Garden 2023

[shera]

Some gorgeous planting being posted. Our plots are doing well, hope to take and post pics soon.

Woke up to 4C this morning, and the day got to a high of 28C. Folks just down the highway got a nip of frost overnight, some lost a few softer plantings. Frost is traditionally gone a week before the May long weekend. The last good frost we got this year was in mid Apr. Most of the snow up to 2000m has melted on south faces. This weather is crazy.

I'm still getting frequent frosts. Put a bucket of dahlia tubers against the south side of the house, wrapped in frost cloth. Roulette.

[SB]

Sounds like yall need a cold frame oar mebbie a grow house.

Its pretty dry here and my garlic is starting to turn, about 3 weeks early. Only cut the scapes off a week ago.

[shera]

Yes, that's exactly what I need, cold frames and greenhouses. I do have a south facing patio, buys me 5-10 degF, the concrete is a good heat sink. That plus frost cloths gives me some hope.

[skaredshtles]

Finally getting some sun and warm on the Front Range. Better get a few extra cages for the tomato plants that currently don't have them...

Weeds are a huge fuckin' problem right now too - all the rain and being out of town for two weeks has resulted in a shitload of new weeds.

[babybear]

babybear is that Bishop's Weed (Snow on the mountain) in the last pic? Is it giving you any trouble in that bed? I've got a north facing spot under pine trees (worst case scenario for plant life) and I love the way it lights up the shade. Still considering whether to just leave it as forest floor or plant it...

And I love how you've got everything planted close, looks great. I always plant close, for the aesthetics, even for food. No problem with humidity and airflow here though.

thank you! I think I plant closely also because I crave the lushness of my VT upbringing

Yes bishops weed by the gate.
I have had that there for several years now and it hasn’t migrated into the garden (probably also because I keep the other part of the garden tightly packed)
The woodruff and moneywort are almost more of an issue crowding out the other plants but I just rip out handfuls of them if they are crowding too much. I love how those mingle together though.
Re: the bishops weed- I also like how it brightens the shady zone by the gate. I read that the variegation is a recessive trait and frequently the plant will start to grow the green/ unvariegated leaves. You must remove the unvariegated leaves or they will eventually to overtake the variegated leaves. so far I have just ripped out any green leaves by hand and they have stayed as is.

I also like to go “Charleston style” on my window boxes. We did a couple days there a few years ago and I was enthralled by the planters and window boxes

[shera]

Ha, I also like the lush look, due to growing up in the land of cactus. :P

[riser4]

Another VTer here voting for lush. And lush vegetation.

[Timberridge]

I prefer bushes that are neatly manicured and trimmed. IMO the natural wild tangled look can be a bit offputting.

[SB]

We did some micro greens inside earlier this year. They turned out tasty.

[riser4]

I prefer bushes that are neatly manicured and trimmed. IMO the natural wild tangled look can be a bit offputting.

I like natural.

[Timberridge]

To each his/her own. Take babybear's bush for example. IMO it could use a trim to get rid of some of the random and dead branches.

[gravitylover]

Sculpted landscaping is interesting but I find it ugly. If the plant wanted to grow that way it would. Sure, clip the dead shit but no shaping.

[shera]

I like to consider a golf course. You've got your putting green, your fairway, and your rough. All good, each in its place.

Also I like to copy a natural clearing in the woods. Grass in the middle then layers going up.

[riser4]

Are we talking about gardening still or something else?

[Norseman]

.

[Timberridge]

Sculpted landscaping is interesting but I find it ugly. If the plant wanted to grow that way it would. Sure, clip the dead shit but no shaping.

I'm not talking about pom-pom bushes.

You need to do a bit of shaping to encourage new growth and keep the plants from getting too leggy. You do it at the right time of year so they still flower.

[AK47bp]

Are we talking about gardening still or something else?

Don’t know but I’m feelin a bit randy right now.


Maybe I’ll go sit on my lawnmower or something.

[babybear]

wow what a creepy weird turn to posting flower pics.
I never claimed to be a landscape gardener just enjoying some flowers.

[shera]

I used to be a landscape gardener. Now just have my own little place, but it's still an obsession. The water that comes out of my hose is so cold that I keep a tank in the sun, trying not to shock the starts.

Just finished watching Chelsea flower show and the overarching theme was wildflowers (weeds) in the garden. Sustainability, climate change, pollinators, etc. Lawns are out!

[Timberridge]

wow what a creepy weird turn to posting flower pics.
I never claimed to be a landscape gardener just enjoying some flowers.

Well, this place can get weird sometimes. Just hang in there bb.

I used to be a landscape gardener. Now just have my own little place, but it's still an obsession. The water that comes out of my hose is so cold that I keep a tank in the sun, trying not to shock the starts.

Just finished watching Chelsea flower show and the overarching theme was wildflowers (weeds) in the garden. Sustainability, climate change, pollinators, etc. Lawns are out!

I just try to find out what grows well in my soil and don't force it. I tried to grow delphiniums for 2 seasons and it never worked. Or try to grow prairie wildflowers in an acid clay soil like we have and they won't survive. Sometimes grass is just easier.

[shera]

I adore grass, long, short, wild, ornamental, cut short, bushwacked, grown tall, love them all!

Somebody told me that the great plains grasses were so tall that you could tie it in a knot over your horse while you were riding. Like maybe 9' tall? Makes me sad that rich topsoil is now spent on monoculture. The buffalo worked the ground in a special way to create the fertility. Give me the buffalo meat and skip the wheat corn and soy monoculture!

I have a 5 lb bag of Midnight Kentucky Bluegrass, so excited to get that going. I also grow delphiniums, they do really well here, love the cold and the bright sun makes them stout and strong.

[Timberridge]

Yeah I imagine delphiniums grow well by you. Love the blues. We do have some indigo that does well in our garden.

I was out in LA earlier in the year and had some time to walk thru the LA Arboretum. Really neat place with plants from all over the world--if I can dig out some pics I'll upload a few here.

[shera]

Poppies do so well here. I seeded this path 1.5 years ago, finally seeing something happening! I spy a native yarrow bud (white) in the corner there. That'll be pretty.

Need to work on my photography, hahaha, those flowers are blurry. Well, I tried.

[shera]

Norseman and Timberridge, your gardens are beautiful. I bet that honeysuckle smells divine.

I'm considering growing strawberries. A lot of them.

[The AD]

Hanging baskets starting to fill in nicely.