Category Archives: My Gardens

What works and doesn’t work in the home garden. Great garden ideas, practices, blooms and growing suggestions

Becky’s Flowers

Posted on October 25, 2013 by | Comments Off on Becky’s Flowers

Delivered Fri October 25, 2013

St John’s Wort  (hypericum perforatum)

 

St John’s Wort  (hypericum perforatum) is a herb, sometimes it is considered a wild flower right up until the minute it is considered an invasive weed. The common name, St John’s Wort was given because it is usually in bloom during the summer solstice (dedicated to St. John).

St. John’s wort, a plant that grows in the wild, has been used for centuries for health purposes. I grow this herb because the flowers are beautiful. I do not use it as a medicine.

This plant cast it’s spell the minute I first saw it. Waving it’s petals in the warm, gentle breezes of late spring, I knew we were meant for each other.

St John's Wort

When I brought it home from the nursery, in a two gallon pot, it was covered with blooms. That was the last time it bloomed for the next 5 or six years. Since then, I’ve moved it many times, trying to find it a happy home where it can bloom and thrive.

For some reason, it began to bloom again last year. And it has those big carefree gold blooms. It is lovely, butterflies and hummers like it too. Becky, this is the flower I’m sending to you today. St John’s Wort*.

Imagine St. John’s Wort, golden as sunshine, with shrubby medium green leaves. If I could deliver this flower myself, it would come mounded in an old antique china tea pot.

I love this bright bloom. It just makes me happy to be around it. I hope you like it too. It’s easy to dig up and divide, so just say the word and I’ll send you a division.

St. John’s Wort is a shrub-like perennial herb and it can be invasive. So, be careful what you ask for.

St John's Wort flower

Some folks use this herb medicinally. St. John’s wort may help some types of depression and, it can also limit or increase the effectiveness of many prescription medicines. I don’t use this herb as a drug because of the potential for interaction with prescription medication.

It’s just beautiful and cheery in the herb garden. I hope I always have it blooming somewhere. 

Enjoy!

*Becky Funke is in a hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest. You can stop by her CaringBridge site to leave well wishes and get updates. The girls, her 3 beautiful daughters, keep the site up to date.

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GBBD October 15, 2013

Posted on October 19, 2013 by | Comments Off on GBBD October 15, 2013

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day October 2013

“We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence.

Oct 15  was a rainy day here in Zone 6a, Southeast Missouri.  Not much blooming here. And this post is a bit late. It was raining here on Oct 15.

Lots of things are still growing. Since the rain, we will have to mow again. And then, it’s time leaf drop. I seems like we are a week or two behind.

4oclock pink

4 o’ Clocks read more about the fragrant annual: Becky’s flowers.

These flowers are blooming and producing lots of seed. Since they are heirlooms, the seeds will reproduce looking just like these.  This summer, they out grew their space, taking over the sidewalk. There was only room for folks to walk one at a time. (No walking side by side, hand in hand.) Your job is to stroll along the sidewalk and admire the fragrant flowers. I can never have too many four o’ clocks.

Morning glory

Grandpa Otts Morning Glories are dusted with pollen. The bees were here earlier spilling pollen on the petals. Photos PBH.

I planted three or four varieties of  Mourning Glories. Twice. But it was a long, cool, very wet spring. The only Glories to come up were the self seeded Grandpa Ott’s four o’clocks. As they bloom, they create a blooming privacy fence. On the North side of the patio, the street side, humming birds and bees will continue to delight up to the first frost.

The hibiscus are in continuous bloom.

The hibiscus are in continuous bloom.

Grape-O-Licious

 

Want to join GBBD?  Just post on your blog about what is blooming in your garden on the 15th of the month and leave a comment to tell us what you have waiting for us to see so we can pay you a virtual visit. Then put your name and the url to your post on the Mr. Linky widget on Carols page.

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Becky’s Flowers (exclusive)

Posted on October 17, 2013 by | Comments Off on Becky’s Flowers (exclusive)

delivered October 17, 2013

Wishbone Flowers, Torenia

Grape-O-Licious

Wishbone Flower (Torenia) has bloomed nonstop since it was planted. Photo: PBH

Becky, these flowers are just for you. I don’t think anyone else has them in the entire State of Kansas. These are flourishing on the patio in a raised bed. I wrote about these sweet flowers on my hub pages. Catalina® Grape-O-Licious Wishbone Flower (Torenia hybrid).

