reBlogged to trees on Apr 28, 2008, 1:42PM

Posted by Jenn Reblogged by Old Roses to trees on 2008-04-29, 06:48:41

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Vines are often overlooked by gardeners, because they need some type of structure to climb on. But vines are so multi-purpose and so eager to sprawl and bloom, you...

reBlogged to vines on Apr 27, 2008, 9:01PM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to vines on 2008-04-29, 06:47:38

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I started this blog in June 2007, so I wasn't posting at this time last year. I've recently learned a garden blogging principle that's especially important in early spring -- you have to post photos immediately! Over the past couple of weeks, I've taken photos of all the garden areas and delayed putting a post together for a few days. At that point the photos were already out of date and I needed to take a new set to accurately show the current status of the plants. Here are a few examples from this week:

HOSTA - April 19

HOSTA - April 27

reBlogged to plants

Posted by Beth Reblogged by Old Roses to plants on 2008-04-29, 06:47:30

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It is fun to have whimsical stepping stones throughout the garden.
Here are a couple of ones that I made a year or so ago at a workshop. The round stones were purchased at a garden supply store. Using crafters goop glue I added the mosaics and the keys. Then grout was added to fill in all the spaces. After the grout dries you have to rub it off of the keys and tiles. Finally a coat of sealer was added so that they could go outside. I would never walk on this stepping stone but have it on one side of the front path. . . .

reBlogged to whimsy

Posted by Crafty Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to whimsy on 2008-04-29, 06:47:05

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If you're thinking about building raised beds for your vegetable garden, definitely go for it. Plants do better in deep soil and as long as you don't walk in the beds, you'll also avoid soil compaction. Now what root wouldn't want to grow in nice loose, deep soil? If I was a root, I'd tell all my root friends, "Hey come on guys, nice deep, loose soil over here, let's go!". . .

reBlogged to gardens

Posted by Anthony Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardens on 2008-04-29, 06:46:36

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Life leads one in different directions.

My life has a sadistic sense of humour.

It has landed me in the desert. . . .

reBlogged to weather

Posted by Myrtle Luma Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-04-29, 06:46:11

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Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream'
(AY-ser) (pahl-MAY-tum)

This is a relatively new Japanese Maple cultivar. It is quite striking both when the foliage emerges and in the fall. Its foliage is a nice lime green during the summer. It grows to about 15 feet and has green bark. The bark is nice as it is a contrast to the foliage. I have noticed some variation in the emerging color. . . .

reBlogged to trees on Apr 28, 2008, 6:31AM

Posted by Digital Flower Pictures Reblogged by Old Roses to trees on 2008-04-29, 06:45:18

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Over the weekend, the Spring Flingers were profiled by Robin Chotzinoff in the Austin Statesman. Check it out, and you’ll discover that Carol from May Dreams Gardens is a rock star among garden bloggers. (I thought we all just wanted her for our neighbor.) After I read the article, I had visions [...]

reBlogged to spring_fling on Apr 28, 2008, 8:33AM

Posted by Dee Reblogged by Old Roses to spring_fling on 2008-04-29, 06:44:46

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And I don't want to believe that I saw snow on the ground Saturday morning. I did not take a picture of it - I prefer to be in denial.

I am going to go ahead and garden and pretend that it is a normal spring. I need to do that. I need my sanity.


Here are my Packman Brocolli seedlings. I have them sitting on my patio table (that has been freed from the grape vines) "hardening off" so I can plant them in the garden later this week. They don't mind the cold and will do great. . . .

reBlogged to seedlings

Posted by Kathi Reblogged by Old Roses to seedlings on 2008-04-29, 06:44:34

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This just in:

The Clark Botanic Garden's 3rd Annual EcoFest will take Saturday and Sunday, May 3rd & 4th from 10 AM-4 PM with an exploration of the gardens in Albertson, tips and lessons on improving the environment and close-up views of the area’s most interesting wildlife.

The event will feature plants to take home, turtle racing, live music and children's activities.

For more information about EcoFest. visit www.northhempstead.com.

reBlogged to botanical_garden

Posted by Admin Reblogged by Old Roses to botanical_garden on 2008-04-29, 06:44:07

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I'm serious.

