My Order Arrived

Baptisia australis "Purple Smoke"

I was so excited, always am when I get my first order of flowers for the year.   Carrel opened the box and we started to take the flower pots out.  I was shocked they were blooming, I had never received an order that the flowers were already blooming.  I have ordered from Parks Seed for years.  They are reliable and if your plant dies they send you a new one.  I sat them on the floor and took the picture.  I counted to make sure I had all they charged me for, four Lavender "Munstead," three Stokesia Laevis "Blue Danube,(Stokes Aster) six Baptisia "Purple Smoke."  They were all there.  I noticed they looked limp and were very light.  Usually when flowers are sent they water them well before sending.  The proper way to water a plant is from the bottom, so I placed them in a pan of water, went and dressed and ate, then started to take my plants out of the water, still felt light.  I poured water on the top, ran right on through.  Oh No.   Oh Yes.   Badly root bound, now before I took the Master Gardener's Class I would never buy roots of a root bound plant.  One time I slipped up and bought a Penta that was really root bound and being dumb even though I had gardened for about fifty years I planted that Penta just as it was.  It set there in the ground for weeks never did anything I dug it up and it was just like it was when I planted, even worse.  I thought you never messed with the roots of a plant.  You planted it with out disturbing the roots.  You understand I always had good luck because I bought plants that were not root bound.  This is one thing I learned in the Master Gardener's Class you cut, tear, pull, get those root out and loose.  The lady teaching us this would pull and tear and hold the plant up to her ear and make out like the plant was saying  Awhhh.  She was so funny you would not forget this lesson.  You see this plant is really root bound. The larger roots are growing up into the bottom of the plant putting on smaller roots and growing out the top of the soil.

I cut the bottom off then tore all the roots off the sides ant put my fingers up in the bottom of the plant and pulled the root out.

I cut the bottom off completely. You can see were the holes were the roots have form a knot of roots. this is why the plant could not that up any water.

 You can see I have cut the bottom off and  I have just about got the sides cut off. You can see at the right hand side at the top those roots were pulled out of the bottom.  They had put roots out of the top.

Even though these are the small roots if you will look close they covered the bottom and are growing up the sides of this plants.  This one is not near as bad as the other one, you still cut off the bottom pull the roots off the sides and plant your flowers.

After I plant I water and if needed I put more dirt around the plant and water again and pat the dirt down.  I have looked at my plants everyday they did not even wilt.  You know to order your perennials in the fall and this is not likely to happen.   We did not have the beds ready at that time.  I do not think I should have been charged full price for these plants, they should have been on sale.  I will tell Parks how root bound these plants where when I order again.   We do not have a large nursery closer than a hundred miles, so it is cheaper for me to order off Internet. 

the year Charlotte gave me this knelling bench for Christmas we planted six hundred Tulip plants.  She gave me my present early and said her entertainment for me that year before Christmas was to let me help her plant the tulips.  Great entertainment.

Right behind the bench is where I planted these plants, all but the Lavender and that is beside the bench.  Won't that smell good when we sit out on the bench.  The kneeling bench was a gift from my daughter Charlotte.  I can not write a blog with out showing you what is blooming in my yard today.  All the daffodils that have bloomed and turned away from the timbers of the raised beds accept the on above.  I told Carrel we planted backwards and would have to dig it up and replant, he looked at me like I was crazy had to say "Just Kidding."

This Camellia has just opened,  this bush is no taller than my knee, it will be a long time before it is five foot.  None of mine are very tall I have to buy small and let them grow.  Hope you have enjoyed reading this blog  page and thank you for watching my garden grow and bloom, hope you will grow one of your own.  Happy gardening to you from me, Juanita

These  were laying on the ground so I picked them.  The bush will not miss them, it is loaded.  Carrel likes this bush best of all, says he is going to buy one for his yard.

