May 2015 –
I can you – one thing I'm passionate about gardening. Growing flowers, growing vegetables, growing plants…..and trees…and, well, just gardening. And the animals and birds that come with gardening.
I have over the past three years purchased house plants from the local flower market. For example, orchids are an inexpensive treat. Some of my houseplants are still alive, some die, and some are limping along. Just because I love plants and gardening doesn't mean I'm a Master Gardener or even keep any or all of my plants alive! It does mean that I still love to keep trying and learning.
This May I decided to try and add a little bit of color to our tiny back yard. I bought hanging baskets which I crammed full with beautiful flowers (mostly Calibrachoa, aka Million Bells, geranium, petunias, marigolds) I purchased at the local flower market. *A side note: From what I can tell, it's actually amazing that any of those plant starts manage to thrive and grow considering the materials they use as starters. I don't think most people that purchase plants from the market expect them to grow/live more than a week or two. When you see a flower display in the city- take a closer look at the display. You'll notice that they don't actually plant the flowers. They keep the flowers in the plastic "pots" (more like tiny plastic bags) which I'm sure means they can change it out quickly. It also means the plants never have a chance to grow or thrive since their roots are restricted.*
Mark and I designed some very simple, (literally) rustic hanging basket stands that we had made at the local metal market. Thank you Mark for installing the stands!
Check out the nice garden area we created… I think of this lovely spot as being my Mother's Day gift. Behind the chairs I planted two hydrangeas, four rose bushes, scented geraniums, lavender, and petunias. That's not including the mint that I planted the first summer we lived in China. The mint is thriving!
The hanging baskets growing in the shade of the trampoline and a tree are loaded with coleus, wax begonias, and a few other (hopefully) shade loving flowers:
I've got pots of basils, parsley, and a few other plants:
I bought these metal plant hangers at Ikea. I repotted all the flowers but kept them in individual pots for easier maintenance. I picked up a variety of flowers at the local flower market: impatiens, begonias, million bells, chrysanthemums, geranium, and salvia.
I sat outside every morning and drank my coffee outside while sitting and watching the birds flit about the houses and trees. I even observed a pair of unique woodpeckers (sure wish I could get close enough to them to take a good photo of them).
Fast forward to August/September: While our ayi (I think & I hope) tried to take care of the flowers while we were in the USA this summer- most of them died. WAAAAAH!!!! She tried replacing the flowers which was a sweet attempt. I know I should be grateful to her for doing that but they look so sad now since she planted one tiny flower per hanging basket. I feel a little sad every time I look at them. I suppose I could replant them but fall will be coming soon and the hanging baskets will be finished anyway. You know what though? Just typing this makes me re-think this…maybe I should replant those hanging baskets!
On the upside, interesting & surprising news: roses don't need much care! I planted the roses and scented geraniums next to each other and they seem to be thriving. Also, the coleus in the shaded hanging baskets are still growing by leaps and bounds.
Thank you Mark for allowing to me to indulge in my passion for flowers.