I can’t believe I never thought of cutting my gorgeous peonies and making a bouquet.  In the garden they are often flopped over and go unseen.  I have yet to come up with large enough stakes to hold them all.

Peonies are fast becoming my favorite cut flower! These beauties are just a few of the many I have blooming on a very happy plant.

Although I don’t know the variety for sure - I’m beginning to lean towards either ‘Nick Shaylor’ or ‘La Perle’ or  ’Mary Eddy Jones’. Of note these are not only beautiful but very fragrant, which leads me to think Nick Shaylor may not be the one.  La Perle is fragrant, but blooms mid-season.

The plant itself stands 30″ tall, and the leaves are large and glossy green. The blooms are 5-6″ wide.  I can tell they are a double, with a rose form as their petals get smaller towards the center and have a somewhat flat cross section.

They bloom right around June 15th, which could be considered late season.  But I have also noticed that in the bed they live in everything in it blooms later than normal including the day lilies and daisies.

| Tags: peony Category: Back Plant List, Back Yard, Spring Blooming | Leave a comment

After a few days of windy weather I was wondering if my newly planted vege garden would survive. Well seems we are OK..

Below is the list of veges I have

La Roma Tomato - planted as plant
Early Girl Tomato - planted as plant
Red Cherry Tomato - planted as plant
Black Beauty Eggplant (2) - planted as seedling
Crooked-Neck Squash (2) - planted as seedling
Watermelon (1) - planted as seed.
Green beans (3) - planted as seed.
Sante Fe Grande Pepper (1) - planted as seedling
Jalapeno (2) - planted as seedling
Poblano (2) - planted as seedling
Radish (lots) -planted as seed
Butter crunch lettuce (lots) -planted as seed
Spinach -planted as seed
Asparagas (4) - planted as bare root

| Tags: vegetables Category: Vegetables | Leave a comment

Plant: Blue Globe Spruce

Symptoms: Needles losing color, die off in center of plant.

Suggested Problem(s):
a. spider mites.
b. chlorosis.
c. under-watering.

I called Arapahoe Acres today to ask if they had an insecticide for spider mites. The lady said they have miticide that doesn’t work very well and then asked if I know for sure if it is indeed mites.
I explained the arborist suggested it may be a problem and to do the paper test.
PAPER TEST: As mites can be too small to see with the naked eye, take a white piece of paper and shake a limb over the paper. If you see tiny specs they could be mites.

——————-
UPDATE 5/26/2010: I have added a tree spike for evergreens and have been watering more heavily. There is new growth now, but the color of the needles are the same.

| Tags: blue globe spruce, Problem Plants Category: Back Plant List, Problem Plants | Leave a comment

Its been a number of years since we’ve seen a snow storm in May. The last was 2003.
It makes me all the more happy that I got the silver maple in the front yard trimmed last year, and the apple trimmed a month ago.

I’m glad I’ve been slow to plant the majority of my new plants. I did plant 3 hostas that I’m sure won’t be happy… if they make it at all. And there are the dahlias as well. But if they don’t survive then they weren’t meant to be right?

I caught a posting on the Gardenweb Forum about Japanese Maples in Colorado. Me thinks I am going to try one where the weeping cherry stands now. Maybe now I will finally have motivation to move the cherry tree!

So while the days are gray I am going to look for a new composter, my cold composting never worked out too hot, and my hot composting left me cold… oh thats bad.

I love having a husband that can help me make up my mind when I start spinning with so many possibilities.

| Tags: colorado weather, compost, composter Category: Garden Supplies, Soil Supplies | Leave a comment

Color scheme: Flowers - Coral Pinks, Yellows, Apricots, and Purples/blues.