Something new is blooming in my yard to day

Japanese Magnolia - "Betty"

Today is a very warm day, I went to have my hair done.  When I got back I sat on my bench in the new part of the garden.  I sat and just looked around this has been such a strange  year, really not much cold whether  at all.  I was walking around to see what all was blooming and I saw this tree.  It has never bloomed this time of the year.  It is a Japanese Magnolia  called Betty.  There are six that Willis Farm has, Cucumber- yellow, Saucer- light pink, Ann- light pink,  Betty purple( that is what mine is called) Jane a darker pink than Ann.  They can be grown in the north part of our country to the southern most part.  A very hardy small tree, we keep the new grow cut off the bottom of the tree, this helps the top to grow better.  I did not plant this it came with the house for free.    I love the song " The shade comes free with the tree" this tree came free with the house and lot.   I am going to buy me another one, I want to see the yellow.  We may go Saturday to Willis Farm if my face is not hurting and it is not raining.   My daughter, Charlotte may meet me in Minden, Louisiana.  The Camellias are still blooming and still have lots of buds to open.   I do not know the name of all of mine but I like the Debutante best.  The red with the yellow stamens is really a good bloomer.  I have two of them.   I have one that has not bloomed yet, it is red.  I have a red and white that I thought had stopped blooming, I looked at it today and it still had one bloom,  no more buds.   We cleaned out some flower beds yesterday.  I had not worked in the yard this winter, thought I would be soar as I do not exercise much.   I do squats by my bed, so if I start to fall I can catch the bed, so I was not soar at all.  More of my Spring bulbs are blooming now and the yard looks like  Spring, even though the calender says it is still Winter.  I have always heard after the Daffodils come up winter is over.  My sweet smelling Hyacinths are blooming I have to mark them all so I can plant some more in the fall.  I want to plant some by my bench. If the Lavender does multiply like they said it would, I will have to plant the Hyacinths by the Asters.

Pink Hyacinths and Sweet Almond.

  We have an ugly place in our yard under the Buford pear so I think the wind or birds decided to help me out.  I planted the Hyacinths  but I did not plant the plant with the berries. They are going all around this tree, I never would have planted it  because it has a little bitty white blooms. however they do have pretty berries and they are evergreen this does make the garden look nicer in winter and took care of the space around the tree. of course I have daffodils blooming they are a month early. This show that sometimes Mother Nature can be a better Gardener than we are .

Thank you for reading this blog page and hope you have enjoyed watching my garden grow and bloom and hope you will grow one of your own.  Happy gardening to you from me, Juanita.

.

Blooming The Twenty First of Feburary

The kiss of the sun for pardon,The song of the bird for mirth, one is nearest to God in a garden, than any where on earth.
                Dorthy Frances Yurney

Buford Pear

This tree has really pretty blooms in early spring.  In fall colorful leaves and a small "pear" that the squirrels love to eat.   I am proud that I have a lot of thing for Gods creatures.  However I did not plant my trees they were all here when I bought the house.   I still have Camellias blooming and have one loaded with blooms, that has not started to open yet.  I have two that red with yellow stamens about 3inches wide still loaded with buds.   I also have a very pretty pink, looks like a carnation real full named Debutant.  When I see it  I think about the song "White sports coat and pink Carnation."  The cold has put some rusty color on it still pretty. 

Debutant Camellia

Juanita

Spring bulbs are beginning to bloom not all but just a few.  I planted different Daffodils around my raised beds, we wait about six weeks after they bloom to mow them down.  Around my new beds I planted pink Daffodils.  They have not started blooming, I planted them this past fall.  They are showing their heads but not a bud on them.  They may be late bloomers and that will be fine.  The one by my orange bed next to my  reading window is yellow with an orange trumpet.  It is name Juanita, I was touch because this is also my name.  I do not know all the names of my bulbs but I really love early Spring, the renewal time.   From the side of my yard I have a good view of my neighbor's field, who turned ninety one in Feburary.   She can not work in her yard now, so the flower beds are grown up now with grass.  But her spring bulbs still bloom.  She has a lovly bush blooming from top to bottom.  Next to my yard she has what my Mother always called yellow bells and I have always loved them.

Neighbor white daffodils with yellow trumpets.

