Secret Garden

[Nyboy]

I love impatiens they are the workhorse of my garden, nonstop flowers till frost. Every color and cheap

 

[thistlebloom]

How wonderful that you are there with your mom helping her find the delight in life. Made me cry for my mom, who loved her flower garden.

 

[ninnymary]

My grandmother was the opposite. She only planted flowers and always saved her seeds. I kind of wish she had planted veggies also.

Mary

 

[catjac1975]

A great way to get perennials cheaply is with seed. With your climate outdoor spring direct sowing would probably work. Of course you will not get flowers until the next season. Sweet william creates a carpet of flower, gives a ton of seed after bloom for the next seasons flowers.

 

[Beekissed]

Sweet Williams are my Mom's favorite flower! They used to grow wild around here and that was the only flowers my Dad ever got my Mom. Every spring he'd pick her a handful of Sweet Williams and bring them to her...it was their spring ritual. I can still smell them! Funny that you should mention them, of all flowers.....

I'm seeding her some herbs and flowers as we speak! I just got done mixing my soils and loading the seeding trays, as some of them are herbs and the packet says I'm to put them in the fridge for a couple of weeks? before taking them out and letting them warm up and sprout. Never heard of that, but then, I've never planted herbs in seed trays either. Always just bought the started plants.

Around here there are no more nurseries that sell a variety of potted herbs...used to be one that specialized in that and also in perennials but they closed down. So, this year I'm going to try and get her into some of those without expending too much coin.

I'll try to see if I can find me some Sweet William seed around these parts...if not, I'll order some online. That was an excellent suggestion! Thank you!

 

[catjac1975]

The beauty of sweet william is that they make so much seed. After they die back cut the blooms and dry them in a brown paper bag. Spread them on top of the soil in early fall among the spent plants. You can keep them going indefinitely this way. They will not bloom the first year but make a nice matt of foliage.

 

[baymule]

Well I finally got the clematis vines I ordered. I planted them today on the cow panel arch. Just a little ball of roots.

 

[animalmom]

@baymule, how are the clematis vines doing? Picture????? I think an update would be enjoyed by all, please and thank you.

 

[valley ranch]

I just looked at some clematis, they're well suited to this project. When the girls were little we found a couple different copies of the Secret Garden, we all liked them.

Richard

 

[baymule]

@animalmom they never came up. I killed them in utero. LOL I also planted shade plants I ordered and some are still living! YAY! The secret garden is in a not so secret wide open HOT place. There's a nice shady spot on the end of the house, future site of a gazebo and the new and improved secret garden. LOL LOL