2010

1. Dwarf Alberta Spruce ‘Conica’ Picea glauca 8′h x 10′w. Full sun.
2. Hybrid Tea Rose - Oklahoma (1) Planted 4/2010. Very dark red flowers, fragrant, petal count 48.
3. Dahlia - Chat Noir (1) Planted 4/2010. 39″ h x 10″ w, plant 6″ deep. Dark red bloom, cactus dahlia
4. Hosta - Gold Standard - (3) Planted 4/2010. (2) Planted 5/18/2010. 12-36″h x 18 - 36″w. Plant depth 3″. Looks like only 1 of the 3 planted in April are going to make it. We had a cold snap that froze the leaves.
5. Lilac - Bloomerang Purple (1) Planted 5/18/2010. New cultivar blooms in spring and again in midsummer. 5′ x 5′ Must remove spent flowers promptly for rebloom.
6. Daylily (Hemerocallis) ‘Dream Legacy’ (2) Planted 5/18/2010. Mid-Summer, reblooming Cream/Maroon centers. 12 - 30″H x 18-24″w Full sun to part shade.
7. Daylily (Hemerocallis) ‘Purple D’Oro ‘ (3) Planted 5/18/2010. Mid-Summer, reblooming Pinkish-Purple in color. 18-20″H x 18-24″w Full sun to part shade.
8. Achnatherum calamagrostis - Silver Spike Grass (1) Ornamental grass 3′ x 3′ wide, Full Sun, seed propogated
9. Agastache ‘Orange Flare’ (2) 36″ x 18″ wide, Full sun to part shade, cutting propogated

2009

1. delosperma cooperi ‘Kelaidis’ - Apricot Iceplant. Planted 8/25/09 This is drought tolerant, and is planted below the wall. I will move the yellow delosperma near it, and see how they do.
2. Delosperma congestum ‘Gold Nugget’ (3) planted. 1/2” x 8” wide (cutting propagated) Full sun.
3. Acorus gramineus ‘Oborozuki’ - Variegated Sweet Flag. Planted 8/25/09 This requires pretty wet soil, so we will see if it will survive in the bed in front of the patio.
4. Penstemon barbatus ‘Rondo Mix’ - The version I have is a pretty coral color.
5. Rosa ‘radrazz’ - Red Knock out rose. Planted 8/25/09 Use three in a row (one may be pink?
6. Bellium minutum (Miniture Daisy) - Planted 5 below the wall - purchased from HCG. Update 2010. Only 1 shows signs of life.
7. Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (Plumbago)- Planted 5 above the wall - purchased from HCG. Update 2010. 4 show signs of life on 5/18.
8. Lilium pardalinum (Panther Lily) -  Planted 3 near the soggy area - purchased from HCG. Update 2010 none show signs of life.
9. Hosta ‘Minuteman’ - Planted 5 above the wall behind the plumbago - purchased Lowes. 3 Plants survived. Those on the ends died.
10. Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium reptans) - Touch of Class (1) 14″H x 18″ Varigated leaves with a silver-purple flower. Planted south of the maple. Gets dappled light. Need to add compost each year to keep it happy.
11. Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) (1). 1″ x 24″. Bright chartruese leaves with a low spreading habit. Will pick up another if I can find them.

Shrubs

12. Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’ - Blue Star Juniper. Planted 8/25/09 Used as low growing blue evergreen UPDATE 2010: May need to move this guy as its going to get less than 2′ tall. Need to switch the grass I just planted with this.
13. Euonymus alatus ‘Compactus’ - Dwarf Burning Bush.  Planted 8/25/09 .

| Tags: acorus gramineus, agastache, bellium minutum, blue star juniper, burning bush, creeping jenny, dahlia, daylily, delosperma, Dwarf Alberta spruce, euonymus, Front Plant List, hemerocallis, hosta, hybrid tea roses, jacob's ladder, knock-out rose, lilac, penstemon, plumbago, polemonium, sweet flag Category: Front Plant List, Front Yard, Spring Blooming | Leave a comment