Yellow Bells

Neighbor's bush

My Pansies are still blooming they will be looking good about the time I start to plant my Periwinkles.  Parks called me and said part of my order was ready to send I am ready for Spring.  I hope my garden looks as good in the ground as it does in my mind.   All artist whether on canvas or in the dirt, you really need to see it in your mind.  Just sit down, close your eyes use your mind as a blackboard and see the picture of the flowers you want in a certain flower bed.  In the flower bed below are Dianths I planted in 2007 they made it through the hot summer most did not.   When the dianths finish blooming cut them low and they will bloom all summer.

Colossal Daffodil

It would not have been a good page with out my birds. Thank you for watching my garden grow and bloom, and hope you grow one of your own.  Happy gardening to you from me, Juanita.

Grandma and Grandpa Washington and the "Good ole days"

Grandma and Grandpa with 4 of their children.

When I was just a little girl, I stayed with Grandpa and Grandma Washington.  I love those two old people, I would "help" Grandma.  I had to dust off  all the furniture, wasn't much.  
She use Old English oil rag made the house smell good.  She did not know that oil held the dust. I had to swept the kitchen after every meal.  They first lived way out in the woods on Joe White's place.  I remember Grandpa coming in out of the garden and telling Grandma, "I told Joe White you get blood out of a turnip" Grandpa must have been late with the rent. 

My Step-dad, Lawrence and Momma

My Mother was at an army camp with Lawrence Murphy, my step daddy.  She would send them money to take care of us, but she must have been late, Grandpa paid his debts.  One time my brother Charles, decided he did not want to go to school, I was not old enough so I was home all day.  He had a way of coughing and it sounded like Whooping Cough, which then was really bad.  He pulled this stunt two or three times and Grandma would let him stay home.  Not long after the bus ran Charles got better.  I heard Grandpa tell Grandma he thought Charles had Schoolitis.  Grandma said  she would see if  Black Draught tea would cure him.  Now I hear this but I do not tell Charles.  The boys took care of me expecially Charles, but I did not see any need of me taking care of them.  I don't know if you know what this tea is but it is a laxative worst than castor oil.  Then we did not have running water, electricity, nor indoor plumping, and it was cold outside in that out house.  The next morning Charles was coughing, sounded really bad.  Grandma boiled up the water and gave Charles the tea. I have never felt so sorry for any body in my life.  I really wished I had told him.  We did not have Chaming with Aloe Vera, we used Sear Robuck catologs or corn cobs.  I am sure in the cities they had toilet paper, but except at school I never saw any.  Well the next morning and every morning after, Charles got on the bus.  I will tell more about Grandma and Grandpa at a later date.  You know how your childhood runs through your mind every once in awhile, that is why I wrote this.  I was thinking about Grandma.  I lived through the "Good ole days" and don't know anything good about them, except they are gone.

Walter, Charles, Eddie, Me and Momma

 Carrels says the "Good ole days" are a product of some ones  bad memory.  But every once in a while we walk down memory lane. 

Garden Tip:  Cut your roses back: fertilize  everything but Azelias if you fertize them  they will grow new growth and will not bloom.  Put iron on all everygreens and roses.  Bone meal on Peones but make sure dogs can not get to them they will smell the bone meal and dig them up.   We have a small wire fence around ours.  Thank you for watching my garden grow and bloom and I hope you will grow one of your own.  Happy gardening to you from me, Juanita   

     



Blooming in Febuary

Gerber Daisy

                                         He who Plants a garden plants happiness. Proverb

Madi Gras

Hyacinths with a bee

I have been pleased  and amazed that I have Gerber Daisy blooming now February 8, 2012.  I am writing this page as a record.  I know this is the first time I have had these flowers blooming this time of year.  I even had a rose the fifth of February I wonder what this may mean.  If I were a betting person I would bet we will have the hottest summer we have ever had.  This past summer I lost a lot of flowers I am buying only flowers that love hot weather.  My hyacinths are blooming and the bees are busy.  Not only am I surprised to see the hyacinths in bloom but the seeing the bees this early, Nature is full of wonders.  Not only were the hyacinths blooming also the Daffodils are also, not all but some.  The pink Camellia, Debutant, is in full bloom it is a double and very full bloom.   The open red camellia is also I don't know how such a small bush can have so many blooms.

