New life out there and it's not even Spring

Category: FRED - the garden | Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 9:32 pm

I have been stopping at the various garden centers lately to see what they have on sale. I have gotten 8 perennials that are still in good shape and were 50% off. Since our first freeze normally doesn't happen before mid-November, they have plenty of time to establish themselves and have a head start come next spring. This week I have brought home two Blanket Flowers, a Plumbago, two Lipstick Autumn Sages, a Scabiosa, a Mandevilla and a Hyssop. Last week it was four chrysanthemums whose buds are still so tightly closed I do not know their color, 4 petunias, three Lavenders and three Sweet Potato Vines.

I was getting the newest 8 perennials in the ground this morning and noticed that the Fig tree is setting fruit again. I was looking forward to having figs for jam and maybe extra for drying but didn't think there would be a chance of it happening in Sept or October since the tree was under such stress this summer, it lost all it's fruit before it had a chance to ripen.

One of my early spring posts included pictures of the maroon colored glads that started life as a bag of 10 for $1.00 at Dollar General. This morning I was digging them up so I could move them to the back fence later and just lost track of how many bulbs were there. Some were smaller than a piece of aquarium gravel, there were several dozen about the size of a sweet pea and the sizes went up from there to 2"-3" across. I know I didn't find them all because when I planted the Blanket Flower plants in that spot I kept finding more of the teeny-tiny ones. It will be interesting to see if they come up next spring. I still have the patch of pastel colored Glads to dig up tomorrow too.

The wheelbarrow (now planter), held Thyme, Petunias and a Phlox this spring and early summer. All of that died and has given the Purslane a chance to come back yet again and it is covered in buds. The wheelbarrow was filled with it three years ago and it just keeps coming back.

Tomorrow I will be digging up the Iris bulbs. I am thinking of moving them to the space in front of the rose bushes. Dividing them should give me plenty for a couple of nice full rows. The Fig tree is taking over their home and I can't see several of them when they bloom.

I do not yet see buds on the dwarf Hollyhocks, but the new growth has just about taken over that bed again.

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Gardenstew wrote on Tue Sep 12, 2006 9:40 pm:

Toni are you still the same lady that was considering giving up gardening just last month? I am so happy to hear the spirit is well and truly back and that your garden is surprising you. It likes you!

glendann wrote on Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:02 pm:

I have found lots of my plants are trying to keep blooming for me and new growth coming on.We finally got the first of a good rain yesterday and more suppose to come tonight.I want to do so much but can't figure out what out there.I will get it together soon I hope.

eileen wrote on Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:24 pm:

So good to hear you 'garden talking' again Toni. Nature has a way of making sure that we gardeners never give up doesn't it? Long may your garden grow for you.