOi4h5a_J1WSqwjltwEFiAPWeVgP-xRrtE/s400/BG2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /> When the roots come, you could plant straight into the ground and the coleus would probably be just fine. The Persian shield on the right is a bit more finicky, so I put <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">both</span> plants in small containers of dirt:<br />
<div><div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467192680906952194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvvk6h67KYaDIx7K_3B97nk8CgNi5GEIC9d_OYJWoWDb_H0LQT0NtbolkBybM7tzvKNoCUcJujus2bO6BtBkrEcF3b_OGBn8_icpMTI3LxkWpFWCtJ0OdcJ4Y2QuAk3TLdJUpIFTb7pQk/s400/BG5.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />For some reason, I kind love the little <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">yogurt</span> cups. I poked holes in the bottoms with a nail heated by a candle. They fit great on my window sill, but they will only hold the plants for a couple of weeks. At that time I put the cups outside to acclimate for about 24 hours and then it is planting time:<br />
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieF7MDUMiq9bqNEWuW4BY_88Kpi0DYkN1iaeup9oI3iqf7hTnLr4cHwDvsc_YL-eEF-ALiVQEACZDziyen_KngKuMKaktEz0dk4yMNzo_wi8-zAbcWvcgmRda09uj1IcubGFe4qzZ4g6g/s1600/BG4.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467192491462551362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieF7MDUMiq9bqNEWuW4BY_88Kpi0DYkN1iaeup9oI3iqf7hTnLr4cHwDvsc_YL-eEF-ALiVQEACZDziyen_KngKuMKaktEz0dk4yMNzo_wi8-zAbcWvcgmRda09uj1IcubGFe4qzZ4g6g/s400/BG4.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> Above is a little <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">coleus</span> baby tucked behind a still peaking snapdragon. When I tear out the snapdragons in a few weeks, the coleus will be ready and raring to go. The nice thing about this method is that the volume increases exponentially. This little plant will soon be big enough to take clippings from it, and the whole process starts again. </div><div></div><br />
<div>Hope this post didn't bore you too much. I enjoy watching other people's methods, and it seems like every gardener has their own <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">variation</span> on the method above. What is yours? </div></div></div></div></div></div>Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-1962775325841719912010-04-27T20:21:00.004-04:002011-06-09T16:26:35.367-04:00Irises<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzNu3DO95353Gum5voeaBxp1_z0-VMeaAHejtBEtQTz_9xxIUt8e11KfavICRaMuoKo70IvTrKvxBxZFqnAUFEYGGz6RNZR3-8JJDiDyD3-pdiQb1271vk6hl7ULRXAwYKt4KgrqD5So/s1600/DSCF1120.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464976992604602770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzNu3DO95353Gum5voeaBxp1_z0-VMeaAHejtBEtQTz_9xxIUt8e11KfavICRaMuoKo70IvTrKvxBxZFqnAUFEYGGz6RNZR3-8JJDiDyD3-pdiQb1271vk6hl7ULRXAwYKt4KgrqD5So/s400/DSCF1120.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div align="center">The African Irises in the front garden are putting on quite the show.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">In other parts of my yard, I think I'm going to give up on growing gingers this year.</div>Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-19991786079016805882010-04-25T15:04:00.004-04:002011-06-09T16:27:15.230-04:00The pot didn't work and most of the gingers were chewed up. Moving on to massive amounts of habanero sauce.Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-19340358745729140802010-04-19T21:43:00.008-04:002011-06-09T16:28:18.778-04:00WWPD?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfCC5-DIi1iNuk-8f75wUBsLvR4iahXiNoYZkKXlLZ6H-pUmnPtaawDxoGKv5UYpu8yCWNXQaxAQPtwzhn906PDT_iwlVEHqgsYuBv7yhDeGNye0oyv8BnL6hUU6D3ZV5bKhNWCqh5D4/s1600/DSCF1045.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462030014548026994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfCC5-DIi1iNuk-8f75wUBsLvR4iahXiNoYZkKXlLZ6H-pUmnPtaawDxoGKv5UYpu8yCWNXQaxAQPtwzhn906PDT_iwlVEHqgsYuBv7yhDeGNye0oyv8BnL6hUU6D3ZV5bKhNWCqh5D4/s400/DSCF1045.