2010

1. Hollyhock (Alcea Rosea) - Nigra (2) grown from seed. Deep maroon, nealy black bloom. 4-6′ x 24″.
2. Clematis - Jackmanii (1) 15′ x 9′ Part Sun - Morning Sunlight only — hmmm thats not good, I have it planted in full sun with only a bit of afternoon shade, and mostly no morning sun. We’ll see how it goes. Pruning Groups: Group 3 - Summer/Fall bloomers; prune hard in early spring
3. Clematis - Miss Bateman (2) Bright white flowers 6-10′ Part Sun - Morning sunlight only. Semi-moist soil. Prune while dormant.Pruning Groups:
   Group 2 - Repeat bloomers; prune immediately after flowering.
4. Columbine - McKana’s Giant 3″ flowers and lacy foliage. 24″ x 10″ - Partial shade. Grown from seed.
5. Dahlia - Chat Noir (1) Planted 4/2010. 39″ h x 10″ w, plant 6″ deep. Dark red bloom, cactus dahlia

2009

1. Japanese Painted Fern (1) Athyrium niponicum Pictum. 12″H x 15″W Part Shade. Planted in an area I hope to have more sun in once I get the Catalpa pruned. Soil is amended clay.
2. Bleeding Heart (1) Dicentra Pink. 36″H x 40″W. Should be divided every 3 years. Prefers well drained soils. Planted in an area I hope to have more sun in once I get the Catalpa pruned. Soil is amended clay.
3. Huechera - sanguinea ‘Snow Angel’ (2) 12″H x 12″W. Sun to Part Shade. Planted in an area I hope to have more sun in once I get the Catalpa pruned. Soil is amended clay. Update 2010. May have killed the huechera - I planted some columbine and dug right into same area as huechera. Replanted farther away.
4. Plumbago - (6) Ceratostigma plumbaginoides 6-8” H x 18” W Planted in full shade. Soil is poorly amended clay. But the ones from previous seasons have done amazingly well

2008

1. Globe Blue Spruce - Picea pungens ‘Globosa’ (1) 5-10H x 8-12′W I doubt my little guy will ever be so big. They are very slow growing. I have noticed that the wonderful blue that it was in 2008, in 2010 has faded to a light blue gray- I sure hope its not sick.
2. Dwarf Alberta Spruce - spiraled. Picea glauca ‘Conica’
3. Spirea - Gold Flame (2)
4. Hibiscus Syr ‘Helene’ - Rose of Sharon Tree. The tree portion died, but there is growth from the
   bottom, so will keep as a bush.
5. Campanula Glomerata (1)
6. Russian Sage (2)

2007
Did not do a lot of planting in 2007 as I spent my time expanding the flower bed and making a poorly built rock wall.

1. Liatris - Gayfeather (2) - grown from seed
2. Blue Fescue - grown from seed
3. Lamium - Beacon Silver (3)
4. Bleeding Heart - Dicentra white (1)
5. Juniperus Conferta - All Gold (1) This is my best guess for the little bundle of beautiful lime green in the summer, and yellow-brown overtones of I’m freaking dying in the winter.

2006

1. RIP 2007 hydrangeas (2) I suspect they are the Geoffrey Chadburn variety due to their color, but not sure. Purchased from Home Depot.
2. RIP 2008 white columbine - Aquilegia carerulea v. ochroleuca (3) Purchased from High Country Gardens, the link shows the exact variety. Gorgeous, lasted only 2 seasons in the deep shade.
3. Plumbago (3) - Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Purchased from High Country Gardens. Doing well, I have added 6 more to the bunch.
4. Daylily - Hemerocallis Fulva (orange - next to iris)
5. Daylily - Hemerocallis Yellow, unknown
6. Daylily - Hemerocallis Happy Returns
7. Daylily - Hemerocallis Unkown red. Assuming its a Fulva var.
8. Astilbe - unknown var. It has never bloomed, and barely looks alive each year.