This annual came in a box full of trial plants from Proven Winners in the spring. Everything else went into containers and hanging baskets. But Grape-O-Licous requires part shade.

On the patio, it has full afternoon shade. Our rainy spring saved it from total neglect on my part. It blooms continuosly and has spread into a rich green plant nearly a foot across.  It makes a delightful ground cover, blooming non stop until first frost.catalina-grape-o-licious-torenia-mono

This Torenia hybrid is offered in three color choices: Gilded Grape, Midnight Blue and, Grape-O-Licious. The one pictured here is Catalina® Grape-O-Licious (white with deep purple throat).

 

This flower is special, and that is why it is Becky’s Flower today. Other folks can find it in the independent garden centers and big box stores in the spring of 2014. This one’s for you, dear Becky. 

 

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Becky’s flowers

Posted on October 13, 2013 by | Comments Off on Becky’s flowers

 Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea)

delivered October 13, 2014*

pink holly hock2

These pink hollyhocks were beautiful and abundant this summer. They are a good cottage garden choice to add height to the garden. Color and height can vary, some of the newer varieties are just two feet tall.

I enthusiastically collected seed, perhaps too much seed. I have enough seed to plant the entire western bank if the Mississippi river for, say, the entire length of our county. Which means, I have plenty of seed to share, if you just want pink hollyhocks, just ask.

Hollyhocks are biennials, and sometimes they will even grow for three years. They will self seed, perhaps giving you a sense  of a  stand of perennial plants.

These days when I look for new flowers, they are often the old-fashioned flowers that would fit right into any Victorian or cottage garden. There is a reason why these heirloom flowers have survived for hundreds of years. They are hardy, easily adaptable, can survive our temperature extremes and require a minimum of water and care.

Pink holly hock seed

I grew them around the outside of the compost been for the same reason grandma grew them around the outhouse. Tall and sturdy, they helped cover a necessary structure that we don’t need to be looking at all the time.

Hollyhock flowers are a  favorite ball gown of garden fairies during moonlight dances. But not to worry, you’ll always find the blooms hung up back in the correct place the next day. (They love pink hollyhocks and mimosa flowers for more formal events)

*Becky Funke is in the hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest. You can stop by her CaringBridge site to leave well wishes and get updates. The girls (her 3 beautiful daughters) keep the site up to date. 

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Becky’s Flowers

Posted on October 9, 2013 by | Comments Off on Becky’s Flowers

delivered 10/9, 2913*

Four O Clocks (Mirabilis jalapa)

 

4 o clock broken colorsLightly scented jasmine fragrance.

Four O Clocks have always been a part of my life. Which is to say, they’ve been around for ever. When I was a child they were solid bright pink and yellow. Todays Four O’ Clocks are still beautiful, timely and fragrant.

I bought the seed at Renee’s Garden http://www.reneesgarden.com/ . These “Broken Colors” are producing lots of seed right now. And, with any luck, they will self-seed where they are growing. If not, I’ll plant some of the fallen seed I’ve swept up on the sidewalk.

The seed are easy to see and easy to collect. Their delicious jasmine fragrance will have you looking for reasons to walk by them. As heirlooms, you can expect the new plants to look like the old plants.

Renee’s Garden seed is 40% off of all 2013 seed right now. Buying these seed is a good deal, they will grow for you next spring.  Check out your other favorite seed suppliers, many have seed discounts this month.

* Becky is in a hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest. 

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Posted in Becky's Flowers, My Gardens, Oh Grow Up!, Ozarks Travel Examiner

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Becky’s Flowers

Posted on October 7, 2013 by | Comments Off on Becky’s Flowers

delivered October 7 *

This is a Queen Elizabeth rose. You can’t walk past it without stopping for a deep smell. Maybe two. Because the rose smells as lovely as it looks. So, look at this sweet pink rose, then close your eyes and take a deep breath. It’s the deep, very classic, fragrance of your dreams.

The Queen in full bloom and fragrance.

I rescued this rose from the “last chance table” where all the half dead flowers are. This Queen Elizabeth rose greened right up in a big container on the deck. All it needed was food and water (+ sun).

Roses have a reputation for being difficult to grow. But the industry heard our complaint, “too much work!”  I think the rose industry first heard us when they put their hand in their own pocket and it came out empty. We weren’t buying roses. So now, there are many more low maintenance roses. (For example, Knockout roses.)