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Oy</span> - Before Pictures. Whether it is a chubbie chick or an underdeveloped spring garden, they are never pretty. I hate showing them, but I know in a few months it will be fun to look back. Above is the circle in the middle of the corner garden. It was a <a href="http://wickedgardener.blogspot.com/2008/10/update-corner-garden.html">happier spot once</a>, but the frosts hit the palms and the squirrels decimated the gingers, and frankly, last year I kinda gave up on it. I'm now trying to revitalize it, and, as almost always, with no budget. The biggest problem is lack of definition. Ideally, I'd like to add a limestone border around it, in a more natural shape than the tight circle I originally created. That was a great plan until I priced out limestone. $10, per stone! For a girl that has a garden budget of right around $10 per week, more or less, that seems out of my price range. I could feel the spirits of my ancestors waiting to kick me if I even thought of spending $10 for a rock.<br />
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At times like these, I sit down and think: <em>"What would Pearl do?"</em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVItbiiudATxiqyHHDexEt-OJvuIKuvrObmMsuWajp81mOizIsoS-0qSHqJqQ8mlZle5Cu1du0pyJejBx29OcT6H7AJxTtluaUuf440KRmgrEuaU4SYOvKQVWCQxb31SS89ygAQu09Eg/s1600/DSCF1047.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462029900750930626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVItbiiudATxiqyHHDexEt-OJvuIKuvrObmMsuWajp81mOizIsoS-0qSHqJqQ8mlZle5Cu1du0pyJejBx29OcT6H7AJxTtluaUuf440KRmgrEuaU4SYOvKQVWCQxb31SS89ygAQu09Eg/s400/DSCF1047.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>Some of you know exactly who I am talking about. For those of you who don't, stop reading this and immediately get yourself a copy of the movie, <em>A Man Named Pearl. </em>It is a documentary about gardener and topiary artist <a href="http://www.pearlfryar.com/">Pearl <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Fryar</span></a>. He is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">practically</span> the patron saint of frugality and creativity in the garden. One of the reasons he took up topiary was that he could take a cheap discarded <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">nursery</span> plant and shape it into something totally unique and special. He is such an inspiration for me. So when I look at the area above, the thought comes in to my mind, "What would Pearl do?" How can I use the resources I have to make something really special? Unfortunately, I don't have Pearl's brain, so I still don't know what I am going to do with this area. I have filled it with with red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">canna</span> I picked up from the Master Gardener's sale last year and some grass divided from the front yard. But I still have no idea how I'll define the bed. Suggestions, especially for cheap rock sources, are welcome.<br />
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<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6Y7qipA4xJ_rCx-qbqsFJ_CZxfJZAeC-zp9HgNL0-PB_QIS7MsTk1x6ll8TomM7BazIuK7JjtLyvgw1B7uFnSnpWSc-cAozC-GsvVj3lKgSeCgxPCHvsrCebF3Hgi6r5zxPalRGVuJg/s1600/DSCF1048.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462029655538574994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6Y7qipA4xJ_rCx-qbqsFJ_CZxfJZAeC-zp9HgNL0-PB_QIS7MsTk1x6ll8TomM7BazIuK7JjtLyvgw1B7uFnSnpWSc-cAozC-GsvVj3lKgSeCgxPCHvsrCebF3Hgi6r5zxPalRGVuJg/s400/DSCF1048.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">cannas</span> are pretty though. <br />
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<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRfYdmQNyFKBDCmLzi1gwqB5OTnfyY2kfWcXHiENUkrIpbj1qaAJxDai15uK4bot5_Oo4tPYASxpbiSTPU_PeFaaoDIRSuonRUAVZqp-0PChbzIRSq8gVvhH0Zsh2UqgyxO787hO_kOY/s1600/DSCF1082.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462029531676750338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRfYdmQNyFKBDCmLzi1gwqB5OTnfyY2kfWcXHiENUkrIpbj1qaAJxDai15uK4bot5_Oo4tPYASxpbiSTPU_PeFaaoDIRSuonRUAVZqp-0PChbzIRSq8gVvhH0Zsh2UqgyxO787hO_kOY/s400/DSCF1082.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">In case</span> any of you are wondering how the war on squirrels is going, I'm trying a new <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">tactic</span>: physical barriers! On some of my more prized ginger shoots, I've cut out the bottoms of garden pots and put them over the shoots. In other areas, I've surrounded the gingers with branches. Anything to make them harder to reach and get to. I'll let you know how it goes.