2005

1. RIP 2008 Lilac - Dwarf Korean - Was a wonderful addition to the rose garden, but did not survive transplant in 2008.
2. Assorted Hostas (4) - all but one hosta is dead as of 2009.
3. Salvia - May Night (3) These are hardy plants that have re-seeded to add an additional 3 or plants? Love the color.
4. Dianthus (5) Sweet william - three died in transplant in 2007, 2 survive but bunched as one plant

Planted prior to my arrival

5. Peonies - Double Pink ? light pink variety
6. Peonies - Karl Rosenfeld ? Hot Pink
7. Large variety of hybrid tea roses.
8. Silver Maple
9. Honey Locust ‘Sunburst’ (2)?
10. Green Mountain Ash
11. Northern Catalpa Tree (1)
12. Douglas Fir (2) - One on north side of house was removed in 2008.
13. Apple Tree - Green variety(2) One on the north side of the house I don’t think ever blooms.
14. Mock orange - South side of house.
15. Forsythia - On north corner of house, in a spot that gets little sun, so its lanky at best.
16. Sand Cherry
17. Barberry - Light green in color
18. Iris After 5 years 1 iris finally bloomed in 2009. I had divided them in 2007 and waited. We will see if any of the others bloom.. if not, they are out of there!

| Tags: apple, aquilegia, ash, astilbe, Back Plant List, barberry, bleeding heart, campanula, catalpa, clematis, columbine, dahlia, daylily, dianthus, douglas fir, forsythia, hemerocallis, heuchera, hibiscus, hollyhock, honey locust, hybrid tea roses, iris, japanese painted fern, juniperus conferta, liatris, lilac, mock orange, peony, Picea Pungens, plumbago, roses, russian sage, salvia, sand cherry, silver maple, Spirea Category: Back Plant List, Back Yard, Early Summer blooming, Fall Color, Late Summer Blooming, Spring Blooming, Winter Interest | Leave a comment

Most of the seedlings have been moved to the upper deck into the new double cold frame. The frame seems pretty flimsy so we will see how long it lasts.

The seedlings are doing OK so far although a couple that probably should have been planted outdoors are not fairing so well (sunflowers).
I’ve used a window sheer to deflect some of the sunlight.

The issue I see today is high wind, hot day, but can’t open the vents because I don’t want the doors flying away. It will be interesting to see what happens to my little guys.

We are expecting snow again in the next week and will have to bring the seedlings back in again.

| Tags: cold frame, Propagation Category: Propagation | Leave a comment

Daffodils were worth it

After a winter wondering if the pain in my hip I endured for months after a long day of bulb planting was worth it, I have to say yes! The daffodils add such a happy vibe to an otherwise drab spring background.

I will definitely be adding more color for spring come this fall.

So should there be purple, pink, white? So much would look good.

Although the hubby suggested I find someone to help with spring clean up. I wanted to do my beds myself, as some of what I have planted could be mistaken for weeds, and I’ve had to be very careful to avoid that myself!

But I will definitely be enlisting help on the following spring projects.

2010 Spring chores

Purchasing
• Buy mulch (Mini-Bark pebbles) = 1 Yard
• Rose Trellis, Trellis for flower bed
• Concrete Sealer
• Measure for flagstone (sq ft to be covered)
• Buy flagstone
• Get quote for finishing rock wall in front by mailbox
• Fence post solar light caps
• DryDeck Under decking
• If theres anytime left, look at landscaping lights

Tasks
• 2″ of mulch throughout beds
• Fix/Replace Rose trellis
• Seal Concrete
• Lay down flagstone (hire out)
• Replace wood under shed door with flagstone
• Flagstone Patio (hire out)
• Add rock border to rose bed (hire out?)
• Add rock border to iris bed (hire out?)
• Paint mailbox
• Paint Deck posts
• Replace wood trim on shed
• Paint shed
• Install DryDeck Under Deck

| Tags: daffodils, DryDeck, flagstone, Hardscape, mulch, painting, rock wall, solar lights, spring clean Category: Back Yard, Garden Supplies, Hardscape, Material Calculations, Projects, Spring Blooming, Spring To-Do List, Supplier or Contractor | Leave a comment

This year I may see my best crop of seedlings yet. I have finally realized potting them into a larger container with good soil will give them the nutrients and space to grow better root systems. How leggy they will end up is to be determined. So far not too bad.

Here a Sante Fe Grande Pepper seedling is 21 days old.

| Tags: Sante Fe Grande Pepper Category: Propagation, Vegetables | Leave a comment