Come and visit.

Come and visit us and swim in our rat infested pool.

Ignore that last comment.

It really is lovely here.

Especially if you like small, furry mammals.

Ignore that one as well.

Please.

Here are some of the nicer things that we see everyday. . . .

reBlogged to flowers

Posted by Myrtle Luma Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers on 2008-04-29, 06:43:58

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It’s raining! Do you know what this means? It means we’re saving water today. It’s pouring from the roof into those rain barrels and that is good news for the garden, for our planet and for our bank account.

Over the weekend I potted up my tomato seedlings into larger pots. I’m growing surprisingly few varieties of tomato from seed this season, compared to other years. I have some more seeds that a friend sent me, but I think I’ll just save them for next year. Now that it’s almost May, it’s getting a bit late for starting tomato seeds. This year I’m growing. . .

reBlogged to tomatoes on Apr 28, 2008, 8:45AM

Posted by Amy Reblogged by Old Roses to tomatoes on 2008-04-29, 06:43:18

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As some commenters have indicated in my previous post on toddler-proofing the garden, ponds are widely considered a no-no with small kids. There's a really good RoSPA factsheet that explains why and lays out the precautions you need to take if you decide to have a pond when there are under-fives around. There have been many tragic cases of toddlers drowning in just a few inches of water, so you really can't be too careful. Having said that, I do know a couple of people who have largeish ponds and small children and have never had a problem - they...

reBlogged to ponds on Apr 28, 2008, 6:05AM

Posted by Jane Perrone Reblogged by Old Roses to ponds on 2008-04-29, 06:42:58

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reBlogged to natives

Posted by Susan Reblogged by Old Roses to natives on 2008-04-29, 06:42:20

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reBlogged to flowers

Posted by Amy Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers on 2008-04-29, 06:42:12

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The gardens are starting to show some color.

reBlogged to community_garden

Posted by kathy Reblogged by Old Roses to community_garden on 2008-04-29, 06:41:09

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Yesterday morning I planted a bed full of carrots, parsnips and onions at my new community garden plot. I planted seeds for the carrot varieties Mokum, Oxheart and Coreless Amsterdam and the parsnip variety Cobham Improved Marrow. Also Stuttgart onion sets. I alternated carrots with onions, hoping the rabbits won't smell the carrots with all the onion smell. We have two days of rain coming, so I think they'll get off to a good start.

reBlogged to carrots gardens

Posted by kathy Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardens, carrots on 2008-04-29, 06:40:59

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I started tackling the garlic mustard in our woods several years ago. It is an endless task, but this year I may have seen some rewards. The appearance of these plants could be a result of the rain we received last winter, but please let me believe that it was the result of four years trying to eradicate garlic mustard, which prevents spring ephemerals from blooming.

As I was on my search and destroy mission against the garlic mustard enemy, I found a jack-in-the-pulpit. I had found one several years ago in the northwest corner of the woods, but this was the first time I saw one in the southeast corner.

reBlogged to wildflowers

Posted by Earth Girl Reblogged by Old Roses to wildflowers on 2008-04-29, 06:40:47

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Have questions about magnolia tree care? Here's an interesting Q&A on magnolias. For instance, have you had trouble getting your magnolia tree to bloom? The author points out that magnolias...

reBlogged to trees on Apr 28, 2008, 1:02AM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to trees on 2008-04-29, 06:40:17

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Do not feed goldfish because it turns the pond into an outdoor aquarium, but here's yet another reason not to feed them.



Fish soon realize that when a shape appears at the edge of the pond, food appears. They like that and soon they are trained to eat out of your hand. At least that is what you think. . . .

reBlogged to ponds

Posted by Jan Goldfield Reblogged by Old Roses to ponds on 2008-04-29, 06:40:10

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Spring planting and transplanting time is upon us. How often do you see planting instructions that say "plant with crown at soil level" or "plant crown should be slightly above...

reBlogged to planting on Apr 28, 2008, 5:56AM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to planting on 2008-04-29, 06:39:47

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"There are many tired gardeners but I've seldom met old gardeners. I know many elderly gardeners but the majority are young at heart. Gardening simply does not allow one to be mentally old, because too many hopes and dreams are yet to be realized. . . .

reBlogged to gardeners

Posted by Ilona Reblogged by Old Roses to gardeners on 2008-04-29, 06:39:35

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Topiary has often been relegated to the banal, OCD's (obsessive-compulsive disorder) of society. And while manicured conifers and shrubs will always be with us, there is an emergence of handsome - yet sometimes quirky - art. The clipped hedge may actually be maturing.