Even though tea roses still need more attention than other roses, it’s worth having a couple of these roses in my garden. Because a single pink bud of this Queen Elizabeth in a simple bud vase is as beautiful and a whole bunch of most other roses. The few rose bushes I have are far away from each other, crowded and, well mulched. This doesn’t solve all problems but it does reduce them and decreases disease from spreading.

This charming Queen Elizabeth rose always makes me think that it just may have inspired the phrase, “Stop and smell the roses.” It’s heavenly. Enjoy!

 

* Becky is in a hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest.

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Garden Blog Bloom Day

Posted on July 14, 2013 by | Comments Off on Garden Blog Bloom Day

GBBD July 15,  2013

Having moderate temperatures and plenty of rain makes for a happy garden.
Yesterday, a neighbor a couple of houses down said, “Your sunflowers look like they are just smiling at us when we are sitting on our  patio. We enjoy them so.”

tall sunflowers

Tall sunflowers and the LBND.( the little boy next door.)

IMG_1076

“Your yard is putting on quite a show for us this year.”

P1070210

I grow these for the birds. The squirrel thinks they are his own private picnic.

I grow these for the birds. The squirrel thinks they are his own private picnic.

 

 

 

 

I have hundreds of these. Maybe thousands. Or at least it seems like it.

I have hundreds of these. Maybe thousands. Or at least it seems like it.

 

 

I love cone flowers.So do the birds.

I love cone flowers. So do the birds.

It’s been a mild summer and we’ve had plenty of rain. The  flowers are at their best and there are so many more. You are always welcome in my garden. We will have another flower post as soon as I get out there and get done picking beans and squash.

For more Garden Blogger Bloom Day posts visit Carol’s blog May Dreams Gardens 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Harris Seeds

Posted on June 29, 2013 by | Comments Off on Harris Seeds

Trial seeds

Romaine lettuce fresh from the garden in mid June. It takes very few plants to get a meals worth of green beans. Photo by PBH

Romaine lettuce fresh from the garden in mid June. It takes very few plants to get a meals worth of green beans. Photo by PBH

Harris Seed allowed me to trial 5 seed verities of seed, my choice after I reworked on my garden’s landscape with the help of the professionals from the Drake’s 7 Dees garden center. Later this summer, I’ll report on them all. For now, I want to tell you about these green beans and this beautiful Romaine lettuce. I’m telling you about these two vegetables because you still have time to grow a crop of beans. I’ll plant Kruger lettuce again this fall.

Lewis green beans – These beans are tender and fast growing. The plants  are loaded with beans. Lewis green beans are beautiful long, straight and easy to pick. The beans did not have any disease or insect problems. There is some very minor insect damage on leaves. But the damage is so minor, it’ is not worth treating.

Kruger Romaine lettuce –  This improved Parris Island Cos type is tall and medium green with no insect or disease problems. Kruger out-lasted other varieties and only bolted a full two or three weeks after other lettuce turned bitter. There is very little waste and needs little trimming.

This is the first time I have grown Harris Seed. They sell seeds, herbs, plants and garden supplies for home gardeners and professional growers. They have provided quality garden products for more than 100 years.

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Todays Harvest Basket 6/15/2013

Posted on June 29, 2013 by | Comments Off on Todays Harvest Basket 6/15/2013

Greens and beans

Kale,and lettuce. Mid June and not bitter. 6/24/2013. photo: PBH

Kale,  green beans and lettuce. Mid June and not bitter. 6/24/2013. photo: PBH

It is surprising to find salad greens and kale that are not bitter in mid June.  It’s been a beautiful early summer with plenty of rain and sunshine. So, my guess is that the lettuce and the kale are still tender because they are growing fast and picked as soon as they are mature.  A few days later, the lettuce still in the garden bolted and was very bitter.

Little kale leaves went into the salad bowl. Larger leaves were sautéed with garlic and cooked in a pasta dish with sweet red onions. Since kale is a super food loaded with nutrients. The next seeds of kale will be planted for fall harvest.

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Posted in Look for this plant, My Gardens, Plants From Seed, Trials

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Todays Harvest Basket 6/15/2013

Posted on June 28, 2013 by | Comments Off on Todays Harvest Basket 6/15/2013

A salute to summers best salads!

With Make It Your Own recipes

lettuces and chard. Photo by PBH

lettuces and chard. Photo by PBH

With this beautiful romaine lettuce, I’ve been inspired to make my own Caesar Salad Dressing. See it on Hub Pages soon.

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