Yellow daffodil

                        Pink Debutant Camellia

Open red Camellia

Pink Gerber daisy

I have two yellow ones blooming

A Christmas gift from my daughter Charlotte

I do plan to plant more hyacinths this fall and I have found where I can buy King Alford  the very best yellow daffodils. With the King Alford  the stems are stronger and they hold the cup up so you can see it.  They died out for a while and I could not find them.  My Mother covered her yard with them so when I started buying for my yard here I tried to find some King Alford  I was told they all died out. Parks seed has them, they are high but worth the extra money. The Hollyhock Hyacinth has not been on the market for a while they are available will order these to plant in the fall and plant with the King Alford, my  favorite combination is pink and yellow.  In the new bed between the stepping and the bench I have ordered mostly purple. They will be evergreen.  I read the blog roses and other garden joys and she made me see my yard in winter, even though I have a lot of evergreens, why not have all my beds I can in evergreens. I do not plant anything that does not bloom, however a lot of perennials are evergreen, you just have to hunt.  I have ordered for this bed two Lavenders  to be planted by the bench on both sides, the smell will be heavenly.   Purple Smoke Salvia, with black stems to border the bed, in the center will be Stokes Aster may take three.  King Afford and Hollyhock Hyacinths,  will bloom in the spring, They will be planted between the Stokes Aster and the Smoke Salvia.   The other plants will not be blooming but the color green will be there.  My daughter bought me a bench for Christmas.  My room is complete except planting.  My budget will be over the limit this year.  A garden tip:  It is time to cut back your roses.  The one that  grow tall Carrel cuts back to about a foot, October Fest, Dream Come True, and About Face.   Fertilize your roses next month for spring blooms.  I hope you have enjoyed this page of my blog and will follow the progress of my new garden in my garden room.  I will keep you informed as I order and plant my new beds.  Thank you for watching my garden grow and bloom and I hope you will grow one of your own.  Happy gardening to you from me. Juanita. 

Valetine decorations

Valentine tree  

This is my tree for February.  My granddaughter,
Bridget sent me one box of hearts and I bought us one.   If Eva and I see some thing we can use we always buy two.  For Christmas I gave Eva a witch like mine my hair dresser finally finished it and I gave it to her yesterday, and she loved it. Thursday when we got home,from the hair dresser  Carrel went out to the store room and got the box of Valentine decorations.   He ironed everything and put up my curtain. I decorated the table and put up the door hangers.  I decorated the tree. I would not have gotten my house decorated if it had not been for Carrel.  At least Thursday was a pain free day after I got my muscle relaxer.

These are my curtains over my sink. we always hang something in the middle. This month it is a red bird.  I want one month to be birds.  We do not have May or June.  I want Butterflies one month, since Wal-Mart  no longer sells material in any of their stores close to me I have a hard time getting material. 

This is my table. We could not find heart napkins holders so we made them by cutting out hearts and  sewing then on the place mats.  I use the plate in my microwave oven for the pattern.  We sew two round place mats together and bind them with bias tape.  We place a thick interfacing in between the two mats. We made a black round table cloth and a red on and two squares, in case we get these dirty.  Eva found the jar for candy,and she bought two.

Candy Jar

Dish towel holder

 The kitchen door leading to the carport just takes one length of forty five inch of material.  I had a hard time finding a pattern of a teddy for the back door.  I made the heart separate and sewed it on the bear. my friend and I have fun decorating our kitchens , next our bath rooms. I made the dish towel holder on my embroidery machine, it will make a lot of things.  I got all my patterns from Embroidery Library  on line. A friend, Joann Lampkin gave me a dish washing bottle apron and I used it to make us a pattern to dress our dish washing detergent bottles each month

Front door wreath

I hope you have enjoyed this blog page about how we decorate our kitchen for Valentine.  Thank you for watching my garden grow and bloom, hope you will grow one of your own.   Happy gardening to you from me, Juanita