And it's about time too. Topiary's bad rap sheet has kept many gardeners snubbing their noses at these forced organic objets d'art. While we can hastily recount some disastrous efforts - quite possibly in our own neighbourhoods - there aren't too many examples that we would often write home about. . . .

reBlogged to topiary on Apr 28, 2008, 9:02AM

Posted by scrobins@westnet.com.au (Stuart) Reblogged by Old Roses to topiary on 2008-04-29, 06:39:10

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The woods here are bursting forth with flowery goodness and it's during this time that I love to just walk through and get up close and personal with the tiny treasures there. We're fortunate to have woods nearby so we can easily take a short walk to them.

Right now, you can find blooms on:

Bloodroot

reBlogged to wildflowers

Posted by Kylee Reblogged by Old Roses to wildflowers on 2008-04-29, 06:38:41

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As the frost free date draws closer, I stifle an inner chant - get back outside. Its much the same every year, except this year its different. Its not just an impatient mantra, no this year 'get back outside' is a slogan.

Gardening is now officially - activism. Michael Pollan tells us that gardening commingles our identities as consumer and producer and citizen. Folks, we are smack dab at the front end of a good ole cultural movement. Where once there were greasers, beatniks, hippies, punks, hipsters we are now an army of gardeners and urban farmers jostling at the starting line to dig up lawns, plant vegetables and grow flowers. Naturally, as a graphic artist and t shirt designer my service to the revolution is to provide what every pop culture moment requires - a message t shirt. So here is the first in a series of rad tees for the summer of 2008- get back outside.

But wait- don't buy this t shirt unless you need one because less is more.

reBlogged to gardening

Posted by The Occasional Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardening on 2008-04-29, 06:37:47

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On April 19th I met my sister in Ithaca, NY. She is a graduate of Cornell University, and has made many visits since then. We were going to the ACNARGS meeting in the afternoon, but first she wanted...

reBlogged to nursery tools on Apr 28, 2008, 3:30PM

Posted by Kathy Purdy Reblogged by Old Roses to nursery, tools on 2008-04-29, 06:37:27

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reBlogged to spring flowers on Dec 31, 1969, 6:59PM

Posted by Mr. McGregor's Daughter Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers, spring on 2008-04-29, 06:35:08

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Whenever the claims of a new 'wonder' fruit or veg make the rounds, you're always left trying to decipher fact from fiction - or in this case myth from miracle. Yet after reading a few journals, chasing links around the web and testing the solidness of some of the claims, it appears that Miracle Fruit, Synsepalum dulcificum, is all that it claims to be and more.

The fruit, shaped the size of a grape with bright red skin carries a rather large pip for its size - think avocado or mango here. Within 24 hours of picking it begins to deteriorate and turn brown, not that this changes any of its effects, it just doesn't look as appetising. . ..

reBlogged to fruit on Apr 28, 2008, 7:32PM

Posted by scrobins@westnet.com.au (Stuart) Reblogged by Old Roses to fruit on 2008-04-29, 06:32:36

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reBlogged to tomatoes

Posted by Rosengeranium Reblogged by Old Roses to tomatoes on 2008-04-29, 06:31:53

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reBlogged to shows

Posted by Amy Reblogged by Old Roses to shows on 2008-04-29, 06:31:39

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reBlogged to shows

Posted by Amy Reblogged by Old Roses to shows on 2008-04-29, 06:31:28

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Alabama Beach Mouse  (c)2008 Val Webb                     Sketch: Delmarva Fox Squirrel (c)2008 Val Webb   A few weeks ago, Terry Burger mentioned the dwindling fox squirrel population in his beautifully written — and unfailingly relevant — blog.  I had no idea what a fox squirrel looked like, so I did a little research. Here, I quickly realized, is a furry little [...]

reBlogged to pests on Dec 31, 1969, 6:59PM

Posted by valwebb Reblogged by Old Roses to pests on 2008-04-29, 06:31:19

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Twenty years ago, I was faced with empty beds after I ripped out the overgrown shrubs in my newly purchased home. So I came up with a scheme for people to give me plants, plants that grew well in this area. And so the plant exchange party began. I last hosted "my" garden party in 2004. Since then, Beth, the lovely lady in green in the picture below, opened her home for the plant exchange.