</div></div>Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-21567513818310728702010-04-16T23:03:00.005-04:002011-06-09T16:29:27.082-04:00And the Winners of my Undying Respect and Admiration are . . .Congrats to <a href="http://flowersandweeds.blogspot.com/">Garden Lily </a>and <a href="http://centralfloridagardener.blogspot.com/">Susan</a> for correctly <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">identifying</span> the mystery plant as an Amaryllis! I'd tell you the variety, but since it looks nothing like what was on the package, there is no telling. <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460937957228371122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsuxZEcDRbQQojSc7KERnLjuXCniis9IZx74K9MzhPN2cxvculd9xDd-Qd2BcXj0XR1_afmzx4UoIwxZP_hdxJg1WdNH-Ib7_NiGKt0rwXjc6Dh0hqvLhcicBX3Lv-1IKA4EK0zgUT3s/s400/DSCF1071.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460938107176193490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwgrF0NcXarY6f5mwrAon52FtpfdQhbL6athfwN5qlg8CU76MwMHnHOABfqBWmyvMc8-4SwZDmn4FFkOUjxajkI9FbLO9F2dND0sHuUEynp6x40_bIN5s5Pmncok_taFaiHUqlICLjkPc/s400/DSCF1075.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />Whatever. I'm just happy to have something blooming in the garden!Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-27145952779338997382010-04-15T18:17:00.003-04:002011-06-09T16:29:56.946-04:00Mystery Plant<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6F89L1GYQs_eZECzUy_ES0gX7DPs8dfUdpkJhfeXotrm5pRYg6CEta8KNr-K0tbhlrhfz10ZrUkI_YdnId0T7iDRONcZoquv98ouKgIOmZDcrjAwO-GsLx5on5fPE24MluKIku4dd09M/s1600/close.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460491982080406802" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6F89L1GYQs_eZECzUy_ES0gX7DPs8dfUdpkJhfeXotrm5pRYg6CEta8KNr-K0tbhlrhfz10ZrUkI_YdnId0T7iDRONcZoquv98ouKgIOmZDcrjAwO-GsLx5on5fPE24MluKIku4dd09M/s400/close.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 342px;" /></a><br />
<div>Alright - Here is a little fun for you guys today. What is the name of the plant above? The winner gets my undying respect and admiration. </div>Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-58125727286160032352010-04-12T20:56:00.004-04:002011-06-09T16:30:21.802-04:00Daylily<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUIHGlZrdgRj6NYfkdnB9dR30wS5gNing_F8SkZXdh0glAtXwWrKYmWEDlRNPKPqSO_MVjOym6QB1vBaU6G5bmT4YfSY45UUecexKpSglzcNA06zMbSQiRfzgK_u7VEgBULRQhchBVBQ/s1600/DSCF1054.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459421006855937154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUIHGlZrdgRj6NYfkdnB9dR30wS5gNing_F8SkZXdh0glAtXwWrKYmWEDlRNPKPqSO_MVjOym6QB1vBaU6G5bmT4YfSY45UUecexKpSglzcNA06zMbSQiRfzgK_u7VEgBULRQhchBVBQ/s400/DSCF1054.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBF2NxJ_1qR-VxyE7rEdKdMTxwh-lTFBESN-FeuoMUcpB7HXBkjX0YyeGjOvmf_R_6udeE2yJy-cYxWbvYgzqY5b80L_-LldxRxxMnSPsJRrimuJApdfG5CsuGGBujLnY1FmflCht41ko/s1600/DSCF1060.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459420909287914946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBF2NxJ_1qR-VxyE7rEdKdMTxwh-lTFBESN-FeuoMUcpB7HXBkjX0YyeGjOvmf_R_6udeE2yJy-cYxWbvYgzqY5b80L_-LldxRxxMnSPsJRrimuJApdfG5CsuGGBujLnY1FmflCht41ko/s400/DSCF1060.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> <br />
<div>I've been busy lately, but I had to show you the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Daylilies</span>. They are quite literally the garden variety, but I'm just so excited to have an actual flower in the garden right now.</div></div>Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4181842655482570130.post-50442568696451400932010-04-03T20:07:00.001-04:002011-01-25T18:14:02.508-05:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOZZFb0tfZTTibEw7bTvah4A7wcYAx-0wJ5o0P5POR0HS1gsBHbned2HbhjazHuaQElF6cL0K-w-CZQP_MyzXdLeoVpsvdoobeSKSybR4P6pLuruGSVaeQx1nZjT1oAhB_FOQ4Pu8uCM/s1600/DSCF1005.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456067432850497890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOZZFb0tfZTTibEw7bTvah4A7wcYAx-0wJ5o0P5POR0HS1gsBHbned2HbhjazHuaQElF6cL0K-w-CZQP_MyzXdLeoVpsvdoobeSKSybR4P6pLuruGSVaeQx1nZjT1oAhB_FOQ4Pu8uCM/s400/DSCF1005.jpg" /></a> The eggs (and the table, and the sink . . . ) are now dyed and super-glittered. Happy Easter!!<br /><div></div>Wicked Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01540250068640733537noreply@blogger.com