William Robinson said that plants were much healthier and lived longer when planted on
own rootstock, instead of by grafting or budding. Of the Antique roses I planted, the ones
not grafted look much better. Dr. William Welch also preaches on the quality of having plants
on their own roots.
While driving to Selma this morning, I noticed that the Saucer Magnolias were beginning to
bloom. Also saw a Pear tree in full bloom. I don't think it was a bradford.
Have the spring bulbs started to bloom in your area of the country? How about crocuses.
I've intended to plant crocuses, but its one of the many things I haven't got around to doing.
Am so mad at Walmart in Selma, they have been without topsoil, and cow manure since
October. In November, I had to drive to Tuscaloosa and go to Lowe's
Here I sit at a computer terminal talking about gardening instead of getting it done. And what
with near perfect afternoon weather - low to mid 70s. But the thought of having to pick up
pine cones keeps me typing away. All my back can deal with is one wheelbarrow load a day.
Am enjoying the Ice Follies Daffodils, the red poppy anemones, and the candytuft. The Professor
Seargant, Lady Claire, and Purple Dawn Camellias are still lovely
What's blooming in your Garden?.
The storms last week blew pine cones everywhere. Yesterday I was out picking some up, while
my 2 dalmations and lap dog were frolicking. All of a sudden I see 2 cars coming up the road and
my dalmation, Potter dart out in the road. I scream his name, he is hit by a BMW's bumper, I
thought he was a goner. This lovely woman was able to stop her car before the wheels ran over
Potter. He hobbled off the payment, stunned. I was in a state of shock. I put him in my Jeep
and we sped to the Vet. Luckily he was in great shape. I now call him my Mardi Gras Miracle
Dog. A Fat Tuesday I shall never forget.
The poppy anemones are blooming during some of the coldest days of winter with temperatures
in the mid twenies at night and mid forties at day. The daffodils are all mixed up, Jonquils
and Ice Follies are blooming now, but the Carlton bulbs and the Tete-a-Tete bulbs have not
even came up. The 13th tornadoes were going through the area and a hail storm.
I guess we have to look forward to a goofy springtime.
Not only do people put too many plants arounds the base of the house, they put too few in the
rest of the yard, fron and back. Borders are not only a great place to showcase some special
plants, but it enframes the house. If you do not have room enough for borders and they should
be from 10 to 25 feet in width, build a fence that goes along with the house and it decor.
Particularly in back it is a nice place to grow perennials along with the shrubs and small trees.
The most common mistake in home garden design is planting too many shrubs and shrubs that
grow too large around the foundation of the house. Foundation planting was a turn of the century American invention to cover up ugly foundations that were very high off the ground
in houses built around the 1880's until the 1920's. Today few houses are built more than a few
feet off the ground and many are being built on a slab. Hence no need for heavy foundation
plantings. All you need are a few plants at the corner and around the entrance tied together
by ground cover , or if you choose to go in for even greater low maintenance gardening, put
down a couple of layers of landscape fabric and cover it with an inch of pine bark or cypress
mulch or some other mulch. If you would like greenery added punch holes about 10 inches
apart and plant something like asiatic jasmine.
Mexican pottery will add a great deal of color to your garden. You must be sure the colors in the
pottery go with you flower colors, and the color of brick walls, and such. It would look good in
a shrub border or with ornamental grasses and ground covers, or you could add a colorful note
on your patio. Here are some websites where you can purchase mexican pottery in all price
ranges. Ebay, LaFuente.com., solmarimpotts.com., EPSBsamples.com., directfrommexico.com.
The last bloom of the year is on my wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox). It has the greatest
delicate smell. It starts in zone 8 in November. You can buy some at Petals From the Past
at Jemison, Alabama or order them on the internet from www.woodlanders.net. IF you have
a secret garden with a nice piece of classic or contemporarty garden furniture, placing a
wintersweet and curling up with a book would make for a quiet afternoon.
Does you home garden style match your personality? Are you laid back, back to nature, life
is a party type, if so perhaps your garden style is reflective of the work of Piet Oudolf, James
van Sweden, or Wolfgang Oehme using a lot of ornamental grasses surrounded by perennials.?
Or you relaxed, always at ease yet like and easy-going classic style, perhaps you have a garden
or roses, perennials, herbs, and annuals arranged in borders of the cottage style? Are you a
perfectionist, liking everything always, neats, orderly and in its place, then pehaps you have
the classic western garden of straight lines and symmetrical balance as evidenced in many
french and italian gardens? Or perhaps you like kitsch and have gone off the deep end with
pink flamingos?
While the Midwest and Northeast are experiencing many feet of snow and below zero weather,
it has been comparatively much nicer in central Alabama. Yesterday it was sunny and in the
low to mid sixties. Today it is partially sunny and again suppose to reach the 60 degree mark.
It has been a bleak , dreary, wintry week in Black Belt Alabama this last week of January and first week of February. But in a few weeks spring weather will return. But it's disappointing
because so many of the bulbs and shrubs you look forward to see blooming are blooming already. With daffodils some varieties have already bloomed and some have not. This week
all the new growth on the Japanese Box, Korean Wintergreen Box, and Common Box was
killed back by the 25 degree weather.
It has been a bleak , dreary, wintry week in Black Belt Alabama this last week of January and first week of February. But in a few weeks spring weather will return. But it's disappointing
because so many of the bulbs and shrubs you look forward to see blooming are blooming already. With daffodils some varieties have already bloomed and some have not. This week
all the new growth on the Japanese Box, Korean Wintergreen Box, and Common Box was
killed back by the 25 degree weather.