After we eat and socialize and scope out the plants, the exchange begins. This year, we moved to the garage because of the cold wind blowing across their lovely farmland. . . .

reBlogged to plants

Posted by Earth Girl Reblogged by Old Roses to plants on 2008-04-29, 06:31:08

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Anemonella thalictroides 'Cameo', a double pink form of our native rue anemone is just a real cutie pie. Walking the woods around here in spring, I'm always impressed by the variation seen in the tens of thousands of rue anemones; but I've certainly seen no double pinks.

reBlogged to wildflowers

Posted by IBOY Reblogged by Old Roses to wildflowers on 2008-04-29, 06:30:17

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It may be a cold spring, but in the cloche, it's another world. The borage is blooming. It will be a long time before we see blooming borage in the world outside the cloche. . . .

reBlogged to flowers tools

Posted by Petunia's Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers, tools on 2008-04-29, 06:29:29

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Here’s a link to a great little blurb in the Seattle PI about growing tea gardens. I couldn’t find the author’s name…….so know in advance I thank them.

Post from: Idaho Gardener

Nice little article from the Seattle PI

reBlogged to gardens on Apr 28, 2008, 1:17PM

Posted by Mary Ann Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardens on 2008-04-29, 06:29:00

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April 28, 2008

The two plus weeks of unusually fine spring weather turned cold yesterday afternoon and t-shirt weather turned to sweaters and sweat shirts. It started raining when I left here this morning at 5:15 and by my return home tonight the buckets along the path had well over an inch of rain. Currently it's 44 degrees and the wind comes and goes in gusts . Despite all those days of 65 and above, I can still see snow covering the lower astilbes. It is truly an interesting spring. . . .

reBlogged to flowers

Posted by George Africa Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers on 2008-04-29, 06:28:51

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Today was a busy day in the garden. We put the black mulch down, and did all sorts of tidying. Also planted some pansies in containers. (It's still a bit early for a good selection of perennials, but plenty of pansies everywhere.)

Pansies



This is the earliest we've ever put down mulch, I think. It seems like the black mulch has been really good for the garden. My husband said he thinks the black mulch helps things grow faster, and I told him it was more likely the warm front that was stalled over our area giving us many days of T-shirt weather in April, when it's usually much cooler. . . .

reBlogged to flowers

Posted by Karen Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers on 2008-04-29, 06:28:23

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Well, the garden actually looks like spring has arrived now. Thanks to a steady supply of warm sunshine, the flowers are emerging and throwing out blooms as if their life depended on it. (Oh wait, it does.)

Here is one rather unexpected bloom: what should be a late tulip, flowering already.

Tulip, Possibly 'Ballade'



And here is its cousin, another one that just couldn't wait.

An Early Tulip



Now hyacinths you expect to be early bloomers. Mine are just coming into their full scented glory right now. (I should be honest here. I do not like strong scented flowers. But hyacinths don't last long and I am not outside all the time.)

White Hyacinth



Purple Hyacinth



The magnolia buds are starting to bloom. Two years ago we had a frost that damaged the flowers. Last year, the tree didn't bloom at all. This year, because the flowers are emerging so fast, they are small. That doesn't in any way affect their beauty though.

Magnolia Buds and Blossom



Closeup of a Blossom



And of course spring just wouldn't be spring without daffodils.

Daffodils In Bunches



Palmares Daffodil, Close Up


Photos belong to kbgardenblog.blogspot.com and may not be used without permission.

I'm not sure how long the warm weather will last, but the flowers have certainly had a strong start this year because of it. Eh, no complaints here.

reBlogged

Posted by Karen Reblogged by Old Roses to on 2008-04-29, 06:23:54

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